D'oh! Can You Remember Which Simpson It Was?
- by Lucas Wesley
- – on
- in Movies and TV
For over 30 years and more than 600 episodes, the Simpson family has been putting the “fun” in “dysfunctional.” That phrase may sound like a cliché, but it’s a wholly accurate way to describe the love, hate, laughter, and anger shared between Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa, and Maggie, not to mention the absurdity of Grandpa Abe whenever his son is kindly enough to take him out of the retirement castle.
From their very first episode, the Simpsons were at once an ideal portrait of the American family and a complete satire of the idea, with everything looking perfect upon first glance, until audiences started getting to know them and realized the opposite was true. The thing that makes the Simpson family truly special is that each member is ridiculously flawed in his or her own way. Sure, Homer and Bart may have more issues than Marge and Lisa, but that doesn’t mean the female Simpsons are perfect. In fact, Lisa’s intelligence tends to cause her problems to spiral out of control faster than Homer’s minor bouts of major stupidity.
With more content than any other television universe in history, even the biggest Simpsons fans out there can have trouble differentiating which member of the family did what. Hopefully, you won’t be screaming “D’oh!” with every wrong answer, but you just might, because it will take a pro to remember which Simpson got into every one of these scenarios.
Who got stuck in a well while pretending they were stuck in a well?
Dissatisfied with the Superstar Celebrity Microphone they received on their birthday, one of the Simpsons decides to get revenge on the entire town for the lame gift. First, they wrecks minor havoc on neighbors by using it to pretend they’re god and spy on people, but these are small scale compared to the ultimate prank. After tossing the microphone down the well, this Simpson pretends to be trapped inside the deep watering hole, leading to a massive celebrity charity effort. Upon realizing they’ll probably get caught, they actually wound up stuck in the well trying to get the microphone back.
Who became Bigger Than Jesus with their barbershop quartet The Be Sharps?
Every fan of the Simpsons surely remembers the hit song “Baby On Board,” the highlight of Beatles parody The Be Sharps. The one thing separating Springfield’s quartet from the actual fab four was genre, with the Simpson and their friends preferring to sing old timey barbershop music rather than genre defining pop and rock and roll. That didn’t stop them from becoming just as successful, with such fame and fortune society didn’t even bat an eye when their second album was called “Bigger Than Jesus.” Even George Harrison was impressed when he met the lead singer at the Grammys.
Which Simpson served in the army as one of the Flying Hellfish?
With all due respect to anyone willing to enlist in the military, a Simpson is the last person anyone would want standing next to them on the battlefield. One can only imagine the sort of chaos one of them could cause with a machine gun and a bunch of grenades, but surprisingly, the one Simpson to extensively serve in the army actually did so with great courage, bravery, and valor. So respected were their skills they became a key member of the Flying Hellfish, which thanks to a tontine now means they’re poised to inherit priceless paintings.
Who shot Mr. Burns?
Decades before There Will Be Blood, Mr. Burns found a way to drink Springfield’s milkshake and steal vast deposits of oil from beneath the elementary school, thus padding his already immense fortune. That’s still not enough for him, though, so he decides to block out the sun, forcing the town to rely exclusively on his Nuclear Power Plant. Already the most hated man in town, this last act of villainy leads to almost everyone in Springfield vowing vengeance, and that most certainly includes the Simpson family. Who got revenge for everybody by shooting Mr. Burns?
Who draws a nude portrait of Mr. Burns?
Always looking for ways to increase his cult of personality, the moment Mr. Burns learns there’s a great artist in Springfield, he commissions a self-portrait. The timing was perfect, as well, with the Springfield Art Museum looking for a new piece to hang in their newly donated Burns Wing. Naturally, said artist happens to be a member of the Simpson family, who achieved newspaper headlines for winning a contest. What Burns didn’t expect was to be drawn in the nude, frail and decrepit. Nonetheless, he was just happy the Simpson didn’t insult his genitalia (although they thought they did).
Who conducted the Springfield monorail?
Well folks, there’s nothing on earth like a genuine, bona fide, electrified, six-car monorail. Of course, there’s also very little reason for a normal town like Springfield to build one at great expense, but that doesn’t stop fast talking huckster Lyle Lanley from convincing them to do just that with a single catchy tune. So excited are the townspeople for this prospect that virtually every able bodied resident enrolls in the class to become the machine’s first conductor, but only one of them manages to get the gig, and unsurprisingly, it’s a Simpson. Who does Lanley choose, entirely at random?
Which character has a longstanding rivalry with Sideshow Bob?
When the character was first introduced, it was almost easy for audiences to feel bad for Sideshow Bob. The poor guy wants to be taken seriously as an actor and performer, but he’s confined to a life of taking pies in the face and stepping on rakes to make a clown and his childish audience chuckle. Of course, this isn’t so bad as to drive a sane man to murder, an act Bob attempts to commit dozens of times. Usually, Bob’s target is the Simpson who first foiled his attempt to frame Krusty for robbery and sent him to jail.
Which of the Simpsons is a vegetarian?
They say you don’t win friends with salad, but don’t tell that to the Simpson who permanently stopped eating meat in season seven. It all began with a friendly trip to a petting zoo, where a cute little lamb suddenly became a microcosm for every piece of meat the family had ever had for dinner. Not long thereafter, this Simpson realized it’s entirely viable to live life without ever harming an animal. While they still had some doubts about, Apu and his friends Paul and Linda McCartney were all the convincing needed for a major change.
Who creates a “revitalizing tonic” that helps out in the bedroom?
Something about the nature of Springfield makes it a little unsurprising that many couples in the town have unsatisfying sex lives. Unhappiness permeates through most of the townspeople’s lives, and coupled with the copious amounts of alcohol they all drink, this makes it difficult to get excited. Luckily for the men and women of Springfield, one of the Simpsons manages to concoct a cure that makes men more virile and leaves all their wives satisfied. It’s so successful the family takes the creation on the road, but things fall apart when the inventor reveals a long-kept hurtful secret.
Who met “Michael Jackson” in a mental institution?
Given the way the Simpson family acts on a weekly basis, it’s no surprise one of them wound up in a mental institution. The way Michael Jackson acted while he was still alive often suggested he may have belonged in the same place, but he was never committed to one. However, there was a man in Springfield named Leon Kompowsky, who believed he was the legendary musician behind Thriller. Being culturally blind, the institutionalized Simpson had no reason to deny his claim, leading the family to believe the real King of Pop would soon be arriving at their door.
Whose pictures cover Homer's plaque at work?
Like most unfortunate souls in the world today, Homer Simpson is a man who absolutely hates his job. Things move extremely fast at the Nuclear Power Plant, leaving the simple unqualified Homer constantly lost and confused. Mr. Burns constantly yelling at him only makes things worse, which is why he once tried to quit, only for financial troubles to force him back almost immediately. As a reminder Homer will never get to leave again, Burns places a plaque in his office reading “Don’t forget: you’re here forever,” which Homer covers in pictures to make it, “Do it for her.”
Who uses the catchphrase “eat my shorts?”
Outside of pop culture, perhaps the greatest impact The Simpsons will have on society in general is the introduction of multiple words and phrases to the popular lexicon. The most well known is certainly “d’oh,” the annoyed grunt that captures any sort of anguish imaginable. Vocabulary was also embiggened by the two perfectly cromulent words used in this sentence. Stretched beyond a few syllables, The Simpsons also offered the unforgettable phrase, “Eat my shorts,” which one of the characters has spoken countless times starting in their early childhood.
Who taught a class on how to have a successful marriage?
Based on their lives as a family, the Simpsons are the last people who should be teaching any sort of lessons on love and romance. On the other hand, they have managed to stick together for over 30 years, and in today’s wintery romantic climate, that’s a pretty huge accomplishment in and of itself. Also, one has to imagine that adult education classes in Springfield don’t always look too deeply into the resumes of its teachers. For all these reasons, one Simpson is implausibly hired to teach classes on how to maintain a successful marriage, equating the process to eating an orange.
Who once received a letter from Ringo Starr?
Given how many references the show has made to the fab four, it’s not that surprising all three Beatles who were alive during The Simpsons production have appeared on the show. First up was beloved drummer Ringo Starr, who one of the characters harbored a strong obsession over, repeatedly drawing his portrait. While this upset the Simpson’s art teacher, the Beatle himself was mighty impressed by their work. The only catch is that the immense amount of fan mail he received meant it took some 30 years before he could relay this positive response.
Who starts a short-lived business selling pretzels?
There are a few things all of the Simpsons have in common, like the fact they all take on dozens of jobs throughout the course of their show, and many of these attempted professions require a great deal of originality and business acumen. One of the most involved comes when one Simpson decides to start a homemade pretzel company, selling their creations at baseball games and out of food trucks. That doesn’t quite work, though, so another family member goes behind their back and asks the mob for help. Before things got out of control, who started the business?
Who once appeared in the newspaper for yelling at a cloud?
Thanks to the power of the Internet, many moments on The Simpsons have become much larger than the quick gags they were originally intended to be. That was definitely the case with this joke, a five second cutaway about one of the family members appearing in the newspaper for angrily yelling at a cloud. In addition to being utterly ridiculous in and of itself, this is especially funny for the fact we could easily picture almost anyone in the family finding a reason to get mad at the sky, especially if it was overcast.
Which character is predicted to become President of the United States?
Set in a floating timeline that allows the characters to never age, the world unfortunately won’t really see the day when a Simpson becomes the President of the United States. However, a flash forward beginning at a Native American casino suggests that one of them just may achieve this office one day in the future. The prediction later felt extra prescient and surprising for the fact President Simpson also makes note of their predecessor, then a celebrity who later did actually ascend to the Oval Office. Maybe a Simpson really could get elected, after all.
Who once changed their name to Max Power?
Long before The Simpsons was on the air, there were also plenty of real people in the real world who shared the same last name as America’s favorite yellow family. After the show exploded in popularity, any Simpson who happened to be named Homer or Bart might have considered changing their name out of embarrassment over the situation. Within the reality of Springfield, that’s exactly what happened to one Simpson, who discovered a hit TV show starring an oafish buffoon sharing their name. To fix the problem, they briefly changed their own title to “Max Power,” after a hairdryer.
Which of the Simpsons is a Buddhist?
None of the Simpsons are exactly living blessed lives, which might make it a little bit surprising that they all attend Reverend Lovejoy’s church every Sunday morning. Well, usually. Several Simpsons have also missed a few weekends at god’s house, and after years of increased disillusionment (and a choice meeting with Richard Gere), one of them decides to abandon the plot entirely and convert to Buddhism. Of course, one of the key tenants of Buddhism is respect for other cultures, so they continue celebrating the rest of their family’s customs well after the change.
Who is the first Simpson to work at the Maison Derriére?
Putting the “spring” in Springfield for who knows how long, the Maison Derriére was always the town’s dirty little secret. The best little burlesque house in town, the Derriére is operated by an old timey dame named Belle, who eventually hires not one but two Simpsons to work in her house of sin. Of course, the Simpsons perform PG jobs when they get there, and they were only hired to repay various debts incurred to the woman for accidentally destroying her property. Who got the ball rolling by getting hired first?
Which Simpson technically spends their every appearance on the run from the police?
Virtually every episode of the Simpsons features at least one family member doing something some states would consider illegal. Unsurprisingly, this leads to all of the adults in the family having prison records, and even Bart is surely on Chief Wiggum’s radar when kids are up to no good. However, there’s only one Simpson who spends their entirely life on the run from the law, having committed a major albeit harmless crime many years before the events of the show began. Who is the scofflaw?
Who falls down Springfield Gorge when trying to jump it with a skateboard?
To the uninitiated, this question may seem like an easy and obvious one, until they realized Bart wasn’t one of the options. While it was indeed the mischievous elder Simpson child’s idea to jump Springfield Gorge with his skateboard, a family member talks him out of it at the last minute with a warning and explanation about just how dangerous it would be. Although that seemed to work, Bart’s relative made things extra clear by accidentally falling down the makeshift ramp and attempting to jump the gorge themselves, only to fail miserable and wind up in an ambulance.
Who stated, “Homer is not a communist. He may be a liar, a pig, an idiot, and a communist, but he is NOT a porn star.”
Things have gone surprisingly well for Simpsons in the army, but the family hasn’t had quite as much luck in the Navy. This time around, we’ll tell you it was Homer who enlisted, and that the above quote is a reaction to the specific way in which the Simpson patriarch manages to mess everything up. During a routine exercise, Homer accidentally fires his captain as a torpedo and sets course to Russia, which the US government sees as a potentially treasonous act. To quell such talk, Homer’s family is interviewed, with one family member giving the above, nonsense quote.
Who stars in a production of A Streetcar Named Desire?
Stuck in a go nowhere life in a small town, the Simpson family is largely out of luck when wanting to express themselves creatively. That all changes when a hotshot director named Llewellyn Sinclair came to town, feeling Springfield was the perfect place for a modern take on Tennessee Williams’ classic A Streetcar Named Desire. Everyone in town immediately ran to the theater hoping to audition, and as per usual, it was a Simpson who nabbed the lead role. The results were mixed, with Sinclair’s strange direction overtaking the original play’s message, but at least the family was proud.
Who gets banned from a department store for stealing?
When push comes to shove and there’s no other way for them to get what they want, every Simpson is known to bend the law now and again. However, outright stealing from the local Try-N-Save seems like an outright act of villainy, which naturally makes the rest of the family extremely disappointed when they find out. Marge in particular is furious, completely defeated by the incident and seemingly giving up on her relative for the first time. It all works out in the end, though, when the thief makes amends with the matriarch by buying her a heartfelt Christmas present.
Which of the Simpsons once got kicked out of a gun club?
Violent people who tend to act way before the think, in many respects, the Simpson family could be seen as textbook gun owners. That said, once one of them joins a gun club, even the other gun owning residents of Springfield are shocked at how careless they are with their newfound love of firearms. Dangerous acts include shooting at a TV to turn it off and using bullets to open beer cans, forcing even the NRA to kick the Simpson out of their club. Their family wasn’t all that happy either, giving an ultimatum the gun had to go.
Who bonds with jazz legend Bleeding Gums Murphy?
Considering how little the Simpson family has in common with one another, it’s only natural they look outward for mentors. One of them finds such a person in a legendary jazz musician known for his hit album Sax on the Beach, though things haven’t been going so hot for the troubadour since he achieved success long ago. Bleeding Gums Murphy doesn’t have much money left over, either, due to a lifelong struggle with gingivitis and an addiction to Fabergé eggs. Sadly, these issues and other health problems soon lead to Murphy’s death, but not before he changes this Simpson’s life.
Who catfished Edna Krabappel?
Decades before the idea of “catfishing” was really even a thing, one of the Simpsons noticed a “lonely hearts” ad in a newspaper and recognized the byline. Being a Simpson, their natural instinct was to use this information to torment and person who placed the ad, Springfield Elementary School teacher Edna Krabappel, by replying under a false identity and pretending to fall in love with her. However, the plan quickly shifts gear when they realize just how sad and pathetic Ms. Krabappel’s love life has been, leading to genuine feelings of remorse when writing the inevitable breakup letter.
Who becomes a rock star in flash forward episodes?
In addition to being one of the most successful families on television, The Simpsons often has a pretty wide ranging career in the music world, as well. Thus far, the show has released two original albums and four soundtrack albums, all of which earned considerable attention and acclaim on the pop charts. Within the reality of Springfield, several Simpsons have likewise become famous musicians in their own right, with music eventually becoming the entire life of one of them. It’s in a flash forward episode, so it’s unclear if it’ll actually happen, but who winds up in a band?
Who just thinks potatoes are neat?
Across the span of their time on television, the Simpsons have literally gone everywhere and done everything. Still, some of them remain wildly entertained by the most simple subjects, like the everyday household potato. One day, Bart is looking for material to bring to class for show and tell, for a family member to suggest he bring in an exceptionally large potato. Bart doesn’t get it, and neither did most viewers, but to this Simpson, potatoes are “just neat!” It was such a strange interest most fans can remember who said it. Do you?
Who once attached an onion to their belt, believing it was the style at the time?
Sporting bizarre pointy hairstyles, wearing harshly contrasting colors, and marching exclusively to the beat of their own drummers, the Simpsons family is constantly at arms with the so-called “style police.” None of them will be walking down the runway any time soon, but the Internet is nonetheless very interested in the stranger decisions they’ve made about clothing. One of the most mentioned is the time a Simpson went on a long, bizarre story about their past, mentioning they often tied an onion to their belt, because it was the style at the time.
Who once attempted to become a tap dancer?
Ever impulsive individuals, the Simpson family are exactly the sort of people who would change their lives overnight based on a movie they saw. That’s exactly what happened when a few of them wandered into the theater one day to watch Tango de la Muerto, an intense love story fueled by the power of dance. Unfortunately, there’s no tango school in Springfield, so the enthused Simpson was forced to instead enroll in a tap dancing class with an infuriating teacher. Somehow, they become a minor star anyway, only to give up tap dancing anyway because it isn’t for them.
Who thinks purple is a fruit?
Okay, so the various things on this quiz should have already made it clear the Simpson family aren’t the brightest bulbs in the drawer. However, they aren’t exactly brain dead, either, which makes this particularly stupid statement standout amongst all the weird and questionable things they’ve ever done. One thing everyone should be able to tell is that the answer to this one isn’t Lisa, but rather a person responding to the one Simpson with an above average intelligence when she asked for some fruit. Offering a donut, Lisa’s relative noted it was purple, which was apparently the same thing.
Who constantly makes prank calls to Moe’s Tavern?
For as bad as the Simpsons may have it at some points in life, they’re all living in paradise compared to ultimate loser Moe Szyslak. The owner of Homer’s favorite bar, Moe never wears a happy expression, and his every day life goes a long way in explaining why. In addition to dealing with the drunkest morons Springfield has to offer every night, Moe also suffers repeat prank calls at the behest of a member of the Simpson family. Obviously, Homer’s not responsible, but he does sits across Moe’s bar and laugh hysterically each time one of these calls happens.
Who helps develop a more progressive version of Malibu Stacy?
Just about every fan of the Simpsons has probably owned some toy, stuffed animal, or video game featuring their favorite characters doing something adorable, weird, or adorably weird. Within the reality of the show, similar toys exist for other characters, and the most popular of all is probably Malibu Stacy. A send up of the real life counterpart Barbie, Malibu Stacy only cares about boys, shopping, and cooking, which more progressive buyers understandably find a little backwards. One of the Simpsons even teams up with the doll’s creator to make a newer, less offensive doll.
Who is the only person opposed to the Springfield monorail?
This quiz has already covered the perfervid emotions felt throughout Springfield the second Lyle Lanley wandered into town and started singing his songs. Immediately, the town voted in almost unanimous fashion that Lanley’s monorail should be built on the double, and that’s exactly what happened. However, just as quickly as everyone else latched onto the idea, there was one Simpson who knew from the start how doomed it was. Especially after Homer was chosen as conductor, this Simpson did everything they could to stop the monorail dead in it’s track and save everyone from disaster.
Who once owned an abandoned factory?
Able to afford extravagant trips and strange inventions despite being in a one income blue collar household with three kids, it’s obvious the Simpsons are thrifty individuals. There’s no other explanation for how they can afford their strange lifestyles, especially when they do things like randomly buy a factory just for the fun of it. Granted, the Simpson who became a short-time factory owner did so entirely on a whim, mostly because the building cost only $1. Unfortunately, the enterprise literally fell apart one night while the Simpson was sleeping, as the factory collapsed to the ground.
Who is the mortal enemy of Frank Grimes?
Sideshow Bob is far from the only man in Springfield who has a problem with the Simpson family. In fact, on many occasions, there have been people who showed up in town one day and wound up wanting one of the Simpsons destroyed within minutes of their arrival. None felt this hatred stronger than Frank Grimes, an incredibly unlucky man who spent years dragging himself from the bottom to the middle. Given how hard he worked, it’s totally fair Grimey would be outrageously jealous of the Simpsons, but his ultimate reaction is nonetheless shockingly over the top.
Who gets into a knife fight with Mr. Teeny in The Simpsons Movie?
Proving the Simpsons still had plenty of tricks up their sleeves almost two decades into the series, in 2007, the producers and dozens of former writers worked together to create The Simpsons Movie. In their biggest mistake of all, one of the Simpsons does something so stupid the entire town of Springfield gets encased in a giant dome, leading to all of the other residents storming their home and preparing to kill the people responsible. We’re not asking who caused the dome to get built, but during the mob scene, who got into a knife fight with Krusty’s monkey.
Who gets elected Springfield Sanitation Commissioner?
Despite how flimsy and absurd the premise may sound to normal folks, the residents of Springfield naturally jumped on the idea of “Love Day” the second it was invented by a store’s marketing department. Unfortunately, in typically short sighted fashion, the gift giving, pomp, and circumstance lead to more garbage than usual. Making matters worse, the overworked garbage men of Springfield soon get into a fistfight with one of the Simpsons, leading to a sudden crises of leadership at the city Sanitation Department. Which Simpson starts the problem and solves it by taking the gig?