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FOX TV's The Simpsons is all set to increase diversity and representation in their show, through characters as well as writers.
Directed by Chris Clements, the upcoming episode of the show is set to revolve around Monk. He was the son of the late Bleeding Gums Murphy, a saxophonist Lisa Simpson loved in the early seasons of the show. Lisa helps Monk out, who is on a quest to acquire a cochlear implant.
Here's everything viewers need to know about the upcoming episode.
When is the seventeenth episode of The Simpsons season 33 expected to air?
Episode 17 of The Simpsons season 33 is all set to air on April 10 at 9.00 pm ET on FOX TV. The episode will also be available to stream on Disney+ Hotstar.
The upcoming episode, The Sound of Bleeding Gums, will feature actor John Autry II, who will voice a hearing-impaired character named Monk in the upcoming episode. It will also feature the show's first-ever use of American Sign Launguage (ASL).
The episode was written by Loni Steele Sosthand, whose brother was born deaf. In an interview with variety, she shared,
"When I think about music, I also think about my brother. When we were talking about this Bleeding Gums character in our initial brainstorms, we thought, wouldn’t it be cool if Lisa discovers this whole other side of his life. That led to him having a son, and then we based that character at least somewhat on my brother."
Recap of episode 16
In the previous episode of the show, titled Pretty Whittle Liar, Lisa joined a clandestine group of smart kids at school who hide their intelligence in order to not get bullied for the same. Meanwhile, Brandine hid her love for reading at Marge's book club, which led to Cletus thinking that he did not know her anymore. He discovers that his wife is actually really smart, which makes him question everything they share.
All this drama led to Brandine leaving and moving in with the Simpsons family. She no longer wishes to live with Cletus and her infinite children. She sits down with the marriage counselor and discusses her marriage problems, which makes Marge think that she could have done better than Homer. This causes Homer to work on his marriage in order to protect it.
In the end, Brandine returns home to her kids after feeling homesick, and sees Cletus being supportive of her, as he buys himself a book to read.
About season 33
The current season of The Simpsons will have twenty-two episodes in total and premiered in September 2021, following its trailer release in August 2021. The series had already been renewed for another season, prior to the premiere of season 33.
John Autry II, who will be voicing Monk, shared with Variety in an interview about his pioneering role. He expressed,
"It's so incredible. It's life-changing equality and participation. This can impact change for all of us. It’s about hard of hearing and hearing characters coming together. It's a part of history."
The upcoming episode comes amid the growing visibility of the hearing-impaired in Hollywood, especially since the Academy Award win by Troy Kotsur.
Catch the latest episode of The Simpsons Season 33 premieres on April 10 on FOX and Disney+ Hotstar.
