The Simpsons spoilers follow.
The Simpsons showrunner has addressed a mystery surrounding the death of beloved character Larry the Barfly.
Currently airing its 35th season, the animated series has seen Larry, one of the regulars at Moe's, drop dead in a recent episode, with Homer and the rest of the gang realising how little they knew about their drinking buddy.
Taking to Twitter/X, showrunner and executive producer Matt Selman has responded to fans' queries about why Larry's best friend Sam wasn't at his funeral.
"We talked about a throw-away joke to explain where Sam was, but we already did that with Barney," Selman responded.
"Sam couldn't go on the road trip, in that introducing essentially a new (old) character would have meant doing a different story."
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However, Selman conceded that "there was probably something else clever we could have done," and seemed open to hearing suggestions from viewers.
He answered "Yes" when a fan suggested a possible way to include Sam in the funeral scenes, writing: "You could [have] included him at the funeral all the way in the back, he doesn't even need to say anything just have him at the funeral along with Larry's mom".
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Someone else on the social platform proposed a possible sequel with both Barney and Sam finding out about Larry's passing.
"I'm open to the idea of a direct sequel about Sam and Barney finding out. It would definitely explain why Sam stopped going to Moe's," they wrote.
"For a background character who's been around since season 1, I barely knew much about the late Larry. The episode is great, btw."
The Simpsons season 35 is currently airing on Sunday nights on Fox in the US. Seasons 1-34 are currently streaming on Disney+ in the UK.
Reporter, Digital Spy
Stefania is a freelance writer specialising in TV and movies. After graduating from City University, London, she covered LGBTQ+ news and pursued a career in entertainment journalism, with her work appearing in outlets including Little White Lies, The Skinny, Radio Times and Digital Spy.
Her beats are horror films and period dramas, especially if fronted by queer women. She can argue why Scream is the best slasher in four languages (and a half).
