Single Parent Households and The Simpsons
Brian M Dugan
watching a special on single parent households and it got me thinking that
there are quite a bit on the Simpsons. Off the top of my head all the
following are/were raised in single parent households at one time or
another: Rod & Todd, Ralph, Nelson, Milhouse, Homer, Marge(as don't recall
seeing a Mr. Bovier in the episode where Homer wants to take Marge to the
prom), Skinner, Ned(this might be wrong but when Bart lived with the
Flanders there was only agrandma Flanders who said whaddya know Joe? yet in
the episode where we learn why Ned is so nice we see his father, and
according to Ned a lousy beatnick) and also The Carnie's son that fooled
Homer to giving him the house. I may have missed some others, Just curious
if anyone else has any comments?
-Brian
A Space Cowboy
>
> There are so many stories regarding the Muntz family that this doesn't
count.
The most insight into Nelson's family was provided in episode 9F12, "Brother
from the Same Planet"- Nelson's father was the soccer coach, and his mother
works at Hooters.
The one blinding omission I noticed was Ruth and Laura Powers. Although they
haven't been seen on the show as dynamic characters since the fifth season,
they are perhaps Springfield's first example of a single-parent family.
Also, what about Dolph? Corky "Jimbo" Jones has both a mother (who as I
recall, watches soap operas with her son, which episode that's from escapes
me) and a father (who takes part in the pummeling of Homer and reprimands
him for "telling him how to raise his lousy kid" in episode 4F03, "The Homer
They Fall.") I am confused as to the family status of Kearney, though.
Several allusions have been made to his own fatherhood, but his Curly
Howard-esque father also helps beat up Homer in 4F03.
Minstrel
Brian M Dugan <bmd...@acsu.buffalo.edu> wrote in message
news:Pine.GSO.4.05.100052...@joxer.acsu.buffalo.edu...
> Off the top of my head all the
> following are/were raised in single parent households at one time or
> another: Rod & Todd, Ralph, Nelson, Milhouse, Homer, Marge(as don't recall
> seeing a Mr. Bovier in the episode where Homer wants to take Marge to the
> prom
Huh? Mr. Bouvier was there, as I recall.
Cheers,
Arjun
synecdoche
<bmd...@acsu.buffalo.edu> wrote:
>Forgive me if this topic has been brought up before but last night I was
>watching a special on single parent households and it got me thinking that
>there are quite a bit on the Simpsons. Off the top of my head all the
>following are/were raised in single parent households at one time or
>another: Rod & Todd, Ralph, Nelson, Milhouse, Homer, Marge(as don't recall
>seeing a Mr. Bovier in the episode where Homer wants to take Marge to the
>prom),
I am pretty sure there was a Mr Bouvier in that episode... Maybe i am
wrong.
-dave
Chris Palm
>seeing a Mr. Bovier in the episode where Homer wants to take Marge to the
>prom)
You know, when that Simpson boy showed up, it took years off my life.
-=Krispy
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To respond, break the pact.
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Bill McNeal
>following are/were raised in single parent households at one time or
>another:
>Rod & Todd,
Well, thank you Mike Scully!
>Ralph,
The only instance of such is in "The Simpsons' Spinoff Showcase," and it
doesn't really count. We've seen Sarah Wiggum quite a few times now.
>Nelson,
There are so many stories regarding the Muntz family that this doesn't count.
>Marge(as don't recall
>seeing a Mr. Bovier in the episode where Homer wants to take Marge to the
>prom),
Already been dealt with by Krispy..
Also, see "Fear of Flying."
-- An XPeeple Production --
"If this were 'Logan's Run' I'd be Soylent Green by now." -Bill McNeal
"It takes two to lie- one to lie and one to listen." -Homer Simpson
"Usually it's just soup for one, salad for one, wine for three..." -Edna
Krabappel
Bill McNeal
>count.
>
>from the Same Planet"- Nelson's father was the soccer coach, and his mother
>works at Hooters.
I thought the Hooters reference didn't come until "Bart Star," a point at which
Mr. Muntz' voice had even changed actors..
>The one blinding omission I noticed was Ruth and Laura Powers. Although they
>haven't been seen on the show as dynamic characters since the fifth season,
>they are perhaps Springfield's first example of a single-parent family.
Good example. It always bothers me that we saw them so little. They could have
been great recurring characters.
A Space Cowboy
molded the two episodes into one in my mind. Although they are both very
good episodes.
"You've been out gallavanting with that floozy of bigger brother of yours,
haven't you, haven't you, havent't you.... LOOK AT ME!"
"There's one thing you have to remember, kid."
Hari Michael Wierny
>
> Forgive me if this topic has been brought up before but last night I was
> watching a special on single parent households and it got me thinking that
> following are/were raised in single parent households at one time or
> seeing a Mr. Bovier in the episode where Homer wants to take Marge to the
> prom)
I believe Mr. Bouvier was in fact there in 7F12. Also, in 2F08
Marge's father lives with the family, he just works as an air
stewardess and isn't at home all the time.
> Skinner, Ned(this might be wrong but when Bart lived with the
> Flanders there was only agrandma Flanders who said whaddya know Joe? yet in
> the episode where we learn why Ned is so nice we see his father, and
> according to Ned a lousy beatnick)
Indeed. We also see his mother.
> Homer to giving him the house. I may have missed some others, Just curious
> if anyone else has any comments?
Kearney's son, in 4F04, seems to have had weird side affects
from his parents divorce.
Hari Michael Wierny
"I sleep in a drawer." Kearney's son, [4F04]
Trole Ling Ph.D.
>Forgive me if this topic has been brought up before but last night I was
>watching a special on single parent households and it got me thinking that
>there are quite a bit on the Simpsons.
It seems the Wiggum family is the only 'normal' family.
NOTE: I recently did a presentation of the hierarchy of
Springfield...its fairly ironic because Chief Wiggum is near the top
(along with Fat Tony, Mayor Quimby etc), yet his son Ralph is near the
bottom.