12 Greatest One-Off Simpsons Characters
1. Frank Grimes
One of the darkest episodes in The Simpsons’ canon was built around the premise: what if a real life person stumbled into the show? We all enjoy Homer’s oafish failings, but working alongside him, the episode posits, would be a nightmare.
Frank Grimes is a lesson in the unfairness of life. From a difficult beginning, Grimes put himself through college and earned an impressive set of qualifications, only to find himself working alongside a man as stupendously unsuitable for the job as Homer.
From there he develops a deep loathing for Homer, who lives in a spacious house with a loving family (while Grimes lives between two bowling alleys) and cruises from one adventure to the next, while Grimes grafts for what meagre money he makes.
Modelled on Michael Douglas’ Falling Down character, Frank Grimes couldn’t be more perfect an enemy for Homer, a man so ignorant of the world around him that he doesn’t even realise he has a mortal foe.
The ending sees him frazzled to a crisp and Homer, again without meaning to, getting the last laugh at his funeral. It’s an exercise in cruelty, but we laugh because we can all recognise a little Frank “Grimey” Grimes in ourselves.