Featured Image Credit: Disney
Topics: Film and TV, The Simpsons
Rhiannon Ingle
The Simpsons pretty much dominated our childhoods so there's no surprise it's garnered a loyal cult following throughout the years.
However, due to the re-emergence of a particularly controversial character, audiences have started to call out the show's creators and have not held back.
Fans have since pointed a major 'plot hole' after the character in question had not made a reappearance in over three decades. Remember him?
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Created by cartoonist legend Matt Groening, The Simpsons has been running since 1989 - boasting 745 episodes over 34 very eventful seasons.
The television series currently holds the record for the longest-running prime-time sitcom in the US, going on for a colossal 34 years in total since its debut in the late 80s.
And a lot of the show's success is down to the iconic inner-circle of characters, Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie alongside the various other iconic characters who have since helped shape pop culture as we know it.
From Apu's 'thank you, come again' to Ned Flanders' 'okily dokily', it's clear that the background roles are just as important as the immediate dysfunctional family unit itself.
And this was no different for one of Marge's prospective love interests, who was first introduced to the show over thirty years back.
However, creators have now brought him back and fans are not holding back on their reactions to it.
The character of Jacques - a French bowling instructor who once pursued an affair with Marge - starred in the show's latest episode that first aired last night (19 March) titled 'Pin Girl'.
The smooth-talking, turtleneck-wearing bowler has not been seen since he appeared in the episode 'Life on the Fast Lane' which came out yonks ago in 1990.
Jacques, voiced by comedian and filmmaker Albert Brooks, returned back into Marge's hectic life to get her tournament-ready for an upcoming bowling competition.
Many fans were excited to see the familiar face yet again with one Twitter user writing: "Nice to hear the voice of Albert Brooks on The Simpsons again tonight. The funniest, the best."
"I don't often catch the newer The Simpsons episodes," a second revealed, "but I watched this one because I heard Jacques was returning."
However, others pointed out that Jacques' return proved for a major continuity error in the long-running sitcom.
Jacques first appearance in the 90s led to Marge considering a potential romantic affair with him, yet she decided to keep it loyal to hubby Homer in the end, who was none the wiser
It was later revealed in the sixth season on the episode, titled 'Another Simpsons Clip Show', that Homer was eventually aware of his wife's extracurricular activities.
But, in last night's episode, Homer returns back to being in the dark about what once went down with Marge and Jacques.
One eagle-eyed viewer wrote: "I don’t know if I like the idea of The Simpsons basically retconning Marge telling Homer how she almost cheated on him with Jacques."
"The most substantial part, if any, of ‘Another Simpsons Clip Show’ was Marge and Homer sharing their moments of almost-affair with each other," pointed out another.
A third noted: "Homer already learned about Jacques. I know there’s flexibility with canon but... c’mon The Simpsons team (Still love the reprisal)."
The Simpsons writer and executive producer, AI Jean, has since released a statement to settle the issue of Jacques once and for all.
He tweeted: "I think it goes without saying, but clip shows aren’t canon."
Well, that explains that then.