The Real Reason The Simpsons Became So Repetitive

Sometimes TV shows, especially comedies, will take one aspect of a character and, over time, build it up to the point that it's the cornerstone of their personality. This phenomenon is called Flanderization on TV Tropes, and it is, of course, named after the Simpsons' neighbor, Ned Flanders. Early seasons showed him to be a friendly neighbor who happened to be religious. Over time, though, Flanders' religion came to define who he was and how he reacted to everything. It eventually just became his whole identity.

While the trope is named after Flanders, a greater example is Homer Simpson himself. In early seasons, he was sloppy, short-tempered, and fairly stupid, but really, he was a family man who cared deeply about the people he loved. Over time, though, the show has turned more toward emphasizing Homer's idiocy and less his family man personality. He gets more involved in shady schemes or foolish ventures, and Homer has even becomes a downright selfish jerk on many occasions.

This can be seen in other characters such as Krusty, who goes from a well-meaning children's performer with personal problems to a greedy crook who's outright antagonistic toward kids. Mr. Burns starts as a typical heartless boss and transitions into a Lex Luthor-type supervillain. Principal Skinner goes from an earnest but boring educator to a co-dependent weirdo. These characters lost their nuance and became less rich and interesting.

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