Every Time The Simpons REALLY Killed Characters
7. Bleeding Gums Murphy
Playing a major role in the episodes 'Moaning Lisa' and 'Round Springfield', Bleeding Gums Murphy was a character that made quite a significant impact on Lisa.
He taught her that jazz comes from the soul and that she should be able to channel her emotions through her music, creating something beautiful and profound in the process.
Despite his significance in Lisa's arc, during the events of 'Round Springfield', Bleeding Gums Murphy succumbed to an unknown illness and he passed away off-screen. His death shook Lisa to her very core and she spent the remainder of the episode attempting to source a copy of his one and only album - the exquisitely titled Sax on the Beach - in order to pay tribute to him on the local radio.
With some help from Bart, Lisa manages to achieve this goal and in doing so, gets to play one last duet with Murphy before he retires to a peaceful afterlife.
'Round Springfield' is one of the best examples of the show being able to balance broad humour with genuine emotions and it remains one of the finest episodes the show has ever produced.