The Simpsons: 10 Utterly Heart-Breaking Moments You'll Never Forget

2. Mother Simpson

Homer is not the world's greatest son: his relationship with his father is tempestuous at best and flat out abusive at its worst. Though the pair definitely do have genuine feelings of love to one another, and that occasionally breaks the surface, theirs is a dynamic founded on the "comedy" of over-dependence: Abe yearns for love and attention, but is cantankerous and obnoxious, and Homer seeks validation, but despises his father for their past relationship, and sees him as an emotional drain and a distraction from his own life.

It's a wonder either of them were ever able to form normal relationships, but a big hint at the greatest influence on both men comes in the heart-breaking episode "Mother Simpson" in which Homer is reunited with his rebellious (criminal) mother all to briefly. She brings out the best in Homer, and most importantly, he has exactly what he needs in his life, a validating, loving parent.

Sadly, it doesn't last, and Mona Simpson is recognised as a wanted fugitive by Mr Burns and is forced to flee once more on a tip-off from an uncharacteristically helpful Chief Wiggum (who she cured of asthma, allowing him to join the police force.)

The heart-felt goodbye between Mona and her son, and the ominous promise that they may never see each other again is remarkably touching, but the pay-off comes with the lingering shot of Homer sitting distraught and pensive on his car bonnet into the night. Defying convention, the Simpsons producers battled the TV executives to allow the shot to go out uninterrupted by trails for upcoming Fox shows, and the effect is hauntingly sad, as is the revelation earlier that Homer thinks Mona left because he was " just a horrible son and no mother would want me."