After 37 seasons, The Simpsons has created a lot of memorable episodes, but very few have actually changed the show’s established rules or history in a major way. A running joke is how the show maintains its unchanging status quo – Bart, Lisa, and Maggie never age, and the family’s appearance stays the same. But many fans may have forgotten when, 35 years ago, The Simpsons did make a lasting change to its own story and never reversed it.
The Simpsons first aired the episode “Dead Putting Society” on November 15, 1990. This episode was special because it gave us a more in-depth look at the character of Ned Flanders, and it was also the first time viewers met his wife, Maude.
“Dead Putting Society” Gave Ned Flanders A Life (To Make A Point)
For the first season and a half, Ned Flanders on The Simpsons (voiced by Harry Shearer) was mainly used as a contrast to Homer. He was portrayed as overly religious and always cheerful, which allowed the show to poke fun at religious stereotypes while also highlighting how different his family was from the Simpsons. However, the episode “Dead Putting Society” really delved into Ned’s character. It showed Homer becoming envious of Ned’s seemingly perfect home and family, leading to a fight and a bet: they challenged each other to see whose son – Bart or Todd – would win a miniature golf tournament.
The episode “Dead Putting Society” was the first time we really saw Ned Flanders’ seemingly perfect life – his wealth and stable family – and how it made Homer and the Simpsons feel inadequate. Beyond that, the episode thoughtfully explored themes of masculinity and fatherhood, and how those roles can sometimes become unhealthy, all before those ideas were commonly discussed as ‘toxic’.
Honestly, this episode was just laugh-out-loud funny! The image of Homer and Ned, stuck mowing their lawns in their wives’ Sunday dresses, is permanently etched in my mind. And the best part? Ned liked it, which just completely crushed Homer – poor guy looked like such a fool. Beyond the humor, it was great to see Bart and Lisa actually working together! Lisa put Bart through this intense golf training, which reminded me so much of the movie Dead Poets Society – it was a really clever connection and totally earned the episode its title. It’s one of my favorites!
It’s a bit ironic that a major change to the established rules of The Simpsons would happen with Maude Flanders. She became one of the very few characters in the show to die permanently (in Season 11, Episode 14, “Alone Again, Natura-Diddily”). The reason for her death was that her voice actress, Maggie Roswell, temporarily moved away. However, even after Roswell returned, the character has never been brought back.
The Simpsons is still airing on Fox. All episodes can also be streamed on Disney+.
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2025-11-15 16:13