History Characters / TheSimpsonsFriendsNeighborsFamilies

* CharacterizationMarchesOn: He wasn't even a devout Christian in his earlier appearances. Season 1 makes no mention of his faith, just that he's Homer's well off neighbor. Season 2 does have him quote the Bible on one occasion.

* EarlyInstallmentWeirdness: She was sweet and doting in her small debut, only to branch off to the rude, no-nonsense woman of today. WordOfGod says that she became more vicious because of Bart's cherry bomb prank during her debut episode.

* AbusiveParents: She neglects Nelson.

* PureIsNotGood: Because of their religious upbringing by their father, they are judgmental towards the faiths and ideals of others, and view Bart and Homer as worse than they really are.

* IncestIsRelative: He is often depicted as being related to Brandine, but exactly how they are related changes [[DependingOnTheWriter depending on the episode.]]

* WomanScorned: When she discovers that Apu once had an affair with a Squishee lady and kick him out of home. With some help from the Simpson family, Manjula eventually agreed to give Apu another chance after he completed an often-vengeful list of bizarre grueling tasks fashioned by her, such as performing "My Fair Lady" with the octuplets.

[[caption-width-right:350:Todd is on the left, and Rod is on the right.]]

** Lampshaded by Bart when he got them to tell Ned they were gay (though Bart tricked them into thinking "gay" means "scared" rather than "homosexual")

[[folder:Ruth Powers]]
[[quoteright:164:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/ruth_powers_tapped_out.png]]

-->Debut: ''"New Kid on the Block"''

The Simpsons’ next-door neighbor and a single mother. Voiced by Pamela Reed

* DemotedToExtra: She appears prominently in Season 4's "New Kid on the Block" and Season 5's "Marge on the Lam," but was otherwise relegated to background appearances for many seasons. She made a return speaking appearance in "Strong Arms of the Ma"[[note]]The one where Marge becomes a bodybuilder after being traumatized by a mugger[[/note]], revealing that Ruth went to prison ([[NoodleIncident for an unknown crime]][[note]]remember that she was acquitted for stealing her ex-husband's car, as her ex hired Lionel Hutz[[/note]]), became a bodybuilder, and won a beauty pageant called "Miss Mexican Mafia."
* TheLadette: She smokes, drinks, curses, fights with men, and likes guns. Also, when she comes back from prison in one episode, Ruth has become a bodybuilder.
* LookingForLoveInAllTheWrongPlaces: Implied, at least. In "Marge on the Lam," she tells Marge that she divorced her husband because he was lazy ("All he ever did was eat, sleep, and drink beer") and never paid her for child support, though "New Kid on the Block" implied that she divorced her husband because he was too into his career to be a family man.
* NiceGirl: While she's very rough around the edges and has a love for thrill-seeking, she's actually a very affable and friendly lady.
* OddFriendship: She's probably the most genuine friend that Marge has ever had despite how different they are.
* {{Retcon}}: The flashback episode about Maggie's birth shows Ruth Powers has already met Marge before moving next door.
* TomboyAndGirlyGirl: When she befriends Marge, she acts as the Tomboy in contrast to feminine housewife Marge.
[[/folder]]

[[quoteright:125:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/ruthpowers.gif]]

* StupidSexyFlanders: TropeNamer

* EyepatchOfPower

* IncestIsRelative: Lampshaded when Homer marries them during his exploitation of weddings arrangement and realize their paper hint their brother and sister. Brandine simply says they are a lot of things.

* DeadpanSnarker: Lampshaded in the episode where [[MayDecemberRomance she dates the equally snarky Comic Book Guy]].

* DirtyOldWoman: Agnes has exhibited "cougar" tendencies in several episodes. Among the younger men she has been in a relationship (or possibly had sex) with include [[MayDecemberRomance Superintendent Chalmers, Otto Mann and Comic Book Guy]].

* MayDecemberRomance: One episode showed that she was still a pre-teen when Apu graduated college.

* WomanScorned: When she discover that Apu once had an affair with a Squishee lady and kick him out of home. With some help from the Simpson family, Manjula eventually agreed to give Apu another chance after he completed an often-vengeful list of bizarre grueling tasks fashioned by her, such as performing "My Fair Lady" with the octuplets.

* {{Flanderization}}: TropeNamer. At first he was simply Homer's well-off neighbor who was polite, friendly, had a loving family, and happened to be a devout Christian. In later episodes he's a complete zealot whose only defining trait is his religious followings with the others being removed (his leftarium isn't doing that well, his wife died and his politeness was retconned into repressed anger). This only REALLY happened after his wife died, and is implied by Rodd and Todd in one episode to be the direct result of "Daddy needing a new Mommy".
* TheFundamentalist: Later episodes had him as this. In the early days, he was just a religious man who was so nice (and a bit boring) that Homer couldn't stand it.

* PalsWithJesus: Even though his religious zeal didn't develop until later seasons, even the early seasons had Ned being in obvious favor with {{God}}, to the point that politely stating skyward "It's me, Ned" helped him win a bowling match (and shock Homer in the butt) and a quick prayer to God helped save his son from being swept up by a river.

* StrongerThanTheyLook: He is surprisingly musuclar under his sweater and effortlessly caught a punch from a JerkJock.

* ButtMonkey: After the divorce, Kirk become a stereotypical middle-aged male loser and deadbeat dad, suffering depression after his divorce from Luann. He does some humiliant works and all watch him as a loser (nearly rival Gill).

* PinkElephants: One of them is named Stampy (no relation to the elephant Bart got as a pet) and protects him from demons who don't normally appear in his alcoholic hallucinations (like the ones he saw when he drank the peyote-spiked hippie juice Homer was churning out).

* BitchInSheepsClothing: Consistently shown to be much meaner, judgemental and spiteful than her husband is, particularly when around Marge.

* DarkAndTroubledPast: According to Clancy, she had a history of being arrested by him and in possession of meth.

!Other Friends and Neighbors
[[folder:Ruth Powers]]
[[quoteright:125:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/ruthpowers.gif]]
-->Debut: ''"New Kid on the Block"''

The Simpsons’ next-door neighbor and a single mother. Voiced by Pamela Reed

* DemotedToExtra: She appears prominently in Season 4's "New Kid on the Block" and Season 5's "Marge on the Lam," but was otherwise relegated to background appearances for many seasons. She made a return speaking appearance in "Strong Arms of the Ma"[[note]]The one where Marge becomes a bodybuilder after being traumatized by a mugger[[/note]], revealing that Ruth went to prison ([[NoodleIncident for an unknown crime]][[note]]remember that she was acquitted for stealing her ex-husband's car, as her ex hired Lionel Hutz[[/note]]), became a bodybuilder, and won a beauty pageant called "Miss Mexican Mafia."
* TheLadette: She smokes, drinks, curses, fights with men, and likes guns. Also, when she comes back from prison in one episode, Ruth has become a bodybuilder.
* LookingForLoveInAllTheWrongPlaces: Implied, at least. In "Marge on the Lam," she tells Marge that she divorced her husband because he was lazy ("All he ever did was eat, sleep, and drink beer") and never paid her for child support, though "New Kid on the Block" implied that she divorced her husband because he was too into his career to be a family man.
* NiceGirl: While she's very rough around the edges and has a love for thrill-seeking, she's actually a very affable and friendly lady.
* OddFriendship: She's probably the most genuine friend that Marge has ever had despite how different they are.
* {{Retcon}}: The flashback episode about Maggie's birth shows Ruth Powers has already met Marge before moving next door.
* TomboyAndGirlyGirl: When she befriends Marge, she acts as the Tomboy in contrast to feminine housewife Marge.

!Nahasapeemapetilon family

!Van Houten family

Van Houten family

!Friends and Neighbors

[[folder:Ruth Powers]]
[[quoteright:125:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/ruthpowers.gif]]
-->Debut: ''"New Kid on the Block"''

The Simpsons’ next-door neighbor and a single mother. Voiced by Pamela Reed

* DemotedToExtra: She appears prominently in Season 4's "New Kid on the Block" and Season 5's "Marge on the Lam," but was otherwise relegated to background appearances for many seasons. She made a return speaking appearance in "Strong Arms of the Ma"[[note]]The one where Marge becomes a bodybuilder after being traumatized by a mugger[[/note]], revealing that Ruth went to prison ([[NoodleIncident for an unknown crime]][[note]]remember that she was acquitted for stealing her ex-husband's car, as her ex hired Lionel Hutz[[/note]]), became a bodybuilder, and won a beauty pageant called "Miss Mexican Mafia."
* TheLadette: She smokes, drinks, curses, fights with men, and likes guns. Also, when she comes back from prison in one episode, Ruth has become a bodybuilder.
* LookingForLoveInAllTheWrongPlaces: Implied, at least. In "Marge on the Lam," she tells Marge that she divorced her husband because he was lazy ("All he ever did was eat, sleep, and drink beer") and never paid her for child support, though "New Kid on the Block" implied that she divorced her husband because he was too into his career to be a family man.
* NiceGirl: While she's very rough around the edges and has a love for thrill-seeking, she's actually a very affable and friendly lady.
* OddFriendship: She's probably the most genuine friend that Marge has ever had despite how different they are.
* {{Retcon}}: The flashback episode about Maggie's birth shows Ruth Powers has already met Marge before moving next door.
* TomboyAndGirlyGirl: When she befriends Marge, she acts as the Tomboy in contrast to feminine housewife Marge.

[[folder:Barney Gumble]]
[[quoteright:220:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/220px-Barney_Gumble_2686.png]]
[[caption-width-right:220:*BUUURP*]]

-->Debut: ''"Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire"''

The town drunk and Homer's best friend since high school. Voiced by Creator/DanCastellaneta

* TheAlcoholic: Was arguably worse than Homer early on. He has tried to overcome it, but does relapse now and then.
* AlcoholInducedIdiocy: As expected, he's done a few acts that can be attributed to this.
* BrokenAce: A former Harvard-bound jock, his alcohol addiction coupled with his high school girlfriend breaking up with him left him in shambles. He doesn't really care all that much, though.
* CarpetOfVirility: Type 2, with chest hair usually coming out the neck of his shirt.
* CrouchingMoronHiddenBadass: He is actually an exceptionally talented person when sober, being both surprisingly intelligent and athletic.
* ADegreeInUseless: In one episode Barney is seen standing in line at an unemployment agency. Barney claims that he hasn't been able to find a job in years, and when Kent Brockman asks him what his qualifications are, Barney replies "Five years of modern dance, six years of tap."
* DisappearedDad: His father is implied to be dead, according to the episode "Mr. Plow" ("Ah, dying's not so bad. I'll be reunited with my loved ones, my dad, and that plant I never watered.") This was later confirmed when we learn Arnie Gumble was one of the deceased Flying Hellfish.
* TheDitz: Justified, as he's usually drunk.
* FatBestFriend: To Homer.
* FatIdiot: Mostly because he drinks a lot. One flashback depicts him as Harvard-bound — until Homer gives him a beer.
* FatSlob: Except in the episodes where he's sober.
* {{Gasshole}}: His signature belch is practically his catch phrase. See a compilation [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Zq6PD1OvQo here]]. It even turned into ''the'' belching sound effect on the show.
* GeniusDitz: In ''Homer's Barbershop Quartet'' we learn that even though Barney has a strange speaking voice, he has a beautiful singing voice. This was likely inspired by actor Jim Nabors (better known as Gomer Pyle from Series/TheAndyGriffithShow and Series/GomerPyleUSMC), who despite his best-known character had a rich, baritone singing voice. Also, in ''A Star Is Burns'' he managed to create an independent film so moving that it drove the film festival judges to tears.
* HeCleansUpNicely: His hair is neater, and his diction clearer when he isn't drinking.
* HeterosexualLifePartners: He and Homer have been best friends since they were children.
* HiddenDepths: Despite being a drunk, he created a short film about how his alcoholism has ruined him that became so popular that he was featured on ''Entertaiment Weekly'', has amazing drawing ability, and teamed up with Linda Ronstandt for his "Plow King" commercial. What's worse is that Barney in his teens was a Harvard-bound honors student who became a drunk after Homer offered him a beer.
* MilitaryBrat: His mother is a naval officer and his father was a Private Fifth Class in the Flying Hellfish.
* NakedPeopleAreFunny: Went streaking at the Springfield High School senior prom in 1974, had his diaper blown off (in bone-chilling winter weather) while passing out flyers for a baby furniture store called "Lullabuy$", woke up naked when the Springfield Cat Burglar was terrorizing the city, and took a job as a male stripper when Mr. Burns replaced everyone who worked at the nuclear plant with robots because ''The Full Monty'' taught him that, during times of economic hardship, ugly people will strip for money (and if that doesn't work, he can always play "Three-Card Full Monty" where players have to find his penis underneath one of three shuffling hats).
* OffModel: In the really early episodes, Barney was a blond, meaning that his skin color was the same color as his hair. Later episodes had him with brown hair, as the animators didn't like Barney as a blond.
%%* OffTheWagon
* OutOfFocus: There was a time when he was Homer's best and most frequently seen friend.
* PinkElephants: One of them is named Stampy (no relation to the elephant Bart got as a pet) and protects him from demons who don't normally appear in his alcoholic hallucinations (like the ones he saw when he drank the peyote-spiked hippie juice Homer was churning out).
%%* RealMenWearPink
* SingingVoiceDissonance: Although he has a slurred speaking voice (from years of drinking), Barney has a beautiful singing voice (much like Jim Nabors).
* SmarterThanYouLook: Was studying for the [=SAT=] exam, hoping to go to Harvard, when [[NiceJobBreakingItHero Homer introduced him to beer]]. He started drinking more as a result of [[spoiler: his high school girlfriend Chloe leaving him to pursue her journalism career.]]
* StatusQuoIsGod: In a rare subversion on the show, Barney sobered up in season 11 and stays that way for nearly three years.
* StrawLoser: Fatter than Homer and a worse alcoholic than him (ironically it was Homer who unintentionally [[ToxicFriendInfluence caused Barney to become this.]]) He finds out in "Days of Wine and D'oh'ses" that his friends at Moe's see him as a "tanked up loser" and, after Barney decides to give up alcohol, they try to make Homer the new Barney, because every bar needs "a world class drunk. Someone who makes our alcoholism seem less raging".
* TooDumbToLive: Once charged a tab to Mr. Burns. He later woke up in a landfill.
-->"Yeah, but it was worth it."
* TrashOfTheTitans: His apartment is such a mess that he ''can't even find his dog''.
-->"He's in here somewhere."

!Families

[[folder: Spuckler Family]]

!!Cletus Spuckler
[[quoteright:163:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/cletus_3.jpg]]

->''Some folk might not eat a squirrel,''
->''But then again, some folk'll,''
->''Like Cletus,''
->''The Slack-Jawed Yokel!''

-->Debut: ''"Bart Gets an Elephant"''

Voiced by Creator/HankAzaria

* BerserkButton: Do Not Insert Anything up his butt; the aliens in [[VideoGame/TheSimpsonsGame the game version]] found this out the hard way when he learned that he was [[AnalProbing probed]].
* DeepSouth: Embodies most of the traditional redneck/trailer trash stereotypes.
* TheDitz: Or so it seems. In the movie he appears every time the others need a stupid person.
* HillbillyMoonshiner: He's occasionally seen moonshining.
* IncestIsRelative: He is often depicted as being related to Brandine, but exactly how they are related changes [[DependingOnTheWriter depending on the episode.]]

!!Brandine Spuckler

-->Debut: ''"Home Sweet Homediddly-Dum-Doodily"''

* IncestIsRelative: Lampshaded when Homer marries them during his exploitation of weddings arrangement and realize their paper hint their brother and sister. Brandine simply says they are a lot of things.
* TooManyBabies: The overall number of children she has is inconsistent.
* YourCheatingHeart: Cletus is the father of only two of their kids, according to her.

!!Dia-Betty Spuckler

-->Debut: ''"Sweets and Sour Marge"''

Voiced by Creator/TressMacNeille.

!!Mary Spuckler

!!Dubya Spuckler

[[folder: Nahasapeemapetilon family]]
!!Manjula Nahasapeemapetilon

!!The Nahasapeemapetilon Octuplets

!!Sanjay Nahasapeemapetilon

[[folder: Mrs. Muntz]]
!!Mrs. Muntz

-->Debut: ''"Wild Barts Can't Be Broken"'' (voice only), ''"Tis the Fifteenth Season"'' (in-person)

Nelson's mother. Voiced by Creator/TressMacNeille.

[[folder: Van Houten family]]
!!Both

* KissingCousins: Luann, Kirk and Milhouse all look so similar that Bart once asked Luann and Kirk if they are siblings. In the season 26 episode "Let's Go Fly a Coot", Milhouse tells Bart that his parents are actually cousins. They were born in Shelbyville and this follows Shelbyville custom, as the town was founded by early dissenting Springfielders who wanted to inbreed.
* LookalikeLovers: They look so similar to each other, their own son is half-sure they're brother and sister. A later episode however has Milhouse state that they are cousins.

!!Kirk Van Houten

* YouGottaHaveBlueHair: He has blue hair.

!!Luann Van Houten

* YouGottaHaveBlueHair: Luann has bob-cut blue hair.