The Simpsons brings real family concerns to an absurd animated world, grounding its goofy comedy with genuine problems like marital stress, work woes, and monetary problems. Homer Simpson’s finances are often a central issue around which several Simpsons episodes have centered. But a new fan theory suggests the family is actually fairly well-off and never actually in need of additional cash, thanks to a throwaway gag from the show’s strongest season.
Raising a family in the modern day can get very expensive, especially for the Simpsons, with Marge largely operating as a stay-at-home mom (although she has picked up work at various points during the series). Homer’s boss Mr. Burns (who’s become more of a joke) is typically shown to be greedy, finding any way to pay his employees as little as he can. Many episodes of The Simpsons see Homer take on additional work hours or jobs to afford his family’s expenses, particularly when they gain a new passion (such as Lisa’s horseback riding or advanced musical teaching, seen in Season 3’s “Lisa’s Pony” and Season 30’s “Girl’s in the Band” respectively).
Despite this, the family is also often seen with surprising amounts of cash; Homer is able to drop ridiculous amounts of money with little provocation in episodes like Season 6’s “Itchy & Scratchy Land” and Season 7’s “The Day The Violence Died.” A fan theory from Reddit user awkwardhipsters suggests that the family’s true wealth is a quiet consequence of Season 8’s “You Only Move Twice” (a great episode for football fans looking for offseason entertainment). The episode had Homer relocate the family to the idyllic Cypress Creek after getting a job with Hank Scorpio. Homer adjusted well and got along famously with his boss — unaware that Scorpio was also a megalomaniacal villain bent on world domination. Homer even inadvertently assisted in Scorpio’s plans, becoming responsible for the death of a James Bond-esque secret agent.
Homer was eventually to give up his position for the sake of his family and return to Springfield, but he received one final present from Scorpio. Having heard that Homer’s dream was to one day own the NFL’s Dallas Cowboys, Scorpio buys the Denver Broncos and gifts them to him. Although Homer was disappointed in this at the time, the Broncos would go on to win three Super Bowls after the episode aired, and the team is worth billions of dollars today (although they don’t have the Twitter presence of the Pittsburgh Steelers).
The fan theory suggests that Homer still owns some portion of the team, and his annual wages from even just being part-owner would likely pay for most things. In effect, the Simpsons have a limitless bank account, explaining how the family sends Lisa to an Ivy League school with no apparent problem in Season 29’s “Mr. Lisa’s Opus.” This also explains why they never truly lose their house regardless of risk, how they pay for the medical bills from Homer’s constant injuries that may have made him stupid, and why Homer is able to take extended periods off of work for a slew of other jobs and not suffer any notable additional financial strain.
The Simpsons’ belief that they never have enough money instead stems from Homer’s general ignorance. Whenever he gets paid by the Nuclear Power Plant, Homer assumes that’s all the cash on hand — leaving the family anxious about any additional costs. But if Homer does indeed still own the Broncos, then the family is far more well off than they realize. While their savings account might be empty, their tie to a professional sports team means they’re never out of assets. This is a quietly great explanation for how the family can continue to live a fairly comfortable life despite Homer never getting a notable permanent promotion at work since Season 1’s “Homer’s Odyssey,” and adds a fun new layer to The Simpsons overall.
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