The Simpsons: 10 Golden Age Episodes That Foreshadowed Its Decline

Hurricane Neddy is a fantastic episode with some truly golden Simpsons moments befitting the Golden era. In particular, Ned’s rant to the citizens of Springfield (including innocent bystander Lenny), his lousy beatnik parents, and Prune Tracy.

While the laughs are solid enough for us to forgive the shaky premise, that doesn’t change the fact that this is an early example of Flanders’, well, Flanderisation. Ned’s house being completely destroyed while 742 Evergreen Terrace next door stands firm is within plausiblity for a cartoon so there’s no issues there. But the fact Flanders has no insurance because he considers it gambling? He’s an intelligent man, a moderately successful business owner and has managed to raise two (before their own Flanderisation, at least) healthy kids. He simply should not be that stupid.

Because of the fantastic episode that followed, it can be brushed under the carpet. But this increasing reliance on Flanders’ religion for a laugh wore thin quickly. In Season 16’s Midnight Rx, he openly mocks Apu’s faith and becomes more bigoted. He even participates in a walk for the cure... of homosexuality!

There’s no character in the cast who’s been derailed quite so much as Ned Flanders.