We found out last week that in next season’s Simpsons season premiere, Homer and Marge will split up after Homer gets the hots for his psychiatrist, who will be played by Lena Dunham. Based on everything we know about this show (and from the words of showrunner Al Jean), it’s clear that Homer and Marge won’t actually stay broken up, but after a long history of marital turmoil, maybe they should. These are some reasons why Homer and Marge calling it quits might make more sense than one might realize.
All Homer Can Offer Marge Is Complete And Utter Dependence
In Season 5’s “Secrets of a Successful Marriage,” Marge throws Homer out of the house after he reveals intimate secrets about their marriage to his learning annex class. After a day of being separated, Homer’s clothes are tattered, and he’s proven himself to be entirely incapable of coping with the modern world. Homer is eventually let back in the house, but only after he admits that all he can offer Marge is his total dependence on her. She takes him back, on the grounds that she enjoys feeling needed, but wouldn’t she want a little more out of a relationship? She’d have to at least be thinking about it, right?
We Know How Marge Feels About Flanders
In Season 15’s “Diatribe of a Mad Housewife,” Marge decided to write a novel. After yet another night of Homer not paying any attention to her, Marge was irritated, and Flanders happened to stop by at the most convenient moment. This led to Marge exploring her feelings and writing a book that made it quite clear that she was lusting after her neighborino. Marge and Flanders also came close to getting intimate in Season 21’s “The Devil Wears Nada.” Flanders is now a widower once again after the death of Marcia Wallace forced the show to kill off Edna Krabappel. There’s already precedent set that these two might like each other, and Flanders is pretty much the exact opposite of Homer. If Homer and Marge’s split were to last for more than just a couple of episodes, why wouldn’t Marge and Ned think about getting together?
It’s Been Established That They Split Up Eventually
If the notion of Homer and Marge not being together anymore is shocking, consider that in the Simpsons episodes that are set in the future, their break-up has already been established. In “Future-Drama,” Homer and Marge are separated, and Marge is dating Krusty the Clown. “Holidays of Future Passed” and “Days of Future Future” further established the notion that Homer and Marge eventually break up.
Maybe Homer Is Interested In A Life Without Marge
OK, we’ve already established how essential Marge is to Homer’s very existence, but that might not stop Homer from just getting bored. Remember, he thought about hooking up with Mindy Simmons in “The Last Temptation of Homer,” and things also threatened to get serious with Lurleen Lumpkin. Other women have shown an interest in Homer over the years, and it’s possible that he might want to explore his options. Realistically, he probably won’t find a woman as capable of putting up with his nonsense as Marge is, but that doesn’t mean he won’t give it a shot.
What Does The Show Have To Lose?
OK, I realize that the notion of The Simpsons existing without Homer and Marge together will seem sacrilegious (and not sacrilicious) to certain fans, but let’s be honest, it’s not like the show has to worry about jumping the shark… that happened a long time ago. We’ve already seen Flanders marry Mrs. Krabappel, and the show will probably continue without Harry Shearer. Furthermore, as Josh demonstrated in his article, the “marriage crisis” episodes between Homer and Marge have been done to death. How much would it really hurt the show to try something different? If the show will keep making new episodes, it might as well experiment. Having Homer and Marge split up could make things worse, but it could bring some new life into a show that’s been stagnant for a while now.
