Any sign of the simpsons finishing?

[bubastis]

Whereas most shows reach their peak, then wrap up with a bit of dignity (Frasier, friends, sex in the city, x-files, seinfeld) The simpsons seems intent on being around forever. Any sign of the show ending? Question posed mainly as I would like to know when I will have the "Complete" simpsons on DVD!

[Jonathan Chance]

No idea. But if you remember that bit when Cosby went off the air all those years ago Bart said 'If I ever get a TV show I'm running that sucker straight into the ground.'

[Mr. Blue Sky]

Last year they signed a contract for seasons 18 & 19 with an option for 20. As long as the voice talent is willing to do the job (and FOX is willing to pay them), I don't see it ending anytime soon.

I do wish they'd pick up the pace on the DVDs.

[Marley23]

Given the amount of time it takes to produce episodes, if they weren't doing another season, I think the evidence would be showing up around now. If there's going to be a Season 18, they're already writing it.

[Lumpy]

I'm wondering if the Simpsons may become the television equivalent of those comic strips that just keep on going forever. Provided they have a least a couple of funny shows per season and they fill the "got nothin' better to broadcast" time slot, they could remain indefinitely. How else do you explain Saturday Night Live still being on the air?

[Evil Captor]

I think the Simpsons' funniest seasons are behind them, barring some sort of creative renaissance, but the competition is so fucking weak that they're still better than anything else on TV. So long as they want to be on TV, they'll be on TV, it seems.

[Rodgers01]

The way I heard it, the show will end when they finally do a big screen movie version -- and apparently, they're already working on the script. I don't know how true any of that is, though.

Personally, I wouldn't mind if it kept running for years. If it was going to try to end on a high note, it would have been years ago. It's already seen the worst, and while the Golden Years are behind them, they've picked up the pieces somewhat and still come out with a new episode every now and then. So I have no problem with them keeping on keeping on.

On one of the DVD commentary tracks, then mentioned that they recently hired a new writer who would be younger than Bart if Bart had aged. (Which means that the guy is younger than me, yipes!) That means that over the next few years they're going to be hiring new writers who have literally grown up with the show, and are completely immersed in its characters and traditions. That might set the stage for a renaissance of sorts; a new Golden Age.

[Smeghead]

The way I heard it, the show will end when they finally do a big screen movie version -- and apparently, they're already working on the script. I don't know how true any of that is, though.


I believe I first heard that rumor, oh, roughly fifteen years ago or so.

[Marley23]

The way I heard it, the show will end when they finally do a big screen movie version -- and apparently, they're already working on the script. I don't know how true any of that is, though.
They're working on the movie, which has supposedly been written. I've never heard that that would be the end of the show, though.

[Max the Immortal]

It looks to me that they'll stay on the air as long as all of the voice talent is available. Voice work is a pretty sweet gig, so I'm not surprised that the cast is milking the show for all it's worth. They'd have to go off the air if (gods forbid) one of the cast members were to pass on, but that's the only way I can see the show ending.

[anyrose]

It looks to me that they'll stay on the air as long as all of the voice talent is available. Voice work is a pretty sweet gig, so I'm not surprised that the cast is milking the show for all it's worth. They'd have to go off the air if (gods forbid) one of the cast members were to pass on, but that's the only way I can see the show ending.
did anyone happen to catch the Simpsons on Inside The Actors Studio about a year or so ago? I thought it significant that while Lipton was talking to the actors, Julie Kavner was there and paricipating - but mysteriously absent when Lipton was talking to the characters.

[Ximenean]

did anyone happen to catch the Simpsons on Inside The Actors Studio about a year or so ago? I thought it significant that while Lipton was talking to the actors, Julie Kavner was there and paricipating - but mysteriously absent when Lipton was talking to the characters.
I remember there being a thread about it at the time. It seems that Julie Kavner simply doesn't like doing the Marge Simpson voice in public.

[BoringDad]

Whereas most shows reach their peak, then wrap up with a bit of dignity (Frasier, friends, sex in the city, x-files, seinfeld) The simpsons seems intent on being around forever.
The whole "Quitting when you reach your peak and before quality can drop" is just an insult to the fans. Sure, maybe good for the actors' egos, but we out here in TV land have pathetic little lives and depend on our TV for enertainment. We'll let you know when we no longer want to watch the show, as your ratings will go down. Until that time, give me my pablum! We've rewarded you with huge salaries, and now you owe us bigtime, and you will serve our entertainment needs until you feel the need to send Fonzy to Hawaii.

Oh how I wish the above paragraph contained sarcasm. Thank Og The Simpson's is still on the air.

[Mr. Blue Sky]

I remember there being a thread about it at the time. It seems that Julie Kavner simply doesn't like doing the Marge Simpson voice in public.


It also didn't help that the host kept asking the actors to say different stupid stuff in their character's voices. Again and again. And again.

I've said it before and I'll say it again: when they finally decide to end the show, it should do what Newhart did: Homer wakes up and he and Marge are back on the Tracey Ullman Show - bad animation/voices and all.

[Silentgoldfish]

I think the Simpsons' funniest seasons are behind them, barring some sort of creative renaissance, but the competition is so fucking weak that they're still better than anything else on TV. So long as they want to be on TV, they'll be on TV, it seems.

So everyone keeps repeating, but it hasn't been true for years now. The Simpsons at it's peak, maybe, but there's been heaps of shows since that have surpassed the show in quality bigtime, especially if you're talking direct competition with the current crop of shows.

Family Guy, American Dad, and Southpark are all consistantly funnier these days than the Simpsons, and that's not even dipping into live action comedy like Arrested Development and the like.

The Simpsons was great enough at its peak that it should be remembered as the TV equivalent of Calvin and Hobbes or the Far Side rather than Garfield, which I fear is sadly turning out to be far more likely.

[Marley23]

Family Guy, American Dad, and Southpark are all consistantly funnier these days than the Simpsons, and that's not even dipping into live action comedy like Arrested Development and the like.
People say that, but I just can't watch any of those shows.

[interface2x]

It also didn't help that the host kept asking the actors to say different stupid stuff in their character's voices. Again and again. And again.


They actually just re-aired this yesterday morning and I caught the end of it - Kavner was there for at least part of the character voices part because she did Patty and Selma.

[Thudlow Boink]

Family Guy, American Dad, and Southpark are all consistantly funnier these days than the Simpsons, and that's not even dipping into live action comedy like Arrested Development and the like.

The Simpsons was great enough at its peak that it should be remembered as the TV equivalent of Calvin and Hobbes or the Far Side rather than Garfield, which I fear is sadly turning out to be far more likely.A much closer analogy would be the TV equivalent of Peanuts: In its very early days, it was somewhat interesting, but still finding its way. Once it hit its stride, it was the best thing going: funny, wise, clever, original, and it had a heart. For quite a while, it maintained that high level of quality, entertaining young and old, simple and sophisticated alike. Then, it lost steam. It never left the tracks or jumped the shark, but it was noticeably past its prime. It never completely ran out of laughs or interest, but they were fewer and farther between. We'd come to know and love the characters and wanted them to stick around. Though the strip had its boring days and stories, it was worth reading often enough, and maintained a high enough average level of quality, that I never wanted it to end, though if and when it did, I didn't feel like there were unexplored avenues and untapped riches that we would now miss out on.

I think the same can be said of The Simpsons. Except that I'm afraid that, in trying to keep up with the competition (Family Guy et al) they'll lose their identity and their heart. For example, of late it seems they've leaned in the direction of making Homer more of a Peter Griffin-ish buffoon: they'll have him say or do anything, no matter how stupid, cruel, or id-driven, if they think it'll get a laugh. But in doing so, they're making him less of the Homer we know and love, which makes the things he says and does less funny. All the great classic Homer Simpson lines are funny partly because it's Homer who says them; if he's not the same Homer, they're not the same funny. And we get the impression of the writers trying too hard to come up with gags, not the humor flowing naturally from the characters and situations.

Bottom line: I'd like to see The Simpsons live indefinitely, but only if it can stay true to itself and not, for instance, become a pale imitation of those other shows or of its own earlier self.

[Tuckerfan]

did anyone happen to catch the Simpsons on Inside The Actors Studio about a year or so ago? I thought it significant that while Lipton was talking to the actors, Julie Kavner was there and paricipating - but mysteriously absent when Lipton was talking to the characters.
She got up because she had to go pee, and Lipton kept bugging her, so she just left.

[Banquet Bear]

Family Guy, American Dad, and Southpark are all consistantly funnier these days than the Simpsons, and that's not even dipping into live action comedy like Arrested Development and the like.



...you may laugh at those shows, but they have no heart. At the end of the day, you can care about Homer, you can worry about Bart, you cry for Lisa and you laugh with Marge. Family Guy, American Dad and South Park are funny, but once the programmes over you don't give a damm about the characters, which is why The Simpsons gets the "love"!

[Marley23]

...you may laugh at those shows, but they have no heart. At the end of the day, you can care about Homer, you can worry about Bart, you cry for Lisa and you laugh with Marge. Family Guy, American Dad and South Park are funny, but once the programmes over you don't give a damm about the characters, which is why The Simpsons gets the "love"!
That's how I feel about it. I do think that Arrested Development is funnier than the Simpsons these days.

[Silentgoldfish]

...you may laugh at those shows, but they have no heart. At the end of the day, you can care about Homer, you can worry about Bart, you cry for Lisa and you laugh with Marge. Family Guy, American Dad and South Park are funny, but once the programmes over you don't give a damm about the characters, which is why The Simpsons gets the "love"!

The way I see it it used to be true, but the Simpsons have been on so long that they've pretty much had to drop all that in an attempt to stay funny. I'm certainly not the only one who thinks that they've turned Homer from a loveable buffoon who usually redeems himself in the end to a psychopathic moron.

And those shows were just ones off the top of my head. AFAI'm concerned Futurama had way more heart than the Simpsons, if only because there was a continuity and a changing timeline that the Simpsons refuses to have. My point there was that the Simpsons is nowhere near the best thing on TV anymore, and pretty much everyone can find another show they like more these days.

[Marley23]

Bottom line: I'd like to see The Simpsons live indefinitely, but only if it can stay true to itself and not, for instance, become a pale imitation of those other shows or of its own earlier self.
Pale imitation or not, they took a pretty good shot at FG and American Dad just now.

[What Exit?]

I know it is blasphemy but it is time for the Simpson to let the kids age a little.
They are running low on new material and might as well try it.
It’s a cartoon, they can always change their minds a go back to the current age.

Ironically it will be the first time the Simpsons would have to say, “South Park did it first”

Jim

[Thudlow Boink]

I know it is blasphemy but it is time for the Simpson to let the kids age a little. But then they would have to introduce a cute new child character!

[What Exit?]

But then they would have to introduce a cute new child character!
Well without any aging we now have a two year old? son of Sideshow Bob and the Octuplets have aged a little. It is worth a shot.

[Marley23]

Well without any aging we now have a two year old? son of Sideshow Bob and the Octuplets have aged a little. It is worth a shot.
It'd be pointless and seem desperate. If it worked for eight years, there's no reason it can't work for 18 - the kids have already had three or four birthdays each and graduated their respective grades a couple of times. If anything, it would be confusing if they did it now.

[KJ]

Bottom line: I'd like to see The Simpsons live indefinitely, but only if it can stay true to itself and not, for instance, become a pale imitation of those other shows or of its own earlier self.

We've already passed that point.

Homer has changed for the worst, by far. He used to be funny because he was dumb, yet you could still identify with him. Now he's just a clown...an unfunny clown. In many of the recent episodes, it seems as though Homer is literally just dancing around saying "Hey! Look at me! I'm crazy! Look at all the wacky antics I'm getting myself into!" The other characters haven't fared very well either, IMHO.