A question about Barney in "The Simpsons"... (1 Viewer)

[Bob McLaughlin]

I thought he wasn't drinking any more (remember Moe even called him "coffee boy" the other week), but last night when he appeared in the door dressed up like the paper towel guy, he seemed to be drunk. The cleancut haircut he was sporting in the previous week seemed to be gone.

So, did he fall off the wagon, or what?

 

[Stephen Teffner]

Ya know. I can't even remember the times that Barney has gone cold turkey. Remember the time Homer and him were training for NASA. Or the time that the film festival came to Springfield? I think he has gotten on and fallen off the wagon more times than Pamela Anderson has changed boyfriends.
SteveT.

 

[Bob McLaughlin]

True. Although we know he wasn't at Moe's later on because when Moe popped in and visited the Simpsons' house, he complained that no one was at the bar.

(I run the danger of getting into nitpick territory, like the guy who wanted to know how Itchy could hit Scratchy's ribcage and get a different tone even though he hit the same rib twice! "Are we supposed to believe that this is some sort of magic xylophone?")

 

[Anthony Hom]

According to Xena (I mean Lucy Lawless), "I was because of a Wizard"

Barney quit drinking during that episode he learned to fly a helicopter (he forgot why he was handcuffed to a police car door). Moe still has him hooked on Lattes.

Maybe Homer had to get him drunk again to imitate the Burley paper towel guy.

 

[Chucky P]

I remember at the end of the helicopter episode when Barney got hooked on Lattes he gave his trademark burp so maybe he got drunk off of the coffee.

 

[Mitty]

I wouldn't make the mistake of looking for continuity on The Simpsons.
I actually thought it was pretty weird when they showed Barney drinking coffee at the bar, as it was some evidence of continuity.
They've even made fun of it themselves, in the episode where Homer and Flanders become best friends. Lisa tells Bart not to worry about it, that by next week it'll "be like it never happened."
Also, the episode where Principal Skinner is revealed as Armin Tanzarian. They legally confer the name of Seymour Skinner on him, and instruct the townspeople that it must never be brought up again, "under penalty of torture."

 

[Keith Mickunas]

The episode where Marge befriended the guy in prison had a great continuity problem. One time when Marge looked out the kitchen window she saw the prison, another time she saw Springfield Elementary, and they were in the exact same location. I wonder how they screwed that up.
When was the helicopter episode? It seems like that was a while back, and I'm almost certain Barney drank since then. I can't imagine him going that long without being drunk. In fact I was surprised to see him drinking coffee in that one episode recently.

 

[AndrewD]

I don't mind continuity problems so much, but Sunday's episode had one that seemed bigger than a Magic Xylophone. It's been brought up in a few episodes that the reason Homer is working at the Power Plant is because he showed up on the day it opened. In fact, it was a big part of the flashback episode when Marge got knocked up. But according to last night, the Power Plant had been around since they were kids. Was this explained somehow and I just couldn't hear it over my constant laughter?

 

[brentl]

"I just couldn't hear it over my constant laughter? " Was it Homer and his constant screaming?
Brent

 

[Mitty]

It's been brought up in a few episodes that the reason Homer is working at the Power Plant is because he showed up on the day it opened.

I don't think so. During the flashback episode going back to Marge and Homer's dating/unexpected pregancy/wedding, there is a scene where he interviews with two other guys, who are frat brothers to Smithers. So, he goes to work at the Gulp 'n' Blow. Then, later in a fit of rage (the last straw being that the employees in the power plant get donuts - "all the colours of the rainbow") he storms into Mr. Burns office and demands a job, and gets it as Burns considers him a perfect employee - "ambitious, yet spineless" or something like that.

 

[Keith Mickunas]

I believe in that flashback episode there was mention of the new nuclear plant that was opening, or something like that. Of course, if you consider how many regulatory hoops the plants have to go through, it could very well be that it was built and tested when Homer was a child, and then went online several years later when he was graduating from high school.
That being said, I would like to point out that the Simpson's has never been consistent with regards to time or geography. Why would anyone ever expect a cartoon like this to make sense? Are you people out of your minds? I mean this place has a quarry, a gorge, a desert, a mountain, one bridge leading out of town, the ocean, a river, redwoods (or some other giant tree) and the full range of seasons. Where on Earth could Springfield possibly be? And you guys are concerned about why Barney was drinking coffee?

 

[Mitty]

Not to mention that no one on the show has aged in 12 years. We've had a dozen separate Halloweens, Christmases, Thanksgivings, etc. and no time has elapsed - Bart is still 10, Lisa is still 8, Maggie is still sucking her pacifier, Grandpa and Mr. Burns are still alive...

 

[Chuck L]

Why put this much thought into the show to begin with. Simply enjoy the show and have that be that. Though logically a lot of things in the Simpson's Universe couldn't happen, it is a freaking cartoon to begin with. The only boundaries that the show has, are the ones set by those that are watching it and trying to make sense of it.