As of today, The Simpsons is set to continue for forty seasons, making it the longest-running animated series in North American history. Over such a long run, the show on Fox has naturally gone through some changes to keep up with the story of Springfield’s residents. We’ve seen characters recast and voice actors retire, and recently, the show’s current producer revealed that another significant change is coming – one that will break with a long-held tradition.
I was listening to the “Four Finger Discount” podcast the other day, and they asked a great question about why The Simpsons stopped doing the intro sequence and couch gags this season. Showrunner Matt Selman explained it really clearly – he just wants to make sure every episode has the best possible story! He said they need every minute of the show’s twenty minutes and forty seconds to really do that, and he doesn’t want to sacrifice storytelling for the sake of a quick gag. I totally get that – a great story is always the priority!
Okay, so this is HUGE news for Simpsons fans like me! They’ve actually stopped doing the couch gags! I just listened to a podcast where showrunner Matt Selman explained the whole decision. Apparently, they felt like they’d explored every possible idea and it was time to try something new. It’s a little sad, honestly – those gags were iconic – but I totally get wanting to keep the show fresh. You can hear all about it straight from the source on the latest podcast episode!
— Four Finger Discount (@fourfingerpod) April 18, 2026
Are Couch Gags a Thing of The Past?
Selman said he’d love to continue including the classic intro gags in every episode of The Simpsons. He joked that if money were no object, he’d add a surprise couch gag to the streaming versions of each episode. While they need to focus their budget on the core show itself, the team is aware of how many viewers skip the intro, and they even made a joke about it in the ‘Extreme Makeover Homer Edition’ double episode, showing they understand what audiences are doing.
As a huge Simpsons fan, I’m so excited about everything happening with the show! Not only is it still on Fox every week, but it’s also easy to catch up on Disney+ and Hulu. And get this – for “World Simpsons Day” on April 19th, they’re dropping a massive new installment! Apparently, it’s going to be the longest episode ever, way longer than two regular episodes, packed with tons of different segments. I can’t wait!
While it’s still unclear if season forty will be the last, The Simpsons hasn’t made any official announcements about its future, and Fox hasn’t confirmed anything either. However, fans can look forward to another movie! The Simpsons Movie 2 is scheduled to be released on September 3, 2027. Details about the plot are still under wraps, but given the success of the first film, it’s expected to be a major event.
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2026-04-18 17:41