When did The Simpsons get bad?

[Prowler]

Originally Posted by CyberCubed

The Simpsons has less episodes than a lot of popular anime, it's easily possible to watch them all still. If people can binge watch 500-1000+ ep anime this is possible.

A quick google search tells me that The Simpsons has 758 episodes as of today.

You're right that, let's say, One Piece has more episodes than The Simpsons. It broke the 1000 episode barrier not that long ago even. But that's a series with very strong continuity, story arcs and a plot that's been consistent from the day one. Plus, it's an adaptation of a manga comic series. The Simpsons is an episodic comedy series about a family of 5 people. A bit harder to marathon a massive show of such format and genre. Hell, FW TMNT has 194 episodes or something, and it can get tiresome to marathon it mainly due to seasons 3 and 4 being huge. Put together those 2 seasons have almost 100 episodes. And watching nearly 100 episodes of episodic nature with the same formula will feel like a slog.

I could see myself marathoning the first 10 Simpsons seasons or so, but I really doubt I'd be able to watch the past 20 seasons or so.

Regardless, even if the cartoon series eventually ends, the property isn't going to die or get shelved, I feel. They'll keep on making merchandise and ivdeo games, I'm sure.

[LeotheLateBloomer]

I was wondering if they'll go as far as to replace Julie Kavner and Harry Shearer's roles like how Nancy Cartwright replaced Christine Cavanaugh as Chuckie Finster from Rugrats but I don't think it'll be that simple. They may want the show to last forever but I think it's going to be harder than they want.

[Coola Yagami]

I honestly see no end in sight. It seems every time the show's gonna end, they always announce that 2 or more seasons have already been approved.

I honestly think the conversation of the show ending won't even become a possibility until one of the family members VA dies, as morbid as it sounds.

Also who the **** has the time to binge-watch 500-1000 episode animes? Maybe kids, but not adults with actual full time jobs and responsibilities. Some of these shows only work if you're watching them live week after week as they occur. I find it's incredibly too late for someone completely new to get into One Piece today.

[CyberCubed]

Originally Posted by Coola Yagami

Also who the **** has the time to binge-watch 500-1000 episode animes? Maybe kids, but not adults with actual full time jobs and responsibilities. Some of these shows only work if you're watching them live week after week as they occur. I find it's incredibly too late for someone completely new to get into One Piece today.

Most people watch hundreds of episodes of different shows combined. It's not that hard to do.

[Coola Yagami]

Originally Posted by CyberCubed

Most people watch hundreds of episodes of different shows combined. It's not that hard to do.

People without lives maybe.

[Wildcat]

Originally Posted by TheCanadiandrome

probably one last movie for sure. I do recall Matt Groening saying as much, after how well the movie did. doubt they'd do another series or even a reboot as what would they gain from doin that

They will definitely do another series. I think they’ll age them and focus on Bart and Lisa. It’s something they’ve only done in hypothetical future episodes.

That’s the most logical next step. There’s no way they just leave them as-is after the original run ends. It’s become too big to not continue in some way.

[TheCanadiandrome]

Originally Posted by Wildcat

They will definitely do another series. I think they’ll age them and focus on Bart and Lisa. It’s something they’ve only done in hypothetical future episodes.

That’s the most logical next step. There’s no way they just leave them as-is after the original run ends. It’s become too big to not continue in some way.

I dunno dude, sequel and prequel shows have been done to death for years and never do the OG series' any justice alot of the time, and as you said, they've covered alot in episodes of the current show, so why would there be a need for a whole new series on "Future Bart & Lisa"?

Simpons should do one last movie and end on a high, no need to ruin things with reboots, remakes, sequels/prequels, etc. imo

[CyberCubed]

Originally Posted by Coola Yagami

People without lives maybe.

Explain how anime fans watch their shonen shows that go on for hundreds of episodes like Naruto, One Piece, Bleach, DBZ, etc.

[Wildcat]

Originally Posted by TheCanadiandrome

I dunno dude, sequel and prequel shows have been done to death for years and never do the OG series' any justice alot of the time, and as you said, they've covered alot in episodes of the current show, so why would there be a need for a whole new series on "Future Bart & Lisa"?

Simpons should do one last movie and end on a high, no need to ruin things with reboots, remakes, sequels/prequels, etc. imo

Because it’s something they’ve never done. Actually age them. It opens up even more storylines. Not saying it would last another 30+ seasons but it’d be a different direction.

[BornAgain]

Season 9 is a pretty clear cut-off for me. Season 9 is when something starts to feel “off” but I still get a lot of enjoyment out of it. By season 10, something is seriously wrong. Thankfully the voice cast is so great that it’s still not a bad show at that point.

Season 8 is interesting. I’ve been rewatching it lately. You can really feel the show stretching its legs in need of new directions and experimental plots. It’s like the wheels are starting to fall off but you’re still at top-speed so the error has yet to kick in.

[Coola Yagami]

Originally Posted by CyberCubed

Explain how anime fans watch their shonen shows that go on for hundreds of episodes like Naruto, One Piece, Bleach, DBZ, etc.

Like I said, people without lives. Maybe not keeping up with them week after week when the episodes are new, but binge watching them hours on end? Yeah, these people have no jobs.

[TheCanadiandrome]

Originally Posted by Wildcat

Because it’s something they’ve never done. Actually age them. It opens up even more storylines. Not saying it would last another 30+ seasons but it’d be a different direction.

I dunno dude I mean maybe, after all we did get Young Sheldon after Big Bang Theory and that went strong, but I just don’t see enough interest in an “Older Bart & Lisa” series. They’re just not that overly interesting that they can hold a show on their own, they kinda need all the other characters to play off of imo. I’d give it maybe a season and that’s it. Maybe do a movie but not a full series

[Coola Yagami]

Originally Posted by TheCanadiandrome

I dunno dude I mean maybe, after all we did get Young Sheldon after Big Bang Theory and that went strong, but I just don’t see enough interest in an “Older Bart & Lisa” series. They’re just not that overly interesting that they can hold a show on their own, they kinda need all the other characters to play off of imo. I’d give it maybe a season and that’s it. Maybe do a movie but not a full series

What makes you think the show would just be about older Bart and Lisa without the rest of the Springfield crew...? Of course we're gonna see Nelson, Milhouse, Ralph and whoever else.

[Prowler]

And The Simpsons are still running as of today.

If they keep on renewing it every year then obviously there have to be enough people watching it still, right? No network or streaming service or whatever renews a series for 15 years in a row if it doesn't give them some profit, even if said series hasn't been culturally relevant or anywhere near as popular for about 25 years at this point.

The question is: who is watching the modern day Simpsons episodes? Huge fans who can't just let it go and want to go down with the sinking ship? Because i can't imagine teenagers or people under 25 watching The Simspons nowadays without straight up going for the classic episodes first.

Honestly, The Simpsons should just end already and live off selling merchandise and the occasional video game for the rest of our lives. I'm sure the property would survive alone on that.

[ToTheNines]

Originally Posted by Prowler

The question is: who is watching the modern day Simpsons episodes?

I was asking this 20 years ago.

[Prowler]

Originally Posted by ToTheNines

I was asking this 20 years ago.

I think I stopped watching The Simpsons on a regular basis around... 2002 or 2003? And keep in mind my country was one season behind or so at the time since they needed to subtitle the episodes.

But yeah, it just stopped being must see TV and episodes were becoming very hit or miss. I remember reading online forums in 2005-2006 and seeing lots of people complaining about how much Simpsons sucked nowadays. Having said that, my brother, who was a massive Simpsons fan, was very hyped about the movie and went to see it and even bought it on DVD. I never watched it myself, though. All I know about it is the Spider-Pig gag and Homer flipping off the bird in one screenshot.

Anyway, I suspect a lot of Americans aren't aware how huge The Simpsons were worldwide, especially in Europe, back in the day. I suspect Europeans in general might have liked The Simpsons even more than the Americans did back in the 90s. Sometimes popular domestic shows don't click well with foreign audience and flop abroad, but The Simpsons clicked very well and was very successful abroad.

[Coola Yagami]

Haven't seen it in years.

The last episode I saw was that 'what if' final episode where Bart finally becomes self aware that he's been 10 since forever and nothing ever really changed but it was going to change as he was finally turning 11. The idea was so meta I just had to see it.

[Prowler]

Originally Posted by Coola Yagami

Haven't seen it in years.

The last episode I saw was that 'what if' final episode where Bart finally becomes self aware that he's been 10 since forever and nothing ever really changed but it was going to change as he was finally turning 11. The idea was so meta I just had to see it.

Characters not aging is a theme in fiction in general. Calvin from Calvin & Hobbes remained 6 years old for the strip's entire run. Jeremy Duncan stayed a HS teenager as well, which is even more anachronistic in his case because the strip has a lot of jokes and mentions about his parents being baby boomers, which made sense for a 15-17 year old teen in 1997, but in 2025 obviously not. The Foxtrot characters haven't aged either since the strip's debut in the late 80s. Jason Fox is still a 5th grader.

And, as for video games, Mario and Sonic never age either. Ever noticed that?

[sdp]

I'm going to watch every episode of the Simpsons before the second movie comes out. Wish me luck. Haven't even begun yet so with so many episodes I might not make it to my goal before the movie is out.

[Coola Yagami]

Originally Posted by Prowler

Characters not aging is a theme in fiction in general. Calvin from Calvin & Hobbes remained 6 years old for the strip's entire run. Jeremy Duncan stayed a HS teenager as well, which is even more anachronistic in his case because the strip has a lot of jokes and mentions about his parents being baby boomers, which made sense for a 15-17 year old teen in 1997, but in 2025 obviously not. The Foxtrot characters haven't aged either since the strip's debut in the late 80s. Jason Fox is still a 5th grader.

And, as for video games, Mario and Sonic never age either. Ever noticed that?

True but I mean, it's funny the one time the character is allowed to realize it.

I also like the one bit where Bart and Lisa realize their hair has no separation. I mean in the Tracy Ulman shorts you can chock it up to 'oh it's just character design', but it's noticeable when they got their own show and only Bart, Lisa and Maggie had hair like that.