close
close

“The Simpsons” has aired its “series finale,” but it’s not what you think

Posted on by Vanessa
“The Simpsons” has aired its “series finale,” but it’s not what you think

play

Is it the end for “The Simpsons”?

Not quite: The hit animated series' “final episode” aired Sunday night, but in reality, it was a meta way to kick off the Season 36 premiere.

The episode, titled “Bart's Birthday,” was presented as a “Fox Special Presentation” and began with animated celebrities rolling into the “Dolby-Mucinex Theater” for the occasion, hosted by Conan O'Brien.

“It's a great honor to be with you all for the series finale of 'The Simpsons,'” O'Brien says to the crowd, flanked by animated versions of stars who have appeared on the series, including Seth Rogen and Mr. T “I knew I was the right man for the job because I hosted the final episode of three of my own shows and counting.”

We have space on the couch! Sign up for USA TODAY's Watch Party newsletter for all your TV and movie news.

He continued: “Well, it’s true. Fox has decided to end The Simpsons.”

O'Brien then continues the false obituary of the legendary Fox sitcom.

“Not many people know this, but Fox has been trying to end it for years,” says O'Brien's character. “When the very first episode aired in 1989, viewers agreed on one thing: it wasn't as funny as it used to be. Fox executives, unaccustomed to criticism of any kind, immediately caved to public pressure and decided to end “The Simpsons” in 1990.”

“The Simpsons” author responds to viral “prediction”: Will Kamala Harris be president?

O'Brien's character aired snippets of what he says were unaired series finale attempts before presenting the “final” episode, created using artificial intelligence and featuring several dramatic attempts to conclude the series' plot, including Moe's shutdown and Mr. Burns death.

A long-standing “Simpsons” character was killed. The fans don't take it very well

At the end of the episode, Bart becomes self-aware and realizes that his birthday means he is turning 11. (Bart was 10 years old since the start of the series.) He refuses, which results in Homer strangling him and the series being canceled and reset. Since everything is back to normal, there will be no more “series finale”.

“The Simpsons” remains America's longest-running primetime animated series, sitcom and scripted series. The first episode aired on January 14, 1990.

While the series may no longer be as popular as it was in its heyday in the 1990s, the series is still known for its sometimes eerie way of predicting the future, at least according to fans.

Related Posts

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *