It’s hard to pinpoint exactly when ‘The Simpsons‘, the longest-running animated TV show in history, officially jumped the shark. Purists will argue that once the seasons hit double digits, ‘The Simpsons’ gradually tanked. Some will argue that the iconic episode, widely-lauded as the series’ best, ‘Last Exit To Springfield’, irrevocably set the show up for losses from then on out.
And some will say ‘The Simpsons’ is still going strong, despite popular opinion tending to say otherwise.
After being renewed for season 27 and 28 recently, and having one of its star voice actors, Harry Shearer, dramatically exit production—leaving behind Ned Flanders, Mr Burns, Smithers, Otto and a handful of other characters in his wake—’The Simpsons’ is undoubtedly skating on the absolute thinnest possible ice. Which absolutely blows, even if you’re quietly frustrated at the show’s downward turn.
With the demise of ‘The Simpsons’ feeling more inevitable day by day, Nancy Cartwright (AKA Bart), told SMH of her hopes for the show’s final hours, while visiting Sydney for Supanova this month.
“What I would really love to happen, if it’s not going to go on any more than that [season 28], I would like to put out there that it’s a decision that’s made outside of a negotiation. That it gives the writers a chance to be able to end the series in a dignified, respectable way that the public has earned. It’s just not right to do it any other way than that because to pull the rug out from so many people that have invested their career and all their training, as writers, as directors, as animators, as musicians, as voice artists, to get it pulled without any warning whatsoever and just say ‘we’re done’ is not right. We owe that to the public to give them a little bit of heads-up and say this is going to be it, and that’s what I wish for.”
For your Saturday night, a fitting throwback to the Simpsons’ ninth episode during its early days on The Tracy Ullman Show. It was the best of times, the blurst of times. :'(
via SMH.
