Homer Simpson Will No Longer Strangle Son Bart As Show Acknowledges 'Times Have Changed'

Fox

Homer Simpson has decided to stop strangling his son Bart, acknowledging that "times have changed."

The long-standing gag on the show, where Bart would be choked by his father when he misbehaved, has come to an end.

In the world of The Simpsons, it has been a recurring joke that whenever Bart Simpson made a mistake, he would face the wrath of his father's choking grip around his neck.

However, after years of this recurring theme, it appears that Bart may have experienced his final strangle, as the show has recognized the evolving cultural landscape.

Fox/The Simpsons

The show undeniably stands as one of the greatest of all time, and even though some of us may have lost interest after season nine, it persists.

The Simpsons serves as an insightful reflection of societal trends, and they have now recognized that physically restraining your children by the neck is no longer acceptable.

This shift is indeed a relief, isn't it? What may have been acceptable during the early years of the show is no longer in line with the standards, much like the evolving quality of the episodes. In 2023, such actions are firmly off-limits.

Fox/The Simpsons

In the latest episode of season 35, titled 'McMansion & Wife,' Homer Simpson directly addressed this issue, as they have often done in the past.

During a visit to their neighbor Thayer, Homer extends his hand for a handshake as a way to introduce himself and greet Thayer.

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.”

Indeed, they have addressed this issue. The episode in question premiered just a couple of weeks ago on October 22nd, and since then, discussions and debates about it have been ongoing online.

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."

Fox/The Simpsons

Homer stopped strangling Bart in an episode that came out in season 31, which was between 2019 and 2020. But before that, it happened quite a bit in the show.

In season 22, there was an episode called 'Love is a Many Strangled Thing,' where Homer goes to classes to learn about how Bart felt when he was choked, making it harder for him to continue doing it. 

However, in season 24, Homer resumed strangling Bart, which surprised Milhouse.

Just like the situation with Apu, The Simpsons has demonstrated its willingness to adapt to changing attitudes, and hopefully, the joke about strangling Bart will be removed from the show. 

The message is clear: it's not okay to physically harm your kids. 

That's all for now.