One thing that has always made The Simpsons such a great show is its plethora of supporting characters, many of whom are members of the extended Simpsons family. Of course, one of the most important members of that family is none other than Mona Simpson, Abe’s wife and Homer’s mother. Though she appeared in a few small appearances in the early seasons of the show, she really came into her own once Glenn Close took over the role.
As the show reveals, she seems to be one of the few people to love Homer for he is, which makes their separation all the more tragic.
“Oh Brother, Where Art Thou?”
This is an episode from very early in the show’s run, and while it’s an enjoyable one, it has to be said that Mona’s appearance here is rather forgettable. At this point, she’s still something of a shadowy presence. Perhaps more importantly, she isn’t voiced by Glenn Close, who would do so much to bring Mona to life and really give her the warmth and depth she deserved.
“Grandpa Vs. Sexual Inadequacy”
This episode is also an early appearance of Mona, and it occurs in the context of Homer and Abe working through some of their feelings and difficulties with one another. It’s a bit more substantive than the one from the second season, but even so it lacks some of the power and potency that her later appearances in the show would have.
"Love Is In The N2-O2-Ar-CO2-Ne-He-CH4"
This is a rather unusual Mona appearance, since she doesn’t really speak. Instead, she’s a hallucination of Abe’s brought on by taking a pill provided by one of the caretakers at the nursing home. It’s a rather touching episode, since it’s one of those moments where it’s shown that Abe truly does love Mona and that he wants to be able to reunite with her.
“D’oh-in In The Wind”
In this episode, Homer ends up encountering some of the men who knew his mother when she was a hippie. It’s notable that Glenn Close doesn’t provide the voice of Mona in this episode. However, it’s still a decent one, particularly since it provides some background on Mona herself and the type of life that she led after she left Abe and Homer.
“The Simpsons 138th Episode Spectacular”
There’s something to be said about an animated series that manages to make it to one hundred and thirty-eight episodes, and The Simpsons plays it to the hilt. Among all of the other behind-the-scenes moments that this episode provides, it also gives the audience another chance to encounter Mona.
It’s a rather brief moment, but it’s always a pleasure to see this amazing character, no matter how long she’s on the screen.
“Mona Leaves-a”
There’s something curiously dissatisfying about this episode. While it is the one where Mona Simpson dies, her passing occurs off-screen, and this seems like a rather odd way to send off one of the show’s most compelling and interesting characters. Furthermore, it denies Homer the chance to really say goodbye to her, a blow all the more devastating considering how little time they’ve been able to spend with one another.
“Todd, Todd, Why Hast Thou Forsaken Me?"
At first glance, it might seem strange to see Homer bonding with one of the Flanders kids, that’s exactly what happens in this episode. More importantly, he also has the opportunity to get some closure with Mona when he sees her in heaven. It’s a touching moment, especially given that the audience knows already just how important Mona was to Homer and how devastating her loss was.
“Fatzcarraldo”
There’s no doubt that Abe and Mona had a very contentious relationship (it’s not hard to see why, considering how abrasive and downright mean Abe can be sometimes). In this episode, the audience learns that this fighting had a tremendous influence on Homer. This episode is another peek inside of Homer’s complex surprisingly complex psychology and the sequence of events that led him to where he is today.
“The Yellow Badge of Cowardage”
Poor Homer. It really does seem like he had a childhood marred by his awareness of the discord that clearly existed between his parents. Though Mona doesn’t appear for very long in this episode, it’s still a good appearance, since it sheds further light on the relationship that existed between her and Abe. One can’t help but wish, though, that the series had made more of an effort to show her and Abe actually loving one another.
“Let’s Go Fly A Coot”
Abe Simpson is one of those characters on this show that’s fun to watch, even if he can be incredibly unpleasant. In this particular episode, the audience finally gets to learn how it is that he met Mona and what led them to engage in their romance. It’s a surprisingly touching episode, and it shows that beneath his crusty exterior Abe really did have feelings for his wife.
“How I Wet Your Mother”
It’s pretty clear from the moment that it happens that Mona’s death has a profound impact on Homer. How not, when she was such an important part of his life. In this episode, Homer struggles with a bed-wetting problem, and during the journey into his mind that, on some deep level, he believes that he was the one responsible for his parents' break-up. Fortunately, Mona reassures him that he wasn’t, giving him one of those benedicts of which only she seems truly capable.
“Forgive And Regret”
One of the best things about Mona Simpson is that she genuinely seems to love Homer. Even when he was young, she wasn’t afraid to show him that she did so. This episode features a great flashback involving Mona, and it shows Homer and his mother bonding over cooking.
It’s a sweet and poignant look at what is definitely one of the most important, and enduring, relationships in Homer’s life.
“My Mother The Carjacker”
This episode is one of the three best appearances of the Mona Simpson character. Here she is once again voiced by Glenn Close, and she really wants to meet up with Homer. It’s really quite a touching episode, particularly since it gives Homer more of an opportunity to know his mother and to understand her. At the same time, it’s also a rather sad one, since Mona has to once again leave her son behind.
“Mother Simpson”
This Mona Simpson appearance is, without a doubt, the best in the show. For one thing, it is the first time that Glenn Close voices the character and, quite honestly, who doesn’t love Glenn Close? More importantly, it also allows Homer to understand that his mother isn’t dead and didn’t just abandon him but has, instead, loved him from afar all of these years. It’s heartwarming and joyful, a true testament to the storytelling power of this show.