After being on the air for 30 seasons and counting, The Simpsons has featured lot of romances. While the show is mostly concerned with outrageous gags and funny one-liners, it does occasionally take the time to let its many characters find love. Of course, not all the romances work as well as others.
Fans like to see memorable and believable relationships on the show that they can root for, even if the romance doesn't last long. However, some of the relationships on the show are just wrong from the start and the audience is not interested in whether or not the couple stays together. Here are some of the romances on The Simpsons fans were behind and some they rejected.
Accepted: Ned And Edna
This is a romance that fans were not too sure about when it was first introduced. It came in the later seasons of the show which certainly don't represent the series' finest moments. This seemed like another cheap storyline for the show. However, with time, this romance grew up viewers and ultimately developed into a bittersweet love story.
Ned was a widower, having lost his wife Maude years earlier. Edna was a lonely single woman who looked for love all over Springfield but had no luck. They seemed to bring a lot of happiness to each other up until Edna's death.
Rejected: Comic Book Guy And Agnes Skinner
This romance was immediately rejected at first glance. Comic Book Guy and Agnes Skinner are two of the most unpleasant characters in the series. He is a snobbish, critical slob. She is an overbearing and cranky old woman. Their miserable persona's meshed together in a truly unlikeable couple.
But as awful as their personalities are, the image of these two together in bed is one of the most disturbing things presented in the series. It is one of those moments where it seems like the show is just trying to make us angry.
Accepted: Lisa And Nelson
The Simpsons seems to enjoy making opposites attract with their romances. Sometimes that dynamic doesn't work very well, but other times results in a very sweet romance. The latter is true of the short but charming relationship between Lisa Simpson and Nelson Muntz.
Given was an intellect Lisa is, her attraction to the dim bully Nelson surprises even her. The entire relationship consists of these two trying to figure out why they like each other but still enjoying their time together.
Rejected: Homer And Candace
When it comes to toying with Marge and Homer's relationship, the show needs to tread lightly. Viewers don't want to see someone else come between these two unless it is a worthwhile story. That was certainly not the case with Homer's relationship with Candace.
Homer finds his new girlfriend after he and Marge separate. Candace is a trendy young woman who tries to introduce Homer to her hipster lifestyle. In the end, it turns out their romance was all part of a dream in a bit of lazy writing. No wonder this episode is one of the lowest-ranked of the series.
Accepted: Bart And Laura
In the early years of the show, Bart was never very interested in falling in love. His time was preoccupied with mischief rather than girlfriends but all that changed when Laura Powers moved in next door.
Laura was the kind of edgy and goofy girl that seemed like Bart's dream girl. Sadly, since Laura was older than Bart, it was a one-sided romance. But although she just saw Bart as a friend, their relationship together helped to show another more vulnerable side of Bart that fans enjoyed.
Rejected: Bart And Annika Van Houten
Bart seems to have a thing for older girls and he also pursued Annika Van Houten, Milhouse's cynical cousin from the Netherlands. While Laura and Bart felt like a good match despite the age gap, Annika is just a bore.
The fact that the character is voiced by Carice Van Houten (Game of Thrones) suggests that this entire romance was created just because the show wanted someone named Van Houten on the show. And while Bart and Milhouse obviously have a close friendship, it's a little weird that Bart dated a girl that looks exactly like his best buddy.
Accepted: Abe And Bea
Abe Simpson doesn't seem like the kind of guy that finds love too easily. He is a bit of a bore and certainly has a bad temper. However, he is also capable of being sweet and does sometimes crave companionship in his lonely life.
Abe was able to enjoy a short romance with Bea, a woman he meets in his senior's home. Though he rarely shows this side of himself, Abe proved to be very sweet and charming as he and Bea fell in love. Sadly, Bea passes away shortly after they begin their relationship in another sad moment in the series.
Rejected: Marge And Artie Ziff
Throughout the years, there have been several individuals who have threatened to come between Homer and Marge Simpson. But Artie Ziff is the only one who almost caused the relationship between Homer and Marge to never happen in the first place.
Artie was the successful and popular hotshot of Homer and Marge's high school. He is arrogant and obnoxious but somehow managed to convince Marge to go to prom with him instead of Homer. But Artie proves to be an even bigger jerk, getting inappropriate with Marge afterward. Thankfully, this made Marge return to Homer.
Accepted: Marge And Homer
There are few marriages in television history as iconic as the one between Homer and Marge Simpson. They are far from a perfect couple but that might be what makes them so charming. They have gone through so many ups and downs that the audience is totally invested in seeing them together.
Homer can sometimes make you wonder why Marge chooses the stay with him but their love for each other is never in question. Some of the show's best moments are between this husband and wife sharing a touching moment together.
Rejected: Marge And Jacques
As strong as the marriage between Homer and Marge is, the show does like to test it on occasion. While Artie Ziff almost ended the happy marriage from getting started, Jacques was the man who came closest to splitting up the marriage.
Marge meets Jacques at a bowling alley after Homer gave her a thoughtless present. As she is still angry at Homer, Marge is easily flattered by this seductive Frenchman. In a shocking moment for Marge, she actually almost has an affair with the man before coming to her senses, much to our relief.