The all-clear from the “Simpsons”: You can choke again!

“The Simpsons” is and was anything but perfect – and that’s exactly what has made the yellow Springfielders so popular for over 30 years. Even though Homer, Marge, Lisa, Bart and Maggie never actually grow older and otherwise only change minimally, adjustments still occur from time to time.

That’s what it looked like now, in the 35th season of The Simpsons. In the episode “McMansion & Wife”, Homer and Marge visit their new neighbor Thayer. Thayer admires Homer’s strong handshake, whereupon Homer tells Marge that choking Bart all these years was worth it.

He then turns to Thayer and adds: “Don’t worry, I won’t do that anymore. Times have changed.” But is that also true?

All clear for all friends of choking

Of course you shouldn’t choke your own child, but that was already the case in 1989 when “The Simpsons” first aired. From the very beginning, this violent exaggeration was a joke that never made everyone in the audience laugh. Nevertheless, “The Simpsons” will probably stick to Homer’s occasional strangling attacks, because the series itself spoke out via Twitter (aka X) and ended all discussions.

By the way, this isn’t the first time that Homer briefly gave up choking. Already in season 22, Homer learns in the episode “Because they don’t know who they are strangling” how terrible it is to be strangled yourself. He then no longer has the heart to close his hands around Bart’s neck. In the episode “Crazy for Mary” from season 24, Homer forgets his good intentions again.