Despite getting renewed for another two years by Fox – taking its total up to a staggering 28 seasons – all is not completely well at The Simpsons.
The show has suffered a pair of heartbreaking losses in recent years, with the tragic passing of both Marcia Wallace and Sam Simon serving as a sober reminder of just how long the series has been running for.
And the latest two season renewal was not without its hurdles either. It was widely reported that the order was slightly delayed due to a lone holdout from a member of the voice cast. Today it emerged that the holdout was Harry Shearer. And not only that, but the show will now move on without him as a member of the cast.
Shearer posted a pair of reasonably cryptic tweets a short time ago that indicated his departure from the show, citing an email from executive producer James L. Brooks‘ lawyers.
Shearer leaving the series is a massive blow to the cast of Springfieldians. It means the show no longer has the voice of characters like Mr. Burns, Ned Flanders, Waylon Smithers, Dr. Hibbert, Lenny, Kent Brockman, Reverend Lovejoy, Otto, Renier Wolfcastle, Scratchy, Kang, and a host of others.
Gamely moving on without Edna Krabappel after Wallace’s passing is one thing. But a version of the Simpsons that doesn’t feature ANY of those characters is a nightmare proposition.
How the series moves on without Shearer is, at this stage, anyone’s guess.
The show might not be the critically and fan-beloved darling that it once was. But… but… it’s still THE SIMPSONS and I just… We… Our…
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