Ah, Waylon Smithers of The Simpsons. What would Mr. Burns do without his right-hand man? He probably will seek some other poor soul to assist in his dirty work and let him take the fall for his schemes.
However, Smithers has zero intentions of ever leaving Burns or changing his special "feelings" about his boss. Smithers' ongoing pursuit of Burns' affection (despite the old guy being oblivious to the advances) has been a running gag since The Simpsons began as a series. Because of this, fans realized there's more to Mr. Smithers than meets the eye, concluding that he's a member of the LGBTQ Community despite being "closeted" until season 27th when Smithers officially came out as a gay man in the episode "The Burns Cage."
And so did the continuation of pursuing of "earning" Mr. Burns' heart.
The Burns-Smithers relationship is one of TV's most iconic and well-known duos, and while they're both individual characters with personalities, "Smurns" are nearly always together. If not at the plant, it's either at Burns' massive estate or a town function. And let's face it: The Simpsons took a bold and brave step when Matt Groening and his team introduced one of TV's first-ever LGBTQ characters. While there have been other LGBTQ storylines in episodes such as The Golden Girls, St. Elsewhere, and All in the Family, The Simpsons were among the first shows to have a permanent LGBTQ character.
Smithers portrayed a realistic semblance, which didn't make him any less of an individual or diminish his worth. He was graciously accepted among his peers, and everyone knew that he was gay; they just thought nothing of it, as it should be. LGBTQ stories deserve to be told and listened to because they're vital to humanity and its course.
I love that Smithers exists because he's comfortable with who he is, and I think that relates to the audience as a whole because everyone should feel comfortable with themselves. If someone objects, that's on them and not the individual expressing themselves.
But here's a thing you probably haven't noticed, and it's a principle theory of mine; Smithers single-handling changed the LGBTQ TV landscape by allowing other shows to create queer characters to reflect with the audience and give arcs substantial buildup. We've got prolific characters such as Clarke Griffin from The 100, and Kurt Hummel from Glee, and even the Australian children's animation Bluey has an LGBTQ character if you truly focus on them, as they're only mentioned. These are just a few revolutionary characters under the rainbow umbrella that altered the media landscape.
Who woould have thought that The Simpsons would be the show that catapulted it?
5 Smithers and Burns moments from The Simpsons
Now, Mr. Burns wouldn't survive without his Smithers, and that's a fact. And, of course, it's not right to conclude this piece without a few The Simpsons moments. Naturally, we're going with "Smurns" as the ship created a few hilarious ones.
"Happy birthday Mr. Smithers"
Season 5 "Rosebud"
When Burns is grieving for his childhood toy, his teddy bear, Bobo, and truthfully speaks that no one ever gets what they want, Smithers dreams of his ultimate gift. His boss in his bony, slim form popping out of a cake, wearing nothing but a sash.
"Waterloo"
Season 7: "Mother Simpson"
Another great "Smurns" moment is the "Waterloo" scene from season 7. In it, the tyrannical Burns is on his mission to capture Homer's mother, Mona, who's wanted by the FBI. He barricadeds the Simpson residence with the armed forces and him in a tank.
The hilarious oddity was when Burns injected the tape, it was initially "Ride of the Valkyrie," composed by Richard Wagner, but it changed over to ABBA's "Waterloo." Smithers taped over it, and Burns just gave him a suspicious look. Yet, the tune was perfect to encapsulate the family's fear in an ironic twist.
"Something Gay"
Season 8: "The Springfield Files"
Burns' idea of gay and Smithers' idea of gay are two very different definitions. Such as when his boss asks about his weekend plans and wonders if he is up to "something gay.". Burns' assumption threw off Smithers and nearly revealed his "secret."
Thankfully, Burns used the Victorian definition of gay, and Smithers took a sigh of relief.
"Ignore That"
Season 5 "Lisa vs. Malibu Stacy"
Lisa heads over to Smithers' apartment as he is Malibu Stacy's biggest collector and might know some insights regarding the doll's designer last known whereabouts. Smithers offers a Lisa a copy of his newsletter, but forgets that his turn on screen is Mr. Burns and he quotes in glitched montones, "Hello Smithers. You're quite good at tuning me on."
The scenario was definitely awkward, but it was classic.
"Oh, Hot Dog"
Season 2: "Homer Defined"
Fearing for their lives, Smithers truly believed that he wouldn't have another chance to tell Burns that he loves him. The moment was a shock for the nuclear boss and placed him in an uncomfortable social situation. Despite that no one else is in the office except he and his assistant.
The interaction was nonetheless made a great TV moment.