Hot Simpsons Theory: Homer's Been in Coma for 20 Years

Diehard Simpsons fans have by now likely encountered a theory about Homer that surfaced on Reddit earlier this month and simply won't die: The short version is that Homer has been in a coma for more than 20 years—specifically since mid-1993 after a Bart prank involving a beer can knocked him into aforementioned coma during a clips episode. Among other things, it would explain why the characters never age and why the plots since then have gotten crazier and crazier: because all the action is taking place inside Homer's mind, "with no real world restrictions."

Even though executive producer Al Jean told TMZ that it's "intriguing" but not true, the theory keeps getting recirculated and, if nothing else, praised for its detailed research. A post at Kottke.org thinks it's clever indeed and takes it even further. It notes that a show called Herman's Head aired on Fox in the early 1990s, and a chunk of it took place inside the lead character's head. It turns out that Simpsons voice actors Hank Azaria and Yeardley Smith were on the cast. "Super-crazy theory: perhaps Herman's Head inspired Homer's coma?" (Click to find out why it took 25 years for this Simpsons episode to air, or read about some non-Simpsons fan theories.)