The Simpsons is such a good show that even minor Simpsons characters are often better than the lead characters on lesser shows.
Here are the best minor Simpsons characters who have passed through Springfield since the Simpsons‘ debut, 35 years ago.
But First — What Makes a Character ‘Minor’?
Obviously, it’s subjective — even secondary characters, such as Krusty the Clown and Principal Skinner, have been at the forefront of several episodes. They are probably too “major” to be “minor.”
For the purposes of defining a minor character, we are looking for the tertiary folks. They don’t appear in every episode, and they often appear in only one scene when they do.
We still had plenty of options, though!
Kirk Van Houten
Milhouse, Bart’s best friend, was established early in the run of The Simpsons. He actually debuted in an ad for Butterfingers. At first, Milhouse’s parents were just, you know, Milhouse’s parents. They were there because Milhouse needed parents, and they were thought out so little that Kirk and Luann look like one another.
Then, “A Milhouse Divided” happened. The fantastic episode is focused, in part, on Kirk and Luann getting divorced. Kirk got a racing car bed and recorded “Can I Borrow a Feeling?”
Suddenly, Kirk was basically the adult version of Milhouse, but with the existential bleakness of adulthood added onto the character.
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Troy McClure
You may remember Troy McClure from such films as Leper in the Backfield and Christmas Ape Goes to Summer Camp. And also from The Simpsons, in which Troy was the resident formerly-famous actor now relegated to infomercials and other less prestigious gigs.
And yet, Troy maintained enthusiasm, and of course a desire to remind you of what projects he had been in.
He was usually a one-scene character, but McClure did have one significant role, which gave us the beloved Planet of the Apes musical.
After the murder of Phil Hartman, the brilliant actor who voiced by Troy McClure, The Simpsons, out of respect, decided to retire McClure.
Agnes Skinner
We mentioned Principal Skinner, a classic secondary character, but with Seymour, you occasionally get Agnes. As Skinner developed as a character, it became canonical that he lived with his mother, Agnes. She’s, well, she’s a lot. Agnes makes Seymour’s life tough, but she makes us laugh.
The elderly woman is mean spirited and free with her opinions, most of them negative. She’s harsh with Seymour, and a common comedic trope on The Simpsons is the Norman and Mrs. Bates vibe between the two.
But she doesn’t save her criticisms solely for her son. Nobody avoid the hostility of Agnes Skinner.
Superintendent Chalmers
Former Simpsons writer Bill Oakley has called Chalmers his favorite character. The superintendent was introduced into the show to be a “straight man,” the one sane individual in a town full of wacky characters. He provided a fine juxtaposition to Skinner, and the two provided a lot of great comedy together.
As time went on, Chalmers started to pop up more. He’s even been central to a couple episodes, and now he has a daughter, Shauna, who shows up occasionally as well. Good ol’ Gary Chalmers has no patience with anybody, and in many cases rightfully so.
Different types of comedic archetypes are important, especially in a show that has been on for over 30 years.
Lunch Lady Doris
The trope of an apathetic lunch lady serving up slop is well worn. Adam Sandler wrote an entire song about it. But The Simpsons‘ Lunchlady Doris (now known as Dora after the death of Doris Grau, the original voice actor) is arguably the foremost purveyor of garbage food served to kids.
With a cigarette ever dangling from her mouth, Doris is brimming with a lack of consideration for health or nutrition.
Horse meat. Malk. Enough grease to lube up a jacked Scotsman. Doris has it all. Her deadpan, distinct voice helped to make the character memorable, even if minor.
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Dr. Nick Riviera
If you want a reasonably good doctor, you go to Julius Hibbert. If you want to save money, or need a quack for an iffy lawsuit, you go to Dr. Nick. While the doctor has largely disappeared from the show, he made quite the splash. There was no dubious product he wouldn’t put his name on, even if it was a gravestone cleaner.
His incompetency never marred his enthusiasm. The medical “professional” was always ready with a chipper “Hi, everybody!” leading to the familiar reply, “Hi, Dr. Nick!” Then, the medical malpractice would begin.
Hey, if you’re going to be a risk to your patients, you might as well have a bright bedside manner.
Roger Meyers Jr.
In the world of The Simpsons, Itchy & Scratchy is the most-popular cartoon. It’s basically Tom & Jerry, but overtly violent to the point of being gory.
The man behind the cartoon mouse and cat (and briefly Poochie)? That would be Roger Meyers Jr.
Voiced by the late Alex Rocco, Meyers was an ornery sort. Whether with Marge, his writers, or Chester J. Lampwick, Meyers wasn’t afraid to raise his voice or to get combative. Every time Meyers showed up, it was fun. While we likely won’t see him again, Meyers had a few memorable turns as one of our favorite minor Simpsons characters.
Disco Stu
He started as a one-off joke. Homer had a jacket he tried to emblazon with the words “Disco Stud,” but ran out of room. The jacket, available at a yard sale, was seen by Disco Stu, who let us know that “Disco Stu doesn’t advertise.” So began a one-note, but delightful, run.
The joke is simple. Stu loves Disco. He talks in the third person, and in rhymes. You could never build an episode around him. Heck, you can barely build a scene around Disco Stu.
Still, he’s one of many minor Simpsons characters who have hustled laughs out of us time and time again. Plus, he deserves sympathy. He can’t get his fish out of his platform shoes!
Elizabeth Hoover
The late Edna Krabappel was a secondary character, like her on-and-off paramour Skinner. Hoover, Lisa’s teacher, gets a lot less attention. Maybe she’s not as funny as her former coworker, but Hoover has her good moments as well.
Hoover is just as apathetic as Edna, but doesn’t have the same world-weariness. Maybe it’s because she drinks Kahlua while she grades tests.
Sure, Hoover may be in the shadow of Krabappel. But Scottie Pippen was in the shadow of Michael Jordan, and he’s still a Hall of Famer.
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Lenny Leonard
Surprisingly, Carl Carlson has arguably graduated to being a secondary character. He’s gotten a couple episodes built around him.
But Lenny? Well, he’s still stuck in minor character standing. Of course, that hasn’t stopped him from being funnier than Carl.
Lenny is put upon, and his eyes are often in peril. He’s dumber than Carl, his best friend and possible unrequited love (though that joke has sort of dissipated in recent years). In the early days, Lenny was just Homer’s jovial buddy and coworker, and he had good lines even then.
Eventually, the writers started to make a joke of his Simpsons minor character status, and that took him up a notch.
Mona Simpson
Homer’s dad, Abe, is a great character, but also arguably at or near the top of the secondary level. On the other hand, Homer’s mother, Mona, has had such infrequent appearances that they can be counted on one hand. Her first appearance, though, ensured she would be memorable from the get go.
The fittingly titled “Mother Simpson” gave us our first look at Homer’s mother, voiced by Glenn Close. She had disappeared from Homer’s life one night when he was a young kid, and there was a lot of time to make up, but also some making up to do emotionally.
Then, alas, Mona had to flee again. “Mother Simpson” is a funny episode, but also one of the sweeter ones.
Sideshow Bob
With Bob Terwilliger, it’s tricky. Almost every time he shows up, Sideshow Bob is central to the episode. They are literally considered “Sideshow Bob” episodes. On the other hand, there are only 14 Sideshow Bob episodes in a show that has had well over 700 episodes.
Voiced indelibly by TV icon Kelsey Grammer, Bob is Krusty the Clown’s former sidekick, a genius, an aesthete, and, oh yeah, a homicidal maniac. When he isn’t singing opera, Bob is probably trying to commit a crime, most likely trying to kill his nemesis, one Bart Simpson.
A few of the Bob episodes are dicey, but about a half-dozen of them are all-timers. Bob is a star when he shows up, but he shows up so rarely he’s still special (and, just barely, a minor Simpsons character).
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Main image: Homer Simpson and Disco Stu. FOX.
