The following contains spoilers for The Simpsons season 36 episode 2, "The Yellow Lotus," now streaming on Hulu

guest stars and minor players in The Simpsons' world.

Season 36's "The Yellow Lotus" highlights this problem with the way it brings back Bob. Still played by a perpetually game Kelsey Grammer, Bob has a minor but important role in the episode. This episode also introduces a new ing character into his life in the form of the character's newest love interest, which comes at the cost of Bob's previous romantic relationships. One of those previous relationships still stands as one of the most underutilized ing characters in The Simpsons history, whose potential was never fully reached — and whose return to the show could revitalize Bob in future stories.

The Simpsons Gives Sideshow Bob His Third Wife

The Simpsons Introduces Bob's New Wife, Tasha

The Simpsons season 36 gives Sideshow Bob a third wife, without ever delving into what happened to his second one, sca. Season 36's "The Yellow Lotus" brings back Bob and reveals he's gained a surprising new wife in the form of the wealthy Tasha. Tasha and Bob are engaged to be wed, leaving the titular family suspicious of Bob's intentions. This makes perfect sense, given the plot of season 3's "Black Widower" saw Bob marry Selma in a bid to steal her money. Even Bob acknowledges that reality when he accepts their suspicions, bargaining with the Simpsons to keep quiet.

Despite these fears, "The Yellow Lotus" reveals that Bob seems to be genuinely innocent, seemingly bolstered by the fortune he made with his collapsible rake. Instead, the relationship is thrown off when the unexpectedly unstable and unpredictable Tasha suddenly pushes Bob off the side of a cliff. This potentially leaves Bob open to other romantic options in future episodes, such as a return of his love interest Cassandra from season 31's "Bobby, It's Cold Outside." However, it also opens the door for the return of sca, Bob's second wife and a seemingly forgotten member of The Simpsons' massive ing cast.

Sideshow Bob's Second Wife Was A Great Simpsons Minor Character

What Happened To sca?

sca was introduced in season 17's "The Italian Bob." Played by Maria Grazia Cucinotta, sca lived in the small Tuscan village of Salsiccia. When Bob relocated to Italy in a bid to escape his feud with the Simpsons, he became mayor and fell in love with sca. By the time the Simpson family encountered Bob again while in Italy themselves, Bob and sca had married and even had a son, Gino. Initially kept in the dark about Bob's criminal past, sca and Gino proved incredibly content with Bob's homicidal rage, even working with him to try and kill the Simpsons.

sca brought out a new side of Bob, showcasing a genuine element of a character who is often seen mid-performance or amid a manic turn. Bob and sca seemed to genuinely love one another, making their matching homicidal rage surprisingly complimentary. Gino shared their bloodthirsty nature, but was also seen playfully dancing along with Maggie at one point. Both characters brought something different out of Bob, and fit easily into his orbit. Their episode even ended with a vow of a "family style" vendetta that was never truly followed up on, which is a shame given the potential of sca.

The Simpsons Wasted Sideshow Bob's ing Characters

Sideshow Bob's Family Has Fallen By The Wayside

The Simpsons has a very deep bench of ing characters, thanks to the show's long-running nature. Many times, the characters played by guest stars only appear a few times, justifying why they fade into the background. Sideshow Bob is the exception to the rule, with Kelsey Grammer reprising the role over a dozen times by the time of writing. However, The Simpsons has never used Bob's own ing cast to their full potential. Alongside sca and Gino, Bob's return in season 19's "Funeral For a Fiend" featured the return of his previously introduced brother Cecil, as well as their parents.

However, none of them have formally returned since, outside of clever cameos in episodes like season 36's "Bart's Birthday." Bob's loved ones being pitted against the Simpsons was a fun concept that deserved further exploration, especially with sca. sca could have been a direct foil to Marge or developed a specific hatred for Lisa for accidentally setting off Bob's exile from Salsiccia reflecting Bob's obsession with Bart. Even just forcing Bob to be a family man and potentially empathize more with the Simpsons could have been compelling. Instead, Bob's subsequent appearances have been focused on him alone, with mixed results.

The Simpsons May Have Run Out Of Sideshow Bob Stories

Sideshow Bob's Future Episodes Need Resurgence

Sideshow Bob is a beloved fixture of The Simpsons, his various episodes often being hailed as highlights of their respective seasons. However, they've also become increasingly less exciting. Season 25's "The Man Who Grew Too Much" wasted an interesting idea connecting Bob and Lisa on a bizarre sci-fi turn. Season 29's "Gone Boy" was a solid episode, but one that gave Bart and Bob closure and seemed to resolve their longstanding feud. As a result, "Bobby, It's Cold Outside" and "The Yellow Lotus" felt far less compelling, with Bob ultimately more forgettable as a ing character rather than overt antagonist.

Sideshow Bob may have lost his appeal in The Simpsons unless they find new ways to expand him, and sca might be the key.

It's a shame, because reverting Bob to his more murderous ways would subvert the genuinely sweet and affecting elements of "Gone Boy." However, a return for sca might be the key. It could explain what happened to her and why the show has never mentioned her since season 19, as well as what happened to their son. Bringing sca back and allowing her to carry out their vendetta could put her in direct conflict with a more at peace Bob. Sideshow Bob may have lost his appeal in The Simpsons unless they find new ways to expand him, and sca might be the key.