# 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:** 9\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![MyFootsZZZ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/myfootszzz/32/12580_2.png) [@MyFootsZZZ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MyFootsZZZ)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2002, 9:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-wont-the-simpsons-end-with-dignity/143421/21 "2002-12-18T09:04:49Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Hastur \* > \*\*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. \*\* I think they did that with The X-Files. I don’t think Chris Carter wanted the series to go past the 6th or 7th season. He quite some of his duties in the beginning of 9, but… came back. Why would Matt, or Carter want to hand over their babies? It’s going to die one way or another. ---
**Author:** ![Pythagras](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/45deac/32.png) [@Pythagras](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pythagras)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2002, 10:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-wont-the-simpsons-end-with-dignity/143421/22 "2002-12-18T10:11:28Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Just Some Guy \* > \*\*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. \*\* Star Trek TNG ended with dignity. Started a crappy show, got better every season, 7th season came around, good time to finish it off. Now I have nothing but good memories of that show and can laugh at the stupid first season 🙂 ---
**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 18, 2002, 10:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-wont-the-simpsons-end-with-dignity/143421/23 "2002-12-18T10:14:44Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Just Some Guy \* > \*\*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. \*\* Damn right, I watch star trek and the x-files and they all seem to fall at the last hurdle. ---
**Author:** ![beajerry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@beajerry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beajerry)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2002, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-wont-the-simpsons-end-with-dignity/143421/24 "2002-12-18T18:36:35Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by World Eater \* > \*\*Because even the worst episodes are 10 times better then anything on tv at the moment. \*\* This is so true. But why say the Simpsons has deteriorated? This year’s season opener about band-camp was friggin hilarious. “My name is Setzer.” Brian Setzer “It’s Seltzer!” Homer And the boob implant episode killed! My sadness comes from FOX burying Futurama in a wasteland of a time-slot, thus sentencing it to doom. I like Futurama more than the Simpsons. ---
**Author:** ![kingpengvin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9dc877/32.png) [@kingpengvin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kingpengvin)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2002, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-wont-the-simpsons-end-with-dignity/143421/25 "2002-12-18T19:16:23Z")
I liked this weeks episode. So Nyahhh! I’ll keep watching and they’ll keep making them… and you’ll keep watching and bitching and they’ll keep making them… why? Because people are still watching!! I know hard concept: TV shows being paid for by companies advertising during the show. More people watching more advertising revenue longer the run etc etc… “Frank Grimes wasn’t married!” “No but he had a thing for hookers” At least now you know why he was so poor… ---
**Author:** ![elf6c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/c57346/32.png) [@elf6c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elf6c)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2002, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-wont-the-simpsons-end-with-dignity/143421/26 "2002-12-18T19:24:39Z")
For a while we had to have best Simpson quotes threads, now the sad tired cliche which is the OP is started every other week. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2002, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-wont-the-simpsons-end-with-dignity/143421/27 "2002-12-18T19:28:47Z")
Five years from now, someone will start this same thread OP up, and say, “Why can’t episodes by as funny as that Frank Grimes, Jr. episode? The genesis of that character is what kept it going from 2002-2004. Ever since Nelson graduated from high school, it hasn’t been the same.” ---
**Author:** ![elf6c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/c57346/32.png) [@elf6c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elf6c)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2002, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-wont-the-simpsons-end-with-dignity/143421/28 "2002-12-18T19:39:44Z")
Just to show what you can find with a spot of work: Basically the same topic (found within the current first 4 pages of Cafe Society): [http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=150874](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=150874) and [http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=150614](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=150614) Simpson’s toy thread with a predictible attempt at a hijack. [http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=149502](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=149502) I did that without even using the handy search function. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![SmileyDeath](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eb8c5e/32.png) [@SmileyDeath](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmileyDeath)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2002, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-wont-the-simpsons-end-with-dignity/143421/29 "2002-12-18T19:46:05Z")
Few show’s only end because of writer control. They’ll keep on showing the simpson’s until it becomes unprofitable. Either that or cancelled. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-wont-the-simpsons-end-with-dignity/143421.md?page=1)