This millennium has offered us a slew of television shows that have outstayed their welcome. Unlike what happened in television 10 years ago and beyond, we have all sorts of television programming that have lasted far too many seasons, far too many years, and barely contain the magic that made it a hit in the first place. Examples past and present include 24, Family Guy, South Park, Spongebob Squarepants, Heroes, American Idol, Desperate Housewives, Survivor, The Price is Right, That 70s Show, Futurama, Scrubs, Friends, and several others. But, if there is one program that needs to end, immediately, as soon as possible, it’s the Simpsons.
Now, this has less to do with the quality of the show but more so the legacy of the show. In the 90s, the Simpsons was up there with the likes of Seinfeld as one of the most consistently-entertaining programs on television. It was hilarious, downright clever, and sometimes very touching. Among the best-written and best-directed episodes of television history can be linked to at least 7 episodes of the Simpsons when it was at its best back then. The appeal of the Simpsons was its massive and diverse cast of characters that extends far beyond the main family. Spanning multiple cultures, multiple ages, multiple financial statuses, and multiple countries, there were plenty of stories to tell.
But, at the turn of the century, a funny thing happened. The writers simply ran out of ideas. When you’ve been on air for so long, you are bound to run out of fresh stories. Despite this obvious fact, Fox wanted more episodes and the creators wanted to continue to rake up more money from syndication. The voice actors were making thousands upon thousands of dollars per episode, so they definitely didn’t want to finish. The ratings weren’t as high as they used to be, but the fanbase was still there. Few television shows contain the incredible fanbase that the Simpsons has enjoyed receiving. Unlike what Jerry Seinfeld did to his show (turned down an incredible paycheck because he felt the show hit its creative peak and couldn’t improve), Matt Groening and company continued.
And continued they did. Unfortunately for all of us, The Simpsons is still running, is still going to run for at least another couple of years, and is over 460 episodes strong. While 460 episodes is a spectacular achievement, its just not the same. The Simpsons started out as an animated sitcom that mocked, insulted, and referenced American life while at the same time provided some wit and heart. Now it is a show full of antics, pointless guest stars, and recycled plotlines. In other words, it’s a modern-day Family Guy, except way more stars, more laughs, more relevance, and less recycling. But being nearly at the same level as the likes of Family Guy and their spin-offs is quite a discouraging image, especially seeing what the Simpsons had accomplished before---and how terrible Family Guy has become.
So I have a proposal to try to bring about the end of the Simpsons. As a writer and Simpsons fan, I’d love for the final episode of the show to pop up soon. It is time, even though technically it should have ended back in 2002. This might be a bit of a task for some people, but a nice challenge for writers. We should all write what the very final episode of the Simpsons should be. And after writing the final episode, somehow someway e-mail or submit it to Fox. Now, if you want credit for the writing, stop reading. If you want to influence the producers to end the program once and for all, then help me do this. Because I can’t do this alone.
One of the masterpiece episodes of the Simpsons back then was “22 Short Films About Springfield,” which was an episode dedicated mostly to a variety of the minor characters in the show. The episode started with Bart and Millhouse on a bridge, and over 20 characters and multiple storylines later, ended with Bart and Millhouse walking away from the scene. My dream final episode for The Simpsons would basically be a sequel or retread of 22 Short Films. My final episode (not yet written) would be an hour long, and would focus first on the family, branch off for a final skit/scene with almost all the minor characters, and finally end with the Simpsons family.
No, it won’t be the clichéd “Homer is going to absolutely screw up, leaving open the idea for a short period of time that Marge will leave him” because this has been done before, and even in the movie. Instead, Homer is planning a surprise for Marge, which Marge realizes but the conflict is her trying to figure out why he is surprising her---since the anniversary and birthday has passed—and Patty and Selma have not left the city. And each of the minor characters has a small connection with the eventual surprise revealed at the end of the episode. With this, we have a final swan song with the entire cast of Springfield, with perhaps even some loose ends tied up. With the hour runtime, we don’t have to rush too fast, and it gives us a final chance to say goodbye to the Springfield household, Kwik-E-Mart, Moes, Burns’ mansion, the powerplant, the church, Springfield Elementary, the stage for Krusty’s program, and other spots currently escaping my mind.
I don’t want any guest stars, with the exception of Albert Brooks and Kelsey Grammer---which have provided excellent moments in their multiple appearances on the show. Maybe even Hank Scorpio will make an appearance. Maybe. If you don’t know who he is, I suggest you look up the episode of his appearance. But I shall repeat this again, for the most part, no special guest stars. This series finale will be dedicated to all the characters in the show, and nobody else. The current events references will be reduced to a minimum, so the finale can age better too.
Bottom Line: Not sure if I will have many followers with this idea, but I feel like something must be done. Otherwise, the Simpsons will outlast me, and I’ll never see the finale. And by then, they will just simply re-animate season 2 episodes, add guest stars, and claim it’s new. Let’s all write final episodes of the Simpsons and submit them. Let them know that we want to see an end to the cartoon, that we want the show to stop before it loses all its magic it had ions upon ions ago. All I want is that one final chalkboard gag, that one final couch gag, that one final Duffman moment, and that one final hug amongst the Simpson family.
It is time to say goodbye to the Simpsons. It has been an incredible run.
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