Maggie

I am starting to wonder if the writers are planning to give Maggie a more prominent role on the show. In the last couple of years, they have had more shots of her acting unusually grown up (wiping her bottle after Milhouse drinks from it, etc.) and even had that whole episode in which she grows independent of Marge and then rescues Homer from the tow truck driver.

As the writers run out of new situations for the others, I suspect that they might want to do more with Maggie. Kind of like how Charles Shulz made Rerun the de facto star of the Peanuts comics in the final years.

I would be kind of bored if that were the case, though I guess they have to try something.

I suppose it's only natural. The older characters are going to want to retire or go teach at Actor's Studio someday, so they'll have to bring up the younger ones to fill the void.