The Simpsons: 10 Funniest Running Gags, Ranked

The Simpsons has over 30 seasons under its belt, so it should come as no surprise that there are many recurring jokes that fans always laugh at.

You Are Reading :The Simpsons 10 Funniest Running Gags Ranked

The iconic animated sitcom The Simpsons will go down in TV history as one of the greatest ever. Indeed, it’s already one of the longest-running television shows of all time. The series first hit the airwaves in 1989, became a cultural phenomenon, and remains that way today.

With such a long history, it’s fitting that The Simpsons are known for classic jokes and running gags that transcend time. Many of the running jokes are world-famous and still pop up on the series. These classic gags remain popular and part of everyday life.

10 The Chalkboard Gag

The Chalkboard gag is the first part of the iconic opening sequence. It’s also one of the longest-running bits in the series. The joke revolves around Bart repeatedly writing a phrase on the school chalkboard. The sentences are often pop culture references, political comments, or inside jokes.

The opening sequence and chalkboard gag first appeared in the season 1 episode “Bart The Genius.” It happens less often now, although it does still show up a few times a season. The most recent time the chalkboard appeared was in the season 32 episode “Sorry Not Sorry.”

9 Bart Pranks Calls Moe

The rebellious Bart Simpson enjoys watching TV, torturing his father, and crank-calling Moe’s Tavern. Bart’s prank calls have been in the series from the very beginning, with the first taking place in the season 1 finale, “Some Enchanted Evening.”

Bart continues to embarrass Moe every chance he gets. He tricked Moe into saying a long list of hilarious names including, Bea O’Problem, Anita Bath, and Amanda Hugginkiss.

8 Springfield’s Location

The Simpson family lives in the vibrant and unique town of Springfield. However, anyone that wants to visit might have a tough time locating the city as the writers purposely made Springfield’s location a mystery. The series often makes references to its unknown location, though it does have the name of several real cities.

The Simpsons Movie implies Springfield shares borders with Maine, Ohio, and Nevada, which is impossible. The season 11 episode “Behind the Laughter” indicates the city is in Southern Missouri and Northern Kentucky.

7 Grandpa’s Simpsons Rambling Stories

Grandpa Simpson loves to tell stories. Of course, once he gets started, there’s no end in sight. Grandpa’s rambling stories are one of the most memorable running jokes in the series. The first time he tells a story is in the season 5 episode, “Lisa vs. Malibu Stacy.”

He recounted numerous classic rambling stories, such as when he tied an onion to his belt, owning the first radio in Springfield, and Superman racing President Roosevelt. Of course, his stories usually end with someone walking away mid-sentence.

6 Homer’s Boyhood Dreams

For years, Homer has mentioned his numerous lifelong aspirations. The joke features Homer claiming a recent goal is his boyhood dream. He first mentions his lifelong dream in the season 3 episode, “Colonel Homer.”

His boyhood dreams include managing a country singer, buying the Dallas Cowboys, and becoming an inventor like Thomas Edison. However, he’s accomplished many goals, such as eating the world’s biggest hoagie, appearing on The Gong Show, and running on a baseball field during a game.

5 Why You Little

Bart enjoys causing trouble and pulling pranks, which often infuriates Homer. Of course, that resulted in one of the longest-running gags and catchphrases. After Bart angers Homer, he usually yells, “Why You little…” and attempts to punish Bart.

The gag appeared in the season 1 episode “Simpsons Roasting On An Open Fire.” However, the joke dates back further to The Tracy Ullman Show. The joke was also used in The Simpsons Movie and the Family Guy crossover episode “The Simpsons Guy.”

4 Burns Doesn’t Know Homer

Homer Simpson has worked at the Nuclear Power Plant for the ruthless and evil Mr. Burns for years. Despite being the safety inspector, Mr. Burns never remembers Homer, making Burns forgetting Homer’s name a classic gag. It’s also the reason Homer is the prime suspect in the Burns shooting.

Of course, Burns and Homer had many run-ins over the years. In the season 8 episode, “Mountain Of Madness,” Burns and Homer even get stuck in a cabin after an avalanche where they spend several days together before getting rescued. Regardless, Burns still doesn’t know who Homer is.

3 Homer Argues With His Brain

Homer and his brain never seem to be on the same page. His conversation with his brain dates back to early in the series and it’s no secret that he’s not the most intelligent guy in Springfield. However, there does seem to be one smart part of his brain that tries to guide him.

Of course, Homer never listens. His brain often makes good points and tries to help him but instead, Homer does the opposite or messes up. It’s not unusual for his brain to become frustrated and walk off.

2 Lenny’s Eye

Lenny Leonard is one of Homer’s closest friends. He works with Homer and his best friend Carl Carlson at the Nuclear Power Plant but there’s one crucial fact that Lenny often explains. His doctors gave him explicit instructions to never get anything in his eye for medical reasons. Unfortunately, various objects always end up in Lenny’s eye.

Indeed, Lenny’s injured eye is one of the most popular and memorable bits in the series. He got several items in his eye over the years, including puzzle pieces, a spring, and pudding.

1 The Couch Gag

The legendary couch gag is the final part of the opening credits. The recurring joke features the family sitting on the couch. Of course, the scene usually includes a silly joke, an absurd story, or a wild visual. It also uses various forms of animation, such as live-action and claymation.

There have also been extended versions where the family breaks into an extravagant dance number. The gag first appeared in the season 1 episode “Bart The Genius” and occurred most recently in the season 32 episode “Mother and Child Reunion.”

Link Source : https://screenrant.com/the-simpsons-best-running-jokes/