The Simpsons Character Who Had Young Fans Thoroughly Creeped Out

"The Simpsons" has ruled the airwaves for over three decades and in that time has introduced a beloved roster of characters. While there are mainstays like the Simpson family and Homer's various buddies and coworkers, the series has excelled at creating colorful characters who only pop up for one episode. Perhaps the most comical is Hank Scorpio, Homer's temporary boss whose friendly nature masks his supervillain tendencies. And who can forget Lyle Lanley, the charismatic conman who duped the city of Springfield into installing a money pit of a monorail?

With eccentric characters like these, who can blame young viewers for being drawn to "The Simpsons"? After all, the raunchy but methodical humor and wacky scenarios are perfect fodder for kids to enjoy. That being said, "The Simpsons" is inherently a show for adults. Series creator Matt Groening said as much in an interview with The Chicago Tribune in 1990, the year the animated sitcom entered its sophomore year. "'The Simpsons` is not written for kids; it's written for adults,” Groening said, before saying that the show would be enjoyable for families as a whole. "It's going to offer something for every member of the family ... Adults are going to enjoy the witty dialogue and the funny story turns and kids are going to enjoy some of the wild sight gags."

Groening was right. "The Simpsons" is arguably one of most perfect shows to ever be produced. But the creator wasn't lying when he said the show was made for adults, as there's one specific character that terrified young viewers for years. 

Reddit user u/sketch3247 took to "The Simpsons" fan subreddit to discuss how Ms. Botz (full name Lucille Botzcowski, voiced by Penny Marshall) terrified them when they were younger. The character debuted in the Season 1 finale, titled "Some Enchanted Evening." In the episode, Marge and Homer Simpson (Julie Kavner and Dan Castellaneta) hire Ms. Botz to babysit their children, failing to realize that Lucille is none other than the notorious Babysitter Bandit, known to steal homes of their valuables. "There was like nothing funny or likable about her at all, she had to be the most genuinely threatening villain on the show," wrote u/Philkindred12. In the episode, Ms. Botz attempts to capture Lisa and Bart after they discover her identity. User u/BACK2CYWG revealed that they last saw the episode when they were 12 and are too afraid to revisit it.

u/BlueberryFields87 also detailed their relationship with the episode, saying, "I was probably 6 or 7 when I saw this and it scared me more than their Halloween specials."  Meanwhile, u/JFKRFKSRVLBJ suggested that the episode shocked many because "the entire first season has some pretty bleak vibes and a disturbing animation style." 

"Some Enchanted Evening" was actually the first episode animated for the series but after several production issues relating to the animation, the episode was pushed back (via The A.V. Club). This creepy "The Simpsons" episode was later reanimated, though it still stands out due to its visual quirks and terrifying villain.