Homer Simpson strangling his son Bart – this violent running gag is now history with The Simpsons. The series makers also addressed this.
Homer Simpson doesn’t exactly have a lot of patience – this is already known to most viewers of the cult series “The Simpsons”. A typical scene is when Homer chokes his son Bart – presumably as a “training measure” – so much that his tongue hangs out of his mouth. The fact that this is physical violence is something that goes unnoticed in the world of animation. What fans didn’t really notice is that Homer hasn’t choked Bart in a long time.
The Simpsons authors have now also addressed this in the third episode “McMansion & Wife” of the 35th season. When Homer compliments his firm handshake, he tells his wife Marge, “You see, Marge, choking that boy was worth it.” Then he adds: “Just kidding, I don’t do that anymore. The times have changed.”
Abuse as a running gag
The last time the Simpsons main character approached his son was in the 31st season of the series in 2019. But the “education method” was already discussed in an episode in 2011. In Love is a Many Strangled Thing, basketball legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar goes for Homer’s throat to show him what it feels like to be “young, small and scared.” The action seems to have had a short-term effect – but in the next season the abuse continues as usual.