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Springfield's secrets run deeper than the nuclear waste beneath Mr. Burns' plant! Join us as we explore the wildest and most mind-blowing fan theories about America's favorite yellow family. From hidden time loops to characters secretly being geniuses in disguise, these theories will make you see your favorite episodes in a whole new light!
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00:00No, it can't be true!
00:02It is true, Carl.
00:03Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're counting down our picks for the top 20 most mind-blowing Simpsons fan theories.
00:10We will air these show-destroying scenes one after another, starting now.
00:17Number 20. Barney and Mo are the same person.
00:21This is definitely one of the more out-there ideas that some fans have for the show.
00:25Of course, we all know Mo the bartender and Barney Gumbel, two prominent figures at Mo's tavern and a part of Homer's life.
00:31You'll be back, and so will you, and you, and you.
00:38Of course I'll be back. If you didn't close, I'd never leave.
00:41However, some have proposed the idea that both Mo and Barney are the same person.
00:46How can that be?
00:47Well, apparently, Mo pressured Professor Frank into using his time machine to alter his childhood to improve his life.
00:53Don't worry, Barney. Time heals all wounds.
00:58Well, what do you know? You're right!
01:00He took on the name Barney Gumbel, but then walked into Mo's and forgot everything.
01:04Mama Mia!
01:06Number 19. The show is told from Ned Flanders' perspective.
01:10The Simpsons can be rather crass in their behavior, especially compared to their next-door neighbor Ned Flanders and his family.
01:16Why aren't we ascending into heaven?
01:24Oh, right. The sins.
01:26Perhaps we've been looking at things all wrong, as this theory suggests.
01:30The reason Homer is boorish and inconsiderate is because that's how Ned views him.
01:35What's the matter, Ned?
01:36I think I hate Homer Simpson.
01:38The same can be said for Bart, whose bratty behavior would look worse compared to the respectable Rod and Todd.
01:45In fact, you can argue that the reason the Flanders flock looks so idyllic compared to the Simpsons
01:50is because of Ned's bias towards his family, while having contempt for Homer and his family.
01:55Homer, you are the worst human being I have ever met.
02:01Hey, I got it all pretty easy.
02:03Number 18. Bart was a stonecutter before Homer.
02:06Before Homer ever joined the stonecutters,
02:09Reddit user TyPiper93 posits that Bart was already a member.
02:13Eleni and Carl are never around on Wednesdays, and they don't tell me where to go.
02:16It's like a conspiracy.
02:17A conspiracy, eh?
02:19You think they might be involved in the Kennedy assassination in some way?
02:22I do.
02:23No.
02:24There are only two ways to join the secret society.
02:27One being saving the life of a member or being the son of one.
02:31Back in season 2, Bart saved Mr. Burns' life, which would grant him membership.
02:35By the way, what was the lad's name?
02:38Uh, Bart Simpson, sir?
02:39Who?
02:40He's the son of Homer Simpson, one of your staffs in Sector 7G.
02:42Well, the Simpsons will be getting a very nice surprise in the mail.
02:47Very nice indeed.
02:50He's also Abe's grandson, but we don't know how strict they are with family ties.
02:54Later, when Homer is revealed to be the chosen one,
02:56he commands Lisa to be removed from the room, and Bart happily follows the order.
03:00Don't you see?
03:01Getting what you want all the time will ultimately leave you unfulfilled and joyless.
03:05Remove the girl.
03:07Dad, you're not with your stone cutters now.
03:08There are no lackeys around to carry out your...
03:10There's also the fact Bart frequently evades trouble at school
03:15because Principal Skinner is also a member of the order.
03:18Number 17.
03:19Every episode is a new universe.
03:22Being on the air for more than 30 years certainly messes with the show's continuity.
03:26Not only does the layout of the town change,
03:29but so does that of the Simpson house depending on the episode.
03:32Homer, it's really coming down.
03:34Could you check on the boys?
03:39They're fine.
03:40In earlier seasons of the show, Marge and Homer meet in the 70s,
03:44but in more recent seasons, they're both Gen Xers.
03:46The middle of a wild decade known as the 1990s.
03:50The 90s? Never heard of it.
03:52Oh, it was a wonderful time.
03:54The Iraq War was over once and for all.
03:56A struggling Matt Groening created Futurama.
04:00And young people believed in their dreams.
04:02Both Grandpa and Mr. Burns are shown as having fought in World War II,
04:06but they'd be close to 100 years old.
04:08One way to explain the shifting physical and temporal properties of the show
04:12is that each episode is its own universe,
04:15meaning there's no overarching continuity.
04:17It seems like every week something odd happens to the Simpsons.
04:20My advice is to ride it out, make an occasional smart aleck quip,
04:23and by next week we'll be back to where we started from,
04:25ready for another wacky adventure.
04:27Ay carumba!
04:28That's the spirit.
04:30Number 16. Moe knows Bart is pranking him.
04:33There's nothing more classic than watching one of Bart's prank phone calls to Moe.
04:37Is Seymour there?
04:38Last name, Butts.
04:39Just a sec.
04:41Hey, is there a Butts here?
04:44Seymour Butts?
04:45Hey, everybody!
04:46I want to see more Bart's!
04:50Oh, wait a minute.
04:51After being pranked for so many years,
04:54you'd think that Moe would eventually figure out who's behind it all.
04:57Redditor Senor Schnarf proposes that he does, in fact, know it's Bart,
05:00but he admires the boy and wants to keep him happy.
05:03Is Mike there?
05:04Last name, Roch.
05:05Hold on, I'll check.
05:07My crotch!
05:08My crotch!
05:09Hey, has anybody seen my crotch lately?
05:11Listen to me, you little puke.
05:15One of these days, I'm gonna catch you.
05:17There is some evidence to back this up.
05:19After Homer is fired from the power plant, he's out drinking at Moe's.
05:23Marge sends Bart to bring Homer home right after a prank call.
05:26It's you, isn't it?
05:28Listen, you.
05:29When I get a hold of you, I'm gonna use your head for a bucket and paint my house with your brains.
05:34Bart, I want you to go down to Moe's tavern.
05:38I need you to bring your father home.
05:40When Bart enters the bar and starts speaking, Moe immediately recognizes his voice and is thrilled to see the younger Simpson.
05:47Excuse me, I'm looking for...
05:49Wait a minute.
05:50I know that voice.
05:53If it isn't little Bart Simpson, I haven't seen you in years.
05:57That's right.
05:58That's my pop.
05:59Number 15.
06:00Maude never loved Ned.
06:03The Flanders seem to have the perfect life, especially compared to their neighbors, The Simpsons.
06:07However, fans have noted several instances that would indicate that maybe Maude isn't the loving, devoted wife we all assume she is.
06:14I told you to unplug the phone.
06:16But it could be my mother.
06:18Howdy.
06:19Shoot.
06:20That is it, Ned.
06:20If you don't unplug that phone right now, you're sleeping on the lawn.
06:24Will you two shut up?
06:26People are trying to sleep.
06:28When Ned snaps and is sent to a mental health hospital after his home is destroyed by a hurricane, Maude is nowhere to be found.
06:35When a comet is about to hit Springfield, Ned is forced out of his bomb shelter and she doesn't raise much opposition.
06:42Sounds fair.
06:43Good loo, everybody.
06:44I'll scream when the comet gets here.
06:46Oh, I'm coming with you, Nettie.
06:48No, sweetheart.
06:50You stay here because...
06:52Okay.
06:53Later, after she's passed on, Ned has preserved her indentation in their bed and she's positioned such that she slept facing away from her husband.
07:01Could you sleep on my side?
07:02I'm trying to preserve Maude's indentation.
07:05Sorry.
07:06Oh, no problem.
07:07My little stars will fix her right up.
07:09Number 14.
07:10Chief Wiggum isn't Ralph's dad.
07:13Ever notice how Milhouse and his parents have similar features such as blue hair and big round noses?
07:17What is all this stuff?
07:19We've heard you've become a star.
07:21We decided we better start living in the fast lane.
07:24What if I'm not a success?
07:26How will you pay for all this?
07:27I'm sorry.
07:28I can't hear you, son.
07:30I'm wearing a jacuzzi suit.
07:31It's a good indication that they're related.
07:34But some fans have noticed that the same cannot be said about Ralph Wiggum and his parents.
07:38For one, they don't resemble each other all that much.
07:42Leading some to speculate that Chief Wiggum might not be Ralph's father.
07:45You poor little boy.
07:48Oh, no, he'll be fine.
07:49He's always getting himself stuffed in this or that.
07:53Who would be the boy's dad?
07:55Look no further than the Chief's underling, Eddie, given that both he and Ralph have thin, stringy hair.
08:01While we can't say for sure, the resemblance is oddly suspicious.
08:05I know Eddie is Ralph's father.
08:08Look at the hair.
08:09Look at the hair!
08:11No!
08:11Clancy, I swear to you, it's not true.
08:14My son's breath smells like cat food.
08:17Number 13.
08:18Why Patty and Selma Hate Homer
08:20It's no secret that Marge's sisters are not particularly fond of Homer.
08:24Patty and Selma just got promoted at the DMV.
08:26Yeah, Homer.
08:28Let your wife have a glimpse of success for once.
08:31All right, that's the last straw.
08:35Time to take out the trash.
08:37Redditor bttesthighlander1 argues that the twin sister's poor treatment of Marge is what pushed her to marry Homer.
08:43There are several instances where Patty and Selma are mean to a young Marge,
08:47and this had a profound effect on her when she grew up.
08:49This thing called a fire drill, they use it to drill a flaming hole in your head.
08:56And there's only one big toilet, and they make you all go at the same time.
09:03Homer can be a handful at times, but he has a pretty strong devotion to his wife,
09:07which is a stark contrast to Patty and Selma's behavior towards Marge.
09:11Since they want to continue to dominate their younger sister's life,
09:14they want Marge to be with a partner they approve of,
09:17thus treating Homer poorly in an attempt to convince her to move on from him.
09:21Get out of here, you ghouls!
09:23Number 12. Mr. Burns is aware of Homer's incompetence.
09:27Way back in season 1, Homer becomes the safety inspector of the nuclear power plant.
09:32I want you to be in charge of safety here at the plant.
09:36Safety?
09:37At the time, it made sense since he had just been on a public safety crusade.
09:41In the years following, he's been shown to be rather incompetent at his job,
09:45as we've seen him responsible for several near catastrophes.
09:48Frank Grimes even points out that accidents have doubled every year since Homer's been safety inspector.
09:54Accidents have doubled every year since he became safety inspector.
09:57And meltdowns have tripled.
09:59Has he been fired?
10:00No.
10:00Has he been disciplined?
10:01No, no.
10:02Mr. Burns is aware of Homer's ineptitude,
10:04since someone who did the job well would force the plant to fix the problems.
10:08When German investors buy the plant,
10:10they immediately fire Homer,
10:12and find out how expensive it would be to bring the plant up to code.
10:15When Burns buys it back, he rehires Homer.
10:18And rehire that chap who sassed me in the bar.
10:21Homer Simpson?
10:22But why?
10:23Smithers, I keep my friends close.
10:25And my enemies even closer.
10:27Number 11.
10:28Homer is a criminal mastermind.
10:30Homer is frequently portrayed as oafish on the show,
10:33but when there's a crime involved,
10:35he becomes suspiciously competent.
10:37When Springfield instituted prohibition,
10:40he came up with a genius plan to supply the town with alcohol.
10:43How have you been getting away with this?
10:45Well, and I can explain, remember?
10:47I fill the balls with beer that I found at the dump,
10:50and then I bowl them,
10:51and some underground pipes take them into mowers.
10:53Homer, that's very clever.
10:55Not only was Marge impressed with his scheme,
10:58but no one was able to catch him until he came out and admitted it.
11:01In another episode,
11:02once Bart shows him how to illegally download movies,
11:05he starts his own backyard theater
11:07screening the ill-gotten films to the townsfolk.
11:09Welcome to Cinema Pirate Diso.
11:12Tonight's movie is Life is Funny,
11:15directed by Judd Apatow.
11:16It's based on his life starring his family
11:19and ad-libbed by his friends.
11:21So for the next three and a half hours,
11:22enjoy.
11:24He even breaks into the Springsonian Museum with Lisa
11:26to view the orb of Isis,
11:28commenting how his fingerprints are on file
11:31with the Springfield police.
11:32Run!
11:33Run!
11:33Conjured up by Reddit user Just Embarrassing,
11:44this theory prophesies that Bart will grow up to be Matt Groening.
11:48Considering the show's creator based the Simpsons on his own family,
11:51going as far as to use their names,
11:53it makes sense that Bart would be partially based on himself.
11:55And the globe goes to...
11:58Angry Dad!
12:00The Redditor points out that The Prankster
12:04has already proven to be a capable writer and comedian,
12:07Ghost winning an award for an Itchy and Scratchy episode
12:10and crafting an Academy Award winning Angry Dad short.
12:14Like Groening,
12:15Bart's family tends to serve as inspiration for his creative work.
12:18And the winner is...
12:20Itchy and Scratchy,
12:23Abraham Simpson writes...
12:25Alright, Grandpa!
12:27Woo!
12:28Number 9.
12:29Homer is still collecting royalties from the B-sharps.
12:32Each trip's a trip to paradise
12:36With my baby
12:38Fun Pie
12:41Maybe not the sexiest theory,
12:45but it still makes a whole lot of sense.
12:46Redditor Somewhere Cheap speculates that despite working as an underpaid nuclear safety inspector,
12:52Homer still lives in relative luxury
12:54and can afford to travel the world with his family.
12:57As part of the Grammy winning barbershop quartet,
13:00Homer's probably earned a decent chunk of change via royalties.
13:03However, when it comes to the rest of the B-sharps,
13:05Barney would have drunk any money away,
13:07Apu's eight children forced him into a life of modesty,
13:10and Skinner seems to be better off than his school board income should allow.
13:13Is that reputation justified?
13:15Yes, yes it is.
13:20Number 8.
13:21Marge shot Mr. Burns.
13:23Where is everybody?
13:28Season 6 ends with Mr. Burns getting shot by a mysterious attacker,
13:32who in the Season 7 opener was revealed to be none other than Maggie Simpson.
13:36Since then, many have speculated on whether the baby was the true culprit,
13:48with one Reddit user pinning the crime on Marge.
13:51As a devoted mother who loves Springfield,
13:54Marge definitely had the motive to hate Mr. Burns.
13:56During the episode, Marge gets a job,
13:59the villainous Burns falls in love with Marge,
14:01explaining why he would not single her out.
14:04And yes, we know Homer unceremoniously claimed to have been the culprit in Season 18,
14:08but Marge as the shooter is still an interesting theory to entertain.
14:12I'm gonna get my revenge.
14:14And if I get caught, I'm pinning it on the baby like the time I shot Mr. Burns.
14:18Number 7.
14:19Time-Traveling Abe.
14:20No!
14:21For this theory, drafted by Redditor Dataforge,
14:27we need to take the Treehouse of Horror episodes as canon,
14:30but otherwise, stuff checks out.
14:32In the segment Time and Punishment,
14:33Homer creates a quick time machine and messes with the time continuum,
14:37resulting in a few crazy alterations.
14:39With things continuously getting worse,
14:41Homer remembers some advice from his father
14:43and settles for a timeline that's close enough to the original.
14:46If you ever travel back in time,
14:48don't step on anything,
14:50because even the tiniest change can alter the future in ways you can't imagine.
14:56This might suggest that Abe is an experienced time traveler,
15:00partially explaining why his recollection of history is all over the place.
15:04Mind you, it is more plausible that Abe is actually just senile.
15:08And one day, I seen J.T. Rockefeller flying by,
15:13so I run out of the house with a big wash tub and...
15:17Where you going?
15:18Number 6.
15:19Homer knows he's a cartoon.
15:22Hey, stop that!
15:23You'll never silence me!
15:24I'm the last angry man, Patterson!
15:26A handful of theorists focus their energy on justifying the later seasons of The Simpsons,
15:31especially when it comes to Homer's increasingly destructive personality.
15:35Rays of Davies theory harkens back to the classic season 4 episode,
15:39Homer the Heretic,
15:40which concludes with Homer dreaming of God and learning the meaning of life.
15:44The Redditor believes that God told Homer he's a cartoon,
15:47explaining why the once lovable doofus turned into a mean-spirited jackass who acts only in his best interest.
15:53If nothing is real, then consequences are a thing of the past.
15:57They're both losers!
16:00Losers!
16:01Number 5.
16:02Nelson Muntz's Biological Father
16:04Bart!
16:06You are a bad friend!
16:09There is more than one horse in this race.
16:11The identity of Nelson's biological father has always inspired many a discussion,
16:16with some speculating that Barney's his real daddy.
16:19Putting aside that Bart once found Mr. Muntz at a circus,
16:22a theory by Brownie James suggests that Nelson's real father is Snake Jailbird,
16:27pointing towards their similar physical appearance.
16:30Oh, goodbye student loan payments!
16:33Focusing on their personalities,
16:35Snake and Nelson are both sensitive with a complete disregard for authorities.
16:39For those who prefer their theories with a dose of sci-fi,
16:43Fire Robin 88 suggests that Nelson and Barney are actually the same person,
16:47due to his forcing Professor Frank to interfere with the past with a time machine.
16:52Great game, son.
16:53Come on.
16:54I'm taking you to Hooters.
16:56I don't want to bother Mom at work.
16:58Number 4.
16:59The Simpsons are actually geniuses.
17:01I just underwent a procedure to increase my IQ 50 points.
17:05Really?
17:06After decades on the air,
17:08nobody involved with The Simpsons can be called stupid.
17:11Lisa is the only member of the family praised for her intelligence,
17:14a distinction that might not be accurate.
17:16With regards to the dumbest of the bunch,
17:18Kirby Clock's theory points towards Season 12's revelation
17:21that Homer is only stupid due to a crayon lodged in his head.
17:24Meanwhile, Marge has excelled in nearly every profession she's tried,
17:28while Bart is creative and capable of picking up a foreign language at the drop of a hat.
17:32With the exception of Lisa,
17:38the rest of the family seems to have chosen ignorance over brains.
17:41I am too smart.
17:43I am too smart.
17:45S-M-R-T.
17:46I mean S-M-A-R-T.
17:48Number 3.
17:49There are multiple mole men.
17:51Not again!
17:52Springfield is generally not the safest place,
17:55but that goes double for Hans Mole Man.
17:57Whenever the unlucky Ralph Mellis shows up,
18:00fans know that Homer is about to unintentionally deliver a world of hurt.
18:04Most of Homer's antics should be fatal,
18:06but the mole man always comes back for more.
18:09Is this just Tom and Jerry logic?
18:11Or is there something else going on?
18:13Aaron 3 theorizes that there are multiple mole men running around,
18:17and Homer is constantly killing a different one.
18:19This is borderline confirmed in the season 11 episode,
18:23Hello Gutter, Hello Fodder.
18:24There is no escape from the fortress of the moles.
18:30No, except that.
18:31Number 2.
18:32Springfield exists out of time and space.
18:35S-M-A-R-T.
18:36The Simpsons!
18:37Gah!
18:38The Springfield effect is among the more popular and detailed Reddit theories out there.
18:42Springfield seems to be stuck in a time loop since none of the residents have aged,
18:47despite the years clearly passing by in the rest of the world.
18:50The size of the town fluctuates depending on the situation,
18:53with buildings moving around to better fit the narrative.
18:56The theory suggests that Springfield exists outside of time and space,
19:00with the characters being unable to notice any anomalies in their lives.
19:04Well, it makes sense as any other explanation.
19:06I can't fit in a boot!
19:08Before we continue, be sure to subscribe to our channel
19:11and ring the bell to get notified about our latest videos.
19:15You have the option to be notified for occasional videos or all of them.
19:18If you're on your phone, make sure you go into your settings and switch on notifications.
19:25Number 1.
19:26Homer is in a coma.
19:27This world was never meant for one as beautiful as you.
19:33This one almost makes too much sense.
19:35The Redditor, called Hard to Pick a Name,
19:38believes that Homer never woke up from his coma during Season 4's clip show.
19:42Six months earlier, God revealed to Homer that his time was nearly up,
19:45coinciding neatly with the later coma.
19:47Don't feel bad, Homer.
19:499 out of 10 religions fail in their first year.
19:51To be fair, the episode does end with Homer suddenly snapping back to reality,
19:55but this could be waved away as a dream.
19:58The theory explains why nobody ever ages
20:00and why subsequent episodes can be rather insane.
20:03Really?
20:04Any theory that discredits the principal and the pauper
20:06deserves the benefit of the doubt.
20:10I'm an imposter.
20:14That man is the real Seymour Skinner.
20:18What's your favorite Simpsons fan theory?
20:20Let us know in the comments.
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