The Simpsons’ Season 36 Highlights A Massive Sideshow Bob Plot Hole & Character Problem

The following contains spoilers for The Simpsons Season 36 Episode 2, “The Yellow Lotus,” now streaming on Hulu

simpsons Season 36 brought back Sideshow Bob, highlighting a long-standing hole in the character’s support gallery. Introduced as Krusty’s sidekick in Season 1, Sideshow Bob first came into the spotlight in that season’s “Krusty Get Busted.” Since then, Bob has returned many times to torment the Simpson family and all of Springfield. Meanwhile, Bob also developed his own supporting cast, including family members with the same murderous tendencies as him. However, those characters eventually faded into the background along with countless other guest stars and minor players. simpsons‘World.

Season 36’s “The Yellow Lotus” highlights this issue with the way Bob is brought back to life.. Bob is played by Kelsey Grammer, who is still in the game constantly, and has a minor but important role in the episode. This episode also introduces a new supporting character into Bob’s life in the form of the character’s latest love interest, at the expense of Bob’s previous romantic relationships. One of those previous relationships still remains one of the most underutilized supporting characters. simpsons Historically, his potential was never fully realized, but a return to the show could reinvigorate Bob in future stories.

The Simpsons gives Sideshow Bob a third wife

simpsons Introducing Bob’s new wife, Tasha

simpsons Sideshow Bob gets a third wife in season 36.never delving into what happened to his second Francesca. In Season 36’s “The Yellow Lotus,” Bob returns and reveals that he has a surprising new wife, the wealthy Tasha. Tasha and Bob were planning to marry, but the titular family questioned Bob’s intentions. This makes perfect sense considering that the plot of Season 3’s “Black Widower” had Bob marrying Selma in order to steal her money. Even Bob accepts their suspicions, admits their reality, and negotiates the Simpson family’s silence.

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Despite these concerns, “The Yellow Lotus” reveals that Bob truly appears to be innocent and sustained by the wealth he has amassed with his collapsible pitchfork. Instead, the relationship falls apart when the unexpectedly volatile and unpredictable Tasha suddenly pushes Bob off a cliff. This could leave Bob open to other romantic options in future episodes, such as the return of his girlfriend Cassandra from season 31’s “Bobby, It’s Cold Outside.” but, It also opens the door for Francesca’s return.Bob’s second wife and a seemingly forgotten member. simpsons‘s large supporting cast.

Sideshow Bob’s second wife was a great supporting character on The Simpsons

What happened to Francesca?

Francesca appeared on “The Italian Bob” in season 17. Francesca, played by Maria Grazia Cucinotta, lives in the small Tuscan village of Salsiccia. When Bob moved to Italy to escape his feud with the Simpsons, he became mayor and fell in love with Francesca. By the time the Simpson family reunited with Bob while in Italy, he and Francesca had married and had a son, Gino. Bob’s criminal past was initially kept secret; Turns out Francesca and Gino are incredibly happy with Bob’s murderous rageeven tried to work with him to kill the Simpsons.

Francesca brought out a new side of Bob, showing authentic elements of the character that are often seen during performances and during manic episodes. Bob and Francesca seemed to genuinely love each other, and their matched murderous rages were surprisingly complementary. Although Gino shared their bloodthirsty nature, he was also seen playfully dancing with Maggie at one point. Both characters brought something different out of Bob.and easily fits into his orbit. Their episode ended with a “family-style” vow of revenge that was never actually carried out, which is a shame considering Francesca’s potential.

The Simpsons wasted Bob’s supporting role in Sideshow

Sideshow Bob’s family fell on the roadside

simpsons Thanks to the long-running nature of the show, the bench of supporting characters is very well-stocked. Often the characters played by guest stars only appear a few times, justifying them fading into the background. Sideshow Bob is an exception, with Kelsey Grammer reprising the role over a dozen times as of this writing. but, simpsons Bob never made the most of his own supporting cast.. Bob’s return in Season 19’s “Funeral of the Fiend” featured Francesca and Gino, as well as his younger brother Cecil and his parents, who were previously introduced.

But aside from some clever cameo appearances in episodes like Season 36’s “Bart’s Birthday,” none of them have officially returned since. I thought the fun concept of Bob’s loved ones going up against the Simpsons was worth exploring further, especially when it comes to Francesca. Francesca may have become a direct foil for Marge, or may have harbored a special hatred for Lisa, who mirrored Bob’s obsession with Bart and accidentally caused Bob’s expulsion from Salsiccia. Just forcing Bob to be more family-oriented and potentially more sympathetic to the Simpsons could have been convincing. Instead, Bob’s subsequent appearances focused solely on him, with mixed results..

The Simpsons may have run out of Sideshow Bob stories

Upcoming episodes of Sideshow Bob need a comeback

Sideshow Bob is simpsonshis various episodes are often hailed as highlights of their respective seasons. But they are becoming less and less interesting. Season 25’s “Grown Up” squandered an interesting idea of ​​tying Bob and Lisa together in a bizarre sci-fi development. Season 29’s “Gone Boy” was a solid episode that seemed to put an end to Bart and Bob and resolve their long-standing feud. As a result, “Bobby, It’s Cold Outside” and “The Yellow Lotus” are far less convincing. Bob is ultimately forgettable as a supporting character rather than an overt antagonist..

That’s a shame, because returning Bob to his more murderous ways would have taken away from the truly tender and moving elements of Gone Boy. But Francesca’s return could be the key. That could explain what happened to her, why the show hasn’t mentioned her since season 19, and what happened to their son. Bringing Francesca back to exact revenge may put her in direct conflict with the more peaceful Bob. SBob may have lost his charm at the Idea Show simpsons Unless they find a new way to expand him, and Francesca may be the key.

simpsons

“The Simpsons” is a legendary American animated franchise that debuted as a short segment in 1987. tracey ulman show The show follows the Simpson family, Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa, and Maggie, who live in the fictional town of Springfield. The series is known for its satirical and humorous depictions of various aspects of American culture, society, and the human condition. Over the years, “The Simpsons” has expanded to include movies, video games, comics, and theme park attractions, becoming a cornerstone of popular culture.

Creator

matt grening

Episode 1 broadcast date

December 17, 1989