Ned Flanders

Nedward "Ned" Flanders Jr., commonly referred to by his surname, is a recurring character in the animated television series The Simpsons, voiced by Harry Shearer and first appearing in the series premiere episode "Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire." He is the good-natured, cheery next-door neighbor to the Simpson family and is generally perceived as annoying by Homer Simpson, though there are numerous instances where the two are portrayed as good friends. A scrupulous and devout Evangelical Christian, he is among the friendliest and most compassionate of Springfield's residents and is generally considered a pillar of the Springfield community. He was one of the first characters outside the immediate Simpson family to appear on the show, and has since been central to several episodes, the first being season two's "Dead Putting Society". As the series progressed, Flanders's religious fanaticism increased immensely, prompting the coining of the term "Flanderization" to refer to the phenomenon of exaggerating certain traits of a fictional character to the point of redefining the character around them. His last name comes from Flanders Street in Portland, Oregon, the hometown of Simpsons creator Matt Groening.