The Simpsons has some of the greatest characters in the history of animation, but there’s not a more quotable person on the show than Homer. Homer Simpson is everything that audiences want out of a comedic lead; he’s almost unbearably stupid at times, yet has a genuinely good heart and seems to care about Maggie, Lisa, Bat, and Marge. The Simpsons is often at its best when it celebrates just how caring and thoughtful Homer can be.
The Simpsons has endured for over three decades because of how beloved the characters are after all this time; even though the show hasn’t quite reached the highlights of its “Golden Age,” audiences are still invested in what wild new shenanigans Homer gets into, and what silly catchphrases he comes up with next. Here are the ten best Homer Simpson quotes from The Simpsons, ranked.
The Simpsons
- Release Date
- December 17, 1989
- Seasons
- 36
- Main Genre
- Comedy
- Studio
- Fox
10 “Why do my actions have consequences?”
“Rednecks and Broomsticks” – Season 21, Episode 7 (2009)
Although the general perception among fans of the show is that The Simpsons seemed to peak after its ninth or tenth season, some of the more recent episodes of the series in the 21st century have given Homer the chance to be a little more thoughtful about his actions. In “Rednecks and Broomsticks,” Homer ponders why everything he does seems to go the wrong way.
Although it’s a funny quote because of how inherently illogical it is, Homer is also a somewhat tragic character whose best intentions sometimes go drastically awry, leading to embarrassing situations for both himself and his family. The Simpsons writers often seem to take pleasure in torturing Homer with one terrible situation after another, so it is nice to see that the character himself at least has a little bit of self-awareness about his own misfortune.
9 “He reminds me of me, before the weight of the world crushed my spirit.”
“Saturdays of Thunder” – Season 3, Episode 9 (1991)
The Simpsons has been remarkably progressive in showing the progression of Homer’s mental health, as the series often examines how his somewhat nasty childhood with his father Abe led him to have severely mismanaged expectations about what to expect out of life. In the classic episode “Saturdays of Thunder,” Homer reflects on how he might be able to give Bart a better life by giving him the opportunities that he never had.
The relationship between Homer and Bart is often a contentious one, but The Simpsons often explores that there is an underlying level of sincerity between them. While Homer would turn into a bigger jerk in later seasons, this early installment was at a period where he was still the sort of loving, all-American dad that fans of The Simpsons wouldn’t think twice about rooting for to succeed against all odds.
8 “Trying is the first step towards failure.”
“Realty Bites” – Season 9, Episode 9 (1997)
Laziness is one of the most defining characteristics of Homer, as he often chooses to simply not put any effort into a situation that he thinks will likely blow up in his life. In the episode “Reality Bites,” Homer suggests that his refusal to show any enthusiasm about his hobbies signifies a sort of weakness on his part. It’s a surprisingly dark, yet also relatable quote from a character who is often much wiser than he seems to be.
Whether its sports, family vacations, or holiday celebrations, Homer is often the victim of bad luck when he has an ambitious plan in mind to improve the circumstances of either himself, his friends, or his family. His desire to simply not think too critically about what could happen may be cynical, but it’s not necessarily a mistake when considering his track record.
7 “I’ve learned that life is one crushing defeat after another until you just wish Flanders was dead.”
“Homer and Apu” – Season 5, Episode 13 (1994)
The rivalry between Homer and Flanders is one of the most notorious in the history of The Simpsons. Flanders’ desire for cleanliness, dignity, and compassion always seems to rub Homer the wrong way, as he can’t help but feel that he’s constantly being mocked. Although some of Homer’s critical catchphrases wouldn’t be defined until later on in the show, the episode “Homer and Apu” explored just how much he disliked spending time with Flanders.
The relationship between Homer and Flanders took some surprisingly dark directions later on in the show, as the death of Flanders’ wife is one of the few moments in which The Simpsons actually got serious. Admirably, Homer seems to show genuine sympathy for Flanders’ sons Rodd and Todd, as he aims to show them a “fun” side of life that they don’t get with their father.
6 “You tried your best and you failed miserably. The lesson is: never try!”
“Burns’ Heir” – Season 5, Episode 18 (1994)
Homer’s relationship with Lisa is one of the most profound in The Simpsons, as the two characters couldn’t be further apart in terms of their interests and actions. While Homer enjoys skating by and leaving everything to the last minute, Lisa is a consummate overachiever with high standards, who The Simpsons even predicted would become President of the United States at one point.
Any moment when Homer tries to give Lisa advice about how to live her life is bound to be hilarious, as it’s clear that she will never pay attention to the lousy lessons that he gives her. That being said, Lisa never seems to dismiss her father in his entirety; there are brief moments sprinkled throughout the show when her impressive intelligence inspires him to be more creative, thoughtful, and considerate than he ever would have been otherwise.
5 “Don’t eat me. I have a wife and kids. Eat them.”
“Treehouse of Horror VII” – Season 8, Episode 1 (1996)
The “Treehouse of Horror” segments on The Simpsons are one of the show’s best running gags, as each year the series airs an episode that takes place outside of the core continuity. Each “Treehouse of Horror” episode contains three short stories, each of which corresponds to a recent hit movie or television series. The classic episode “Treehouse of Horror VII” showed that when facing a supernatural threat, Homer was willing to sacrifice his own family in order to save his skin.
The “Treehouse of Horror” episodes of The Simpsons are funny because they are consistent with the characters’ personalities, even if they introduce seemingly contradictory genre elements. It says a lot about Homer as a character that when faced with an existential threat to humanity, he can only cower out of fear and try to avoid a particularly nasty fate at the hands of the episode’s villains.
4 “Lisa, if you don’t like your job you don’t strike. You just go in every day and do it really half-assed. That’s the American way.”
“The PTA Disbands” – Season 6, Episode 21 (1995)
Although it’s a series that often invokes humor through its sheer absurdity, The Simpsons is often a particularly clever work of social satire that pokes fun at the notion of capitalism. There’s no better example of this than the classic episode “The PTA Disbands,” in which Homer inspires Lisa and Bart to lead a strike against Springfield Elementary after Principal Skinner’s budget cuts lead to a completely miserable experience for all of the students. However, Homer can’t anticipate that Bart and Lisa are successful in causing some significant reforms to their education system.
Some of the funniest moments in The Simpsons happen when Lisa and Bart actually follow Homer’s advice, despite dismissing him to be a fool. Homer is often not very perceptive of the influence that he has on his children, leading to situations like the elementary school strike that quickly spiral out of his control.
3 “Simpson! Homer Simpson! He’s the greatest guy in his-tor-y … from the town of Springfield! He’s about to hit a chestnut tree!”
“Marge vs. The Monorail” – Season 4, Episode 12 (1993)
“Marge vs. The Monorail” personified the golden age of The Simpsons, and often is ranked among the best episodes that the series ever aired. The episode focuses on how Springfield is seduced by a charismatic salesman (Phil Hartman) who convinces them to invest in a highly expensive monorail system that has serious safety concerns.
Homer’s experience driving the monorail quickly goes out of control when the machine starts acting up, leading to one of the biggest disasters in the history of the show. The episode was written by a young Conan O’Brien, who perfected the mix of sincerity and silliness that had always made Homer such a compelling protagonist. Although it has now been over three decades since it first aired, “Marge vs. The Monorail” is still a high achievement that The Simpsons has struggled to surpass with any new installments.
2 “Facts are meaningless. You can use facts to prove anything that’s even remotely true.”
“Lisa the Skeptic” – Season 9, Episode 8 (1997)
Homer often digs himself into logical holes by trying to prove that he is right, even when there’s a preponderance of evidence that indicates that he is completely wrong. Arguing with someone as intelligent as Lisa is never a good idea, and so Homer tries to dismiss any practical argument supported by legitimate facts as misleading in the classic episode “Lisa the Skeptic.”
The genius of Homer as a character is that his actions would be highly irritating if he wasn’t so goofy. Although audiences began to turn on characters like Peter Griffin on Family Guy or Stan Smith on American Dad! because they got to be far too mean, The Simpsons has always been the best animated show for adults because it recognizes that Homer is relatively harmless, even if he’s not someone that anyone should ever look to for guidance.
1 “I am so smart! I am so smart! S-M-R-T … I mean S-M-A-R-T!”
“Homer Goes to College” – Season 5, Episode 3 (1993)
Although it’s empowering to see him surpass expectations and genuinely achieve something, Homer is often the butt of the joke in the best episodes of The Simpsons, and the show is often funnier as a result. The classic episode “Homer Goes to College” saw the beloved Simpsons dad going back to receive the education that he never completed during his youth.
Homer’s poor spelling abilities and mismanaged perception of his own intelligence quickly make him a laughingstock, leading him to return to his regular life as a casual household dad. While The Simpsons is occasionally criticized for returning to the status quo instead of taking the series in a radically new direction, episodes like “Homer Goes To College” show that Homer is lucky to have the life that he does, as he would have been ill-suited for any profession that required even the tiniest bit of responsibility or self-awareness.
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