<i>'The Simpsons' Not Close to Ending, Creator Says Wed May 1, 7:22 PM ET By Arthur Spiegelman LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Reports of the imminent demise of Homer Simpson and his beloved but dysfunctional cartoon family are grossly exaggerated, their creator said on Wednesday. In fact, says cartoonist Matt Groening, television viewers are going to have "The Simpsons (news - Y! TV)" to kick around for years and years to come despite what the headlines of the British press might be saying. "D'oh!" as Homer might exclaim. Groening strongly denied a British newspaper report that he was planning to wind up the series shortly because it was getting harder and harder to find funny things to say. Cowabunga, dude! That's not the case at all. "I was misquoted and misunderstood. I don't want anyone to think I am predicting the demise of the Simpsons. They will live on with new adventures for years to come. As long as there are things to make fun of we will be around," the Los Angeles-based Groening said in a telephone interview with Reuters. The London Financial Times kicked off an international fuss when it quoted Groening on Tuesday as saying: "I think we are closer to winding it up ... Although what happens generally if we win the Emmy for best animation show is that that gives us another couple of years to run it into the ground. "It becomes increasingly difficult as the years go by to keep on not only surprising the audience, but surprising ourselves." Groening said these were comments that he often made before but were taken out of context and misunderstood. "I am always asked how much longer can this go on. I just said that given the fact the we just finished our 300th episode, I would guess we are closer to the end of our life than the beginning. At the end of our 100th episode (one of our writers) said we were halfway home. Now we think the show will last, our ratings are better than ever." Groening has earned millions for media baron Rupert Murdoch's Fox network since the series featuring Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and baby Maggie first entered the lives of television viewers in 1989. In fact, he predicted that the Simpsons "will continue to make Rupert Murdoch even richer." He added that he was not bored or unhappy with the program. "After 300 episodes it is more difficult to remain true to the characters. We are trying to top ourselves after all those great shows and the shows are as good now as they have ever been." "TV Guide" magazine recently placed the animated show eighth on its list of the 50 greatest television shows of all time. And it retains its ability to cause upset. When a recent episode depicted Rio de Janeiro as teeming with rats, monkeys and street crime, Brazilian (news - web sites) tourist officials were outraged and the show's executive producer was forced to apologize. The Fox network is part of the Fox Entertainment Group Inc., which controlled by News Corp. Ltd. </i>
I have to admit I don't catch that many new episodes, but it's good to hear that the legacy will continue. BTW are the new ones as good as the earlier eps?
Lately, they've seemed REALLY funny to me. They've gone back to that really surreal kind of humor that was so funny before.
That's too bad...looks like Fox is going to run this show into the ground. This show stopped being funny to me a long time ago. Granted, I haven't seen it in a few weeks, but the last few episodes I saw didn't make me crack a smile, let alone laugh out loud. Too bad...one of the funniest shows I have ever seen has become very predictable and is relying out pure outrageousness to stay alive. Looks like this toon is going down the same road that the Flintstones did...its near unwatchable already... Strange that Futurama, which is now the funnier show, is being canceled while the Simpsons is going to continue to rehash new episodes...
I didn't like them for a year or so, but I've seen the past 6 or 7 episodes and they have all been funny. To each his own.
I'll probably give them a few more chances. I want to like the show, it just hasn't been doing it for me lately. The ones they show on the weekdays are so much funnier...
I did see the last one where Homer was "Angry Dad." I thought that one was alright. I guess I got turned off by the new ones because for a time it seemed like every new episode was an unlikely adventure with celebrity appearances. It just seemed like the writers were running out of material. BTW What would you do to be a guest on that show?
I didn't think the last one was all that funny... Angry Dad seemed like a single joke that they had to carry through an entire episode. Though I did like the line about "rageahol" - everyone in the Cardio Theater at Gregory Gym seemed to be amused after that. However, I did like the one with Homer smoking medicinal mar1juana, probably because it was funny to see him and Otto getting stoned together. And I know a lot of people didn't care for that one. So, different senses of humor for different people... Most of my friends like "random" humor, as Jeff mentioned above. It never really interested me - I guess because it was too random. Anyone could think that up with the random stuff generator in their head. I like more pointed social commentary.
I think the Simpson't continues to improve. When I see those old episodes, they just don't seem to be as funny to me as the new ones. I just love when they come out with classic lines like last weeks Rageahol. Stan Lee making fun of himself, that was hilarious. It's like Matt Groening said, as long as there is stuff to make fun of, they'll continue the show. Fox cartoons are always the best. I hop Futurama finds new life somewhere and doesn't become the next "The Critic" for Comedy Central. The Critic was a good show too by the way. Let's not forget about the Family Guy. That show, to me, will some day be on the same level as the simpsons. If anything, the humor on that show is more spontanious, whacky, and original of any I have seen.
I don't know...I love The Simpsons, but I don't think it is quite at the level it used to be. However, King of the Hill is at that level now and Futurama, though facing cancelation, is getting better (for example, the Star Trek episode a week or so back was hilarious). Let's hope The Simpsons doesn't outlast it's usefulness. Oh, and by the way, The Simpsons: Season 2 DVD comes out in August, right around the time of the LOTR DVD. Let's just say I'll be buying some DVDs then.
i dont know how you can think the simpsons is a good show anymore. i laugh about once an episode. the early ones i was on the floor for long periods of time. i cant really describe the type of humor they use now but its really different, and seems too labored to get a laugh. it used to just come naturally. i dont know maybe it will come full circle and itll make me laugh again. but you have to admit, the show is alot different. its just hard for me to explain.
I agree with Jeff. I think it's sloping upwards again. Some of the episodes I've seen in the last couple months actually made me laugh out loud, which the show had stopped doing for a brief time. I think the main problems the show has now are twofold: 1) More "dumb" humor. No, I'm not claiming that Homer falling down a cliff was ever high brow comedy, just that some of the jokes that have appeared on the show are not worthy of the quality of the earlier episodes. There are occasional jokes that are just standard sitcom fare. Awful. 2) The "adventures" are much more contrived than they used to be. It's understandable, but it damages the product. The storylines have always been outlandish; it's the way in which the storylines are tied into the characters' lives that has become increasingly strained. Examples: compare the episode where Homer goes into outer space with the recent one where he becomes Mayor of "New Springfield".
