The Yellow Lotus

"The Yellow Lotus" is the second episode of the thirty-sixth season of the American animated television series The Simpsons, and the 770th episode overall. It aired in the United States on Fox on October 6, 2024. The episode was written by Loni Steele Sosthand and directed by Matthew Faughnan.
In this episode, the Simpson family goes to a high-end resort and encounter Sideshow Bob. Chloe Fineman, Kelsey Grammer, and Jay Pharoah guest starred. The episode received mixed reviews.
Homer and Marge are having a romantic swim in the ocean outside an island resort called The Yellow Lotus when they encounter a dead body.
One week earlier, the Simpsons arrive at the resort after earning enough points to use a timeshare, which Homer was duped into buying from Nick Callahan ten years ago. However, the timeshare company no longer owns the resort, but their points are honored for a stay of twenty minutes. Their room is given to Dr. Hibbert, who requested a room without a minibar because his wife Bernice is a recovering alcoholic but secretly abuses prescription drugs. As the Simpsons wait to leave, they notice Tasha, who requested three adjoining suites for herself, her husband, and her luggage. They hide in her luggage suite to stay at the resort where they learn her husband is Sideshow Bob.
Bob proposes a deal where he allows them to stay in the suite if they do not expose his past to Tasha. The Simpsons agree if Bob does not kill Tasha. Bart, Lisa, and Maggie play in the children's area and act spoiled to blend in with the other children. Marge and Homer enjoy the resort and hide from security while noticing that no one at the resort is happy except them. Worried for Tasha, Marge warns her about Bob, so he calls security on Marge and Homer. While fleeing, they pass Dr. Hibbert, who is confronting Bernice about her drugs, and encounter Nick Callahan trying to defraud a couple.
Marge admonishes Callahan for selling them the timeshare and the resort guests for not appreciating where they are. Security catches the Simpsons, but Marge and Homer decide to swim in the ocean as they wait for a ferry to take them home. Above in a hot air balloon, Dr. Hibbert throws Bernice's drugs into the ocean where they are consumed by a sea otter. Homer and Marge witness Bob and Tasha atop a cliff where he gives her a necklace, but she pushes him down the cliff onto a path below due to her mental condition. He gets up with help from Sideshow Mel as they walk off to do something. Meanwhile, the drug-addled sea otter attacks and kills a snorkeling Callahan, whose body drifts toward Homer and Marge.
Kent Brockman reports on Callahan's death as he is then attacked by the same sea otter.
The episode is a parody of the television series The White Lotus. On January 8, 2024, the episode's title and production code were confirmed by executive producer Al Jean. The episode includes a title sequence with music and lyrics sung by the series' principal composer Kara Talve. The sequence is a parody of the one from the second season of The White Lotus. The character Nick Callahan first appeared in the ninth season episode "Realty Bites". It was writer Loni Steele Sosthand's idea to add him to the episode.
Kelsey Grammer reprised his role as Sideshow Bob. Chloe Fineman guest starred as his wife Tasha. Former showrunner Mike Reiss and his wife make a cameo appearance in the flashback sequence.
The episode earned a 0.23 rating and was watched by 0.89 million viewers, the most-watched show on Fox that night.
John Schwarz of Bubbleblabber gave the episode a 7.5 out of 10. He praised Sosthand's script commenting on timeshares while contrasting the Simpsons' behavior with the other rich guests. However, he disliked the replacement voices for Dr. Hibbert and Drederick Tatum.
Mike Celestino of Laughing Place thought the episode had a "so-so plot but some laugh-out-loud moments" but thought that viewers who watched The White Lotus may enjoy the episode more.