Top Ten The Simpsons Characters

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Top Ten The Simpsons Characters

The Simpsons is a show that is famous and highly respected for having a plethora of superbly developed, amazing supporting characters along with the main titular family. Thus, making this list was rather difficult and it’s all very personal. I tried to include both the comedic and the dramatic characters as both are important for this diverse in tone series. You can also read my best Simpsons episodes list here.

10. Principal Skinner

The quintessential part of the school the kids go to, Skinner is undeniably one of the show’s best developed supporting characters. His Norman Bates-like relationship with his mother is very well realized as is his sort of rivalry with Bart himself. His fling with Edna is also one of the show’s best developed romantic relationships.

9. Apu

Though some precious snowflakes nowadays may be offended by this Indian character, Apu still remains a classic Springfield resident and one of the series’ most wonderfully developed people. He is among the most good-natured characters on the show, but he is still quite funny at times and also phenomenally developed. He got many great stories throughout the years.

8. Abe

I actually find Grampa underutilized when all is said and done, but whenever he was on screen, he was a blast. The show through his character explored just how heartbreaking it is getting old and getting left behind by your own family, but Abe also got for himself some excellent flashbacks and a terrific examination of his parental relationship with Homer.

7. Marge

Yes, the weakest of the main characters (discounting Maggie who does not appear on this list due to a lack of greater screen time) has to be Marge. She is a stereotypical mother/wife character who was very rarely a source of humor on the show, but still she is superbly developed and her marriage with Homer is particularly well utilized. She got some excellent episodes for herself, but unfortunately too many clunkers too.

6. Bart

I do realize that this ranking may be problematic to some, but I continue to find Bart very overrated. He was obviously hugely influential and badass in the nineties, but he has become rather pale by now, especially when compared to the likes of Cartman and such. Still, his shenanigans was fun to follow, and some such episodes were so much fun, especially his storylines with his arch nemesis Sideshow Bob.

5. Moe

Everything that I said above with Abe mostly applies here with Moe too. He was underutilized in the grand scheme of things, but still his friendship with Homer was very well utilized, especially in some great dramatic episodes concerning the two. He’s very memorable as this very gloomy, highly realistic middle-aged man with his fair share of issues.

4. Lisa

Yes, it is surprising to me that I would rank an unfunny character on a comedy show this high, but I had to ultimately as Lisa is amazingly developed as a fully fleshed out member of the Simpson family. Although not fun in any shape or form, she is a highly realistic geek girl who is smarter than the adults even, but still very much a kid at heart. I loved her sibling relationship with Bart, and many of the best drama episodes on this show belong to her.

3. Ned Flanders

Ned also isn’t funny per say, but he is unforgettable as this very religious, very serious guy who is all about kindness and goodness to everyone. He is the source of some of the best episodes on the show as his rivalry with Homer continued to be hilarious well past the series’ prime. He is among the best developed supporting characters on a cartoon that is famous for having a huge variety of excellent supporting players.

2. Mr. Burns

This evil fossil just had to land high on this list as he is by far one of the cleverest and funniest people on the show. He was always a source of many very amusing lines of dialogue that referenced old entertainment from the twenties and thirties hilariously. He is also very well developed, he got to change and grow in some storylines while his relationship with very obviously gay and infatuated with him Smithers was so funny throughout.

1. Homer

It’s a cliché by this point to put Homer Simpson on top of this list, but sometimes the obvious choice is the right one. Although overly mean-spirited in some of the later seasons, he was excellent in the show’s prime as he received a high amount of the series’ classic, timeless episodes. Whether focusing on his obsession with food, sex, laziness or countless shenanigans and dumbness, the show was always at its most entertaining when Homer was around, but he also received great development, growth and superbly developed interpersonal relationships throughout the years.

Honorable Mentions:

Patty and Selma – This crazy sibling duo has been very amusing throughout the years with both delivering excellent insults, especially directed toward Homer.

Sideshow Bob – Bob is this very cartoony, over-the-top villain and arch nemesis of Bart’s, but you still couldn’t help by feel sorry for the guy who’s just never had much luck in life.

Milhouse – This pathetic loser represents most of us growing up, making his many failed attempts at being cool or relevant both funny and painfully relatable.

Edna – Edna is not just a school teacher to the kids, but also a genuinely well developed, complex character who has had some wonderful episodes with Bart himself.

Lionel Hutz – Although not appearing too much on the show, whenever this fake lawyer was on screen, he was bound to make you laugh with his forced confidence and great dialogue.

You can get the first seventeen seasons of The Simpsons on Amazon in this massive collection.