Homer Simpson has finally given up strangling his son Bart, as the show admits that ‘times have changed’.
It’s a well-worn joke on the show that when Bart Simpson does something wrong, he can expect to be grabbed around the neck by his dad.
But after years of strangling, it seems as if Bart might have suffered his last, as The Simpsons has finally addressed the shifting of the sands.
The show is unquestionably one of the greatest of all time, and – despite the fact that some of us probably tuned out after season nine – it continues on.
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The Simpsons is always a good barometer of how things are in a society, and they’ve finally accepted that gripping your children by the neck is out of the question.
That’s a relief, right?
What might have worked during the first few years of the show no longer stands, much like the quality of the episodes, and in 2023, it’s simply a no-go area.
In the latest episode of season 35, entitled ‘McMansion & Wife’, Homer Simpson addressed the thing directly - as they have often done.
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As Homer and Marge pay a visit to their neighbour Thayer, Homer introduces himself with a handshake.
The new character remarks on the strength of his grip, prompting Homer to respond: “See, Marge, strangling the boy paid off.”
He then adds: “Just kidding, I don’t do that anymore. Times have changed.”
They certainly have.
The episode first aired a couple of weeks ago on 22 October, but the conversation has raged online since then.
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One person wrote: “Took them long enough lmao.”
It definitely did.
Another person said: “I knew my man Homer was gonna learn.”
While a third said: "Thank god."
Homer last strangled Bart in an episode during season 31, released between 2019 and 2020.
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But it was hardly a rare occurrence before that.
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Season 22 featured an episode dedicated to the subject, called ‘Love is a Many Strangled Thing’, which saw Homer attend classes that teach him about how ‘young, small, and terrified’ Bart may have felt by getting choked.
After that, he struggled to exact the same punishment.
However, it resumed in season 24, much to the shock of Milhouse.
As with the Apu business, The Simpsons has once again shown that it is willing to keep up with the prevailing tide, and the joke will now – hopefully – be factored out.
Don’t strangle your kids, folks.
That’s all.
Topics: The Simpsons, TV and Film
Tom Wood