Will it no longer be unrequited love? Waylon Smithers has long pined for boss Mr. Burns on The Simpsons without the self-centered owner of Springfield’s nuclear power plant ever the wiser, but things are finally changing.
Yes, it took only 27 seasons, but executive producer Al Jean told TVLine that the loyal personal assistant will finally make his feelings known. Sure, the rest of the townsfolk have known that Smithers is gay, but Mr. Burns? Not so much. (Guess Smithers’ puppy-dog eyes, blind devotion, and the big fat kiss on the lips weren’t big enough hints for the old man, who is voiced by Harry Shearer.)
“We deal with that in two episodes,” Jean said of Smithers finally admitting his feelings to his boss.
But it sounds like the reveal may not be the smoothest of experiences for the hard-working executive assistant. “He gets fed up with Burns not appreciating him and considers his options,” Jean noted of one story line for the character, who is also voiced by Shearer.
There’s more than just that in store for Smithers this year, though. “We actually do a lot with Smithers this year,” Jean added.
Let’s hope that means Mr. Burns’ sidekick will finally find some love — even if only for one episode.
The Simpsons airs Sundays at 8 p.m. ET on Fox.
