Quote Originally Posted by BabySneed View Post
Poochie is just a meta joke parodying writers who create a "cool" new character who gets forced into the spotlight, everyone in the story instantly loves, and everything in the story takes backstage to the new character and showing how totally awesome they are
In other words The Simpsons predicted Wuk Lamat
The thing with poochie is there's also a clear framing in the episode of corporate interference in an attempt to make a marketable character.

I bring it up because I can't help but think of who might really be causing such bizarre writing directions in the past few years. New inept writers who are bound and restricted by 10 years of lore and story, or producers who want to keep their marketable scions around to sell merch, overpriced store outfits and......whatever those creepy dolls are meant to be.