The Simpsons Reviving Infamous Character After Over Three Decades
Albert Brooks' sauve French bowling instructor, Jacques, is returning to The Simpsons for the first time since Season 1.
The Simpsons have inspired artists and predicted the future for 34 seasons, and this Sunday, the series will revive a character that hasn’t uttered a word in three decades. In the season 1 episode “Life on the Fast Lane,” Marge is wooed by her bowling coach, the smooth-talking Jacques, voiced by Albert Brooks. As reported by The Independent, Brooks will return to voice Jacques and once again coach Marge as she competes in a bowling tournament.
In “Life on the Fast Lane,” Homer gives Marge a bowling ball for her birthday. The ball is clearly a gift for himself – his name is inscribed on it. Marge accepts the gift out of defiance and sets out to use it, kicking off one of The Simpsons’ most iconic episodes.
Marge struggles at the bowling alley, flinging the ball haphazardly when Jacques approaches her. The suave seduction convinces Marge to take bowling lessons from him, and he sets his plan to win her over into motion. As Marge slowly falls for Jacques, her loyalty to Homer is tested. When she comes to a literal crossroads, she chooses to go to Homer, standing Jacques up.
In a new episode, Albert Brooks is back to give Jacques his hilariously dapper French voice. The Simpsons have utilized Jacques for a handful of non-speaking cameos; the character even appears in the show’s latest intro. But now he is back for a main story, and his ulterior motives will likely be at play again.
As for Albert Brooks, he has lent his voice to many of The Simpsons’ greatest side characters, including Hank Scorpio, a mad business tycoon with villainous aspirations and great benefits. Brooks also took on the role of Brad Goodman, a motivational speaker that encourages the entire town of Springfield to act more like Bart in the episode “Bart’s Inner Child.”
Albert Brooks took another villainous role as Russ Cargill, the head of the EPA responsible for putting a dome over Springfield in The Simpsons Movie. But Brooks’ voice acting career spans far beyond The Simpsons. The actor voiced Marlin in Pixar’s Finding Nemo and Finding Dory and the grumpy hawk Tiberius in The Secret Life of Pets.
Brooks is best known in the live-action realm for his role alongside Ryan Gosling in 2011’s neo-noir cult hit Drive and his team-up with Holly Hunter and William Hurt in 1987’s Broadcast News. This Sunday, Brooks is returning to the 90s with his return to one of The Simpsons’ first guest characters.
The Simpsons have tested Homer and Marge’s relationship in several storylines over the years. Many characters have tried to come between them, but through 34 seasons, the couple has stuck it out. So have the series’ fans, who continue to support the show on its unprecedented run.
The Simpsons is the longest-running primetime television show ever made, and it keeps stacking onto its record with each passing season. The show’s critical reception has wavered over time, and while the show may be past its prime, its glory days are streaming on Disney+. With the return of Jacques in the upcoming episode, longtime fans of the show are in for a dose of nostalgia that may prove The Simpsons can still bowl a strike.
