The Show's Greatest Asset
"Who is the greatest cartoon character ever?" The question was recently posed to some of my friends, and the answers, at first, were very ordinary. "Cartman." "Brian from "Family Guy". "Bender." "Bugs Bunny." This went on for about a minute, with people calling out names, before someone mentioned "Homer." And with that, the floodgates were opened. I heard as many names of characters from "The Simpsons" thrown around as I heard names from all the other shows or series combined. Given how often (and with some justification) groups of people turn on "The Simpsons" these days, criticizing the weakness of the show's later years, the outpouring of enthusiastic praise for the show was startling. Apparently, though time has dulled many of the great things about "The Simpsons", the characters the show produced remain mostly untarnished.
"The Simpsons" has, beyond doubt, the largest cast of characters in television history. Three of its voice actors - Dan Castellenetta, Hank Azaria, and Harry Shearer - voice at least fifteen or twenty regular characters apiece, not to mention those voiced by the other member's of the show's cast. Even beyond the fact that the show routinely introduces one-off characters or guest stars, the amount of characters in the show is ridiculously, wonderfully high. One of the most positive implications of this for the show is that each viewer can find a character they really like. Fierce debate still rages over the relative merits of Homer, Lisa, or Bart, and discussion of the relative merits of Comic Book Guy versus Professor Frink could keep a college dormitory up for a night. Everyone has a Springfield resident they’re particularly attached to. Especially impressive, even beyond the multitude of characters that populate Springfield, is their quality. For the most part, very few regular characters on the show have drawn the ire of viewers - and those that have were mostly those devised during the show's creative low-points. The show boasts not only an unprecedented number of characters, but an unheard-of success rate.
Of course, a central reason for this high number of characters is that the show is animated. If the aforementioned three voice actors can comfortably voice fifty characters, "The Simpsons" receives fifty roles for a price astronomically lower than if they attempted to keep fifty human actors on the payroll. The visual possibilities of animation, too, allow for distinctive character designs that differentiate between people to a degree often impossible in a show with many human actors. Just ask any fan of "The Sopranos", myself included, to identify by name some of the more minor mobsters, and the advantages of animation for visual distinctions become clear. But animation has always been an integral part of why "The Simpsons" is such an effective and long-lasting comedic series. The characters don't have to age; picture-perfect parodies of movies or television shows are a pencil away; location shoots and visual set-pieces are the same price as two characters talking in a room. Animation has offered the show many advantages, and as in almost all other areas, the quality and quantity of the characters in the show have been a result of the writers seizing upon the opportunities their medium offers.
What becomes most striking, then, given the show's enduring success at creating viable characters, is the lack of new characters in the show in recent seasons. The supporting characters with any real presence that were introduced or made famous since the show's 8th season make for a short (and underwhelming) list - Gil, The Yes Guy, The Cat Lady, Cookie Kwan, Lindsey Neagle, The Big Rich Texan, and perhaps a few more. The writers have largely contented themselves with playing around with already established characters, to mixed effect. Most characters in the show have not grown noticeably worse, or better, in recent seasons. The examples of real changes in quality - Lou and Chief Wiggum taking off as a comedic duo, or Barney being completely run into the ground - are not pronounced in number. While the plots of the show have become more inconsistent, the jokes more stale, the comedic complexities and risk-taking less frequent, the characters of the show have remained mostly... stagnant. Stable. Given the terrible quality of 5 out of the show's last 9 seasons, I'm not convinced that a lack of real alteration or experimentation with new or revised characters has been a problem. At least the quality of the show's characters has remained mostly consistent. But with the flashes of resurgence evident so far in the show's seventeenth season, and the dwindling number of years the show has left to truly justify its continuation past its creative peak, a strong case could be made for the writers to attempt a real changing of the guard.
Imagine it - a concerted effort on the part of the show-runners to fill Springfield with new characters. A move back to the freewheeling experimentation of the show's first five or six seasons. A chance to reduce the risk of overexposure for the characters who still work. A way to provide new faces and personalities for the show's iconic, titular family to interact with. The new characters might not all work effectively - but if the show's writers have proven anything, it's that they are remarkably effective at character creation. On balance, far more good introductions than bad could be expected. A few miscues here or there would be a minor issue compared to the infusion of new blood and situational possibilities that introducing many new characters could provide. Even though new or newly focused-upon residents in Springfield might not prove to be a cure-all for the show's persistent woes, they would certainly make the last few years in Springfield more interesting. And with relaxed demands upon show-time and number of appearances for the show's most valuable supporting players - Apu, Moe, or Krusty, to name three - the show's most valuable asset, its well-stocked stable of characters, could be preserved, revitalized, and fully exploited. So consider this my hope for the next few years - new people in Springfield.
Legal Notice and Disclaimer: "The Simpsons" TM and FOX and its related companies. All rights reserved. This site, its operators, and any content on this site relating to The Simpsons are not authorized by FOX.
