14 Things Fox Wants You To Forget About The Simpsons

1. Homer Wasn't Always An Idiot

There are many factors in the decline in quality of The Simpsons, and it was perhaps inevitable given how long it ran for - and just how good it was at its peak - but one of the biggest is the characterisation of Homer.

As covered in the last entry, Homer became the series' focal point, and it was in-part because of him, or rather the way he was written, that things started to crumble.

Homer was also a bit of a dumb character, but he was a much more rounded one too. The show started off as a satirisation of working-class family life, and Homer was a big part of that. He had his flaws, sure, but he worked hard to provide for his family, and always cared for them in his own way, even if he was sometimes misguided or immature.

As the years wore on, however, what's referred to as 'Jerk-Ass Homer' started to appear more and more, especially from Season 10 onwards (this is referenced in the brilliant Zombie Simpsons). He became more and more ignorant, started to care only about himself, took on a ridiculous number of jobs, became much more of an idiot. Gone was the more understandable, loveable oaf, replaced by a mean idiot. There were occasional glimpses of this even in the Golden Age, but by around Seasons 10-13 it was in full swing, and has defined the character - and with that, the show (to an extent, anyway) - ever since.

What else do Fox want us all to forget about The Simpsons? Share your thoughts down in the comments.