For a series that has run for over thirty-five-plus seasons, it should come as no surprise that The Simpsons has created plenty of memes in its history. Throughout the adventures of Springfield’s finest, there is one that might stand above the rest for Homer Simpson specifically. The “Homer Hedge Meme” of Homer both entering and exiting a hedge to greet the Flanders clan has long been referenced decades following its introduction. Now, a pair of Simpsons’ fans have taken things to the next level by bringing the classic scene to life.
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Homeowners Ryan McMeans and Caitlin Swanson decided to honor The Simpsons one Halloween in 2023, recreating Homer emerging from a hedge on their land. Thanks to random passerby expressing how much they loved the Simpsons’ patriarch emerging from the shrubbery, and thus the decision was made that Homer would become a permanent fixture outside their home. McMeans shared the transformative effect that the Homer has had with the outlet HeraldNet, “He’s a gateway to a green oasis. We spend countless hours every week trying to maintain and improve the property and yet, all anyone cares about is Homer.” You can check out an image of the scene below.
The History of The Hedge
The now legendary Homer Simpson Hedge meme first appeared in The Simpsons’ fifth season episode “Homer Loves Flanders.” Not only does Homer find himself befriending Ned Flanders but he starts becoming obsessed with the Flanders family. In one hilarious scene, Homer emerges from the hedge on the Flanders’ property with Ned attempting to dodge his affection. Feeling hurt by the rejection, Homer returns to the hedge in a scene that will remain pivotal to The Simpsons for years to come.
The Hedge Meme would make a comeback in a hilarious way in a recent Halloween episode of the animated series, Treehouse of Horror XXXIII. In the segment titled “Simpsons World,” countless moments from the family’s past were recreated to spoof the HBO series Westworld. In a side-splitting moment, Simpsons fans forced Homer to recreate the hedge moment which he eventually did, much to his chagrin.
The Simpsons Memes Will Continue
Earlier this year, it wasn’t just confirmed that The Simpsons will return for a new season but will actually continue all the way up until season forty. With its Fox Animation brethren including Family Guy, American Dad, and Bob’s Burgers also renewed for multiple seasons, Springfield’s finest are in good company.
When it comes to whether or not the Hedge meme is considered canon, showrunner Matt Selman recently discussed the history of the series itself in terms of storyline events. In a recent interview, Selman stated, “We would never let canon stop us from doing a fun story, but what is canon or what is sacrosanct is that we try to write the characters as truthfully to who they’ve always been, even though they are flexible characters. The fans love having strong opinions, and if they have a favorite philosophy about what happened or didn’t happen or how everything could fit together, I’m not going to challenge that.”
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