THE SIMPSONS Introduced Marge’s Secret Aunt and Killed Off a Longtime Character

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When The Simpsons unexpectedly kills off a character who’s been around for a while, it usually makes headlines. The show’s latest episode began with the sudden death of Alice Glick, a character first introduced when Bart did yard work for her back in season two. She passed away while playing the piano at church, but her death didn’t cause much of a stir in Springfield. The bigger news in the episode, titled “Sashes to Sashes,” was the introduction of Marge’s secret aunt, Beatrice Bouvier, voiced by Carrie Coon – a woman betrayed by Mayor Joe Quimby to appease his father.

The Simpsons episode “Sashes to Sashes” centers on Bart running for student council president to help his sister, Lisa, compete against Joe Quimby III. While researching the Quimby family’s history of scandals, Lisa finds a wedding photo showing Joe Quimby, Jr. marrying a woman connected to Marge’s family – young Marge, Patty, and Selma were all flower girls in the picture.

Lisa presses Marge about a secret aunt, Beatrice Bouvier, but Marge avoids the topic. The story then reveals how Joe Quimby, Sr. – originally named O’Shaughnessy – escaped poverty and abandoned his family in Ireland as a child. Arriving in America, where Irish immigrants faced discrimination, he shockingly killed the leader of the local Italian mafia in a scene reminiscent of The Godfather Part II. He then took control of the mafia’s operations and became wealthy, but his attempts to enter politics were met with ridicule. The show continued to draw inspiration from the Kennedy family’s history, using actors Brendan and Domhnall Gleeson to portray Quimby Sr. at different ages, as he pressures his son to follow in his footsteps and pursue a political career.

I always felt so bad for Marge’s mom, Beatrice! It’s just awful to think that the man who eventually became mayor only got elected because of her. And then, his own father basically told him he had to cheat on her if he wanted to get anywhere in politics! He promised Beatrice he wouldn’t actually go through with it, just to appease his dad, but she couldn’t handle even the idea of it. It broke her heart so much she left, and I remember being devastated learning that she told little four-year-old Marge that princesses and happy endings aren’t real. It’s a really sad backstory, honestly.

Returning to the current time, Joe Quimby III narrowly wins against Bart. It’s Lisa who convinces him to step down and end the long history of Quimby family corruption. The episode then shifts to a touching visit with Marge’s aunt Beatrice, arguably the highlight of the show. Here, Marge reveals the lasting pain caused by something her aunt said, despite Beatrice following the family’s life. The scene is particularly well-acted, with Carrie Coon flawlessly mimicking the Bouvier family’s vocal style.

The episode also hints that Beatrice will become a recurring character in the Simpsons’ lives, which is something most viewers would welcome. It would be great if future episodes acknowledged other past guest stars, too. The death of Alice Glick felt like just a plot device to bring in a new character, and deserved more attention.

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2025-11-19 18:35