The Simpsons Is Making a Mistake With Its Series Finale (And Fans Deserve a Proper Ending)

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Despite recently reaching a historic 800 episodes and being renewed through at least Season 40, The Simpsons shouldn’t continue indefinitely. While it’s currently the longest-running prime time TV series ever, the show would be doing a disservice to its legacy if it didn’t eventually conclude with a proper series finale to cement its place in television history.

Matt Selman, the showrunner for The Simpsons, recently shared his thoughts on how the show might end. He believes it likely won’t have a traditional series finale – an episode that explicitly acknowledges it’s the last one. While that approach might seem appealing, Selman feels that after so many years and different creative teams, The Simpsons deserves a proper ending to solidify its legacy as a landmark television show.

Why The Simpsons Needs a Series Finale

In a recent episode, “Bart’s Birthday,” Season 36 of The Simpsons jokingly explored what a series finale might look like. The episode featured artificial intelligence analyzing past TV finales—including those of The Simpsons itself—to find the perfect way to conclude the show’s storylines. The episode showed characters starting new jobs, moving, and having babies, all suggesting an ending was near. However, it was all a satire, highlighting how over-the-top some TV finales can be and how that wouldn’t fit with the spirit of The Simpsons.

It feels strange that The Simpsons might end with a typical episode. While that’s common for sitcoms, the show has become so huge over the years that a simple, low-key finale just doesn’t seem fitting. It’s too significant to simply end without an episode acknowledging its conclusion. The old approach of quietly ending with a regular broadcast won’t work for a show of this scale anymore.

The team behind The Simpsons has considered several ways to end the show. They’ve thought about wrapping things up with a Christmas episode – a fitting conclusion given the show’s history with holiday specials – or using a time loop similar to the series premiere, an idea previously mentioned by former showrunner Al Jean. They’ve also seen potential ending points come and go. However, whenever The Simpsons does finish its run, it’s important to give a meaningful farewell to the dedicated fans who have watched it for so long.

The Simpsons Is Too Big for a Small Ending

As The Simpsons has gone on for so long, its storylines have become large enough that the finale needs to be a significant event. Episode 800, for example, sent Marge and Homer on an elaborate treasure hunt in Philadelphia, complete with a surprising death. This felt like a fitting, special occasion episode, and the series will likely need a similarly impactful story to conclude the show.

When a story isn’t groundbreaking in terms of plot, it needs to connect with viewers on an emotional level. That’s a big reason why TV series finales are so memorable – they give fans a chance to bid farewell to characters they’ve grown to love. Even if The Simpsons doesn’t explicitly state it’s ending, it should evoke a sense of closure. After such a long run, fans deserve a satisfying goodbye to these characters, and it would be a bit of a letdown if the show didn’t eventually provide one.

The Simpsons has become a cultural institution, far surpassing its status as just a TV show. Whenever the series finale finally arrives, it will be a major event, even if the creators aren’t eager to end it. The show is so iconic that its conclusion will mark the end of an era in television history. It deserves a fitting farewell, regardless of whether some feel the show’s popularity has waned.

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2026-02-17 21:43