Yes. Seriously. It's time we all just outright admitted that Krusty the Clown just isn't all that special a character, because Krusty denial has been going on ever since the show's early years and it's painful. In the world of The Simpsons, Krusty is treated as something of a comic genius; everybody thinks he's great, and he's probably Springfield's biggest star. But that doesn't feel earned, does it? Krusty's appeal isn't justified to fans of the TV show. It's not that there isn't anything funny about Krusty, because somebody being incompetent at their job is always hilarious. And yet Krusty is the ultimate hit and miss character; an episode about Krusty is good as long as it's not about him. Not directly, anyway. If you know that an episode is going to focus entirely on Krusty, don't pretend you don't get that sinking feeling, like: "Oh, man. Not a Krusty episode." Because you do. Everyone does. To reiterate: this isn't a rant against Krusty the Clown in general, but he is - let's face it - an average character who somehow wound up with "iconic character status." Overrated! Like this article? Think this list is too harsh? Think it's too soft? Which characters would you have added? Let us know all your thoughts on the matter in the comments section below.
Sam Hill is an ardent cinephile and has been writing about film professionally since 2008. He harbours a particular fondness for western and sci-fi movies.
