The following contains spoilers for The Simpsons season 36 episode 12, "The Flandshees of Innersimpson," now streaming on Hulufriendships like the one between Bart and Milhouse or romances between Homer and Marge may be threatened or alter for the sake of an episode, they typically reset to their standard form by the beginning of the next episode.

This also extends to some of the show's biggest rivalries and animosities. Sometimes, this is villains like Mr. Burns, who will always remain an antagonist no matter how many storylines the show explores where he rediscovers his heart. One of the big feuds at the core of the series crops back up in season 36, with a new approach to their conflict that works as a parody of an Academy Award-nominated film and as a fresh take on the established relationship.

The Simpsons Revisits The Simpson/Flanders Feud In Season 36

"The Flandshees of Innersimpson" Brings Ned And Homer's Fight Back Into The Spotlight

The Simpsons season 36 returns to the Homer and Ned Flanders feud that's motivated several episodes of the show over the years. "The Flandshees of Innersimpson" focuses on Ned's attempt to remove Homer from his life once and for all by simply ignoring him. After months of failing to get Flanders to even acknowledge him, Homer offers a sincere apology to Ned for his behavior, which only enrages Flanders further. Their feud is only resolved when they are briefly able to see how both of them see each other through the use of experimental therapeutic drugs.

The episode ends with Homer once again stealing Ned's newspaper but offering Ned his returned sweater. It undercuts the sweetness of their reciprocation but feels right for the characters, as they happily return to their former dynamic. This commitment to returning to the status quo highlights just how often this dynamic has been explored by The Simpsons. Over the years, there have been dozens of episodes about Homer and Flanders, with the show approaching their differences in a number of ways.

Homer And Ned Have Been Fighting Since Season 2

Homer And Ned Have Dozens Of Episodes Focused On Their Relationship

Homer and Ned's relationship has been largely defined by conflict, whether that be Homer's selfish buffoonery or Ned's sanctimonous attitude setting of a fight between them. This can be traced back to the earliest seasons of the show. Season 2's "Dead Putting Society" was the first episode of The Simpsons that placed the dynamic between Homer and Ned at the center of a major storyline, with the two pitting Bart and Todd against one another in a mini-golf game. As the show progressed, Ned's faith became a more central element of the character.

This informed a lot of Ned's relative mundanity when compared to Homer, to the point where Ned's relationship with God and squeamish personality were sources of lots of comedy. This worked especially well in contrast to Homer, whose more complicated relationship with faith and general commitment to relaxing fun above else positions them as natural foils. For the most part, The Simpsons has mined their differences for comedic purposes, using it as fodder for the show's constant stream of gags. However, the show can sometimes play their feud completely straight for dramatic purposes.

Multiple episodes of The Simpsons have focused on Ned and Homer finally airing out their grievances for one another, only for the pair to discover a new level of empathy for each other and return to the status quo of their dynamic. While their relationship has grown more casual over time, especially as Ned has expressed some judgment and rebuttal to Homer's jokes and insults, the core throughline of their bond has remained relatively stable. That's what shakes Homer so much about Flanders simply ending their relationship in "The Flandshees of Innersimpson," as it subverts their typical antagonistic friendship.

Homer And Ned Have Settled Their Feud Multiple Times

Homer And Ned Settled Their Arguments Plenty Of Times

This is well-explored material for The Simpsons, which has focused plenty of episodes on Ned and Homer's relationship. After the titular family, Ned is one of the more important characters in the show, with the character getting a quietly defined arc over thirty-six seasons. While some of those episodes directly explore Ned's faith and his grief as a widower, many of his storylines are about his relationship with Homer. Their conflict is so famous in-universe that it even inspired a hit song in season 14's "Dude, Where's My Ranch?" There have been dozens of episodes focused on Ned and Homer.

Each of these episodes ends with Homer and Ned eventually sorting out their differences and reasserting their friendship, even if it can look mean-spirited on the outside. This is also exactly how "The Flandshees of Innersimpson" ends, with Homer and Ned overtly deciding that they want to return to the status quo they've settled into over the years. While it's a bit of a blunt and anti-climactic ending, given the seriousness of their argument, the episode's climax does follow the emotional throughline of Homer and Ned's relationship as neighbors and friends.

Why The Simpsons Keeps Revisiting The Homer/Ned Feud

Homer And Ned's Fight Is One Of The Best Dynamics In The Simpsons

The Simpsons has always examined its core relationships from lots of angles, reflecting the changing times and evolution of the show's tone. These core dynamics in the show have been refined over nearly four decades of storytelling, even as they remain static to a certain degree. This was what the incredibly meta "Bart's Birthday" was really about at the beginning of season 36, highlighting how the illusion of resolution can never really work in a show like The Simpsons. Outside of events like death and divorce, the status quo usually ends up resetting in The Simpsons.

Ned and Homer's feud is one of the prime examples of this. Repeatedly over the course of the show, Homer and Ned have seen their relationship blow up before they finally empathize with one another and move on. This return to the status quo is rooted in a genuine friendship and shared moments of faith or empathy, similar to how their fight ends several other times. It's a dynamic that the creatives behind the scenes and the audiences are familiar with, so it's an easy dynamic to explore.

It's also one of the most emotionally resonant character dynamics Homer has in the show, so it makes sense as a frequent plot for the show to explore. It's a natural source of comedy for Homer, while also forcing him to be open about his emotions and vulnerabilities. It's a good way to explore the emotional depths of Homer and Ned, while still having a comedic antagonism. It's one of the best relationships in The Simpsons, which is why the show keeps revisiting it (even if it always seems to end the same way).