The Flanders Transformation

[James]

I personally doubt Flanders was originally meant to be religious, more of a well-off next-door neighbor who was a plot device for a family more rich, not more friendly or religious than them. The writers probably just figured if he is more wealthy, why not they be the more perfect family in every way? Any thoughts?

 

[Finch 182]

your right

If you listen to the commentary on the first season dvd for "simpsons roasting on an open fire" you hear someone mention that flanders in the episode is"not the over-religious" person he is in later seasons.

 

[Cole]

They also use the Gimmell family in the First Season several time ("There's No Disgrace Like Home" and "Call of the Simpsons") which are sort of a pre-Flanders family. I wish they would bring them back.

 

[Splashmore]

I do recall that commentary on the DVD also. I don't think that Flanders was originally meant to be that religious.

 

[mr. broom]

In early seasons, his purpose seemed to be to serve as contrast between the Simpsons (lower middle-class) and the upper middle-class. He always had nice things (the nice RV in Call of the Simpsons, the Assassins sneakers in the obedience school ep) that the Simpsons couldn't really afford. He was a goody-goody, so it was easy to make him a really saccharine-sweet conservative Christian in later seasons.

 

[James]

Actually, in Season One he wasn't really a goody-goody. Calling Homer "Simpson" and all. He was only mildly religious until Season Three, I can remember some early moments of him being religious: The concert in "Bart the Daredevil", praying in "Dead Putting Society". Season Three was really when he blew up a bit into being mainly religious.