The Simpsons Season 35 Quietly Gave Milhouse His Saddest Moment In Years

The following contains spoilers for The Simpsons Season 35 Episode 18, "Bart's Brain," now streaming on Hulu

Summary Milhouse's tragic home life is highlighted in The Simpsons Season 35 finale, "Bart's Brain," showcasing his struggles.

Other episodes emphasize Van Houten family issues, with Kirk desperate for recognition and Luann gossipy and judgmental.

Milhouse's outburst towards an egg underscores the negative impact of his parents and the challenges he faces.

The Simpsons season 35 finale has a quick scene with Milhouse that underscores how tragic the character has become over the course of The Simpsons. Present since the early days of the show, Milhouse has always been Bart's dorky best friend. Like the rest of Springfield though, this initially basic character evolved over time in a lot of surprising ways, developing a unique rapport with other characters and a long-standing infatuation with Lisa. Part of that development has fleshed out his home life and family situation, with many episodes drawing on those elements.

Milhouse's role on The Simpsons is usually to be Bart's sidekick, but little flashes of emotion and growth have underscored how the character stands out from the rest of Springfield. This extends to The Simpsons season 35 finale, "Bart's Brain," which gives Milhouse a brief moment alongside Bart that's quietly very illustrative of the problems with Milhouse's home life. It's a very small but incredibly sad moment, speaking to one of the underlying flaws of his family and how it's impacting Milhouse going forward.

Related The Simpsons: 10 Best Milhouse Episodes, Ranked Milhouse is one of the best characters on The Simpsons. Some of his best episodes highlight his personality and loyalty to his best friend, Bart.

The Simpsons Season 35 Sad Milhouse Moment Explained

Milhouse Is Turning Out Just Like His Dad

Close

Milhouse's minor scenes in The Simpsons season 35 season finale underscore how tragic his home life has become and the impact his parents are having on him. While Bart carries around a brain in a jar all episode (initially for prank purposes and then because of the bond he forms with it), his classmates experience responsibility by taking care of an egg. Notably, Milhouse enjoys the experience and notes he's trying to avoid the mistakes of his parents. However, even a slight frustration leads Milhouse to lash out and scream at the egg, blaming "his son" for being a failure.

It's a somber gag and a particularly telling one. The moment highlights how Milhouse perceives his relationship with his parents, noting how they've been bad caretakers while seemingly doomed to repeat their mistakes. Given how both Kirk and Luann have been shown to lash out at others (even reinvigorating a rivalry with Marge Simpson in season 35's "Clan of the Cave Mom"), it's not hard to see them treating Milhouse with a similar mix of misplaced anger and deep self-loathing. The scene underscores how tragic Milhouse's home life is, even when his family is more united than they've ever been.

Why The Simpsons Season 35 Has Been Hard On The Van Houtens

The Van Houtens Can't Catch A Break

Season 35 of The Simpsons has utilized the Van Houtens in certain situations, highlighting many of the underlying problems that the family has been dealing with for years. Kirk is portrayed as a desperate and beaten-down man, who will cling to any power or success that comes his way. It's seen in episodes like "Homer's Crossing" and "Night of the Living Wage," both of which show Kirk taking any opportunity for the recognition he can get. Kirk is also quick to anger in these and other episodes. Luann, meanwhile, is shown being gossipy and judgmental in episodes like "Bart's Brain."

Luann previously established her rivalry with Marge in "Clan of the Cave Mom." Throughout these episodes, Milhouse is lonely and sad, with just enough self-awareness to know he's put upon but with enough hope for things to get better to make his inevitable failures land harder. This builds off of episodes like season 34's "Hostile Kirk Place," which sees the family only united when they're willing to target others and pick fights to distract from their own problems. It makes Milhouse's outburst sadder, as he's taking the worst lessons from his parents.

Related The Simpsons Season 35 Ends With An Emotional Reference To... The Fast & Furious?! The Simpsons closes out season 35 with a surprisingly emotional recreation of the ending to one of the best movies in The Fast & The Furious franchise

How Milhouse's Story Is One Of The Simpsons' Most Somber Plotlines

Why Milhouse Stands Out As One Of Springfield's Saddest Kids

Milhouse has always been among The Simpsons' most tragic characters. In direct contrast to the often chaotic but ultimately loving Simpson family, the Van Houten marriage frequently showcases clear dislike for one another. This is what prompted their divorce in season 8's "A Milhouse Divided." Even their eventual reconciliation only underlined their problems, as they continue to snipe at one another in later seasons. Milhouse may not have the cartoonishly tragic childhood of Nelson, but the show has gone out of its way to highlight the negative impact his homelife has on him.

Episodes like season 3's "Bart's Beat Friend Falls In Love" and 19's "Little Orphan Millie" have underscored how tough Milhouse has it, especially when compared to other kids in Springfield. His brief flashes of overt joy are often shot down, and he's casually insulted all the time. The idea that he's taking the worst lessons from his family, as teased in "Bart's Brain," only adds to the tragic dynamic of the character. Milhouse's outburst towards his egg in The Simpsons season 35 finale highlights the struggles Milhouse deals with, often in the background and without support.