Some of the best, and certainly underrated gags on “The Simpsons” over the years have been some of their most random throwaway lines or visual jokes that, for some reason, stick with people – from the meme-generating “Sneed’s Feed and Seed (Formerly Chuck’s)” to Ned Flanders’ signed religious figure trading card set.
One such gag hails from the Season 8 episode “The Mysterious Voyage Of Our Homer”, in which Homer eats several hot chilli peppers and hallucinates, causing him to go on a mysterious voyage and question his relationship with Marge as he goes on a journey to find his soulmate.
Bart and Lisa are essentially sidelined for the episode, but in one scene, they’re at the kitchen table talking with Bart saying: “So then I says to Mabel I says” before Homer interrupts them and asks where Marge is. Lisa tells him she’s out back and as he leaves, Bart re-iterates, “So anyway I says to Mabel I says” before the scene cuts to elsewhere.
There is no Mabel character in “The Simpsons,” no explicit reference for it, and no further explanation or continuation of that joke in all the years since (the show is currently in the midst of its 34th season on the air). Now Josh Weinstein, a former writer on the show and showrunner for Seasons 7 & 8, has spoken on Twitter about the origins of the famous lines:
“Homer’s story in Chili ep was so full we had no room for kids B story So when Homer asks them where Marge is, they have nothing going on. What they’re doing that moment had to be 100% freestanding.
Hence, Mabel… And no, there were never any Mabel-related lines before or after ‘So anyway, I says to Mabel, I says…’ It was perfect.
And to be clear, because people have asked about this often, the Mabel line does not reference anything. It never appeared in a book or movie or anything. As far as I know, it is totally freestanding in the human timeline.’ It’s one of those lines that its very randomness adds to its appeal.”
The show has generated a lot of conversation on social media in recent years over people expressing their love for the random sight gags, names, and other jokes inserted in the series that don’t necessarily call attention to themselves as much as the more obvious or plot-relevant jokes.
Weinstein also revealed he personally came up with some others, such as Krusty’s line: “Sex Cauldron? I thought they closed that place down”. He adds that nearly all jokes on the show were “spontaneous to the moment you’re pitching in”, and it was extremely rare to work in random jokes previously thought of.
“The Simpsons” was renewed in late January for a 35th and 36th season, with the show currently in the midst of airing its 34th.
Source: Screen Rant
