The Simpsons is a decades-long comedy series that spans countless characters, arcs, and locations. Animating all this is no small feat, so it seems natural that a few mistakes would slip through the cracks on occasion.
But a spot in one Simpsons episode has caught the attention of one of the show’s writers, and adds what we think is a hilarious detail to the animated series.
The flub in question appears in The Simpsons season 7 episode 8, called ‘Mother Simpson’. When Homer decides to fake his own death to get off work (we’ve all been there), he encounters his long-lost mother Mona. Mona was a recurring character on the TV series, and was voiced by one of the best actors of all time, Glenn Close.
During one scene, we see a headstone marked with Homer’s name, though something is a little off. It’s not the best image given the age of the episode, but see if you can spot the error:
If your vision is up to scratch, you’ll spot that the dedication is marked ‘Homer J. Simson’. Granted, it’s not the most egregious mistake that could have happened, but it does serve as a bit of an insult to the titular Simpson family.
Josh Weinstein, a writer on The Simpsons, acknowledged the misspelling on his Twitter, writing, “Whoa, great catch! I didn’t notice until you just pointed it out that in the wide shot, it DOES have the mistaken design with the missing ‘P’! I guess I should’ve been fired for that blunder.”
You may also remember this episode for being the one that tore your heart open during the final scene. When Homer says goodbye to Mona once again, he sits and waits on his car before heading home, providing us with one of the most touching images the series ever gave us that lasts throughout the credits. (Watch the scene below, if you can bear it.)
For more of The Simpsons, you can check out the joke in every episode of The Simpsons you’ve never noticed, our list of the best Simpsons characters, and our (attempt) at answering the question: Will The Simpsons ever end?