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The Simpsons finally answered a Homer question fans have always wondered about, and my fandom is split in two because of it

Umito October 29, 2024

Spoilers below for anyone who hasn’t watched yet The Simpsons» latest episode, “Shoddy Heat,” so be warned!

As the world’s longest-running scripted series Fall TV schedule, The Simpsons hasn’t run out of episode ideas yet and will hopefully never run out of ideas. Treehouse of Horror A+ Parodies. Its final flashback episode, the pulpy near-noir “Shoddy Heat,” delivered a relatively rare episode centered on Abe digging into his past as a private detective partnered with Billy O’Donnell, with the voice of Topher Grace . And Abe is apparently the catalyst for one of the biggest fan questions for over three decades: How does Homer keep his job?

Despite voluntarily leaving his Springfield nuclear power plant several times over the years and despite occasional firings for absurd negligence, Homer never permanently lost his role as safety inspector. The simplest answer is probably: “It’s a hilarious cartoon, and these characters constantly make stupid choices for our currency of belly laughs.” But now we know the real “real” reason, and even though that’s fine and all, the reveal kind of made me sad for a long time The Simpsons fanatic.

How Abe Simpson is responsible for Homer keeping his job

Without getting bogged down in the episode’s backstory, the point in question can be explained quite simply. Abe wondered what Mr. Burns’ role was in the disappearance of his former PI partner, the aforementioned Billy, and Mr. Burns didn’t want to talk about it. Instead, to dissuade Abe from investigating the matter further, Burns promises to one day give the then-young Homer a job, claiming that it will be a job maintained in aeternum.

Viewers weren’t the only ones left in the dark all this time, as the security inspector himself wasn’t even aware of his father’s past deal. (It’s not at all clear why Homer thinks he kept his job, which is kind of funny.) Rather than reacting angrily as Abe fears, Homer is quite happy, saying:

Just wait a minute. All those times I made a mistake and should have been fired, but I didn’t, was it because of you? No matter how stupid I am, I can never lose my job. I’m like a Supreme Court justice.

Given that no documents were signed and no witnesses were brought, this does not appear to be a forever affair. But it’s a fun episode overall, and I guess I can understand the idea that Billy O’Donnell’s secret was so important to Mr. Burns at the time that he made a totally absurd deal concerning one of the most important positions. in any nuclear power plant. However, this somehow represents something that bothers me more and more each time. The Simpsons does it.

I don’t need or want The Simpsons to fully explain every element of its weird story

Don’t get me wrong, I like it when The Simpsons humorously reflects on the inconsistencies and anachronisms of the past and proves to fans that it is understandable don’t take its continuity too seriously concerning every detail and character. Plus, I like when random surprises like Death of Barfly Larry in season 35 and whatever new perspectives they offer.

But what I neither need nor want is The SimpsonsThe creative team tries to fill in every plot hole and logically explain every eccentricity of Springfield before the series completes its historical journey. It’s the same narrative problem that plagues many modern prequels, that need to find and justify every familiar detail.

If The Simpsons never gave us an answer as to why Homer maintained a steady paycheck at the power plant despite decades of terrible work and widespread unprofessionalism, I wouldn’t have suddenly started rethinking my tastes several years later. In the same way that I don’t need an explanation of how the family celebrates so many birthdays and holidays and never gets old.

Oddly, “Shoddy Heat” also throws in a joke referencing what might very well be the most asked question about this series: Where is Springfield? While watching Chief Wiggum with Carl, the latter cracks the joke with this quote from Shakespeare:

Carl: There is something rotten in the state of Denmark.
Wiggum: Is this the state we find ourselves in? Denmark? Eh.

I will regret this day The Simpsons actually provides a legitimate answer to this question, and we can only hope that the concepts of states and places will cease to exist before that happens. Or maybe something less extreme.

Discover all the past questionable joke punchlines and semi-retcons streaming The Simpsons with a Disney+ subscriptionand catch new episodes airing every Sunday night on Fox at 8 p.m. ET.

Apre-salomemanzo

Apre-salomemanzo

The Simpsons finally answered a Homer question fans have always wondered about, and my fandom is split in two because of it

Umito

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The Simpsons finally answered a Homer question fans have always wondered about, and my fandom is split in two because of it

Umito

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