Matt Selman, the executive producer of The Simpsons, recently explained why the show is using fewer of its famous opening ‘couch gags.’
As longtime fans know, every episode starts with the opening titles, which always show the Simpson family running to sit on their living room couch. Right after that, something unexpected or strange would happen.
As a huge animation fan, I’ve noticed the ways shows try to get big laughs are really diverse. Sometimes it’s just a classic slapstick gag, but other times they go all out with something like a full-blown dance number, or even a fun surprise cameo – I was thrilled when Rick and Morty showed up in one recently!
Unfortunately, the fun opening skits haven’t been happening as often lately. Selman recently explained why in an interview with the fan podcast, Four Finger Discount.
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He explained that while he’d love to include a humorous couch gag in each episode, he doesn’t want to sacrifice the story’s quality to make time for one. His priority is telling the best possible story, and he believes that requires a full twenty minutes and forty seconds.
The Simpsons faces a unique challenge because it airs on traditional TV (Fox) and streaming services (Hulu and Disney+). This means episodes still need to fit the strict time limits required for regular American television.
Streaming services allow for more variation in how long episodes are, but the ability to skip the opening sequence discourages creating elaborate or lengthy title sequences.
As a big Simpsons fan, I’ve noticed something weird with how Disney+ is handling the show’s aspect ratio. They’re adding this widescreen effect, but it actually removes the classic couch gags from the older episodes. Honestly, it makes you wonder if it’s really worth the effort – or the cost – to include it if it means losing those fun little bits!
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You know, if I had all the money in the world, I’d love to add these little surprise couch gags to every episode on streaming – something unexpected to pop up and give viewers a fun jolt. But honestly, we have to focus our resources on making the main show itself the best it can be first. It’s a balancing act, you know?
The executive producer hinted at a joke about viewers skipping the opening credits in the upcoming 800th episode special, ‘Extreme Makeover: Homer Edition,’ but didn’t reveal any details about what happens in the episode.
Selman recently sparked discussion by stating that The Simpsons is unlikely to have a traditional series finale (according to Deadline). He believes the show intentionally played out typical ending tropes in the season 36 premiere, “Bart’s Birthday.”
Having worked on the animated sitcom since 1997, this writer and producer really knows the show inside and out. However, we’ve also shared another idea for how The Simpsons could end, and it might be worth a look.
The Simpsons is available to stream on Disney+ UK.
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Authors
As a huge fan of TV and streaming, I’ve been following David Craig’s work for a while now. He’s the Senior Drama Writer at TopMob, which means he’s always in the know about the best new scripted shows – both dramas and comedies. Before that, he was writing for Starburst Magazine and even hosted his own podcast, ‘The Winter King,’ for ITVX. He actually studied Journalism at the University of Sheffield, so he really knows his stuff!
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2026-04-20 16:37