"It's Not Coming To An End, As Far As I Know": Simpsons Producer Explains The Finale Fakeout Episode

The Simpsons has had an incredibly long run, but it will not be ending anytime soon. After decades of speculation about The Simpsons' potential end date, the show's writers elected to tease the audience by releasing season 36, episode 1, "Bart's Birthday". The episode saw Bart struggling through an AI-generated ending for the show, which would have seen Springfield and its citizens finally losing their larger-than-life personalities. Bart rejects the ending, leading to a reset, revealing that the entire episode was predicated on the creators mocking the idea of a conclusion to the 35-year-old show.

In an exclusive interview with Screen Rant, producer Al Jean spoke out about the episode and its larger purpose. Jean hoped that the episode would prevent any discussion of a coming finale. According to Jean, writer Jessica Conrad also hoped that the show would satirize complaints about other series finales. Check out his full quote below, which goes into detail about their intentions:

Screen Rant: I would love to ask about the season 36 premiere. The Simpsons has been around so long, and the episode felt like a response to the people going, “Is it ever going to end? If it ends, what comes next?” Was there any sort of message you were writing toward as you were putting it together?

Al Jean: That was exactly it. It was written by Jessica Conrad and produced by Matt Selman. The idea was we've been asked that question so many times that we wanted to close further discussion of it. It's not coming to an end, as far as I know, and that's why it was the premiere—so people wouldn't think it was the last episode. And I thought we were able to make a lot of statements. A lot of statements were made in that show that were very good about last episodes. I also think people expect the last episode of a show to answer all the mysteries of life. [With] The Sopranos, which I thought had a brilliant last episode, people were like, "Wait, what does it mean?" I go, "Well, it's a show and I think he's dead, but it's not going to answer all your questions about life.” The fact that you're not sure—that is what life is like.

What The Simpsons' Ending Denial Means for the Show

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The Simpsons has been an ongoing show since it spun off from The Tracey Ullman Show on December 17, 1989. Over 35 years, it has released over 750 episodes and will be completing more as the season continues. The show emerged from a minor series of shorts and became a juggernaut franchise with a movie, comic books, a theme park ride, and video games of its own. By all means, The Simpsons' never-aging characters have taken on a life of their own over the years. Putting an end to a franchise that enormous would be a controversial decision in itself.

The Simpsons has only been renewed through season 36, which is currently airing.

Still, after so much success, it is only natural to wonder when the show will finally end, as it remains the longest-running animated show or sitcom in American history. With countless shows projected to end in 2024, this would simply be another disappointment. Yet, despite the fall of other successful shows, including Curb Your Enthusiasm and Young Sheldon, it continues to endure. With its creators backing it consistently and Fox refusing to even hint at a cancelation, it appears that it will continue for several more seasons. Still, Fox has not renewed the show for another season, which is worrying.

Our Take on The Simpsons' Ending Denial

In the current age of TV entertainment, no show is necessarily safe. Viewership is down compared to previous seasons, having fallen from a height of nearly 15 million viewers to just two million. The show can blame streaming platforms for the decline, but it is still alarming, as it has steadily declined season after season. It is not surprising that questions about a finale have been ongoing. Still, this stand by the creators proves that the show likely has ample time before a conclusion. While The Simpsons referenced iconic TV finales, it will not be ending anytime soon.