When a show has been around for as long as The Simpsons, those involved are unfortunately bound to lose a few friends along the way. Few were prepared for the loss of Marcia Wallace in 2013 after she had played elementary teacher Edna Krabappel on the show for decades. So it’s no surprise that the writers continue to pay tribute to the iconic character even to this day.
On Sunday’s episode of the now 32 season-long series, Bart finds a diary that he quickly discovers belonged to his late teacher. As he and his best friend Milhouse read a bit of it, the audience is treated to a short line courtesy of Wallace’s own voice, saying, “Remember: if you can teach one kid one thing, then today will be a success…” While Bart brushes the whole thing off with a little less class than most would when reminiscing about a dearly departed friend, it’s clear this was meant for the wistful audience members who missed the actress as well as the character.
Wallace had said that line on The Simpsons before, which is where the voice-over came from, and executive producer Al Jean clarified that they had received permission from Wallace’s estate to use the old audio. Given how long she had been on the show, there was likely a hefty amount of lines they could have chosen, but ultimately, they went with one that fits particularly well with the overall feel of the episode itself. Certainly better than using stock footage, at any rate.
Edna was a fixture on The Simpsons for the majority of its run. Not only did she serve as the teacher for Bart and most of the other more prominent students, but she made regular appearances in the lives of various other characters throughout the series. Her legendarily unfortunate love life was often played for laughs, but she ultimately found happiness when she married Ned Flanders, who had lost his own wife Maude many years earlier. Having the poor teacher in a loving relationship when she passed felt almost like reparations for everything the show had put her through.
Wallace’s 2013 passing caught everyone by surprise, so it felt lucky that her character was in a relatively good place at the time. Of course, nobody wants to go when everything is going well for them, but for a fictional character, being happy at the end is possibly the best thing audiences can ask for. Considering how the show still references Edna to this day, it’s clear that they, along with the viewers, cared deeply for her.
Good on The Simpsons for handling it like this, and hopefully they give similar respect to other characters when the show inevitably ends. It was certainly a painful memory for everyone involved, but many would argue that it’s better to remember the pain than forget all the happiness.
The Simpsons is now available on Disney Plus.
Source: Variety
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