Homer Simpson is done strangling his son, Bart, and it all has to do with modern sentiments, it seems -- a decision by showrunners that's strongly dividing fans.
The pivot away from child abuse (albeit, in animated form) is just now making the rounds -- coming to in the 3rd episode of Season 35, titled 'McMansion & Wife,' in which HS meets his new neighbor ... and declares that he won't be choking his cartoon son anymore.
In a new Simpsons episode, Homer Simpson reveals that he stopped strangling Bart as times has changed. pic.twitter.com/LUR06RbqbY
— ToonHive (@ToonHive) November 5, 2023
The way this becomes revealed is through a handshake, which the neighbor points out as firm -- and then Homer responds ... "See, Marge, strangling the boy paid off." He then follows up and says ... "Just kidding, I don’t do that anymore. Times have changed."
Fans took this to be a not-so-subtle hint from Disney -- which owns the 'Simpsons' IP now -- that they were retiring the long-running gag ... which has been a staple joke for years.
Before this episode ... the new masters of 'The Simpsons' had actually already toyed with the idea of Homer evolving and refraining from strangling Bart ... with Season 22 featuring Homer going to therapy and learning the harm he was causing by attacking his son.
However, in the seasons since ... HS has choked Bart on and off, and the last time he did it in the show was back in 2019/2020. Now, however, it seems like the creators are acknowledging ... it's over for good.
Of course, with Homer hanging up his strangling ways ... there's some pushback, with a handful of folks saying 'The Simpsons' has "gone woke." Others, meanwhile, are praising it.