'Times Have Changed': Homer Stops Strangling Bart

'Simpsons' acknowledges the shift in new episode
By Jenn Gidman,  Newser Staff
Posted Nov 7, 2023 11:34 AM CST

Scenes that show Homer Simpson strangling his son Bart, often preceded by a frustrated "Why, you little...," are such a staple of the long-running animated sitcom that compilation videos exist showing all the times it's happened. Going forward, however, it appears the Springfield patriarch "has had a change of heart," per KTLA. The news outlet notes that in the third episode of the 35th season of the series, titled "McMansion & Wife," Homer and his wife, Marge, greet a new neighbor, who compliments Homer on his hearty handshake. "See, Marge, strangling the boy has paid off," Homer boasts.

He then follows that up, however, with: "Just kidding, I don't do that anymore. Times have changed." The Independent reports that the last time Homer was actually spotted strangling his obnoxious son was in Season 31, which took place in 2019-2020. The outlet also notes that Homer has tried to go cold turkey on the strangling before, with an episode in Season 22 called "Love Is a Many Strangled Thing," way back in 2011, showing Homer supposedly learning his lesson about his particular form of discipline. However, two seasons later, in Season 24, in an episode entitled "Love Is a Many Splintered Thing," the outraged dad was back at it. Whispers about Homer apparently turning over a new leaf in the episode that aired Oct. 22 soon started circulating on the internet, and reviews of his new attitude have been mixed.

"I knew my man Homer was gonna learn," one proud viewer notes. Another seemed to take issue with the "times have changed" line that Homer utters, writing, "I'm sorry when was it considered okay to choke out your son again? 1989?" Still others think it was an "overdone catchphrase" that "was never actually funny." Some, however, didn't seem to understand why the gag was being dropped. "Why would they stop doing it? Homer Strangling Bart is one of the founding gags," one fan insists. "It's never premeditated, always a snap decision based on how angry Bart Makes Homer." It's not clear if this time around, Homer's change of heart will last. (More The Simpsons stories.)

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