And finally… great leap backward

Disney+ launched in Hong Kong earlier this month, but viewers noticed the absence of episode 12 of season 16: Goo Goo Gai Pan.

Censorship laws introduced this summer forbid broadcasts that could breach China’s national security law imposed on the city.

Streaming services are not caught by the rules but the authorities have warned that they fall under other laws.

In one scene, the Simpsons visit Tiananmen Square, where Chinese authorities cracked down on democracy protestors in 1989. There they see a sign that states: “On this site, in 1989, nothing happened”. The official death toll from the massacre stands at around 300 but other estimates are much higher.

In another scene, Homer is seen standing by Chairman Mao’s embalmed body. He refers to him as “a little angel that killed 50 million people”.