The following contains spoilers for The Simpsons, Season 35 Episode 17, “The Tipping Point,” now streaming on Hulu
Season 35 of The Simpsons just highlighted one of Homer’s most enduring flaws, and how it’s impacted a lingering element of the show that’s been around since the earliest days of the family. Ever since The Simpsons debuted thirty-seven years ago as a series of shorts on The Tracey Ullman Show, the family has faced several problems and challenges that have remained consistent even as the rest of the world changes around them.
Some of these, like Homer and Marge’s marriage or the struggles faced by Bart and Lisa at school, have remained factors throughout the show. One of the earliest challenges faced by the family has remained a particularly tricky challenge for the family over the years. It’s a clear element of the latest episode of The Simpsons‘ season 35, which even offers an explanation for how it impacts the rest of the show around it.
“The Tipping Point” highlights Homer’s impulsive nature and deep-seated need to be loved by those around him, directly tying these aspects of his personality to the family’s constant money woes. In “The Tipping Point,” Homer’s attempt to make a statement about tipping by leaving a single dollar for his server is misinterpreted as a $10,000 gift. The public admiration he receives for this keeps him from undoing his mistake and even spurs him to continue tipping generously to everyone he encounters, which quickly depletes the family’s resources and leaves them broke.
The ending of the episode sees Homer finally try to bring about change to the servers of Springfield by arguing for living wages, only for the suggestion to get him beaten. While tipping continues on as an institution in Springfield, Marge convinces Homer to get a second job as a waiter so he can replenish the family’s money. This suggests that Homer’s habit of picking up other jobs on The Simpsons is in part to pay for his impulsive buys and big emotional purchases, explaining how Homer can always have cash but the family can always been broke.
The fluid rules of The Simpsons allow the show to quickly break many rules in the name of a story or a joke. This has benefited the show plenty of times over the years, especially where money is concerned. Homer can open his wallet and have stacks of cash when an episode calls for it, even as an underlying conflict for Homer and Marge are their frequent money woes. In-universe, the explanation that Homer does earn decent money but can’t help himself from spending it too quickly makes a lot of sense.
Homer’s a committed people pleaser, with episodes like season 8’s dark episode “Homer’s Enemy” and season 23’s “The Falcon and the D’ohman” highlighting how even one person disliking him can send him spiraling. This spurs him to overspend at times, as in “The Tipping Point.” It reaches the point where Homer decides he’s a negative impact on the family and briefly leaves them in shame over his actions. Homer’s impulsive nature in The Simpsons makes him justifiably terrible with money, and it would explain why the family can afford their house but always seem to be on the verge of