Why were the Tanners such assholes to Kimmy Gibbler?

[Sto-Vo-Kory]

In a rarely shown first season episode, it's revealed that "Kimmy Gibbler" is actually the result of a transporter accident that merged Kimberly Tanner (an unseen fourth Tanner sister) and Giblet (the Tanners' beloved pet hamster) into a single entity.

Unable to split the amalgam back into its constituent parts, they reluctantly allowed "Kimmy" to stay in their backyard storage shed under the pretense that it was "another house in the neighborhood."

Every visit by "Kimmy" is a painful reminder of their tragic loss and the hostility they show her is, in truth, just the misplaced anger of grief.

Also, her smelly feet are pretty gross.

Fun Fact: the premise for the Voyager episode "Tuvix" was pitched to that show's producers as "Kimmy Gibbler, done right."

 

[Trekker4747]

Braiiiiiiinnnnnnssssssss!!!!!!

 

[Spot's Meow]

I'm rewatching the series now and Kimmy Gibbler does change a bit depending on the season. The real harassment of her didn't begin until season 2, and it was quite sudden and unexplained.

However, there are times, especially early on, when she is a bad influence. She often talks about sleeping through class and copying DJ's homework. She tries to fit in with the cool kids by inviting a bunch of people to DJ's party even though DJ asked her not to. On occasion she encourages lying and sometimes DJ wants to go out and do something fun but inappropriate while telling her dad "but Kimmy gets to go do it!" She's no Gia, but she could be considered a bad influence. Later in the series she seems to become a better person in general, which is ironic as the Tanners start to ridicule her even more.

 

[JirinPanthosa]

I have vague memories of the show since I haven't watched it once since its finale, but it seemed normal when I was a kid.

I will say, it's not as bad as Meg on Family Guy. Don't know what the hell happened with Meg. In the premiere she was the 'straight man' of the show, the normal teenager reacting to the craziness of her family. Later on in the pre-cancellation days she was kind of the obviously mediocre child who couldn't do anything well but everybody loved anyway because she was their daughter. Then suddenly, everybody hated her and treated her like shit all the time. It wasn't even funny, it was just kinda, Meg was the worst human being in the world and everyone accepted it as a fact.

It's just kinda a thing in sitcoms, an annoying or unlikable person has accepted that it's their lot in life to be a human chafe. If you analyze it and apply it to a real person, it's awful and inhuman. In the world of sitcoms though, it's just accepted fact. Even in good shows, like Gary in Parks & Rec. It's not okay to fail to meet certain cultural standards of sociability.

 

[Catarina]

I guess the lesson is: be wary and do not be jealous of the 'wholesome' families for they are just better at hiding their flaws until the trigger is pulled.

 

[Spot's Meow]

The real question now is, how will Kimmy be treated in the new series? I have a feeling she is going to get her fair amount of ridicule, but 1. It won't seem as nasty because it will directed at an adult instead of a child, and 2. She will also be considered an integral part of the family. I said this in the other thread, but I think that Kimmy will fill the Joey role in the new series, the fun, lovable, but goofy one who let's the kids get away with stuff but who they couldn't live without.