WhileThe Simpsonssaying goodbye to Pamela Hayden obviously deprives the show of Milhouse’s original voice, the actor also portrayed a whole host of other, more minor characters.The Simpsonsseason 37’s renewalhas not yet been announced, but the show’s future seems promising judging by its fan reception. After seasons 30-33 were viewed as something of a new low for the show, critics across the internet agreed that seasons 34 and 35 represented a major marked improvement. FromVulturetoYouTube, the news that “The Simpsons is good again” rang out online. This isn’t without its complications.
The Simpsons Just Did A Sequel To A Classic Episode From 28 Years Ago (But With A Twist)
The Simpsons season 36 secretly includes a sequel to one iconic Golden Age episode, but the outing’s perspective flip ensures it still feels fresh.
Whilethe Simpsons may not age, the show’s actors inevitably do. Supporting star Pamela Hayden, who recently turned 70, announced her decision to retire from voicing characters on the long-running series. Hayden is best known for playing Bart Simpson’s best friend Milhouse, whose mother,Luann Van Houten, is a villain in season 36’s most recent outing. However, Hayden also voiced a whole host of other minor supporting characters throughout the show’s long history. Whether the show will recast or retire these characters remains to be seen, as does the fate of the eternally unlucky Milhouse himself.
9Jimbo Jones
Hayden Played Bart’s Dim-Witted Bully For Decades
Jimbo Jones is one of Bart’s bullies, perhaps most notable for his dimwitted demeanor. Most often seen alongside Dolph, Kearney, and Nelson, Jimbo occupies a complicated role inThe Simpsons. In some episodes, Jimbo is a friend to Bart due to their shared love of pranks and generally rebellious rule-breaking. At other times, he bullies Bart and Milhouse, much like Nelson is depicted as both a bully and a friend to the show’s hero. One of Hayden’s most notable moments as Jimbo comes in season 4, episode 8, “New Kid on the Block,” wherein Bart falls for his new neighbor.
Only time will tell if Jimbo remains a presence in the series after Hayden’s departure.
Bart falls in love with guest star Sara Gilbert’s Laura Powers, but the older girl only has eyes for Jimbo. When she invites Jimbo over while babysitting Bart, Bart prank-calls Moe and unleashes the enraged bartender on Jimbo, terrifying the teen. Laura is one ofBart Simpson’s most notable love interests, and Hayden’s performance in Jimbo is hilarious in this outing. However, the recurring character has had many more notable moments over the decades. Only time will tell if he remains a presence in the series after Hayden’s departure, or if he is written out like Apu before him.
8Rod Flanders
Hayden Also Portrayed One Of Ned Flanders’ Agreeable Children
It can be tough to tell Ned Flanders’ two children apart, since the duo are so ingratiatingly similar in their milquetoast friendliness. However,Hayden’s character, Rod, is the older, taller Flanders brother, and arguably the quieter of the two. Although both are extremely meek, Rod is even more risk-averse and easily worried than his younger brother. Rod is terrified of bugs and fears sugar’s impact on him, but enjoys a good Christian video game likeBilly Graham’s Bible Blaster. Interestingly, the Flanders family was at the center of an earlierThe Simpsonscasting change when Rod’s mother, Maude, was killed off in season 11.
Season 11, episode 14, “Alone Again, Natura-Diddily,” saw Maude killed when a t-shirt from a t-shirt cannon at a sporting event knocked her off the bleachers. This came about due to Maude’s original actor, Maggie Roswell, leaving the show as a result of a pay dispute. Bizarrely,The Simpsonswent on to rehire Roswell, although Made remained canonically dead. This is one of the onlyThe Simpsonscharacter deathsthat has stayed part of the show’s canon in the years since it occurred, with Ned eventually even starting a romance with another character years later.
7Janey Powell
Lisa’s Version of Milhouse Is Also A Hayden Character
Jayden also voiced Janey Powell, Lisa’s best friend. She has appeared in countless episodes ofThe Simpsonsbut is typically limited to background roles with little dialogue. One of her most memorable moments comes in season 7, episode 5, “Lisa the Vegetarian,” wherein she asks whether Lisa’s vegetarianism means she plans to marry a carrot. Like Jimbo, Janey moves between being Lisa’s friend and bully frequently and without explanation. In season 8, episode 7, “Lisa’s Date with Density,” her classmates collectively imply that she might like Milhouse when she defends him from the rumor that he has a crush on Lisa.
6Sarah Wiggum
Police Chief Wiggum’s Wife Was Recast In Recent Seasons
Police Chief Clancy Wiggum’s wife, Sarah Wiggum, rarely appears onThe Simpsons, but when she does, she is usually voiced by Pamela Hayden.Pamela Hayden’s portrayal of Sarah Wiggum portrays her as a well-meaning but simple-minded figure like Clancy or their son Ralph, but the character was radically altered in one divisive late-season outing. Season 32, episode 17, “Uncut Femmes,” replaced Hayden’s Sarah Wiggum with a version of the character played by Megan Mulally. This rebellious take on the character returned to her old self by the time Sarah next appeared on the series, but Mullaly’s Sarah may be back soon due to Hayden’s retirement.
5Amber
Homer’s Secret Wife From Vegas Was Played By Hayden
Pamela Hayden played Homer’s secret second wife, Amber, a Las Vegas cocktail waitress who appeared in season 10, episode 10, “Viva Ned Flanders.” This chaotic outing saw Ned and Homer embark on an all-night bender in Las Vegas, resulting in the duo unexpectedly marrying Amber and Ginger, despite their existing marriages. Although “Viva Ned Flanders” ends with the pair fleeing Vegas, this isn’t the last time that viewers see Amber. Season 13, episode 7, “Brawl in the Family,” saw Amber and Ginger track Homer and Ned down to Springfield, forcing the pair to work together to get rid of them.
Amber appeared again at the beginning of season 18, episode 2, “Jazzy and the Pussycats,” wherein it was revealed that she died of a drug overdose.Amber’s permanentThe Simpsonsdeathmeans that Hayden’s character couldn’t reappear in a later episode of the show without some seriously complex plot machinations, meaning this will be an easy character for the series to retire. However, another one of Hayden’s minor characters was recently central to an episode’s story, proving that the actor’s absence will still impact the series going forward. This character began life as a straightforward pop culture parody.
4Malibu Stacy
Hayden Voiced The Simpsons’ Barbie Parody
WhileThe Simpsonsseason 36’sBarbieparodydidn’t work perfectly, it was a great use of the Malibu Stacy character. Established in the show’s early seasons, Malibu Stacy is a Barbie stand-in that the show used to critique the brand’s consumerist feminism. Most notably, season 5, episode 14, “Lisa vs. Malibu Stacy,” saw Lisa become disillusioned when a new version of the doll spouted stereotypical misogynistic catchphrases. In season 36, episode 6, “Women in Shorts,” Malibu Stacy returned to meet her real-life owner Shauna Chalmers in a violent spoof of 2023’s acclaimed blockbuster toy movieBarbie.
3Ham
One Of The Geeky Superfriends Was A Hayden Character
First introduced in season 6, episode 14, “Bart’s Comet,” Ham is one of the unashamedly nerdy “Superfriends club,” a set of science enthusiasts who celebrate their shared interests during recess and after school. While Matt Groening’s least favoriteThe Simpsonscharacter, Database, might be the most famous Superfriend (other than Lisa), Ham does receive an instantly memorable introduction in the series. Announcing that he is known as Ham since he enjoys ham radio, Ham makes himself one of the show’s many unforgettably weird background characters. In the decades since, he has been a reliable presence in the show’s crowd scenes.
2Patches
Springfield’s Dickensian Orphan Was Played By Hayden
AlthoughThe Simpsonsseason 36 episode 6did highlight a lot of supporting stars the show had seemingly forgotten about for years, even the long-running series can’t keep track of all of its named characters.The Dickensian orphan Patches hasn’t been seen onThe Simpsonsfor years, although the tragically optimistic character played a pivotal role in one of theworst episodes ofThe Simpsons. Season 12, episode 5, ”Homer Vs Dignity,” saw Homer hired as Mr. Burns’ “Prank monkey,” but the prospect of pranking this adorable orphan proved too much for the show’s leading man in the episode’s ending.
1Milhouse
Bart’s Lovably Nerdy Best Friend Was Hadyen’s Most Recognizable Role
Of course,Pamela Hayden’s most famous role inThe Simpsonsis that of Bart’s best friend, Milhouse. Milhouse has been a regular fixture onThe Simpsonssince the series began, playing a pivotal role in early outings like season 1, episode 5, “Bart the General,” season 2, episode 21, “Three Men and a Comic Book,” and season 3, episode 23, “Bart’s Friend Falls in Love.” As the series progressed, Milhouse’s dysfunctional family came to play a bigger role in the show. Season 8, episode 6, “A Milhouse Divided,” saw his parents Kirk and Luann break up, only to later reconcile.
As for Milhouse’s real-life future in the series, it is not yet clear whether the character will be retired or replaced.
As Kirk and Luann spent the next few decades constantly falling in and out of love, Milhouse himself enjoyed little more stability. His unrequited crush on Lisa paid off insome versions ofThe Simpsons’ future, which saw him become the First Man of the US after marrying her. In other realities, Lisa ended up with Nelson, Hubert Wong, or another love interest, and Milhouse was forgotten. As for Milhouse’s real-life future in the series, it is not yet clear whether the character will be retired or replaced in coming episodes ofThe Simpsonsseason 36 and beyond.
