'The Simpsons' Kills Off Beloved Character, Apparently for the Second Time

The Simpsons has permanently killed off a notable character after 34 years and 35 seasons, but it’s led to some humorous confusion amongst fans.

Alice Glick Is Dead

On the Nov. 16 episode of The Simpsons, Springfield’s beloved church organist, Alice Glick, died in front of the entire congregation during one of Reverend Lovejoy’s sermons. When she made her debut in the 21st episode of season 2, “Three Men and a Comic Book,” Alice was voiced by legendary actor and comedian Cloris Leachman. Tress MacNeille adopted the role in 2021 after Leachman’s death.

“In a sense, Alice the organist will live forever, through the beautiful music she made,” executive producer Tim Glick confirmed in a statement. “But in another, more important sense, yep, she's dead as a doornail.”

But Some Believe Alice Already Died

But Alice’s death has caused some confusion amongst fans, many of whom were under the impression that she had already died in the episode “Replaceable You.” In that season 23 episode, Alice is attacked by a robotic seal and later appears as a ghost to other Springfield residents. But Alice then returned to the show in human form, with no explanation for her supposed reincarnation, leading some fans to posit that her death by seal had been non-canonical.

“She died back in season 23 [from] robotic seals, but then a few seasons ago she was alive again for a small speaking role,” one fan explained on X. “This time her second death seems to be the main focus of an episode, so this should be permanent.”

Notable Character Deaths

The Simpsons has killed off several significant characters over the course of its 34 years on the air. Perhaps the most famous was the death of Maude Flanders, neighbor to Homer and Marge and wife of Ned Flanders. The character fell to her death in season 11 after being shot with a t-shirt gun at a racetrack, leaving Ned a widower. The death occurred after voice actor Maggie Roswell left the show due to a pay dispute. As TV Guide reports, the show has also seen the deaths of Bleeding Gums Murphy, Fat Tony, Edna Krabapple, Mona Simpson, Snowball II, and more.