"Like The Cleaning of a House..." - The Simpsons Renewed Through Season 30

Taken from frinkiac.com

FOX has given The Simpsons another stay of execution - keeping it on the air until Season 30.

The big news out of this is that The Simpsons will beat Gunsmoke in terms of it's how many episodes it has aired. This makes it, simply put, the longest running primetime scripted show in American history.

My thoughts on the show's quality have been relatively clear, but just in case you need a refresher, it's time to bring the curtain down on America's Favorite Family. The reasons have been listed time and again by fans across the internet, and I agree with at least 90% of them. In fact, animation critic PieGuyRulz actually created a video that sums up the central problem with the show - it's story engine and time within that have effectively damned it to mediocrity.

Thankfully, I have a hunch that this could be the last time the show gets renewed.


Not only does this renewal (again) put it over one of the most important milestones in the history of American television, but the show also hits a nice round number in terms of seasons. Imagine - "the 30th and Final Season." That has a nice ring to it. Once you beat Gunsmoke, everything else is just arrogance - which, given the attitude that seems to seep from the writer's room right now, is kinda like adding salt to the wound of many a dejected fan.

Besides that, the show has slipped out of the top 100 in terms of Nielsen rankings. While they do rank at #42 in the 18-49 demographic (aka, the cold hard cash demo), the fact of the matter is that the show's status as "appointment television" has slid since the late 90s. Tying into the critical decline, people rarely talk about "the new Simpsons" like they do The Walking Dead or Game of Thrones. Hell, I think Steven Universe - a show with roughly the same audience as The Simpsons - has generated more buzz than OFF. Most send-ups to The Simpsons rely solely on the first 11 seasons - and that's being lenient.

Yes, The Simpsons is a national treasure. But even national treasures take breaks or leave TV. Star Trek took a year's rest between Enterprise and production of Trek 09. Doctor Who took 16 years off of TV (the movie notwithstanding). And even if The Simpsons does end, people will still be sending the classics up and the laughs (and even the tears) will be shown and seen for years and years to come.

Look, if you like the new seasons, that's fine. I just don't think we need more Simpsons than we already have. Since I recognize it's status as a national treasure, I think that it's time for the writers, VAs, and animators to cement that Season 30 will be the last. Even if it doesn't bring back the old magic, it at least would be a firm way of saying that it's time to at least give the show a rest, send it out with at least a tiny shred of dignity.

I mean, what other goals do they have? Beating Coronation Street's 56 seasons and 8000 episodes?

Oh, crap. I shouldn't have mentioned that Corrie has 56 seasons.
Oh, crap. I shouldn't have mentioned that Corrie has 8000 episodes.
Oh, crap. I shouldn't have mentioned the concept of British soap operas...
...it's too hot out.

So, what have we learned? If you print a lot of money for the Murdoch clan, you can live past your sell by date.

If you'll excuse me, I'm going back to watching cartoons about misanthropic robots and revolutionary space rocks.