Fox recently announced that The Simpsons will have a 40th season, scheduled for 2030. With so many episodes, the animated series has seen hundreds of characters come and go, some of whom would have deserved more development. With the upcoming seasons, the series could take the opportunity to bring back eight who were unfairly forgotten.
#1 Frank Grimes Jr.
One of the most iconic episodes of The Simpsons is Homer's Enemy (season 8). It introduces Frank Grimes, a character whose life no one would envy. Despite everything, he is hired at the Springfield Nuclear Power Plant, and that's where the trouble begins. Homer gradually drives him insane, to the point where he loses his life. Years later, in episode 6 of season 14, his son, Frank Grimes Jr., appears with the goal of revenge. He ends up languishing in prison, never to resurface, which is a shame. While Sideshow Bob is a recurring character as Bart's enemy, Frank Grimes Jr. could have played a similar role for Homer. An episode dedicated to his redemption would have been just as interesting.
#2 Cecil Terwilliger
Staying in the realm of Simpson family enemies, Cecil is clearly an underutilized character. Long in his brother's shadow, in Brothers Enemies (season 8), he attempts to succeed where Sideshow Bob failed: eliminate Bart. He does make a return in season 19 to help his brother commit the irreparable, but since then, nothing. Cecil is nevertheless a fascinating character, because behind his composure and intelligence, he is deeply disturbed. He is perhaps even better when he acts against his brother, an angle that the series really deserved to explore more.
#3 Mindy Simmons
Central lacked a female presence, and Mindy came to fill this void. She first appears in The Last Temptation of Homer (season 5), an episode where she becomes very close to Homer, until he chooses to remain faithful to Marge. After that, Mindy remained on the sidelines, appearing only in the background at the station. The series could have focused on what became of her after her "relationship" with Homer or even focused on her place as a woman at the station. Unfortunately, this was never the case.
#4 Colin
A character created for The Simpsons Movie, Colin was one of Lisa's loves. The young Irishman, however, never really made his mark on the show, making only two brief appearances. This is incomprehensible, since he could have been a very close friend of Lisa. Moreover, the show had a perfect opportunity to bring him back with In the Name of the Grandfather (season 20), an episode set in Ireland.
#5 Laura Powers
The Simpsons' neighbors never lasted long on the show, and Laura is proof of that. While her mother, Ruth, is a recurring character, the same cannot be said for her daughter. Aside from The Prettiest on the Block (season 4), Laura has been completely forgotten in the rest of the series. Yet, she's a cool character who would have even been useful for Lisa. She could have seen in her the big sister she never had, and which might have even caused jealousy in Bart. It's clearly a missed opportunity.
#6 Rex Banner
Homer, the Beer Baron (season 8) reinstates Prohibition in Springfield. To enforce the law, the town receives a visit from Rex Banner, an agent straight out of a film noir. Even though he's fired at the end of the episode, he could have returned in another role or even for a new investigation. It would have made him at least a competent police officer in the city if he had been more present.
#7 Herbert Powell
Fluctuat Homergitur (season 2) and The Return of the Prodigal Brother (season 3) are two episodes that fans really like. It's safe to say that the "arc" around Homer's half-brother Herbert is over. However, he could still bring a lot to the series. He would have deserved to have a relationship with Homer as developed as the one the latter has with Mona Simpson. In the end, Herbert only makes a brief vocal appearance in To Enemy Tutor-Tutor (season 24) to reveal that he has become poor again. A sad fate for him.
#8 Hank Scorpio
Hank is the most underrated villain in the series. Only present in A World Too Perfect (season 8), he was completely sidelined. Given his resources and his personality, he could have offered some completely crazy episodes. However, the series never managed to exploit his full potential.
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