For years, fans of The Simpsons have speculated about Ralph Wiggum's parentage, theorizing that Police Chief Wiggum is not his biological father and that Eddie the Cop is actually his real parent. The animated series initially treated this speculation as comedic fodder, incorporating it into storylines more for laughs than narrative substance.

The show gradually shifted its approach, directly acknowledging the theory through meta-narratives in Season 34 before appearing to canonize it in a more recent Season 36 episode. This move suggests the writers have taken the long-standing fan speculation seriously enough to incorporate it into the show's official continuity.