There is a good reason The Simpsons has been on the air for over three decades, and it's got a lot to do with the comedy. The humor is smart and satirical, but every once in awhile, writers toss in a scenario that is just weird. One remarkable instance of things getting stranger than usual is when Bart Simpson and Krusty the Clown have an unexpected encounter in one of the show's futuristic episodes.
In Season 25, Episode 18, "Days of Future Future," Bart gets over his recent divorce by hooking up with many women. A montage ensues of Bart's one-night stands, which even includes Lisa's former teacher, Miss Hoover. However, at one point, he wakes up in bed with Krusty the Clown and two women.
"Oh my god," Bart says, "we went home with you?"
"Not just me," Krusty says before introducing a parade of clowns that appear from beneath the bed. The implication is that they had a clown, nightmare-inducing orgy. Although viewers later find out that everything Bart experiences is simply induced from a neural implant, but it doesn't make the scene any less weird.
Aside from setting up a bad clown car joke, the scene is just wrong. Fans of The Simpsons know how important characters like Radioactive Man and Krusty are for Bart. Apart from faithfully watching Krusty's variety show daily, Bart's room is littered with Krusty the Clown merch and posters. Although the running-gag is that Krusty can never remember Bart, he still idolizes Krusty, sometimes even like a father, so this hook-up is a jaw-dropping choice.
To make matters worse, The Simpsons creator, Matt Groening, originally intended Homer and Krusty to be the same person. In a Batman/Bruce Wayne twist, Krusty the Clown was supposed to be Homer's secret alter ego; however, Homer would still be unable to get respect from his son, despite Bart loving Krusty.
Although it was a creative storyline, Groening deemed it too complicated for The Simpsons and dropped the idea. After the bedroom scene in "Days of Future Future," fans are glad he did. The situation could have quickly turned from awkward to disturbing and inappropriate.
Future Bart and Krusty's hook-up remains one of The Simpsons' most bizarre jokes, and fans could've gone without seeing it. Along with this weird encounter, there is also a moment where Homer, who has died and been loaded onto a flat screen monitor, watches Bart make out with one of his dates, making the episode itself feel strange overall.
For the most part, The Simpsons remains mild-mannered compared to some of its animated competitors like Rick and Morty. However, the "Days of Future Future" episode edges the show into adult territory. Fans normally embrace this with open arms, but Bart's pure-hearted worship of Krusty makes this hook-up wrong in so many ways.