In the “The Simpsons” episode “Yellow Lotus” (October 6, 2024), the titular family stays at an exclusive resort. Unbeknownst to the hotel staff, the Simpsons are squatting there and sleeping in a cargo hold used by a very wealthy guest: the new wife of their old enemy, Sideshow Bob (Kelsey Grammer). As “The Simpsons” fans know, there will inevitably be some shenanigans going on. Oh, and murder. There will probably be a murder. The episode begins with Home and Marge finding a dead body in the ocean.
As with most “Simpsons” plotlines, the explanation of how our heroes ended up at the resort is a bit convoluted. It appears that Marge (Julie Kavner) and Homer (Dan Castellaneta) have been investing in timeshare properties for the past decade, starting when Marge was still pregnant with Bart. When the time finally comes for the family to enjoy their timeshare vacation, they discover that a decade of investment has only allowed them to spend 20 minutes on the property. So they sneak back into the mansion and hunker down in the luggage room.
This shady timeshare deal was, as seen in flashback, arranged by Nick Callahan (Hank Azaria), the character who sold it very hard, quite aggressively admitting it was a scam. Fortunately, Homer and Marge have the opportunity to confront Nick Callahan in the present, who is also at the facility. He admits that it was a scam and that now he has bigger and better scams. Homer and Marge are depressed that they can't stop him. However, in a fit of karmic justice, Nick is attacked by a drugged otter. He won't survive.
I talk to ScreenRant about “Yellow Lotus” and other episodes in “The Simpsons” season 36, series producer Al Jean reminded readers that the late Nick Callahan was, in fact, a recurring character previously seen in the episode “Realty Bites,” which premiered on December 7, 1997.
RIP Nick Callahan
In “Realty Bites”, Marge is on her way home (Homer bought a criminal's car at a police auction and she doesn't want to drive it) when she meets Lionel Hutz (Phil Hartman) selling a house in the neighborhood. Marge gets the idea that she, too, would make a good home salesperson and immediately tries to get her real estate license. She studies hard, earns her certification, and secures a job at Red Blazer Realty, happy to be wearing the proper uniform. While giving a tour of the office, Marge meets Nick Callahan, the uber-cool star of the office. When he makes a sale, he says “Boo-yah” and makes phone calls with a fancy headset. “I thought these only existed in the movies!” Marge's notes. Let us recall that the episode was broadcast in 1997.
Al Jean, who oversees “The Yellow Lotus,” noted that killing off a well-known character would have a greater impact on the series. Plus, writing a parody of the popular genre-blending satirical series “The White Lotus,” death was necessary. Okay, maybe Nick Callahan wasn't exactly famous, but at least he was a pre-existing character. As Jean put it:
“Last week in the premiere, we killed off Nick, the realtor from Season 9 in “Yellow Lotus,” a parody of “The White Lotus.” It's convenient in a way because you have something like “The White Lotus” where, you know, someone's going to die, but it's not going to be Dr. Hibbert or Bob from Sideshow. So it's a character – this Nick – but it's also someone who could be lost because he wasn't on the show. series for 27 years.”
“The Simpsons” is usually about death, in the past permanently killing off only super-cool jazz musician Bleeding Gums Murphy and square Christian housewife Maude Flanders (the presumed dead Dr. Marvin Monroe is back). Nick Callahan wasn't particularly loved or even remembered, so it's safe to assume he left the show for good.
OR IS HE?
(Yes, it probably is.)
