You'll never guess who topped this Character List (rolls eyes)

Controversial? Simpson's likeliehood to be atop a greatest characters list is akin to the Beatles or Elvis being atop a music list. They've been around for a long time, and everyone is familiar with them.
 
Homer deserves the #1 spot, no contest.

The fact that Jane Lynch's character from Glee is #18 is apalling.

I was also infuriated seeing Edward Cullen ranking highly in the list.

They do realize these are the 100 Greatest Characters of the past 20 years.
 
I'm not implying she's a bad character but the show has only aired 20 episodes and she's already in the Top 20 characters of the past two decades.

Seems like EW really jumped the gun on that one.
 
If this list was "Characters that have worn out their welcome", I'd agree, but because Homer stopped being genuinely cool ten years ago and exists on a two-bit network that refuses to end the show.
 
I don't get it. You have a Simpson's avatar (which implies some like of the show), yet you are appalled that the character topped the list? :shrug:
 
I'd say that Homer topping this list is actually a pretty good call. Not sure I can think of any other character that I could say unquestionably deserved the title in his place.
 
It's possible to like "The Simpsons" and still be disappointed with the current state of the show. I'm very much in the same boat as simpspin - the show is about ten years past its expiration date, but in the '90s it was pure genius.

If this list was made in 1996 or 1997, then I'd agree with Homer making the top spot. At that time, Homer's characterization was absolutely perfect: dim, slow-witted, and impulsive, but still a good-natured guy who tries to do the right thing, even if he doesn't know how. Quite a stark contrast to the loud, obnoxious, self-centered pain magnet he turned into just a few years later and has essentially remained ever since.
 
If they wanted a controversal character, they should take a look at somebody from South Park. It's much more offending to certain religious institutions than The Simpsons. The Simpsons are so tame compared to them, especially after 21 years nonstop broadcasting.
 
Homer and the Simpsons deserve to top any list, love the fact that haters are angry.Not everyone is jumping on the hate bandwagon of the newer episodes.Isn't it funny how a lot of the haters still watch new episodes of the show
 
Sounds a lot like a certain member(s) of the Griffin family. I think not only Homer has gone through that stage, Peter, and every other character in Family Guy has gone from having a likable, yet quirky personality. To being a puppet for the writers to tell jokes through.
 
Jeezus, stop using the word "hater", you sound like the kind of guy Spose made fun of in that song "I'm Awesome!".

As for why I strongly disagree with Homer being number one, but this guy said it best:

"pop culture appeal is ALL that is factoring into this decision. i expect that for Entertainment Weekly, but i still have trouble understanding the value of a list that regurgitates all of the pop culture icons everyone already knows and loves under the obnoxious title of 'GREATEST CHARACTER IN LAST TWENTY YEARS,' and why people are actually coming to its defense. the entire point of the list is to pander to what's recognizable just so people can shill out money for a terrible publication that only reinforces their closed-off, insulated view of global culture. the only reason i can think of what's wrong with putting an obscure choice in number one is that popularity or products that can generate a profit are somehow the equivalent of greatness, which is the absolute worst way of thinking about anything ever, and that if someone decided to make a list based on cultural and literary merit instead of popularity, Entertainment Weekly wouldn't be able to sell a publication."
 
It does seem they were thinking too much about what was most popular right now rather than what characters were actually the best. Where's Pinky and the Brain? Lyra or Iorek from His Dark Materials? Bender?
 
*Sigh* I wish people would stop dismissing criticism of the modern Simpsons episodes by saying that people who dislike them are just "jumping on a bandwagon". Iv'e told my own story regarding how i started noticing that the quailty of The Simpsons had gone down to many times already, so i wont do it again. But to make i long story short, when i first saw season 10, i started to consider the show to not be as funny and well written as it used to be, despite NOT KNOWING that anyone else thoght the same. So i sure as hell didn't jump on any god damn "bandwagon".
 
What I find to be funny is how hardcore fans of a TV show typically label anyone who isn't a hardcore fan as a "hater". I'm neither a hater nor do I watch the new episodes of the show. I fell out of love for The Simpsons over a decade ago, and I haven't looked at the show since. When I stopped laughing, I stopped watching. Simple as that. It is possible to feel nothing for the franchise, just as is it possible to have criticism(s) of a show, even one that you enjoy, without hating on it. The claim that "Homer and the Simpsons deserve to top any list" sounds like classic hardcore fandom to me, which is just as misguided as hardcore anti-fandom is.
 
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