‘The Simpsons’ Renewed For Two More Years, As Producer Says Show Will Never End


When The Simpsons debuted in 1989 on Fox, adapted from skits on The Tracey Ullman Show, it offered a fresh look at our evolving society, oftentimes shocking viewers into laughter through its use of brutal honesty in doing what most of us only fantasized about doing in real life. Through the years, The Simpsons has lost that appeal to its early viewers, growing mundane in a world where the internet exposes a world not so different from life in Springfield, yet the animated series continues to draw in new viewers and break new barriers, keeping up with the times, 27 years later.

Fox Renews The Simpsons For Two More Seasons

While some may complain that The Simpsons has outlived itself, the showrunners must be doing something right, because The Simpsons has been renewed for two more years and may even go on far beyond that. Empire reports that those two years will enable The Simpsons to break a new barrier with a 669 episode run, beating out top record holder, Gunsmoke.

Featuring James Arness as Matt Dillon, Gunsmoke kept viewers tuning in from 1955 through 1975, making it the longest-running scripted series, not counting soap operas.

The Simpsons is set to take that title, upon completion of the next two seasons.

“Take that Gunsmoke! You lost a race you didn’t even know you were running!” touted Homer Simpson in an official press release revealing the two-year renewal for The Simpsons.

There have been changes on The Simpsons through the past 27 years, to be sure, but no series can run as long without evolving and adjusting. Sometimes, The Simpsons changes out of necessity, sometimes through casting issues, and sometimes The Simpsons finds itself altering itself to stay relevant in a changing world. In the end, it provides the same comic relief it always has, which may be the reason it continues to endure.

The Simpsons Boss David Silverman Never Wants The Show To End

In speaking with the Washington Post, producer David Silverman says he hopes The Simpsons will never end. Silverman, who has been with The Simpsons since its 1989 premiere and who also directed 2007’s The Simpsons Movie, says there’s a hope that the series will run for many, many seasons. He says he never wants the show to end.

“We say, ‘Keep it going!’ 600? I say: ‘1,000! Do I hear 2,000!'”

Silverman refers to another long-running animated series, Warner Bros.’ Looney Tunes, which ran from 1930 to 1969 before it was canceled. David says Warner Bros. cartoonists didn’t necessarily run out of material, even though the 70s marked an end to the “golden age of animation,” but that changes in television created an obstacle to delivering content to viewers.

“For The Simpsons, so far, we haven’t run out of the delivery system,” says Silverman. “I don’t know what’s going to happen to the future of home entertainment, but I think there’s always going to be some aspect of the big TV screen.”

The Simpsons producer also commented on the fact that the show still provides great fun and entertainment, so it would be senseless to cancel the beloved show. Part of The Simpsons’ appeal may also have something to do with its time slot. As Sunday marks the beginning of the traditional work week and millions face having to head back into the rat race, either as a working adult or as a student, The Simpsons offers a respite from the stresses of life and gives fans a fantastical look into Springfield, where anything may happen.

In this week’s episode of The Simpsons, Homer joins Kirk Van Houten as a lacrosse coach, only to berate Van Houten into humiliation. Later, Kirk vanishes, just when the team needs him the most.

The Simpsons airs Sunday nights on Fox.

[Featured Image by Fox]

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