When did Ned Flanders become such a crank?

[Mike Daniels]

In the "classic" time period for the Simpsons, Ned was portrayed as a relatively well meaning sort of Christian.

Granted, he stepped over the line a few times (trying to baptize the Simpsons kids is probably the clearest example) but for the most part he's generally done the right thing.

Lately though the writers have given him a personality makeover that has turned him into a venting, Freeper type of character that makes him totally unlikeable. Watching the first few minutes of yesterday's episode just made this even more obvious.

Has this been a recent switch or was Ned as much of a hostile crank in earlier seasons as well? It seems that a lot of the characters have been given personality changes (Homer, Ned, Ralph to name a few) that just don't match earlier portrayals.

[KittyWampus]

1. He Pretty Well Embodies How The Christian Right Has Allowed Itself

to lose it's sanity/credibility.

[peekaloo]

2. Amen

right-diddily-o

[seabeyond]

3. last spring the christian right embraced

this part of their being. thinking the writers are being true to the group to show this character doing the same, right on par

i dont watch the show. never have, so i dont know anything, lol

[chicagojoe]

4. Ned has evolved into a more fundie type.

Remember, though, Flanders has had a lot of bad shit befall him.
It's all starting to get to him, in my opinion.

[meegbear]

5. Since his wife died ...

he doesn't have someone to keep him in check. That's my theory, which is mine.

[coloradodem2005]

6. I've noticed.

Why did they kill off his wife anyway? To turn him more into a fundie type?

[CBGLuthier]

9. woman who did her voice

wanted more money. They said bye-bye.

That is also why Martin Prince now sounds like Nancy Cartwright doing a bad Martin Prince imitation. Because she is.

[Mike Daniels]

13. Also, the producers apparently were making her fly-in to do her lines

and wouldn't reimburse her the cost.

I think she lived in Colorado or Arizona and they wouldn't let her phone in or do the lines in a local studio.

Apparently it became a sticking point since the producers would be willing to do whatever was needed (cost be damned) to get a celebrity's voice on tape for an episode.

[intrepid_wanderer]

7. religion does that to some

over time... belief that one is just/right and humane... aka infallible despite still being human... often leads to insidious acts that 'are just the right thing.' BS!


as for me... Who knew he was built! STACKED! He was drawn to be an Arnold!!

Anyone else jostled by that aspect?

:bounce:

[peekaloo]

10. stupid sexy Flanders!

remember the ski slope incident where Homer was dazzled by Ned's physique (his arse in particular)? :o


I think Ned's reverting back to his hellion childhood but it's being filtered through his religion.

[baba]

18. "It feels like I'm wearing

...nothing at all..."

[Mike Daniels]

12. Ned has always been pretty well physiqued

I think it was first revealed in "A Streetcar Named Marge" when Ned was playing the part of Stanley.

But, even then it was a bit of a shocker given the general character.

[Coventina]

8. That was a crap episode.

For one thing, Ned's movies were full of biblical errors.
Ned knows his bible better than that.

The writers on the Simpsons now are crap, and don't know the show's history.

[Magrittes Pipe]

14. "The writers on the Simpsons now are crap...

...and don't know the show's history."

This is the correct answer.

[fishwax]

11. Flanders has always been flexible

either generally well-meaning or horribly naive or even vaguely catholic, depending on what target the writers felt they needed to strike at a given time. Lately he's been more strident, but with good reason, given the culture of the day. And you can spot streaks of strident fundamentalism going back several years, I think. (Didn't he and/or Rod/Todd approvingly watch the "gravey and jobriath" video in which they talk about pipe bombing clinics from three or four years ago?)

[Tyrone Slothrop]

15. I agree. I was thinking of the episode where he tries to baptise the ...

Simpson kids.

He's always been a fundie. The writers just play with it more now, given the political climate of the day.

[theboss]

16. I am usually the last one on the "this show sucks now" bandwagon

But last night's show sucked.

[Mike Daniels]

17. Last night was the first one I've ever turned off mid-episode.

I generally believe the Simpsons has generated enough good work (even if it doesn't qualify as classic) in the later seasons to justify still airing fresh material.

However, last night was bad within the first five minutes.

There have been some decent episodes so far this year and I'm hoping last night was just a major goof.

[sniffa]

19. since he got hooked on 'crank'

[slutticus]

20. He hasn't been getting any.

Since his wife died.

Maybe that's why?

[Huckebein the Raven]

21. Well, he landed that movie star played by Marissa Tomei

a few seasons back or was it last season ?