As the longest-running animated television series in the history of U.S. television, The Simpsons is notable for its eccentric characters and irreverent sense of humor. The show has also earned a reputation for how it frequently pays homage to countless mainstays within pop culture.
While this is often accomplished through "Treehouse of Horror" episodes chock-full of horror references and celebrity cameos, The Simpsons also contains more subtle references that viewers can miss on the first run-through. Whether they seamlessly blend into the unfolding scene or have been present for so long that viewers accept them as canon details, these Easter eggs prove highly satisfying once noticed.
10 A Chalkboard Gag Playfully References Bart's Voice Actor
For people who grew up watching The Simpsons, it may be shocking to learn Bart has always been voice acted by a woman. Since many viewers initially believed Bart was voiced by a young boy with a high-pitched voice, the show's creators decided to play with this common misconception in a chalkboard gag.
Since it's part of every opening credits sequence, fans often tune out this segment of the show. However, those who pay attention during the opening credits of Season 2, Episode 6 will notice the following tongue-in-cheek chalkboard message: "I am not a 32-year-old woman."
9 Homer's Voice Actor Appears As Himself In Several Episodes
Since Homer Simpson's voice is instantly recognizable and unique, his voice actor (Dan Castellaneta) appearing as himself in a few episodes is more obvious than some of the show's other Easter eggs. In fact, this Easter Egg's initial subtlety quickly dissipates whenever Dan's character and Homer talk to one another.
However, Dan's character is much more than someone who sounds comically similar to Homer. Besides auditioning for the role of Angry Dad (who's based on Homer) in Season 13, Episode 18, Dan's character wears the same hat and sunglasses Dan wears in interviews. Additionally, the character is a voice actor and comedian, like the real Dan Castellaneta.
8 Principal Skinner Shares Countless Similarities With Jean Valjean From Les Misérables
While most viewers regard Seymour Skinner as the overly gullible principal of Springfield Elementary, there's much more to him than meets the eye. One aspect that hints at Skinner's complex character appears in Season 5, Episode 1 when Skinner finds his POW helmet, adorned with his prisoner number: 24601.
Skinner's similarities to the downtrodden protagonist of Les Misérables don't end there. In Season 9, Episode 2, viewers learn that, like Jean Valjean, Skinner adopted an alias to leave his crime-filled past behind him and make a name for himself in a small, respectable town. Even though Skinner doesn't meet the same tragic fate as Valjean, the parallels between the two characters are readily apparent.
7 Many Characters Are Named After Street Names In Groening's Hometown
Although creatives often leave their hometowns for bustling cities like Los Angeles and New York City, most maintain a soft spot in their hearts for the suburbs where their talents were first nourished and their inspirations first struck. This sentiment certainly rings true for Oregon native Matt Groening, the creator of The Simpsons.
Besides the fictional town of Springfield being inspired by a city in Lane County, Oregon, countless characters in Springfield are named after the street names from Groening's youth. Some of the more notable street names to be featured in The Simpsons include Flanders, Lovejoy, and Terwilliger, which is Sideshow Bob's real surname.
6 The Show Cleverly References Cheers During A Couch Gag
One couch gag that cleverly references a voice actor's notable appearance on another show appears in the opening credits of Season 20, Episode 9. Since the couch gag features two other sitcom references, it's easy to overlook the Easter egg that references the sitcom Cheers special.
This part of the couch gag starts with the Simpson family joyfully sitting at the iconic bar and ends with them being scared away by Sideshow Bob's presence. While this initially makes sense since Bob is known to terrorize the family, this gag gets even better considering Bob is voiced by Kelsey Grammer, who portrayed the stuffy yet lovable Frasier Crane on Cheers.
5 The Simpsons Frequently References Futurama
Since Matt Groening is the creator of both Futurama and The Simpsons, it isn't surprising that the two shows often reference one another. While instances like the crossover episode titled "Simpsorama" are instantly recognizable, other references require a keen eye.
In Season 15, Episode 18, a Futurama poster featuring Fry and Bender is briefly visible in the background of a movie rental store. Another Futurama Easter egg is present in Season 10, Episode 9. When a group of children walk past Lisa, Üter (the German exchange student) can be seen wearing a Futurama T-shirt.
4 Aspects Of Homer's Character Design Contain Matt Groening's Signature
Although Matt Groening often references works of pop culture that inspire him as a cartoonist, he also recognizes how dynamic his own work is and isn't afraid to reference himself and his own work throughout The Simpsons. While a major example of this is him having his own Simpsons character, an example easily overlooked is his hidden initials in Homer's character design.
When looking at Homer more closely, one can clearly see that his hair resembles the letter M and his ear looks like the letter G. While the latter letter can be difficult to spot since most Simpsons characters share this exact ear shape, it's next to impossible to unsee once viewers spot it.
3 Not All Simpsons Characters Have Four Fingers
Besides their iconic yellow pigment, most characters in The Simpsons stand out since they only have four fingers on each hand. However, there are two characters in The Simpsons special enough to have ten fingers: God and Jesus.
Since the two are holy figures and appear within the show to provide guidance when someone is going through a moral/religious dilemma, it makes sense for them to possess features that separate them from other Simpsons characters. It's of crucial note, however, that while God always has ten fingers, Jesus' character fluctuates between having four and five fingers on each hand — a detail that makes The Simpsons' version of God truly one of a kind.
2 One Episode Contains A Classic Peanuts Reference
As a franchise, The Simpsons has experimented with an abundance of different forms, from comic books to video games and even a considerable number of short films. Because of this, it makes sense that Groening was inspired by early cartoon strips like the classic Peanuts comics, and his appreciation of the comics and their lovable characters is no secret.
While Groening made countless references to Peanuts over the years, one that particularly resonated with fans occurred in Season 12, Episode 15. In the episode, there is a scene where Homer lies on top of Snoopy's iconic red doghouse and Bart walks up to him and utters the classic Charlie Brown line, "Good grief."
1 Homer Possesses Many Similarities To His Namesake
Fans know The Simpsons contains a wide breadth of pop culture references, but one is so delightfully obscure that it makes one appreciate Homer's character even more. Some viewers may think Homer's name was ironically inspired by the legendary ancient Greek author since Homer Simpson is anything but prolific.
However, Homer's character was primarily named after the protagonist of a novel by Nathanael West called Day of the Locust. Like Groening's character, West's protagonist is essentially a simple-minded and childish individual readers can't help but empathize with and root for.