There have been many polls about people’s favourite Simpson’s character, however none (that I could find) on who we could best do without.
I like, and find funny, almost all the characters except…
BART!!!
I think he’s an annoying unfunny little brat (I know he’s supposed to be like this) with very few funny lines. Shows with him at the centre are my least favourite.
So who is the weakest link?
To me it has to be Lisa as the weakest link. I actually find it very difficult to watch episodes where she’s the centre because she is far too often selfish, ignorant and condescending - even to her parents. She just gets on my nerves.
To me, Bart has some great lines…the ones that stick out in my mind are the ones where he takes on a British ‘loveable chimney sweep’ accent.
“…the best in all westminster, yeah!”
I find the ‘Marge’ episodes to be generally less funny…
Mr Burns. He’s not funny and he shits me.
Nobody comes close to being what he is. But I always enjoy when Ned Flanders get his-diddly-is.
He shits me? You Aussies confuse me.
I have to throw a second vote in there for Lisa. The only good episode about Lisa has been the summer vacation one, where they borrow Flanderseseses’ beach house. But the only redeeming part about that was a heavy emphasis on Milhouse.
What about Moe? Moe episodes suck.
Actually, most of the Simpson family is pretty annoying individually (much like the Seinfield cast). Spoiled bratty Bart, self-righteous Lisa, oafish Homer, preachy Marge. I find any episode that centers too much on any one character to be pretty dull. The genious of the Simpsons only happens when the characters play off of each other or the supporting characters. ie Homer asking Marge to pretend to be Apus wife. Lisa and Homer fighting over the BYOBBBQ (the second Bs a typo). And so on.
That said…characters I can do without altogether:
Sideshow Mel. He never really adds anything.
Patty and Selma Bouvier
And whats with Lenny and Carl? Are they supposed to be all gay now or something?
Hans Moleman; he’s just irritating.
Other irritating people who can stay:
Comic Book Store Guy – annoying because he’s too damn realistic
Patty & Selma – ::shudder::
Wendel – if you even know who he is, congratulations
Wendel = The albino kid who was one of Bart’s friends in season 1 and was pretty much reduced to an extra in subsequent years. Known for “always throwing up on the bus”.
Wendel is not really a candidate, because he hasn’t appeared on the show in years. Which pretty much points out the fallacy of the question: any character who doesn’t really work does not get much play as time wears on.
But, if you must have a Springfield JJB, and you want to pick a consistently appearing major character, I think it might have to be Maggie. She hasn’t really contributed anything to the humor for quite a while now, and I think it doesn’t really make sense anymore (even as a gag) that she never talks. It might inject a new comic element to the show if the producers started to weave into the show a more interactive (i.e. talking) Maggie. Nevertheless, this may be a bit of a reach, because there have been some funny Maggie-centric episodes, or at least parts of episodes (the one where Homer bowled a 300 game comes to mind).
The bigger problem with the show is a lack of consistency overall; the fairy tales episode was great, the Brazil episode rather lame. They need to make the show better beginning to end, rather than worry about one character.
BITE YOUR TONGUE! Moe is one of the few characters (along with my boy Ralph) I can consistently (sp?) count on to get a laugh out of me. The episode where Moe went back to bartending school is one of my favorites. And the episode where Moe was Homer’s boxing manager is another classic.
I’ll second the vote for Marge’s sisters; I find them more irritating than funny. As for the others, I wouldn’t consider them to be “classic TV characters” or anything, but they’ve all had their funny moments. (Same can be said for Patty and Selma, but that’s beside the point.) However, if they were going to replace one character, I’d vote for … the sixth of Apu’s octuplets. That kid really annoys me! 
-Dirty
BITE YOUR TONGUE! Moe is one of the few characters (along with my boy Ralph) I can consistently (sp?) count on to get a laugh out of me. The episode where Moe went back to bartending school is one of my favorites. And the episode where Moe was Homer’s boxing manager is another classic.
I’ll second the vote for Marge’s sisters; I find them more irritating than funny. As for the others, I wouldn’t consider them to be “classic TV characters” or anything, but they’ve all had their funny moments. (Same can be said for Patty and Selma, but that’s beside the point.) However, if they were going to replace one character, I’d vote for … the sixth of Apu’s octuplets. That kid really annoys me!
-Dirty
The sixth octuplet? Help me out, which one is that? I only particularly liked the one with the monacle anyways (“The Baron! Boo!” ;)).
As for a JJB, I think it’d have to be the character which makes you cringe when seen on the screen, in the recognition that yes, you will have to suffer through another scene with that character. I’d throw my vote behind Agnes Skinner. I can’t stand her, and get a larf out of how all the other characers (especially Seymour) seem to hate her too.
I hate Martin. I can’t stand him whenever he’s onscreen… except when the bullies are pounding on him.
That said, I wish they would show more of Leopold.
love every single character… except
gil. he shits me so, so, so, so much.
he’s not funny. he’s just a whiner. where did he spring from anyway? isn’t he a rather recent addition?
I agree…
When the show started, seemed to me like he was the focus of the show. But no kid I knew related to him, they just liked the show. The slingshot in his pocket is as lame as Lisa’s friends said. He has gotten better!! Homer is the real money maker!
DO THE BARTMAN!
Jesus, 15 replies and no one has mentioned Ralp Wiggum? I hate that frickin’ kid. The one and only good line I can ever remember him having is “It tastes like…burning.” Other than that he just gets on my last nerve, just like Chris from Family Guy. Way way too stupid to be funny.
Second place would go to Bart because he’s rather annoying but he has had some pretty good lines and even a few good whole episodes.
Gil is a take off on Jack Lemmon’s character in Glengarry Glen Ross. A rather amusing one, I thought.
Personally, I could do without Professor Frink. But that’s just because I hate Jerry Lewis. Dr. Hibbert is kind of a one trick pony as well.
Cisco, You’re forgetting, “I fell on (broke?) my Wookie.” or “I choo-choo, choose you.” Classic, even if I can’t remember it exactly.
For my money, Barney has to go. Very few good moments, including the plow king episode, but now he’s apparently sober. The one-trick pony loses its trick.
I’m here to defend the honour of Hans Moleman.
“…my life of constant pain…” from the Bleeding Gums death episode made me smile; he may not be a dynamo of comedy, but he’s no Jar Jar Binks. In fact, there’s no character on the Simpson’s that makes me want to kick a child more than Jar Jar Binks, I don’t think such total shite has an equal, or equivalent.
I don’t like really like Jay Sherman, and he showed up on the Simpson’s. I suppose I could do without lunch lady Doris, but even she has her moments. I want to discover, one episode, where lunch lady Doris spiffs up and becomes Fat Tony’s moll.