For anyone who grew up during the initial heyday of Fox’s The Simpsons, it’s a strange thing all these years later to be able to turn on a TV set and see that the hit animated series is not only still going strong, but also still providing quality laughs. Though the series began with a flood of gimmicky catch phrases and merchandise (Bart Simpson t-shirts were once all the rage), things gradually leveled out and The Simpsons came into its own as a legitimate sitcom.
Now into the 28th season of its record-breaking run, The Simpsons holds the distinct honor of being the most televised primetime show ever. The Fox series broke the record seven seasons prior, which had been set by CBS western Gunsmoke in its run from 1955-1975, for a total of 20 seasons. In addition to this, The Simpsons is also the longest running animated series in U.S. history. Fans have been wondering exactly how much longer The Simpson family will grace their TV screens for and it now looks as though we have an answer.
A Fox press release has revealed that The Simpsons has been renewed for two more seasons, meaning that as of this writing, there will be 30 total seasons of the animated series. Yes, the ongoing adventures of the four fingered, yellow pigmented family and its diverse cast of Springfield residents has broken yet another record. The renewal gives The Simpsons an episode tally of 669 episodes, which eclipses the previous record set by Gunsmoke and its 635 episodes. The Simpsons now holds the title for the most ever episodes of a scripted program. Said Fox Co-Chairmen and CEO’s Dana Walden and Gary Newman in a statement on the renewal of the series for another two seasons:
“This is yet another record-setting moment for what is truly a landmark series. The Simpsons’ has meant so much to the network, the studio and everyone at Fox, and its continued cultural impact around the globe is a testament to the combined brilliance of Matt (Groening), Jim (James L. Brooks) and Al (Jean). Congratulations to everyone who works on this groundbreaking series — from the voice cast and producers to the writers and production team — you comprise one of the greatest collections of creative talent in the history of the medium. And to the millions of ‘Simpsons’ fans around the world, thank you for watching all these years. We’re happy to tell you there’s lots more to come.”
Of course, this is great news for fans of The Simpsons. Though the series has had its ups and downs over the years, it has genuinely remained one of the most consistently funny sitcoms on television and this is saying something when one considers how many years it’s been airing. What’s more, the series was able to deliver a strong feature length film with 2007’s The Simpson’s Movie and recent talk has turned toward a potential second film. Make no mistake about it, there is an abundance of talent involved with the creation and production of The Simpsons and this renewal by Fox is only further proof of that fact.
Will 30 seasons be enough for the creative team behind The Simpsons? It’s hard to say. Back in 2015, long time Simpsons showrunner Al Jean revealed that the series will probably say goodbye after its 30th season. This is far from a guarantee, but as we all know, all good things must come to an end. Whatever ends up happening, for now fans can rest assured that there’s at least two more seasons to come (and possibly another film), so there’s still plenty of time left to enjoy the enormous, colorful world that The Simpsons inhabit.
The Simpsons season 28 airs Sundays at 8pm on FOX.
Source: Fox