Top 10 Times The Simpsons Said What We Were All Thinking
#10: Loneliness & Cheeseburgers
“My Sister, My Sitter” We’re not sure how many doctor’s offices have lines specifically for patients in wheelbarrows, but we can all identify with this moment nonetheless. Arriving at Dr. Nick’s clinic, Lisa notices a fast food employee wheeling an immobile Comic Book Guy. His diagnosis? A severe case of loneliness that he tried combatting with a lot of cheeseburgers. During depressing periods, it’s not uncommon to turn to food for comfort. In the moment, we tell ourselves that food will make everything better. In some cases, it does help… until we fork down more than we can chew. Whenever we stuff ourselves to the point of feeling ill, Comic Book Guy’s words of woe always come to mind, especially if cheeseburgers were on the menu.
#9: Where’s the Remote?
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“Today I Am a Clown” Wanting to change the channel, Grampa Simpson searches for the elusive remote. Although the clicker is only a few feet away from his chair, Grampa compares the journey to retrieve it to visiting China. The remote is ironically too remote for him. You could chalk this up to an old person joke, but let’s be honest. Even if you’re a vigorous 20-something, you’re not getting up once you’ve sat down. We’ve all been in Grampa’s slippers, thinking his exact thoughts when the remote is more than a simple reach away. We’d rather continue watching whatever’s on the tube - or let the algorithm select our next program - than step beyond our comfort zone. If we have to stand, we might as well just go to China.
#8: Marshmallows in Cereal
“Homer Badman” No cereal brings out one’s inner child quite like Lucky Charms. We mean, marshmallows consume a good portion of the box. It’s like having dessert for breakfast and getting away with it! If you have an especially sweet tooth, though, you probably think of Bart whenever you pour yourself a bowl. For those looking to eat at least semi-healthy, the cereal’s oat pieces might make you feel a little better. For those who just want the sweetest taste possible, you’ll reiterate Bart’s complaint that all the pieces aren’t marshmallows. Some of you also might agree with Lisa that the non-marshmallow pieces belong in the trash rather than back in the box. If we wanted a box of Cheerios, we would’ve bought a box of Cheerios.
#7: Online Friends > In Person Friends
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“The D'oh-cial Network” On one hand, the friendships we form in person are usually more meaningful than the ones that are almost exclusive to the internet. That said, online friendships are easier to develop and maintain. Lisa discovers this as she gets the idea to start her own social network. Not having any friends in the real world, Lisa becomes instantly popular online upon typing a few generic statements that probably wouldn’t get much of a response in person. Even if you’re a social butterfly, you’ll still connect with Lisa’s epiphany that making a bunch of friends on the web is more convenient than interacting with somebody first-hand. Plus, when someone isn’t acting very friendly, you can just click that unfriend button instead of enduring a messy confrontation.
#6: No Longer With It
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“Homerpalooza” Here’s a moment that resonates on two levels. In a flashback, Abe Simpson gives his son and Barney a harsh reality check. During their youth, everyone thinks that they’re “with it.” However, what you consider cool will one day be considered dated and replaced with something you don’t understand. If you’re a naive whippersnapper, you’ll likely identify with Homer, who’s confident that he’ll always be with it. If you’re in your 30s or beyond, though, you’ll relate more to Abe. It isn’t until you see what the kids are into nowadays that you truly start to feel old. Have we become out of touch? No, it’s the children who are wrong, as Principal Skinner would say.
#5: Bender Is Robot Homer
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“Simpsorama” Although both have Matt Groening in common, “The Simpsons” and “Futurama” stand out with different settings, themes, and tones. Yet, there are a few areas where they intersect, namely the character designs. Bender, in particular, looks an awful lot like a robot Homer. Just replace Homer’s two hairs with an antenna and you essentially have Bender. Fans have been thinking this since 1999. Fifteen years later when the Planet Express came to Springfield, the writers finally acknowledged what was on everyone’s minds. Noticing the resemblance, Bart takes a sketch of his father, makes a few tweaks to the head, eyes, and teeth, and boom! Bender! Maybe Groening got “lazy,” as Lisa suggests, but who knows? Perhaps Mom’s Friendly Robot Company based Bender’s design on Homer.
#4: We Need a Cure
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“Marge in Chains” With the Osaka Flu runner rampant throughout Springfield, citizens gather outside Dr. Hibbert’s office, demanding a cure. Despite Hibbert’s rational response, mass hysteria and bee attacks break out nonetheless. Although the Osaka Flu is fictional, this moment can be applied to virtually any real-world public health crisis, from SARS, to Ebola, to the various influenza strains. However, this scene became especially prevalent when the COVID-19 pandemic hit and the world desperately needed vaccines. Many would express themselves through this “Simpsons” meme with the ensuing town panic and unleashing of killer insects only adding to the relevance. With COVID ongoing and Monkeypox on the rise, it’s safe to assume that we’ll be thinking about cures for the foreseeable future.
#3: Lisa on the Police
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“The Springfield Connection” Another moment that hasn’t lost relevance, this 1995 episode saw Marge become a cop. While Lisa knows that her mother has nothing but the best intentions, she wisely articulates the fundamental flaws at the center of law enforcement and incarceration. Shouldn’t we be striving towards rehabilitating criminals and addressing the social issues that lead to crime rather than just cramming people into cells? Lisa makes a strong argument, saying it better than most of us could. Of course, Marge responds how most people in positions of power would when presented with such an important question: dodging the matter entirely and talking down to their audience. The issues that Lisa brings up may never be resolved, but they’ll remain on our minds for now.
#2: Moe Doesn’t Want to Pay Bills
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“The Canine Mutiny” We’ve all been there before. You miss a payment and before you know it, your floor gets repossessed. Okay, maybe that exact situation is specific to Moe, but it’s not uncommon to fall behind on payments. The repo guy tells the bar owner that he should’ve paid his bills. Moe responds with an ironclad argument we can all get behind. He doesn’t wanna! Moe doesn’t say anything about not being able to afford it. Apparently, it’s simply the sheer lack of personal desire that impedes his cooperation. Unfortunately, Moe isn’t a kid refusing to clean his room. If you don’t pay what’s owed, there are going to be consequences. Still, whenever we get a bill or tax forms in the mail, Moe’s words hit home. Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.
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#1: Learning New Things
“Secrets of a Successful Marriage” The more you broaden your education, the smarter you become, right? Yes and no. True, you might pick up a few new skills and nuggets of knowledge. If you’re anything like us, though, you’ll forget something else in the process. Some people may have a warehouse-worth of room in their expanding minds, but most of us habitually forget old tricks as we start picking up new ones. Homer expresses what were’s talking about during this moment when Marge suggests that he take an adult education course. Rolling his eyes at the idea, Homer argues that there’s limited space in his brain. That may be a testament to why Homer isn’t very bright, but this also might be one of the smarter arguments he’s ever made.