Behind the line
What it means
Our interpretation.
It is Homer's whole character in two syllables and a noun: appetite switching his brain off. The "Mmm..." template (beer, chocolate, forbidden donut) lets the writers make him stall mid-scene for a laugh, but the doughnut is the version fans picked, helped by the pink-iced doughnut becoming the show's main icon. It now works as a general noise of temptation, from merchandise to crossovers.
Context reviewed
In context
Spoilers for The SimpsonsShow the scene
Homer's drool-and-murmur "Mmm..." is a running gag that began in the first season with a different food each time; fan wikis log marshmallow in "There's No Disgrace Like Home" (1990) as the earliest. The plain "Mmm... donuts" is logged in "Homer at the Bat" (1992), and it becomes the show's best-known version in "Treehouse of Horror IV" (aired 28 October 1993). In the segment "The Devil and Homer Simpson", Homer, desperate after Carl and Lenny have eaten every doughnut, shouts that he would sell his soul for one. Ned Flanders, as the Devil, hands him a doughnut, and Homer drools over the "forbidden donut".
Sources (2)
- Simpsons Wiki: Mmm... (catchphrase page)episode-by-episode list of Homer's "Mmm..." linesReference checked
- Simpsons Wiki: Treehouse of Horror IVSynopsis, "The Devil and Homer Simpson"Reference checked
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