Brian Katcher

10th Jun 2020

Question: Is there a reason Bart was so conspicuously absent from these two episodes? Homer even asks where he's been.

Answer: He was probably irrelevant to the plot so he was not included.

Then why would Homer bring it to our attention that Bart is absent?

It's called lampshade hanging. By drawing our attention to it the producers are letting us know they are aware it is an issue.

Yes, but even when the family is having dinner together, he's not there.