Simpsons Histories - Waylon Smithers
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 5 ก.ค. 2024
- There is a man, a certain man...
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This video ended up taking a bit longer than I hoped, partially because of 2020 continuing to be 2020 (to put it mildly). But partially because Waylon Smithers is in 200+ episodes, so the research was pretty heavy this time around. Smithers' story ended up being kinda unusual, in that most of his action happened at the beginning and end, with a long drought in the middle.
The Season 8 projects are up next, am starting the rewatch today!
You should play simpsons hit and run and do a video on it
TheRealJims hoping to the Mr Burns histories soon. Burns is arguable (along with Krusty and Flanders) the most important and focused secondary character. Also he’s so weird.
Can’t wait for season 8 retrospective.
Can’t wait
Have fun watching. Season 8 is an above average season in my opinion but it does have my 3rd favorite episode of all time with the crossover episode "The Springfield Files" the atmosphere in that episode is just great.
Burns naming his queen after smithers was a standard gay joke - but also REALLY heartwarming at the same time
I like how it implies Burns knows and accepts Smithers for who he is and by doing so is a joke only a true friend could make
Mr Burns may be evil, but he's not a heartless one
Burns isn’t aware/heavily phased by such things
@@saber5821he wasn’t forced to embrace by Smithers, he dosent know about sexuality takes no notice. He’s happy with running power plant and other things
@@andybray9791 No I think you are wrong and burns is 100 percent aware hence why the queen was named smithers so I think you are wrong
"What's wrong with this country? Can't a man walk down the street without being offered a job!?"
You Only Move Twice
Oh how terrible.
@@starlite04 what a horrible time the ‘90s were. Can you imagine living in an economy that (gasp) actually good!
I wish this was true. Know some unemployed millennials that need a reality like this.
@@elijahfordsidioticvarietys8770 It wasn't that good on the fundamentals, lotta blue collar stuff started going overseas, NAFTA, seeds of the subprime crisis. A lot was buoyed on the Clinton-Gingrich forced compromise on taxes and the dot com bubble.
I would like to suggest doing one about Mr Burns' blue-haired lawyer, he's an obscure character.
How dose he not have a name? Lunch lady Doris and the bar flies have names the judge has a name
He released a book where the author’s name read «Burns’ lawyer» lol
@@SarajevoShotz hahhHa
Skinner: Comment expired.
@@nifralo2752 I Think there was even a joke about that.
Don't forget that Smithers becomes a dog robot far in the future at the end of Rosebud.
He litterally becomes burns pet
"Wait for me, sir! Woof!"
fuck that scene. scares the shit out of me
@@duskpede5146 "oh Bobo I know say this every century but, I'll never leave you behind again."
“Smithers there’s a rocket in my pocket!”
“You don’t have to tell me sir.”
Hands down: best Smithers line ever.
Why do I read comments like these in their character voices?
@@jadedemotions9891 Same but I have no idea what smithers voiced is
@@jadedemotions9891 because it is better
@@jadedemotions9891 because you watch the show often. Suh
3:54 the model of Smithers buried alive in Burns’ coffin might be the funniest single frame of animation in the entire series, just the look of horror on his face
Oh....goody
I don't why, but it did make me laugh with just the joke probably being Smithers by Burns's even beyond death.
@@raulguallpa8688 I feel like it would make for a great meme
@@derekmatzek9551 Yeah
That’s a good model maker.
Here's my suggestion for the next Simpsons Histories: do a place rather than a person. Shelbyville or Capital City. What do we know about these places? How are they portrayed? Is that portrayal consistent? Would you want to live there?
Totally agree. I'd really like to see one on Shelbyville.
Ooh, I like that.
Simpsons history on locations in the show would be really interexsting
Excellent idea! I'd love to see a Simpson History on Shelbyville
Don't forget Ogdenville!
Smithers: Turn around Simpson
Homer: no! I can't get in trouble if I can't see you
Smithers (to Burns): I'm afraid he's got us sir
This is my dog’s logic.
Smithers is a rather interesting outlier in the history of gay depictions and stereotypes because he's always had a single romantic interest in one man, Mr. Burns. He's not gay *for* Burns, but he is monogamously committed to him and not looking to play the field at all, whereas most other gay depictions were absolutely playing the field and getting in as many relationships as possible. The gay part seems not the starting point but rather a notable effect of the dynamic they were going for: taking the the sycophantic toadie that someone like Mr. Burns would absolutely have and stretching that relationship to its logical end; the ass kisser that wants to actually kiss that ass. His relationship is treated almost consistently as a joke, but it's an unclear mixture of not just "lol gay" but also that anyone would be in love with Mr. Burns specifically, a man who's the antithesis of virility and conventional attractiveness and also a terrible, terrible person.
Then, of course, the classic Simpsons effect of making pretty much every side character grow into a three dimensional sympathetic study kicks in, and we even eventually start to explore the tragedy of the situation. I definitely feel the sadness noted in your video, and the big gap in usage really stung, but when you get down to it there's really no hope for the situation Smithers is in. At the end of the day, it's Mr. Burns, there's not going to be a happy ending there, but it's very real to see people yearning for the wrong person. This probably also contributes to why he took so long to come out and even then hasn't truly come out to Burns; it's a hard sell to believe any bit of that would go well with a man seemingly stuck in the 1910s, but to actually go out and confirm Burns as a homophobe would ruin his weird likeability that's core to his immense role in the series.
What show is he from?
I can see the case for that, but at the same time, I wish they didn't build up the stories of a lot of the side characters as much as they have. Sometimes you just want entertainment to be entertainment and have something mindless to laugh at to distract you from life. Smithers as a closeted Burns-sexual was a funny character. As a more fully developed character, he becomes kind of depressing. The same goes for Nelson Muntz. When he was just the "ha-ha" bully, he could be hilarious. With all the layers that have been added to his backstory and personality, he, like Smithers, is more tragic than comedic.
I guess what I'm saying is characters like Smithers and Nelson (and I guess I'll throw in Cletus to a degree) were good for some stupid, light-hearted laughs in the earlier days. While their characters have far more depth now, it's made them less enjoyable to watch. They make you think more and are more real, but in entertainment, that's not always a good thing.
@@tuesdaybandy63 True, I don't think we'll ever see a really depressing Disco Stu story. Still, look at Smithers in "Homer the Smithers" vs "The Burns Cage". In one he's amusing, in the other he's a very tragic character. Even out of the closet he's stuck in an unwinnable situation, as the title implies. Characters like Nelson, Flanders, and Homer have also had the pathos dial turned up to 11.
Maybe it's just a product of the times. I know I was much happier and secure in life 25-30 years ago than I am now and I can say the same for most people I know. Perhaps it's the relatability factor that's caused a demand for more serious and relevant content, even in comedies. I just miss the days where the show was a mindless 30 min escape. I can see suffering and misery on the news, in the streets, in non-comedy shows/movies, and in my own life. In the past 10 years, I've lost my mother, fiance, and infant daughter, while gaining debilitating health issues and serious financial problems. That need to escape into more surreal and cheerful is stronger now than ever before, but there are fewer outlets for doing so.
Character development and show evolution are necessary for a series to survive, so maybe it's my fault for being so invested in some fictional characters from a cartoon. Long story short, I guess it's a case of "to each their own". I can see why the newer, fleshed-out versions of some of these characters could appeal to a lot of people.
@@preservethe80s62 I don't know the last time you got to rewatch some of the beginning stuff but it was pretty deep even back then. The first episode/Christmas special showed layers to Homer that reoccur through the whole series. We even get a glimpse into Barts need for Homers affection and attention in that episode. I mention Bart because I think his story is one of the more tragic and they did not shy away from that since the beginning. It has always been a complex comedy. I think that is part of its staying power.
@@dno5134
I get what you mean but season 1 isn't really a good example. There's literally an episode in which Homer attempts to commits suicide because he loses his job and another where Bart becomes a slave winemaker for two Frenchmen in a tragic and not comedic way.
Season 2, 3, 4, and even 5 were very funny and happy at times.
Smithers is my favorite character, he's such a blast whenever he's on screen, and his Lawful Evil dynamic with Burns' Chaotic Evil is unique and so much fun. The fact that he's in love with that 104 year old gremlin Mr. Burns and is really the only person in Springfield who genuinely cherishes him is both hilarious and depressing to me.
I don't care for the new seasons, but I hope that when The Simpsons finally dies there's some happiness there for my boy Waylon Joseph Smithers Jr.
Edit: Wow that's quite a bit of likes I guess in the spirit of full disclosure I should mention that I totally *do* want him to be with Burns, or at least that's what I wanted when I watched the classic seasons (their dynamic in the new seasons isn't as fun :/ )
damn, i'll drink to this entire comment, dude. absolutely perfectly put. let our boy Waylon be happy!! PLEASE!!
I think the simpsons isn’t going to be cancelled until Dan castenella dies. Not because he’s important to the show but because fox won’t want to hire a bunch of new voice actors because of the amount of characters he voices
Ay yä bitter snäke lööking non-häggis eater dymb
バンディートゥーズディ oh wow
@@goldenfiberwheat238 Julie Kavner is older than Dan and Marge's whole family goes down with losing her voice.
Simspons histories: Professor Frink would be a good one. He’s doesn’t appear that often nor for very long but always adds to an episode. A bit like Hans Moleman.
Yes please!
Yes, he should do Frink, with the science and the talking and the hoyvin glaaavinnnn
GLAYVIN!
I'll back Professor Frink! I'm crossing fingers for a Lenny history some day, but if the next one should be smaller, Frink seems perfect. Does he even have any spotlight episodes?
@@Dracinard Treehouse of Horror 14 had a part pretty much dedicated to him, other than that I'm drawing a blank.
"Uh, I'm allergic to bee stings. They cause me to uh... die." is my fav
Honestly, I think Smithers was always one of the most three dimensional characters in the show. He can be good and evil. He can be the voice of reason, or completely depraved
Golden Age Simpsons really made everyone come alive
Fancy seeing you here, borther.
“I love you Smithers”
“The feeling is more than mutual sir”
He wouldn't honk the honk if he couldn't tonk the tonk
yeah that "i'm trapped in a man's body" line is definitely a product of the late 90's mindset of "all gay people secretly want to become a woman" it's so random
I feel like Smithers character has a similar issue to Apu, where stereotypes that were okay in the 90s don't really hold up for a show that's still running in the 2020s.
@@yaziyo Don't shit talk apu, bro holds up perfectly well.
My favourite Smithers 'straight-man' bit is from season 8 the old man and the Lisa
Mr. Burns: Smithers, why didn't you tell me about this market crash!
Smithers: Um, well... sir, it happened 25 years before I was born.
Mr. Burns: Oh, that's your excuse for everything!
Lol
What is the real deal with Mr. Burns' assistant Smithers? You know what I'm talking about.
Yes, he is Mr Burns assistant !
He likes boobies.
I think Homer gets stupider every year.
r/whooooosh
@@chrisrj9871 that's not a question, doctor
Duffman- NEEDS A HISTORY
OH YEAH
DUFFMAN DOESN'T DIE!
ONLY THE PEOPLE WHO PORTRAY HIM!
I agree. He can be linked to the Marlboro Man in it.
Duffman can't breathe! Oh no!
Oooh!
It's all going dark. Like Duff Stout. The beer that made Ireland famous.
“I’m just giving it to your wife”
My favorite Smithers joke is when it's revealed he had been dating John from Homer's phobia. It's nice to know he has a life outside of Mr. Burns.
I think Smithers is one of my favorite characters.
He has been mishandled a lot, but as a companion to a huge presence like Burns he is second to none in the entire show.
Shout out to his start up screen. It's a classic lol
Mr. burns is like a drug to Smithers. It’s bad for you, but he loves it, he can’t quit it.
Well said
That’s an astute analogy, astute!
Ooooh. That’s a good way to look at it.
One thing I find fascinating about Smithers' supposed future death scene in Flanders' Ladder is that by jumping into the power plant's cooling tower he will die very close to the location where his father died. There's something almost poetic about this tragic father and son pair both giving their lives to the same power plant and then dying (violently) inside it. (Not that I would consider anything in that death montage as canon, but it's an interesting thought.)
Season 2 Smithers: "I can't hurt Homer Simpson!"
Also Season 2 Smithers: "Now I got you, Simpson! Heh heh heh.."
Season Two was definitely the transitional point for Smithers where they were slowly clicking his character and 'dos and don'ts'.
*Mr. Burns: You know, the one where TheRealJims comes through your window (with a new video)?*
*This Dream Sequence of a video:*
That was a terrible Joke lmao
“I’ll be in the car, dudes.”
THE RESIDENTS....ARE TRYING......TO NAP
Hello TheRealJims. You're... quite good at turning... me on
You probably should ignore that
Same here
Shut up and eat your pine cone!
Tom A d’oh!
weve all been 15, just imagine waking up one day and regret your comment, its going to happen
They really did the dirty on Smithers. My favourite “jokes” in the earlier episodes were often just the unspoken ones of seeing them together outside of work doing some activity you would never in a million years think to do with your boss, whether it was spending thanksgiving together or passing an evening sitting on a park bench peeping at women through binoculars. You got the impression that they were both really lame (in different ways) and had nobody except each other, Smithers is kind of a jerk and Mr Burns is an all-round horrible person... but they actually seem happy together, inexplicably. That’s the funny, weirdly wholesome thing the Simpsons used to do so well. But in later episodes they seem more and more resentful and miserable, especially Smithers. It’s not funny any more, just kinda sad.
I think Mr Burns never forgave Smithers for not sticking by him during the Who Shot Mr Burns arc. It was totally his own fault he got smoked but they were never the same after that
can we get kirk van houten yet? he just wants to borrow a feeling
There's a Chilean film that came out recently called "Ema", where the dysfunctional parents have their kid taken away by social services, and they sleep together in the kid's bed, which is shaped like a racecar...You can tell the director meant for it to be deep and meaningful symbolism, but it's unintentionally very Kirk Van Houten.
@@GeriatricFan1963 I sleep in a big bed with my wife
Kirk is one of the show's most underrated characters, in my opinion. I'd love to see a video about him.
He just wants a cup of love god damnit.
@@Pr0jectFM Weird flex but okay
listening to someone say "smithers loves boobies" in that voice made my day thank you
I think Sanjay, Apu's brother, would be a good obscure pick. When you think about his presence in regards to Apu's backstory he really doesn't make any sense. His kids don't make too much sense either.
Of all the Simpsons Histories, I'm genuinely surprised to see that Principal Skinner hasn't been done yet.
As he wants someone a bit more obscure, how about Agnes?
Don't you mean an Armin Tamzarian histories? ;pp
Chris Rokich don’t even joke about that
man man
No no, he’s right. He’s Principal “Skinner.”
SKIN-NER!!
"Say, I wonder if this Homer Nixon is any relation."
"Unlikely sir. They spell and pronounce their name differently."
Perfect example of Smithers' dry delivery.
I don't get it...
@@01Sunshine234 Homer's name isn't Homer Nixon, it's Homer Simpson. Smithers is so obsequious to Burns that he says this to avoid having to point out Burns' mistake.
@@MitchSumner Oh!!! Oh, I get it now. That is hilarious. Thanks!
@@01Sunshine234 haha sure thing
(Very long text incoming, Sorry…)
Smithers has always been - besides Mr. Burns - my favourite character. What I love the most about him is how all over the place his morals are. I definitely wouldn’t call it inconsistent, it’s just that he has his standards and lines that shouldn’t be crossed, but most of the time he genuinely seems to enjoy assisting this evil, old billionaire.
I love how he’s outside of work basically a pretty kind, polite, rational, and helpful person, but with Burns he often gleefully and happily follows his evil orders; then there are times where he does it only reluctantly; other times he tries to convince Burns to use different means; and then you have the few times where he openly objects to and refuses an order (or works behinds Burns' back) even at the risk of losing his job (as in e.g. “Blood Feud”, “Sideshow Bob Roberts” or “Who Shot Mr. Burns? I”).
I like how he can casually say “Who would you like killed?” when Burns is talking about cheating in “Homer at the Bat”, but then he also faces moral dilemmas whenever Burns goes a step too far.
I’ve also always kinda enjoyed the more petty, smug and jealous Smithers in e.g. “Simpson and Delilah” or in the episodes where Burns was in love.
I always liked the decision to make the reason for his loyalty and devotion to Burns to be genuine love and attraction, instead of e.g. money, status, power or career prospects. When you have a character that’s so much of a sycophant and bootlicker, brown-noser, ass-kisser, whatever you may call it, I find the former motives much more interesting and humanising (and funnier) than the latter.
Like, being a yes-man to your boss can seem potentially pretty unlikeable - but to your crush? That’s much more relatable.
I enjoy how divergent he can sometimes act, as said above, firstly in regards to his morals. But also, he’s very, very submissive and servile by nature (probably one of the few people in Springfield who are actually competent at and fitting for their job and - at least mostly - are enjoying it), but also I think he’s the second-in-command at the power plant? When he’s not acting as Burns' personal assistant but more as the SNPP’s executive assistant he can also show a bit of an authoritarian streak, especially when dealing with Homer, Lenny & Carl.
And I like how he’s mostly this very orderly, matter-of-factly, sometimes a bit uptight (maybe not unlike Skinner) person, the “sober yin to my raging yang” as Burns put it, but then he also has his quirks (like being the world’s biggest Malibu Stacy dolls collector) and a bit more dramatic, emotional (like his mental breakdown in “Homer the Smithers”) and flamboyant side.
Talking of that, I actually find it quite fascinating to have a gay character on a show exist from 1990 to now.
How many queer characters have been +30 years on air? Especially on a show that loves its status quo so damn much, where characters don’t change and evolve much, but the times and RL world around them does, and so they do with them (e.g. if you compare Homer in “Homer’s Phobia” to “Three Gays of the Condo” to “There’s Something about Marrying”).
It’s interesting how he went from a typical sycophantic yes-man (basically the stereotype/archetype/role he should represent) -> to being very obsessed with his boss -> to then being in love with his boss -> to then being “Burnssexual” (afaik there was some debate among the writers if Smithers should have a Single-Target-sexuality as TVTropes would call it or be generally gay) -> to then being a closeted gay man -> and then nowadays an openly gay man (who can also have once in a while a love interests besides Mr. Burns), who’s active in Springfield’s gay scene (and also confident and comfortable enough to do Drag).
It’s nice to see him embrace his sexuality nowadays.
You have really see and feel the LGBTQ+ jokes change over the decades (not just with his character, but in general). The early 00s and Season 11-20 was kinda the worst time for that (and I’m saying this btw as someone who enjoys a lot of later season episodes, and thinks the hate for anything >S9 is overrated/exaggerated, so I don’t want to generalize about all eps).
I definitely agree with you that this was kinda the time where they wouldn’t know what to do with him (as opposed to S20, I’m very happy about the Smithers renaissance post-S20!), so he was often mostly there for gay jokes. And since it was the early 2000s, it was often very tired, dated, “edgy” and maybe poorly-aged gay jokes (I came out as gay in 2009/10, so I remember the cultural climate of that time).
While in earlier seasons the joke first wasn’t even that he was gay, it was that he was attracted to BURNS of all people + the way his crush was very obvious to us through references/(sub)text/jokes/fantasies/innuendos/etc. while Burns was kinda-sometimes-more-oblivious-sometimes-less (depending on the episode).
Later when the writers had settled on a more generally gay Smithers instead of being Burnssexual, the humour came more from him trying to stay closeted, while probably every single person in Springfield knew.
At least for me, pretty much all these jokes still hold up very much (I’m saying this as a lesbian, maybe queer men will see it differently, but I find them as utterly hilarious as I did when I was younger).
Nowadays, whenever the show has episodes that heavily feature queer plots and/or characters, I feel they want to laugh more with the gays than about the gays. In episodes like e.g. “Livin’ La Pura Vida” or “Marge the Lumberjill” or “Portrait of a Lackey on Fire” I have the feeling it’s more gay jokes written by gay people if you know what I mean.
That being said, while I’m happy that we have gotten some pretty good Smithers-episodes post-Season 20 (and I really like that they had him interact with other characters than Mr. Burns like Moe or Marge! (after “Lisa vs. Malibu Stacy" and "Mountain of Madness" I always wanted to have him and the kids in an episode again)), I don’t like how kinda mean-spirited they’ve made the relationship between Burns and Smithers in the recent years (not always, but often). I don’t ship them or anything, but I’ve always really, really enjoyed their dynamic, especially when they would do like fun stuff together like money fights, running the power plant on their own, playing Rocket League with the town’s snow plows, eating chocolates together aso.
And while there were always times where Burns was abusive to him (I never said it was a healthy relationship or anything! It’s pretty unhealthy and co-dependent. I’m talking here btw mostly about “cartoon violence”-like things like getting strangled (Burns’ heir), burned with tea (Brush with Greatness) or hit (A Star is Burns)), I feel like nowadays Burns is sometimes much more verbally and physically abusive and there is less camaraderie between them.
I miss the times where Burns would ask Smithers how his weekend was (Homer Defined), genuinely wanted him to enjoy his vacation and see “lots of pictures” (Homer the Smithers), invite him to hang out with him in retirement (Burns Verkaufen der Kraftwerk), save his life (Midnight Rx) or Burns calling him “my dear friend” (Burns’ heir).
I feel like nowadays they want to have Smithers be more independent of Burns and get a bit over this helpless pining, so he puts himself out more, is on dating apps, had boyfriends in Julio and Michael; all things I enjoy and very approve of.
At the same time this show loves its status quo, so just like e.g. Selma is the “hopeful romantic and single woman who always falls for the wrong guys, marries them way too fast and is six times divorced”, Smithers will always be “the assistant in love with his boss”.
I feel like they kinda want to have their cake and eat it, too. I wish they could find a way to have Smithers be more independent of Burns - if this is the route they want to go - while also not destroying this dynamic (After all the negative talk tho, I wanna say I love A LOT of +S10/20/30 episodes, especially Season 33 and 34 have been really good. And I really liked e.g. Burns advising Smithers to keep Michael in “Portrait of a Lackey on Fire” (I wish a bit this video came out after S33, so it could include this episode), because he got himself a billionaire boyfriend - and even one who pollutes the environment very badly -, so that’s a great catch in Burns’ eyes, lol).
Anyhoo, I absolutely love your History videos and that’s definitely my favourite one, great work, Jim!
Great write-up!
@@TheRealJims Oh wow, thanks man! I didn’t actually expect anyone to read this suuuper long comment on a 2,5 years old video (tho it is your 15th most watched one I think), let alone you. Makes me really happy you did =) I’m a big fan and love your videos, I hope you have a great day and keep the good work up 😊
@@BecKM94Very good analysis (hope it's okay I'm 8 months late lol)
"Sir, they're gaining on us! We'll have to drop something!"
_(looks at Smithers)_
"It's been an honour serving you, sir."
probably Smithers best moment
I always liked that Smithers was a Malibu Stacy fan and made a play about it.
I never viewed it as a "gay thing", I think you can be a superfan of dolls and toys without being gay.
Always thought that it gave the character more dimensions.
i thought it was a play on how most people expect doll collectors to be females when most of them are males, i never actually thought it was a "gay thing" when i was a kid
I'm literally borderline obsessed with Waylon Smithers. (Not in a romanitc way.) I have literally 4,000 screenshots featuring him on my computer, lol.
How did it stop (asking uhh.... for a friend)
Goals lol
nice
Imagine how powerful Smithers would be if he had someone who appreciates him
I can't believe you didn't mention the "But sir I'm FLAMING!" joke, as they make it clearly with Burns' almost 4th wall breaking stare at the camera that they're saying "That's right, ANOTHER gay joke! How original!"
Also, since you want more obscure characters, why not do Inanimate Carbon Rod for the next Simpsons Histories?
@late4thegameNOW WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT??? HE SAVED BUZZ ALDRIN
In rod we trust
He mentioned the big, just not the line.
I _love_ that joke.
Actually, in terms of obscure characters, how about Artie Ziff? He's weird in that he has a huge impact on the backstory of Marge and Homer's relationship, but has made appearances in the 'present' yet those are so few and far between it's easy to forget about him. That, and i don't think anyone likes him either.
Artie's also interesting in how they had this HUGE break from his character, had one early cameo in between establishing a new shtick for him and then AGES after bring him back for a few limelight episodes.
Can we take a moment to appreciate how TheRealJims has been doing content like this for over 6 years?
Keep it up!
Keep going for 31 years!
@@rio-kt7ut I'd donate to get more content. He's like one of three people I ring the bell for.
nobody has ever gone in depth about the barflies, sam and larry, and i've always been fascinated with them as background characters. and if anybody could do it, it's probably the guy who covered Just Stamp the Ticket Guy.
or miss hoover. that's cool too.
I think they might not have had enough actual speaking roles to make an episode about them.
At least I can't remember many of them from the top of my head...
It would be super cool though.
I feel a little weird rn, that I can't really tell what they are all about
Do this
Remember at the start there was also a female barfly. Think she only appeared in the very early episodes before disappearing
Sure but she never came back, unless you consider Ruth to be her
@@bartsampson1523 Yeah just curious why she was dropped - simply forgotten to be animated, animators thought the bar was looking to crowded or something like a woman always in the bar wasn't "lady like"?
The ending of the Simpsons movie is still my favourite Smithers joke because it's so unbelievably bleak.
What’s the joke?
Mr.Burns talks about how he never considered suicide and then says he wouldn't mind watching smithers do it though
I love the "amnesia ray" joke from Lisa the Skeptic which is probably even more bleak (Burns essentially telling Smithers to shoot everyone around them and then himself) while being more absurd and bit more subtle. Although the one from the movie is definitely great too.
For whatever reason, Smithers' line of "Unlikely, sir. They spell and pronounce their names differently," is one of my favorites. Makes me laugh every time, and sums up the Smithers comedic "straight man" role as well as his total sycophant for Burns role as well
This joke is so under appreciated!!
Moe: and I'm pulling your favourite song out of the jukebox.
Homer: * gasps * it's raining men?
Moe: yeah, not no more it ain't.
* throws record out of window, flies in to Smithers car and hits him *
Smithers: Ow! Ooooh!
9:22 wait a second, in this clip Smithers is roughly the same age as Homer. But in season 13’s ‘the blunder years’ Smithers is shown to be a baby when Homer was 12.
Boy I hope someone got fired for that blunder
A wizard did it
Maybe he skipped a couple grades.
MandelaButterfly that wouldn’t explain a 12 year age gap lol
And they say Smithers in his 40s, right? Shouldn’t he be a lil older than Homer then?
Smithers's dad dies when he's a baby, but the time between when he dies and when Homer discovers his body is unknown. There could have been a 12 year gap between the death and discovering his body, which would account for the ages.
“I think women and sea men don’t mix”
“We know what you think”
My all time favorite conversation in the history of the show
Mountain of Madness has probably my favorite depiction of Smithers, where he starts off as Burns' loyal assistant, then gets dumped and is forced to fend for himself, before going back to being loyal again. I love how Smithers gets legitimately wounded and pissed off over Burns' behaviour, only to happily return to his side at the end as if nothing ever happened.
I also like the little moment in the trillion dollar episode where he prepares this lavish dinner for his boss, but when Burns gets snobbish and doesn't show the slightest bit of gratitude, Smithers quietly grumbles "Sometimes I don't know why I bother..."
You should do a Simpsons Histories on the guy who says “Yessssss” really annoyingly
I haad a strooooke!!!!!
@@jamiec9260 "What flavour is it?" Why superchocolate of course!"
The only thing we need to know about him is that He Had a Strooooooooooooke
@@gottahurtthealbertosaurus Yessssss
He's based off of a real actor named Frank Nelson. th-cam.com/video/nqKG2VtxN_o/w-d-xo.html
Characters you could do next: Jasper Beardly, Yes Guy, Ned Flanders or Disco Stu. I'd be happy with any of those!
that's a definite yes for the yes guy
Great ideas: I would also like to see one about disco Stu
I second Frostilicus.
YEEESSS
Jasper is a low-key hilarious character. If you don’t agree, then that’s a paddlin’
considering how little is focused on smithers in the series, it's genuinely strange to be so familiar with him.I feel like I barely even noticed his hair is grey until now.
Drag Smithers got me acting unwise
I’m still hoping to see a Simpsons Histories on Sideshow Bob someday.
I'm getting the rakes.
"Oh il stay away from your son alright, stay awaay FOREVER "
"AH kettle chips, the perfect side dish for REVENGE!"
I'm still waiting for that episode!!!~☆☆☆😭😭😭💔💔💔👌👌👌
Sideshow bob is a trash character
Looks like your quid's in. It came out a few days ago
I love the deadpan delivery on some of these narrations: ''Moe kisses him anyway........it was okay.....'' XD
Yeah, Smingers did it. Case closed. Now where's my hat? I'm going to the outhouse.
Do we have an outhouse?
Drew P. Weiner Oh dad!
"...inventing Rocket League with Mr. Burns.."
Dang you caught me off guard with that one 😂
I think a Kent Brockman episode would be quite interesting. Like he's in a lot of episodes. But has like no development
i think id like to see Groundskeeper Willy. There seems to be a lot about him and at the same time not a lot about him also
I would love to see Smithers and Julio get back together! It'd be really endearing to see him in an actual loving relationship. And it does hurt seeing Burns be so dismissive or outright mean to him. Some jokes just hit that soft spot for me. With my only real reaction being "... Damn... sorry Smithers..."
I reckon, for all characters, living in a 'status quo' reliant world/show, is a curse.
If only they (Fox executives, or somebody, ANYBODY else) had greenlit Matt Groening's 'Springfield Tales' idea. It would have given way to a boundless world of characters and expansive, creative, experimental storylines.
Smither's fight with Homer is one of the funniest things I've seen on the show.
my favorite smithers joke is the "714 names" joke
"nuts to this, i'll just get homer simpsons"
I love the village people joke because of how absurd it is and how happy he looks, the village people guys drown and some how he gets away in time i guess haha
"But she's got a new hat!" and knowing that Smithers isn't too square to smoke a "reminder" with Homer is pretty cool
You are also my hero Jims you really are
''You shall be buried alive with me...''
''Oh...''
''Goody''
"We're going womanizing!"
"Oh..."
"Goody."
Do next Marge's mother, She's the source of many of her traumas
She was in the first few seasons but faded into the background only speaking occasionally, she never became a main character, like her daughters. Maybe she was hard on Julie Kavner's voice.
@@davidirving9242 yeah, i think i saw an interview where julie said that it was hard to do for her. however i could be mixing it up with something else, i don’t remember lol.
I wish Smithers could stop his love of Mr. Burns, just so he could have more layers of plot.
As series is a comedy, robbing Smithers of his major and only comedy-enhancing trait, his unrequited and inexplicable crush on Burns, means bare him of being part of comedy, making him average person. And with favorite method of developing characters in this show, this being giving everybody pair (happened with lot of secondaries, sometimes for single episode), neither of it advanced any of them this far, so do the same with Smithers unlikely will work as well. Basically there just so little room for character to grow in his case, it's better just move focus to somebody else (what series does anyway).
@@rheubarbarum5423 literally the only way simpsons characters can grow and change is if theyre in another show. And it wont ever happen because brand recognition, people would get confused blah blah blah
Simpsons Histories: Do Blue-Haired Lawyer. I honestly don't know why. Just do Blue-Haired Lawyer.
Mr burnses laywer/ laywer cibowski?
The whole "maybe Smithers is Trans" thing is definitely just an artifact of the way certain segments of society tended to completely conflate the two things at various points in history. Depending on when it happened, it was either a fairly progressive view or a moderately offensive one that indicates the person in question probably stopped learning things about Gay people back when it was (or from someone that did, I guess). In the 50s? It was the view advocated by a lot of straight advocates for the male homosexual community (most of them women), dating back to some of the earliest studies on the subject back in Shockingly Progressive parts of pre-Fascist Germany. In 2006, when that episode aired? There's really no excuse other than the entire writer's room being old enough to be the out-of-touch grandparents of their target demographic.
Pre-Fascist Germany you mean the Weimar Republic
Check out Johnny the walrus! Great book.
I think one of my favorite gay jokes is the "but sir I'm flaming" but only because Burns gives that look to the audience to confirm that the writers know how forced the gay jokes are
As for the next character you should do for Simpsons Histories:
MAKE WAY FOR WILLIE!!!
Ya ryght mi läds
Do not touch Willie.
@@battlemageblitz82 Good advice.
I think a Squeaky-Voice Teen Simpsons History would be nice.
He's an underrated character. He has some of the best lines of the series and he works with nearly every other character as a foil.
Simpsons Histories: Seymour Skinner.
YES
The real one or the imposter?
@@familygash7500 yes.
@@familygash7500 the "imposter"
"ive been waiting 25 years for this moment"
:ride of the valkeries plays:
"waterloo..."
"sorry sir i must of taped over that"
Now that you mentioned it. Duffman would be interesting because "Duffman can never die. Only the actors who play him".
Drag Smithers is pretty cute though
I like Smithers. As you pointed out, he's a good straight-man character. It's easy to project onto him in a way Lisa doesn't make possible. I love the idea that he kills himself when Mr. Burns get married.
A minor character that I'd like to see a video on is Snake. He doesn't get too many appearances but the ones he does get are usually pretty great. He's also one of only a handful of characters who I would classify as "Evil" which is pretty neat.
The fact that Mr.Burns was responsible for not only Smithers fathers death, but also Homers mothers exile, and Abe simpsons bitter attitude towards life is really interesting.
I would love to see Mr Burns himself, as he plays one of the biggest roles of the Simpsons family tree. He’s always shown getting in the way of Abe Simpson and even further back.
But for more obscure character, I like to see Sideshow Mel
"His first on screen appearance as black smithers" got a chuckle out of me
Don't forget Smithers also made Homer head bee guy.
This legit brightened my day when I first saw it. One of my favorite channels talking about my favorite character. It also made me sad. I hate the direction they took his character, but, you know. You win some you lose some.
I want to see the next simpsons histories episode on comic book guy
"Worst. Simpsons History Episode. Ever."
But then I'd have to accept that the "Jeff Albertson" moment happened.
I have been asking for so many episodes now, each one that isn’t about him is the worst episode ever
Oh, I'm sure that'll be REAL useful
Yes, Richard and Lewis, the true stars of the show!
Also, my favorite Smithers episode is Mountain of Madness where he is stuck with Bart and Lisa the whole time. That's a dynamic I wish they returned to more often.
Aren't there any *healthy* animals?
oh great it's the Bobsy Twins.
Amazing work condensing down a character with such a long and detailed history within the show.
On the DVD commentaries, Bill Oakley said the idea for Smither's being obsessed with Malibu Stacey is not because he was gay. Oakley's wife was big barbie collector and made him attended conferences with her, where he would meet grown and often straight men who collected barbie dolls. Oakley wanted to have a character to be in this mould because he thought it was funny, and I guess since Smither's had no real background, Oakley seized the opportunity. Though personally, I would of gone with Moe, I look that era of moe jokes where outside the bar he's different character, reading to sick children at the hospital etc.
I'd like to see Maggie as your next one. She's gone through a few phases as the show's progressed, especially after Who Shot Mr Burns. She is in probably every episode so a lot of research might be needed, but then again she very rarely does anything of note.
A new SImpsons Histories? Already?
Yes!
Oh my goodness it's Smithers day! Didn't know how much I wanted this until I saw that thumbnail, hahah.
I love how respectful this video is in every way
"Hop in Smithers!"
"But Sir..."
"I said hop. in."
After watching this episode, it really made me appreciate Smithers as one of the more important players in the show that doesnt need too much time in the spotlight. He gets things going and thats what i appreciate about him.
That said, i'd really like to see how you would do a simpsons history of Lenny and Carl, Sideshow Bob or Sideshow Mel.
"You're flying the plane sir."
"Excellent."
"BAHH too much dancing, barely enough prancing"
"A little mincing would be nice"
....And then Smithers became The Gay Stereotype: The Character.
I like him anyways
Everyone got Flanderized in the end
@@SonofTiamat after season 6 most new characters started out that way anyway lol
DISCO STU
In Flanders case it works since hes no longer a Mary Sue
@@nifralo2752 Flanders wasn't a Mary Sue since Homer hated him. He was meant to be a comedic foil to contrast how disfunctional the Simpsons family were.
I think the next Simpsons histories character should be snake jailbird.
It’s great to see this handled so respectfully even in reference to a show like the simpsons.....thank you for acknowledging that he (and we) deserve better than a running joke who’s frequently miserable
I love Mr. Smithers. Although all the gay jokes did go over my head as a kid, I always enjoyed Mr. Smitheri's dry sarcasm and felt bad that no one would ever give him the time of day (that no one being Mr. Burns really). And it makes me wonder why Mr. Burns has kept Mr. Smitherse around for so long.
a few days ago I was thinking about how it would be cool to see a review on this guy, and here it is