Flanders family
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Flanders family is a family in the animated television series The Simpsons. The nuclear family consists of Ned, Maude, and their two sons Rod and Todd, although Maude died in the season eleven episode "Alone Again, Natura-Diddily". They live at 744 Evergreen Terrace, next to the Simpson family.[1][2]
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[edit] Family
[edit] Ned
Ned Flanders is the father in a devout Christian family, and is often used to satirize Christian fundamentalism, as well as the cloying "niceness" of doggedly upbeat born-again evangelicals. Ned is the Simpson family's neighbor and as such is a frequent target of Homer's abuse and a party to Homer's antics and schemes. Homer usually hates Ned.
[edit] Maude
Maude Flanders was the wife of Ned Flanders, and the mother of Rod and Todd. Maude was voiced by Maggie Roswell and also by Marcia Mitzman Gaven while Roswell was involved in a pay dispute.
Maude Flanders was the happily married wife of Ned Flanders. With Ned, she had two children, Rod and Todd Flanders, in whom she instilled her unwavering piety. Maude was a woman with many qualities: faith, chastity, charity. Maude Flanders was a devout Christian who once attended a Bible camp to learn how to be more judgmental. She campaigned strongly against Itchy and Scratchy with Marge. While she was not employed outside the home, Maude was a busy homemaker and a tireless advocate for the children, whose innocence is so often sullied by the "evils" of cartoon violence, liberal education, and the insidious influences of popular culture. Even though she spent much of her free time in prayer and reading the Bible, Maude was known to let her hair down for the occasional dinner party at the home of her neighbors, the Simpsons. Homer often made statements insinuating his attraction to Maude, thereby literally coveting his neighbor's wife. Also, in the second season episode "The War of the Simpsons", Homer ogled at Maude's very low-cut dress at a dinner party, which resulted in him and Marge going to marriage camp.
In "Alone Again, Natura-Diddily", on February 13, 2000, Maude died after being knocked off a grandstand by a t-shirt cannon at the Springfield Speedway. Homer had parked in the ambulance zone, preventing any quick resuscitation. Her death crushed Ned, who, though used to some measure of hardship assumed that they would always be together. During the credits of "Bart Has Two Mommies" she is seen in heaven with Bob Hope and God wondering how her boys are doing. Her ghost also appears in the opening sequence for "Treehouse of Horror XIII". Her voice was once again done by Maggie Roswell. "Guess Who's Coming to Criticize Dinner?" was the last time she was voiced by Maggie Roswell in Simpsons canon.
In 2006 Maude, appears in the episode Bart has two mommies
[edit] Rod
Rod Flanders is voiced by Pamela Hayden. Rod prays often, first thing in the morning and last thing before bed. He prays for God to watch over him and his little brother, Todd. He prays for the success of his father's business. He also prays for all of the naughty little boys and girls, like his neighbor Bart Simpson, who are too bad to pray for themselves. Aside from praying, Rod enjoys playing wholesomely with his brother and eating lots of "nachos, Flanders-style" (cucumbers with cottage cheese). Rod has described being quiet during trips as one of his favorite hobbies as well as clapping during songs. He is also diabetic. In the episode "Future-Drama", it is revealed that Rod matures into something of a hottie, although this may or may not be considered canon.
Rod's largest role was in "Bart Has Two Mommies", where he obtains new climbing skills and rescues Bart from a chimpanzee atop a church. This episode also reveals that Rod thinks of Marge as the most fun they've had since Maude died.
[edit] Todd
Todd Flanders is voiced by Nancy Cartwright. Todd is the youngest and most impressionable member of the Flander's family. When exposed to profanity, Todd starts to curse himself ("Hell no" and "I said I don't want any damn vegetables"). When Moe Szyslak loses his temper at Uncle Moe's Family Feedbag restaurant, Todd responds with "Ow, my freaking ears!" Whether due to immaturity or relentless sheltering by his parents, whenever Todd comes into contact with anything outside of his family and their pious ways (like the time he was tricked into eating a Pixie Stick by Bart Simpson), he turns nasty, calling his brother a "zitface", much to the delight of Bart. Todd can play the violin quite well, and is a part of the Springfield Elementary band.
[edit] Other family members
Ned Flanders's parents were beatniks, as seen in the episode "Hurricane Neddy". Adherents of permissive parenting, they refrained from disciplining or punishing him during his childhood, resulting in his becoming an unholy terror. Seeking professional help, Ned's parents turned to Dr. Foster who tried an experimental procedure on Ned, which rendered him unable to express any anger at all.
Ned has a very large extended family, as seen in his family reunion in the episode "Lisa the Vegetarian" that he has relatives all over the world, including a Mexican and an British relative. He also has at least one sibling, a sister who lives in Capital City, as mentioned in the episode "When Flanders Failed".
In the episode "Raging Abe Simpson and His Grumbling Grandson in "The Curse of the Flying Hellfish"" a Commander Flanders is mentioned as being the superior of Sergeant Abe Simpson and Private Montgomery Burns, then soldiers in World War II.
[edit] Relationship with the Simpsons
The Flanders live next door to the Simpsons, and these two families could not be more different. The Flanders are well-kept, pious individuals, and Ned often seems concerned about Bart, Lisa and Maggie's well being. Constantly being harassed by the Simpsons, they have surprisingly gone through a lot. Homer was in one episode good friends with Ned, but became obsessed with spending time with him. At the end of the episode, everything was back to normal. Homer always says a remark about Flanders when they are near each other, including "Stupid Flanders", which Homer says in inappropriate situations. When Bart and Lisa were taken into protective custody by child services from their 'unfit' parents, the Flanders were their foster parents, and almost went through with baptizing them, if Homer had not stopped them. Bart tied with Todd in an ego-boosting golf tournament. Ned and Homer took a wild trip to Las Vegas, where, in their inebriation, married waitresses. Even with all the crazy things that happen to them, the Flanders and the Simpsons have managed to live together for all these years. Since the very first day that the Simpsons moved next door to the Flanders, they have kept a TV Tray that Homer still uses to this day.
[edit] Characters
[edit] Creation
Ned Flanders, as well as Todd first appeared in the season one episode "Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire", which was the series premiere. The first episode in which the Flanders family were prominent is season two's "Dead Putting Society", which also contained the first appearance of Maude and Rod Flanders.[3] The Flanderses were named after Flanders St. in Portland, Oregon, the hometown of Simpsons creator Matt Groening.[4]
[edit] Voices
Todd's voice is based on Sherman's from Peabody and Sherman.[5] For Ned, Harry Shearer used "such a sweet voice" that the character was broadened to become a Christian and a sweet guy that someone would prefer to live next to over Homer.[6] Maude was voiced by Maggie Roswell from seasons two to ten and one episode in season eleven. However, for "Brother's Little Helper", "Treehouse of Horror X", "Little Big Mom" and "Alone Again, Natura-Diddily" she was voiced by Marcia Mitzman Gaven while Roswell was involved in a pay dispute. Roswell would return for season thirteen and would voice Maude for her brief cameos since.[7]
[edit] Development
The Flanders' religion in their first few appearances was only mild. Ned's primary role was to be so "cloyingly perfect as to annoy and shame the Simpsons" and have a perfect family.[8] There has been a consistent effort among the shows writers to not just make him "goody good and an unsympathetic person".[3]
[edit] References
- ^ BBC - Cult - The Simpsons: Season Nine Episode Guide - Realty Bites
- ^ (2006). The Simpsons The Complete Ninth Season DVD commentary for the episode "Realty Bites" [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.
- ^ a b Jean, Al. (2002). The Simpsons season 2 DVD commentary for the episode "Dead Putting Society" [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.
- ^ Blake, Joseph. "Painting the town in Portland", The Vancouver Sun, 2007-01-06.
- ^ Larry Carroll. "'Simpsons' Trivia, From Swearing Lisa To 'Burns-Sexual' Smithers", MTV, 2007-07-26. Retrieved on 2007-07-29.
- ^ Jean, Al. (2003). The Simpsons season 3 DVD commentary for the episode "When Flanders Failed" [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.
- ^ McCann, Jesse L.; Matt Groening (2002). The Simpsons Beyond Forever!: A Complete Guide to Our Favorite Family ...Still Continued. HarperCollins, pp. 116-117. ISBN 0-06-050592-3.
- ^ Turner, Chris. Planet Simpson: How a Cartoon Masterpiece Documented an Era and Defined a Generation, pp. 270-271. ISBN 0-679-31318-4.
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
- Todd Flanders at TheSimpsons.com
- Rod Flanders at TheSimpsons.com
- Maude Flanders at TheSimpsons.com
- Ned Flanders at TheSimpsons.com
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