The internet has willed a new Simpsons character named Graggle into existence
Tracing the legend of Graggle, a Simpsons character who never was, back to its origins
In 1997, The Simpsons gave us the character of Poochie, a cynical addition to the in-universe Itchy & Scratchy Show meant to appease its fictional producers by introducing a focus-tested new element to the flagging cartoon. Decades later, Poochie—whose episode was created in response to executives suggesting the show bring a new member into the Simpson family—has manifested in a roundabout way with Graggle, a new character conjured up by the internet and placed into old episodes through image and video edits.
Graggle, the idea goes, has always existed but the same collective memory defects that caused us to forget that they were always called The Berenstain Bears (or that Seann William Scott once played “karate meister” Vincey Masters) has led us to forget about him.
To support this theory, people have made clips of Simpsons episodes that show the jaundiced alien creature hanging out with the family. Some of these aren’t all that convincing. Others incorporate Graggle more naturally. There’s even fake Graggle merchandise, VHS slipcovers, Wiki entries, and screenshots.