The Simpsons’ Series Finale Decision Is a Mistake (the Perfect Idea Was Revealed 5 Years Ago)

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As a lifelong Simpsons fan, I was really amused to hear they’re basically saying the show will never end! Showrunner Matt Selman explained that the Season 36 premiere, “Bart’s Birthday,” was actually a joke about all the different ways the show could end. They threw every possible finale idea into one episode, which was his way of announcing that they don’t plan on having a series finale at all. It’s pretty clever, honestly – a send-up of the idea of an ending for a show that just keeps going!

Anyone who’s watched The Simpsons for the past thirty years likely had a strong reaction to that news. Longtime fans probably felt relieved knowing the show—a comforting and familiar depiction of American family life—would continue. But if you used to love the show but stopped watching it, you might have cringed a little.

Believe it or not, The Simpsons actually had a chance to end the show perfectly about five years ago, and someone even suggested how it could happen.

The Simpsons‘ Old Showrunner Had The Perfect Series Finale Idea

When The Simpsons returns for its 38th season this fall, Matt Selman will be the lead showrunner. He’s taking over from Al Jean, who has been a writer and showrunner for the series since Season 3 and has worked alongside Selman as showrunner from Seasons 33 to 37.

In a 2021 interview with Radio Times, The Simpsons showrunner Al Jean shared his idea for the series finale. He envisioned the show coming full circle, ending with a return to the Christmas pageant featured in the very first episode, ‘Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire.’ Jean explained that this would create a continuous loop for the entire series, and it’s how he would conclude the show if he had to.

The first episode of The Simpsons, titled “Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire,” aired in December 1989. It featured Homer trying to earn extra money for Christmas after his company cancelled the annual Christmas bonus. The episode starts with the Simpsons at a school Christmas pageant at Bart and Lisa’s elementary school. Interestingly, Al Jean has suggested the perfect series finale would show the Simpsons heading to that same pageant, bringing the show full circle. It would be a fitting and clever end to the series.

Why A Closed-Loop Ending to The Simpsons Would Be (And Can Be) Great

A running joke about The Simpsons is that, despite being the longest-running sitcom ever, the show’s core elements never change. Bart, Lisa, and Maggie always stay the same age, and the family’s appearances never evolve. Writer Al Jean once proposed ending the series with a joke that would playfully acknowledge and subvert this unchanging nature, reinforcing the idea that The Simpsons exists in a world where everything – its characters, setting, and stories – will always remain the same.

Although Al Jean might be taking a less active role in The Simpsons, he has a fully planned series finale ready whenever the show decides to end. If a finale never happens, the idea of The Simpsons continuing indefinitely, as envisioned by James L. Brooks, is still a pretty great outcome.

New episodes of The Simpsons are on Fox every Sunday at 8 PM Eastern Time. You can also watch all seasons on Disney+. Join the conversation with other fans on the ComicBook Forum!

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2026-02-20 19:41