Did The Simpsons really just kill off a major character?
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Did The Simpsons really just kill off a major character? The 36th season of the long-running comedy ended with a surprise flash forward to the death of a family member but it’s less a twist and more a sign that it can’t last forever Jesse Hassenger Thu 26 Jun 2025 12.23 EDT The Simpsons is getting experimental in its old age. With 36 seasons complete and a renewal through a 40th secured, the show has entered territory previously occupied mostly by non-prime-time stalwarts like Saturday Night Live and Meet the Press – television institutions that run for much longer than the typical sitcom or drama. Perhaps conscious that the animated comedy has now lasted five to 10 times longer than a normal sitcom, the 36th season has repeatedly toyed with the idea of what a series finale might look like, even though no such thing is anywhere in sight. For the season’s premiere back in the fall, it created a fake series finale, hosted by Conan O’Brien, that featured forever-10-year-old Bart turning 1...