# Why won't the Simpsons end with dignity? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 17, 2002, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-wont-the-simpsons-end-with-dignity/143421 "2002-12-17T21:49:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Ryan\_Liam](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ryan_liam/32/3965_2.png) [@Ryan\_Liam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ryan_Liam)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2002, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-wont-the-simpsons-end-with-dignity/143421/1 "2002-12-17T21:49:11Z")
Please tell me why the episodes are worse now and why Matt keeps this debacle of a former ‘great’ show going. Matt, let the Simpsons die with dignity. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2002, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-wont-the-simpsons-end-with-dignity/143421/2 "2002-12-17T21:53:56Z")
“Simpsons” ? “Dignity” ? I know what those words mean, but not together. ---
**Author:** ![NDP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ndp/32/55_2.png) [@NDP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NDP)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2002, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-wont-the-simpsons-end-with-dignity/143421/3 "2002-12-17T21:58:51Z")
Ryan, just out of curiosity, what episodes are they showing now in the UK? Is it this year’s (i.e., the season that began here last month) or are you still getting the 2001-2002 episodes? ---
**Author:** ![Mockingbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c68b51/32.png) [@Mockingbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mockingbird)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2002, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-wont-the-simpsons-end-with-dignity/143421/4 "2002-12-17T22:02:44Z")
Why do you think that Matt Groening has ANYTHING to do with how long the Simpsons continues? FOX owns the characters. With or without him I think they’d continue running it into the ground. ---
**Author:** ![Ryan\_Liam](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ryan_liam/32/3965_2.png) [@Ryan\_Liam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ryan_Liam)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2002, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-wont-the-simpsons-end-with-dignity/143421/5 "2002-12-17T22:07:32Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by NDP \* > \*\*Ryan, just out of curiosity, what episodes are they showing now in the UK? Is it this year’s (i.e., the season that began here last month) or are you still getting the 2001-2002 episodes? \*\* 2001-2002 episodes ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Some\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ad7895/32.png) [@Just\_Some\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Some_Guy)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2002, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-wont-the-simpsons-end-with-dignity/143421/6 "2002-12-17T22:54:12Z")
The real answer is when has any show ended with dignity? They’re all either cancelled too soon or dragged out beyond all misery. Occasionally a show manages to slip out just as the quality is starting to drop but they’ll keep making a show as long as enough people keep watching. ---
**Author:** ![Wearia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/13edae/32.png) [@Wearia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wearia)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2002, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-wont-the-simpsons-end-with-dignity/143421/7 "2002-12-17T23:47:08Z")
Theres no money in dignity. ---
**Author:** ![KGS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/90ced4/32.png) [@KGS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KGS)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2002, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-wont-the-simpsons-end-with-dignity/143421/8 "2002-12-18T00:22:29Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Bryan Ekers \* > \*\*“Simpsons” ? “Dignity” ? > > I know what those words mean, but not together. \*\* No, no. The proper response is: “I know those words, but that sentence makes no sense.” ---
**Author:** ![Loopus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loopus/32/15343_2.png) [@Loopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loopus)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2002, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-wont-the-simpsons-end-with-dignity/143421/9 "2002-12-18T00:30:22Z")
People still watch it. A lot of people. ---
**Author:** ![World\_Eater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@World\_Eater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/World_Eater)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2002, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-wont-the-simpsons-end-with-dignity/143421/10 "2002-12-18T01:20:06Z")
Because even the worst episodes are 10 times better then anything on tv at the moment. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2002, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-wont-the-simpsons-end-with-dignity/143421/11 "2002-12-18T01:32:14Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by World Eater \* > \*\*Because even the worst episodes are 10 times better then anything on tv at the moment. \*\* Ain’t dat the truth. I’d rather watch a bad Simpsons than a good Friends any day. ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2002, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-wont-the-simpsons-end-with-dignity/143421/12 "2002-12-18T01:46:29Z")
It would be nice if The Simpsons was funny again. Having Grimes Jr turn out to be Homers would-be assassin plus the reappearance of Sideshow Bob only provided a stark contrast to the genius of the original episode with Grimes and the old Sideshow Bob episodes. ---
**Author:** ![Xavier](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/2bfe46/32.png) [@Xavier](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xavier)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2002, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-wont-the-simpsons-end-with-dignity/143421/13 "2002-12-18T01:49:05Z")
B/C they want to make money. Thinkaboutit, you still watch it. They still make a profit. Matt Groening still gets to hire naked women for breakfast. it’s that simple. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2002, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-wont-the-simpsons-end-with-dignity/143421/14 "2002-12-18T01:51:50Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Xavier \* > \*\*B/C they want to make money. Thinkaboutit, you still watch it. They still make a profit. Matt Groening still gets to hire naked women for breakfast. it’s that simple. \*\* “Naked women”, they’re not just for breakfast anymore. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Hail\_Ants](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/dc4da7/32.png) [@Hail\_Ants](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hail_Ants)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2002, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-wont-the-simpsons-end-with-dignity/143421/15 "2002-12-18T01:57:11Z")
> [@](#): > > the reappearance of Sideshow Bob only provided a stark contrast to the genius of the original episode You gotta admit though, having Bart say, “Sideshow Bob has tried to kill my so many times it isn’t even funny anymore!” was pretty funny! ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Some\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ad7895/32.png) [@Just\_Some\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Some_Guy)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2002, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-wont-the-simpsons-end-with-dignity/143421/16 "2002-12-18T02:56:21Z")
Huh, I found that line bitterly ironic rather than humorous. Yes, it isn’t funny any more and neither is pointing out that something isn’t funny. ---
**Author:** ![Neurotik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/91b2a8/32.png) [@Neurotik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Neurotik)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2002, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-wont-the-simpsons-end-with-dignity/143421/17 "2002-12-18T03:09:07Z")
And yet you all still watch. Interesting. “Everything ends badly, otherwise it wouldn’t end.” ``` - Whatsisname in Cocktail ``` ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Some\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ad7895/32.png) [@Just\_Some\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Some_Guy)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2002, 3:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-wont-the-simpsons-end-with-dignity/143421/18 "2002-12-18T03:47:43Z")
Actually, I’ve been watching if I’ve been around for the past two years. I’ve missed quite a few episodes this season and the quality of those that I’ve watched has me wondering if I should even bother with that any more. ---
**Author:** ![Master\_Wang-Ka](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/master_wang-ka/32/3325_2.png) [@Master\_Wang-Ka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Master_Wang-Ka)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2002, 3:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-wont-the-simpsons-end-with-dignity/143421/19 "2002-12-18T03:58:45Z")
Matt Groening does NOT own the Simpsons. He created them specifically because he didn’t want to sell Fox the rights to his “Life In Hell” cartoon. I don’t know if he gets any of the money the show makes or not. I wouldn’t count on it. Not very much, anyway. And as long as the show’s licensing and ad revenues are popular, and it’s more profitable to keep making new episodes than to show reruns, they will continue to make it. I mean, this is FOX, people. Dignity? Integrity? Style? Class? Huh? What’s that? ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Sam\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Stone)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2002, 7:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-wont-the-simpsons-end-with-dignity/143421/20 "2002-12-18T07:06:09Z")
The Simpsons is still the #1 rated show in its time slot. And I read recently that it was one of the most profitable shows in television history. It would have to fall a LONG way before FOX would think of killing it. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-wont-the-simpsons-end-with-dignity/143421.md?page=2)