The Simpsons: 10 Most Disturbing Episodes

Homer is a character who is mostly very loveable. Although the later version of the role feels like a pale comparison to his earlier self, he still emits a lot of the innocent and goofy energy that made him a star. Thanks to this, the idea of seeing him experience trauma is thoroughly uncomfortable, and episode five of season thirteen fully exploits this.

The Blunder Years shows Homer taking the family to Pimento Grove to watch some performers. At this event, he is hypnotised by an act named Mesmerino and put into a trance that uncovers a horrifying repressed memory. This leads to him experiencing a traumatic breakdown and struggling not to scream constantly.

Eventually, it is revealed that this trauma came after Homer discovered the corpse of a deceased man when swimming in the old quarry. The body is animated in gruesome detail, with maggots and exposed bone making it horrifyingly visceral.

We learn that the body was in fact, Waylan Smithers' father who sacrificed himself to stop a meltdown at the power plant. Nothing spells disturbing like an innocent character uncovering his traumatic memories, and finding out that a close relative to one of the most notable supporting characters died in agony.