‘Simpsons’ Showrunner Reveals the Most Underrated and Wholesome Aspect of the Simpsons Family

Despite their many differences over the last 34 years, Homer Simpson has always been able to get a genuine chuckle out of his son — even if the strangulation gags never quite landed.

The Simpsons is hardly a blueprint for a perfect nuclear family. The father is a lazy, drunken slob who is prone to erratic behavior and infantile selfishness. The oldest son is a hellraiser and a delinquent who defies his parents’ rules at every turn. Lisa is a vegetarian. Every member of the Simpson family has their flaws, which is exactly what makes them so relatable and so easy to root for over the span of five different decades. While the Simpson family dynamic may not be entirely functional, at the end of the day, all four and a half of them share a love and appreciation that has stood the test of time and created many of the funniest moments in TV history.

Last Friday, legendary Simpsons writer and showrunner Josh Weinstein, who, along with his writing partner Bill Oakley, headed the series in its seventh and eighth seasons, commented on a clip from the classic Season Seven episode “Much Apu About Nothing” that received attention on Twitter. According to Weinstein, Homer and Bart’s relationship is so brilliant because, just like us, Bart genuinely finds his old man funny.

Weinstein wrote of those rare Simpsons moments in which Bart shows Homer respect, “It’s one of the many aspects that helps the Simpsons feel more real than live-action sitcoms.” As opposed to the multicam counterparts of The Simpsons, the relationships at the center of the show aren’t composed exclusively of setups and punchlines, and the show benefits from such complexities.

“Bart genuinely thinks his dad is funny. It’s a sweet aspect of their relationship,” Weinstein wrote to curious fans, even recalling the writers’ room conversations that happened during the devising of “Much Apu About Nothing.” “I remember discussing this ever so briefly when these lines were pitched and everyone liking this little corner of their relationship,” Weinstein tweeted.

Weinstein even added that one of his favorite parts of the completely lame dad joke in question is “that Bart is the only person in the crowd that appreciates Homer’s joke. As a comedy writer, I can relate to that!”