4101-4102. Kang and Kodos

Kang and Kodos are a duo of recurring characters in the animated television series The Simpsons. Kang is voiced by Harry Shearer and Kodos by Dan Castellaneta. They are aliens from the fictional planet Rigel VII and appear almost exclusively in the "Treehouse of Horror". The duo has appeared in at least one segment of all twenty-one Treehouse of Horror episodes. Sometimes their appearance is the focus of a plot, other times a brief cameo. Kang and Kodos are often bent on the conquest of Earth and are usually seen working on sinister plans to invade and subjugate humanity.
The duo first appeared in season two's "Treehouse of Horror". The first drawing of Kang and Kodos came from writers Jay Kogen and Wallace Wolodarsky. The finished design was based on an EC Comics issue cover. Kang and Kodos had brief cameo appearances in several non-"Treehouse of Horror" episodes and have appeared as villains in several of The Simpsons video games.

Kang and Kodos first appeared in the second season in "Treehouse of Horror". The idea of Kang and Kodos came from Jay Kogen and Wallace Wolodarsky, writers of "Hungry are the Damned". In the script, Kang and Kodos were shown as "an octopus in a space helmet with a trail of goo". The finished design was based on EC Comics cover issue. Although originally designed to constantly drool, Matt Groening suggested that they not drool all the time to make the animation process easier. However, the animators did not mind the work, leading to the drooling staying in the script. Kang and Kodos's names are derived from two Star Trek characters. Kang was a Klingon captain portrayed by actor Michael Ansara in "Day of the Dove", whereas Kodos the Executioner was a human villain from "The Conscience of the King".Harry Shearer voices Kang, and Dan Castellaneta voices Kodos. An unofficial rule for the writers is that Kang and Kodos must appear in every Halloween episode. Despite this rule, the writers say the duo will often be forgotten and are added at the last second, leading to brief appearances.

Traditionally, Kang and Kodos appeared in every single Treehouse of Horror episode as a part of a story's plotline or as cameos. They almost did not make the cut in "Treehouse of Horror VIII", but David X. Cohen managed to persuade the producers to keep the scene. Kang and Kodos were originally going to make regular appearances in the show. One idea was only Homer would be able to see them and everyone else thinking Homer is crazy when he talked about the aliens. However the concept was "too far out", leading to characters only featured in the "Treehouse of Horror" specials. In some appearances, Kang and Kodos will laugh hysterically for several seconds. This was suggested by Sam Simon. During production, the episodes would often be too short; so to make more time, their laughter was lengthened.
Kodos's gender has come into debate from fans. In "Treehouse of Horror VII", Kang introduces Kodos with "This is my sister Kodos". The line was pitched by George Meyer and was even somewhat followed in later episodes as the writers tried to make Kang the more dominant of the two. In previous and subsequent episodes, Kodos has been referred to as a male.

2295. Bart Simpsons

2215. Werewolf Ned Flanders

I Know What You Diddily-Iddily-Did
In a skit spoofing I Know What You Did Last Summer, a foggy evening with a full moon, The Simpsons are driving down a road until Marge accidentally smashes into Ned Flanders, killing him. Homer manipulates the body in several escapades, which convinces Maude that Ned died of an accident and that he does not want an autopsy.
Shortly after Ned's funeral (where Homer nearly gives the game away), the family finds the phrase "I KNOW WHAT YOU DID!" written in blood everywhere they go. They are terrorized by a cloaked figure, which drives them out of their house. Again, in the wild, they find Ned. It turns out he lived because he was bitten by a werewolf moments before the accident (The only thing that can kill a werewolf is silver bullets and wolf's bane). Clouds uncover the full moon, Ned changes into a wolf and Marge, Bart, Maggie and Lisa ditch Homer and run off and Ned mauls Homer to death (while Homer mocks him.)

2026. Maggie Simpson

Maggie Simpson was born on June 16th, 1988. When Marge became pregnant with Lisa, she and Homer bought their first home. Seven years later, Homer felt financially secure enough to quit his job at power plant and take his dream job at Barney's Bowlarama. Soon after, Marge became pregnant with Maggie, and unable to support his family, Homer reapplied for his job at the power plant. Homer fell into a deep depression but when he held Maggie for the first time after she was born he loved her at first sight. He keeps all of Maggie's baby photos in his office to cheer him up at his workplace.
She is keenly aware of her surroundings, and can usually be seen imitating the flow of action around her. Like Bart, Lisa and Homer, she is not fond of spending time with her aunts Patty and Selma. It is also known that she dislikes Baby Gerald very much, despite apparently marrying him in one Simpsons Comic.
Maggie bears a strong resemblance to Lisa, suggesting that Maggie will look very much like her sister when she reaches eight-years-old. Furthermore, she can play the saxophone amazingly well, and can even change her own diapers, just like her sister could when she was a baby.
Maggie's first word is "Daddy", something neither Bart or Lisa would call him when they were babies. On another occasion, Maggie's speaks the word "Ya"; a Norwegian word. She has also said "Dadily Doodily" when she was in the care of Ned Flanders.

1854. Liza Simpson

Lisa Marie Simpson^[1] is a fictional main character in the animated television series The Simpsons. She is the middle child of the Simpson family. Voiced by Yeardley Smith, Lisa first appeared on television in The Tracey Ullman Show short "Good Night" on April 19, 1987. CartoonistMatt Groening created and designed her while waiting to meet James L. Brooks. Groening had been invited to pitch a series of shorts based on his comic Life in Hell, but instead decided to create a new set of characters. He named the elder Simpson daughter after his younger sister Lisa Groening. After appearing on The Tracey Ullman Show for three years, the Simpson family were moved to their own series on Fox, which debuted on December 17, 1989.

At eight years old, Lisa is the second child of Homer and Marge, younger sister of Bart and older sister of Maggie. She is highly intelligent and plays the baritone saxophone. She has been avegetarian since season 7, converted to Buddhism in season 13 and advocates for a variety of political causes, including the Tibetan independence movement. She has appeared in other media relating to The Simpsons – including video games, The Simpsons Movie, The Simpsons Ride, commercials and comic books – and inspired a line of merchandise.

Yeardley Smith originally tried out for the role of Bart, while Nancy Cartwright (who was later cast as the voice for Bart) tried out for Lisa. Producers considered Smith's voice too high for a boy, so she was given the role of Lisa. In the Tracey Ullman Show shorts, Lisa was something of a "female Bart" who mirrored her brother's mischief, but as the series progressed she became a more sophisticated and intellectual character. Because of her unusual pointed hair style, many animators consider Lisa the most difficult Simpsons character to draw.

1849. Ned Flanders

Nedward "Ned" Flanders is a recurring fictional character in the animated television series The Simpsons. He is voiced by Harry Shearer, and first appeared in the series premiere episode "Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire". He is the next door neighbor to the Simpson family and is generally loathed by Homer Simpson. A devout Christian, he is amongst the friendliest and most compassionate Springfield citizens and is generally considered a pillar of the Springfield community.

He was one of the first characters outside of the immediate Simpson family to appear on the show, and has since been central to several episodes, the first being season two's "Dead Putting Society". His last name comes from Flanders St. in Portland, Oregon, the hometown ofSimpsons creator Matt Groening. When he was created, he was intended to just be a neighbor who was very nice, but whom Homer loathed.

1769. Marge Simpson

Marjorie "Marge" Simpson (née Bouvier) is a fictional main character in the animated television series The Simpsons and part of the eponymous family. She is voiced by actress Julie Kavner and first appeared on television in The Tracey Ullman Show short "Good Night" on April 19, 1987. Marge was created and designed by cartoonist Matt Groening while he was waiting in the lobby of James L. Brooks' office. Groening had been called to pitch a series of shorts based on Life in Hell but instead decided to create a new set of characters. He named the character after his mother Margaret Groening. After appearing on The Tracey Ullman Show for three seasons, the Simpson family received their own series on Fox, which debuted December 17, 1989.
Marge is the well-meaning and extremely patient mother of the Simpson family. With her husband Homer, she has three children: Bart, Lisa, and Maggie. Marge is the moralistic force in her family and often provides a grounding voice in the midst of her family's antics by trying to maintain order in the Simpson household. She is often portrayed as a stereotypical television mother and is often included on lists of top "TV moms". She has appeared in other media relating to The Simpsons—including video games, The Simpsons Movie, The Simpsons Ride, commercials, and comic books—and inspired an entire line of merchandise.
Marge's distinctive blue beehive hairstyle was inspired by a combination of The Bride of Frankenstein and the style that Margaret Groening wore in the 1960s. Julie Kavner, who was a member of the original cast of The Tracey Ullman Show, was asked to voice Marge so that more voice actors would not be needed. Kavner has won several awards for voicing Marge, including a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Voice-Over Performance in 1992. She was also nominated for an Annie Award for Best Voice Acting in an Animated Feature for her performance in The Simpsons Movie. In 2000, Marge, along with the rest of her family, was awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

1729. Barney Gumble

Barnard "Barney" Gumble^[1] is a fictional character on the American animated sitcom The Simpsons. The character is voiced by Dan Castellaneta and first appeared in the series premiere episode "Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire". He is the town drunk and Homer Simpson's best friend. His capacity for alcohol is a frequent butt of jokes on the show. Barney sobered up in the episode "Days of Wine and D'oh'ses", which was co-written by Castellaneta, and stayed sober for several episodes. Barney was inspired by the cartoon character Barney Rubble from The Flintstones and by several barflies from other television programs. In 2004, Castellaneta won an Emmy Award for voicing various characters, including Barney.

1728. Mr. Burns

Charles Montgomery "Monty" Burns, usually referred to as Mr. Burns, is a recurring fictional character in the animated television series The Simpsons, who is voiced by Harry Shearer and previously Christopher Collins. Mr. Burns is the intensely evil owner of the Springfield Nuclear Power Plant and is Homer Simpson's boss. He is attended at almost all times by Waylon Smithers, his loyal and sycophantic aide, advisor, confidant and secret admirer.
Although originally conceived as a one-dimensional, recurring villain who might occasionally enter the Simpsons' lives and wreak some sort of havoc, Burns' popularity has led to his repeated inclusion in episodes. He is a stereotype of Corporate America in his unquenchable desire to increase his own wealth and power, inability to remember his employees' names—including Homer's, despite frequent interactions (which has become something of a recurrent joke in Homer-centric episodes involving Burns) and lack of concern for their safety and well-being. Reflecting his extreme age, Burns is given to expressing dated humor, making references to pre-1950 popular culture, and aspiring to apply obsolete technology to everyday life.
Burns' trademark expression is the word "Excellent", muttered slowly in a low, sinister voice while tenting his fingertips, very similar to Dalek creator Davros from Doctor Who. He frequently orders Smithers to "release the hounds", so as to let his vicious guard dogs attack any intruders, enemies or even invited guests. Mr. Burns is Springfield's richest and most powerful citizen; his current net worth has been given as $1.3 billion^[1] by Forbes, though it fluctuates wildly depending on the episode. He uses his power and wealth to do whatever he wants, usually without regard for consequences and without interference from the authorities. These qualities led Wizard Magazine to rate him the 45th greatest villain of all time.

1691. Krusty the Clown

Herschel Shmoikel Pinchas Yerucham Krustofski,^[1] better known by the stage name Krusty the Clown, is a fictional character in the animated television series The Simpsons. He is voiced by Dan Castellaneta. He is the long-time clown host of Bart and Lisa's favorite TV show, a combination of kiddie variety television hijinks and cartoons including The Itchy & Scratchy Show. Krusty is often portrayed as a cynical, burnt out, addiction-riddled smoker who is made miserable by show business but continues on anyway. He has become one of the most common characters outside of the main Simpson family and has been the focus of several episodes, most of which also spotlight Bart.
Krusty was created by cartoonist Matt Groening and partially inspired by Rusty Nails, a television clown from Groening's hometown of Portland, Oregon. He was designed to look like Homer Simpson with clown make-up, with the original idea being that Bart worships a television clown who looks like his own father. His voice is based on Bob Bell, who portrayed WGN-TV's Bozo the Clown. Krusty made his television debut on January 15, 1989 in the Tracey Ullman Show short "The Krusty the Clown Show".

1690. Apu Nahasapeemapetilon

Apu Nahasapeemapetilon ( /əˈpuː nəˌhɑːsəˌpiːməˈpɛtəlɒn/) is a character in the animated television series The Simpsons. He is voiced by Hank Azaria and first appeared in the episode "The Telltale Head". Apu is the proprietor of the Kwik-E-Mart, a popular convenience store in Springfield, and a friend of Homer Simpson. He is also an Indian immigrant.
Apu is a U.S. citizen and holds a Ph.D. in computer science. He graduated first in his class of seven million at 'Caltech' — Calcutta Technical Institute — going on to earn his doctorate at the Springfield Heights Institute of Technology. Apu began working at the Kwik-E-Mart during his college years to pay off his student loan, but stayed afterward as he had come to enjoy his job and the friends he had made. He remained an illegal immigrant until Mayor Quimby proposed a municipal law to expel all undocumented aliens. Apu responded by purchasing a forged birth certificate from the Springfield Mafia that listed his parents as U.S. citizens Herb and Judy Nahasapeemapetilon, but when he realized he was forsaking his origins, he abandoned this plan and instead successfully managed to pass his citizenship test with help from Lisa and Homer Simpson. Thus, he refers to himself as a "semi-legal immigrant".^[1] During 1985, Apu was a member of the barbershop quartet The Be Sharps along with Homer Simpson, Barney Gumble, and Seymour Skinner. Upon the advice of the band manager Nigel, Apu took the stage name Apu de Beaumarchais (a reference to Beaumarchais, author of The Barber of Seville).^[2] Apu is also a vegan, and is rumored to be a big fan of the Cheap Trick song, "Dream Police" even though he knows the words imperfectly.

1689. Otto Mann

Otto Mann is a fictional character on the animated TV series The Simpsons, voiced by Harry Shearer. He is the school bus driver for Springfield Elementary School.
Otto, who is of German descent, is notable for his maniacal driving style (which, along with never getting a driver's license, cost him his job on the season three episode "The Otto Show") his love of heavy metal music, and his propensity for sounding and acting like a perpetual 1980s teenager. He also has a habit of describing things as "gnarly".
He has been seen at Alcoholics Anonymous meetings: "My name is Otto, and I love to get blotto!" He is a stoner as well (he smokes with Homer in "Weekend at Burnsie's", had a joint with him on "Strong Arms of The Ma", and smoked a bong in The Simpsons Movie). It has also been implied that Otto used other drugs like heroin and LSD (in "Homerpalooza", during Peter Frampton's show, he sees his shoes talking to him; in "The Seven-Beer Snitch", Otto's urine sample was so loaded with illegal substances that the inside of it looked like a scene from the cartoon Yellow Submarine). His openness towards substances is also demonstrated in the new HD intro, in which Otto ingests the presumably radioactive coil that Homer tosses out from work.

1688. Sideshow Bob

Robert Underdunk Terwilliger, better known by his stage name Sideshow Bob, is a recurring character in the animated television series The Simpsons. He is voiced by Kelsey Grammer and first appeared briefly in the episode "The Telltale Head". Bob is a self-proclaimed genius who attended Yale, a member of the Republican Party, and a champion of high culture. He began his career as a sidekick on Krusty the Clown's television show, but after enduring constant abuse, Bob attempted to frame his employer for armed robbery in "Krusty Gets Busted". The plan was foiled by Bart Simpson, and Sideshow Bob was sent to prison. Bob made his second major appearance in season three's "Black Widower"; the writers echoed the premise of the Coyote chasing the Road Runner by having Bob unexpectedly insert himself into Bart's life and attempt to kill him. In each appearance thereafter, Bob has assumed the role on The Simpsons of an evil genius. Episodes in which he is a central character typically involve Sideshow Bob being released from prison and executing an elaborate revenge plan, usually foiled by Bart and Lisa. His plans often involve murder and destruction, usually targeted at Bart or, less often, Krusty, though these plans often involve targeting the entire Simpson family. In "Funeral for a Fiend" it was hinted that through years of failed attempts, Sideshow Bob has become insane.