“The Great Louse Detective” breaks the “Bob fails to kill Bart” formula of the past episodes and gives the villain his first win. In a twist, Bob chooses not to end his nemesis.
When Bob thinks Bart is dead, he laments it wasn’t his doing and goes to therapy to resolve these feelings. Later, Bob saves Bart from death, but viewers know he hasn’t changed.
Bob’s latest appearance in “Bobby, It’s Cold Outside” shows the villain in a kinder light, with him seemingly turning over a new leaf and working as a seasonal Santa.
In another change of pace, Bob spends more time with Lisa than Bart, as he genetically alters himself with animal qualities, like a whale’s sonar ability, with hilarious results.
Bob beats the Elmer Fudd formula trope in “Treehouse of Horror XXVI,” where he finally kills his nemesis only to repeatedly bring him back in a Frankenstein way and kill him again.