David Cooper

0371 - Kim

Added 2024-09-16 08:00:01 +0000 UTC

Full disclosure on this one: I cannot find where Kim's name comes from. Both Simpsons Wiki and the other Simpsons wiki down by pier 17 list her name as Kim, so I'm taking it on faith for now.

Kim is Marge's high school friend:

Her brief appearance in this episode firmly established two of her main background roles going forward: "high school flashback appearance" or "protester".

She can seen in future scenes involving Homer and Marge's high school time, such as in "Brush With Greatness (season 2), "Take My Life, Please" (season 20) and "Lisa Simpson, This Isn't Your Life" (season 22):

And as a protester in "Homer Badman" (season 6) and "Girls Just Want To Have Sums" (season 17):

But beyond this, she actually can occasionally be seen just...existing in Springfield.

Watching a bus crash in "The Otto Show" (season 3)

Chasing a 10 year old boy in "Bart's Inner Child" (season 5)

Observing an old man try to sell his aphrodisiac in "Grampa vs. Sexual Inadequacy" (season 6)

Kim's continued presence only highlights the underlying sadness of Marge not having many friends in the show. She appeared to be friendly enough with this lady in high school, but at some point they must have drifted apart. Perhaps they occasionally catch each other's eye at a town hall meeting, or passing in the street, exchanging a brief knowing glance acknowledging the good times they spent together, but sharing the sorrow in knowing it can never be recaptured. They're both different people now.

Marge still keeps a piece of Kim in her heart, including a picture that has her in "The Marge Book" from 2009 (top left):