CAUTION: Spoilers Ahead For The Simpsons Season 33,The latest attempt at political satire featured on The Simpsons proved the animated sitcom isn’t always as witty as it used to be, as evidenced by a nonsensical Angela Merkel parody. The Simpsons was, during the show’s season 2-12 Golden Age, viewed by critics and fans alike as one of the greatest satirical television shows ever. However, the critical fortunes of the FOX juggernaut have been steadily declining for some years now.,While older Simpsons episodes still predict real-life events with uncanny accuracy thanks to their sharp writing, contemporary episodes of The Simpsons have a more scattershot approach to satire that rarely lands. In some cases, the political jabs made by The Simpsons are outright meaningless and self-defeating. Unfortunately, this was the case when The Simpsons attempted to parody the former Chancellor of Germany, Angela Merkel.,Related: The Simpsons Just Retconned Bart’s Controversial Origin Story,The Simpsons depicted the former German chancellor as the self-proclaimed “only voice of reason in Europe,” with her animated caricature answering “I don’t” when TikTok superstar Charli D’Amelio asked how she monetized the gig. The thing is, since the episode introduced Merkel as a board member of a massive multi-billion dollar corporation, presumably this role was how she monetized her influential position and used her political work for personal benefit. However, the issues don’t stop there. Like Marge’s pranking plot hole, this Simpsons joke made no sense for numerous other reasons. Merkel is retired, and if she indeed was the lone un-corrupt, reasonable voice of sense in the European Parliament, this leads to the question of why she would be on the board of directors of a ruthless multi-billionaire’s pollution-promoting corporation in the first place.,In “Meat Is Murder,” (season 33, episode 21), The Simpsons depicts Grampa’s former business partner Gus Redfield as a phenomenally wealthy, utterly amoral billionaire. He explicitly boasts about paying no taxes, and Lisa is morally abhorred by his excessive riches. His company promotes selling guns to dogs as well as engaging in countless other questionable practices, as outlined in his introductory song. As such, it makes no sense for The Simpsons to refer to Merkel as a morally upright figure while introducing her as an associate of this detested character. Unlike most Simpsons celebrity cameos, Merkel doesn’t play herself in the episode, and the choice is an understandable one since the real-life former politician likely doesn’t want to be portrayed as making money from corporate interests.,This then leads to the question of whether The Simpsons intended for this to be a flattering portrayal. Like most career politicians, Merkel has defenders and detractors as well as both controversies and achievements to her name. However, The Simpsons dubbing her the “only voice of reason in Europe” becomes faint praise when the show is simultaneously depicting her as a board member for a monstrously corrupt corporation. Ultimately, the gag makes no sense and its intended target is almost impossible to discern, proving that the satirical edge of The Simpsons has been badly blunted by season 33.,More: The Simpsons Ignored Its Perfect Succession Parody,The Simpsons season 33 finale is set to air on Sunday, May 22.