Review: Maggie Simpson in “Playdate with Destiny”

Overview (Spoilers Below)

Maggie runs into a boy named Hudson at the park after nearly being killed by a fat kid coming down the slide and it’s love at first sight. The two are a regular Forrest and Jenny, an Ozzy and Harriot, a Marge and Homer (sometimes). While really the young budding couple are playing at the local playground, the imagination of the babies take hold and are whisked away on exotic adventures that abruptly end when Hudson has to go home.

The next day, Maggie is driven by Homer to a different park where no reunion takes place so the following day sees Maggie take control of Homer’s driving responsibilities and is able to see Hudson again just as he’s departing on the local train. While it seems a dramatic departure would be had, we learn that the train is on a round course and a reunion is had.

Our Take

There is one listed voice actor in the entirety of this short inspired by The Simpsons and that’s Chris Edgerly whose sole contribution was that of a children’s play toy. Other than that, we get almost a silent film save for the various sound effects which includes the bopping of Maggie’s pacifier which dances around the five-minute short almost as beautifully as Jim Dooley’s score which was extemporaneously more important given the lack of dialogue. I was hoping for a bit more background help from the producers to help fill-in the lack of dialogue. While the show’s classic hand of playing gag jokes is there, it’s certainly not as prevalent as any longer episode which might be a drawback considered this is a shorter runtime and we’re looking for more real estate for jokes and such (Homer gleefully allowing Maggie to drive is hilarious).

I, like you, are worried that Disney would try and fuck with The Simpsons as best they could because that’s what Disney does.  But, that’s why the show is protected by the iron horse overlords that is Jim Brooks and Matt Groening, because they know this franchise so well, both inside and out, and they aren’t going to let the show get watered down as a result. The franchise is just as strong as ever and it’s malleable. Animated shorts ahead of Pixar movies? Check. Feature-length films? Check. Thirty plus seasons of show? Check. Playdate with Destiny is the preview for a possibly hardened Disney audience that The Simpsons is still here and will forever be here long after we’re all gone.