The following contains spoilers for The Simpsons season 36 episode 14, "P.S. I Hate You," now streaming on Hulu' status quo to shift back into place. This makes townwide views somewhat hard to change, especially on a long-term basis.

That's why the gesture made in season 36's "P.S. I Hate You" all the more interesting and rewarding. At the core of the episode is the reveal that one of the Simpsons has been declared one of Springfield's best people, setting up a plot where they struggle to maintain that image despite having a secret cache of bitter, angry letters that insult all of them. It's an interesting way to showcase how the town's perspective has changed over time in-universe, as well as an acknowledgment of how one of the Simpsons has been finally getting her due lately.

The Simpsons Season 23 Dubbed Marge As "The Worst Simpson"

Springfield Blamed Her Kindness For The Rest Of The Family Always Getting Away With Their Crimes

The Simpsons Season 36's "P.S. I Hate You" cements Springfield's evolving perspective on Marge after they declared her the "worst" Simpson in season 23. The 500th episode of The Simpsons, season 23's "At Long Last, Leave" saw the town of Springfield decide to vote on expelling the titular family from the town. Citing Homer and Bart's destructive ways (and frustrations with Lisa's constant ecological crusades and Maggie's dangerous tendencies), the town is briefly swayed for a moment by Marge's defense of her family. However, this leads the town to see her as the most toxic of the family.

Because of Marge's sweet nature and kind words, the town always ends up forgiving the family for their antics. As Mayor Quimby tells Marge, she makes the rest of the town see her family as people — making her the "worst" of the bunch. Even beyond that, Marge had spent many early seasons of the show ignored and even mocked by other of the community due to her proactive efforts to change the town. While audiences know Marge to be the emotional bedrock of The Simpsons, the rest of Springfield spent years secretly (and not so secretly) hating her.

All Of Springfield Loves Marge In The Simpsons Season 36 Explained

Marge Is Named The "Nicest Lady" In Springfield

That's what makes season 36's "P.S. I Hate You" such a sweet storyline for Marge and the town at large. The episode takes place on Marge's birthday and reveals that everyone in town was eager to attend. As Quimby reveals to the crowd, the town recognizes her gentle spirit and generous heart, calling her the "nicest lady" in Springfield. Even when all of her pent-up anger at the citizens is exposed through the episode's main plot, the town isn't angry with her but crestfallen at the thought that she might actually hate all of them.

It's a notably more subtle response than the town is typically known for, given their tendency to resort to mob rule at the drop of a hat. The fact that it was Marge who shook them all on an emotional level speaks to the impact she brings to the town that her friends and neighbors now recognize. The fact that Springfield still embraces her as the most "three-dimensional" woman in town speaks volumes to the way the town's perspective on Marge has changed over the years, as well as how Marge has evolved across the course of The Simpsons.

How The Simpsons Fixed Marge (& Why It Took So Long)

Marge Has Become One Of The Simpsons' Best Characters

Early in The Simpsons, Marge was considered a somewhat challenging character for the writers. The Simpsons writers Bill Oakley and Josh Weinstein revealed their belief in The Simpsons: The Complete Season 5 audio commentaries that newer of the show's writing staff were often tasked with writing Marge episodes as a chance to prove themselves. In early seasons, Marge's presence as the grounded moral counter to the typical zaniness of Homer and Bart made her less overtly fun. This carried into the perception other characters had of her in-universe as a wet blanket.

Marge has always been a great emotional anchor for The Simpsons and a great source of satirical potential in episodes like season 2's "Two Cars in Every Garage and Three Eyes on Every Fish" and "Itchy & Scratchy vs. Marge," but it took a few more seasons before the show really nailed the balance between her stunted home life, flights of fancy, and flashes of excitement. As the years have gone on, Marge has gotten more and more depth and focus.

This extends to the modern seasons of The Simpsons, where Marge has become a far more central character in the show. Many of season 35 and season 36's most emotionally resonant episodes have focused on Marge in ways that actualize her as her own woman without forgetting that she's also a wife and mother. Marge has gradually become more than just the straight man to Homer, and it's nice to see the characters in The Simpsons finally acknowledging that.