The Simpsons has no end in sight, but don’t expect a normal series finale when the show eventually wraps up.
Created by Matt Groening, the animated sitcom premiered in 1989 and has been going strong ever since. The Simpsons season 37 is about to come to an end with the series’ 800th and 801st episodes, and the show is already confirmed to return for season 38 and beyond.
Now, in a recent interview with TheWrap, showrunner Matt Selman confirms that he has no plans to ever give audiences a proper Simpsons series finale. The appeal of the show, Selman explains, is that each episode more or less resets from what happened the previous week, and a final episode, should one ever arrive, wouldn’t be any different or more sentimental. As he explains:
“We did an episode about a year-and-a-half ago that was like a parody of the series finale. We jammed every possible series finale concept into one show, so that was sort of my way of saying we’re never going to do a series finale. We did a series finale in the middle of the show that made fun of all the ideas of wrapping everything up or ending.
“The show isn’t supposed to change. The characters reset every week. It’s like Groundhog Day but they don’t know it — and they don’t die that much. If the show ever did end, there’s no finale, it would just be a regular episode that has the family in it. Probably a little Easter egg here and there, but no ‘I’m going to miss this place.’”
What Selman’s describing in terms of a lack of focus on serialized storytelling isn’t unusual for sitcoms. The episodic nature of these shows is a big part of their appeal, as it’s easy for audiences to jump in without having seen what happened the previous week or last season.
Many sitcoms do have serialized elements, however, and this allows for some form of character growth and for the occasional gut-punch moment. At least part of the reason for this is that, in live-action shows, actors are aging, and this lends itself to narrative change. Animated characters, though, like those in The Simpsons, never age or change, and this is partly why the series has had such longevity.
Homer about to hug Marge in The Simpsons season 37
Selman clearly recognizes the importance of this aspect of The Simpsons, meaning audiences won’t be getting something like The Office series finale, which wrapped up a variety of character arcs in a highly sentimental and tear-jerking way while also essentially shattering the show’s core premise. By the end, many characters have either left or are poised to go their separate ways.
When The Simpsons does end, then, viewers can expect more of the same from Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa, and Maggie, but there’s no indication that an end is coming in the near future. Season 38 is expected to premiere this fall, and the show is confirmed to continue through to at least season 40.
If viewership remains strong, the only real factor that could prompt an ending is if The Simpsons voice cast either retire from their roles or pass away. That being said, Pamela Hayden, best known for voicing Milhouse, among other characters, retired in 2024, and her roles were just recast, an approach that could be taken if similar situations arise with other stars.
It remains to be seen what the future holds for the series, but Selman is evidently not planning to shake things up if and when an ending does arrive. The Simpsons family will seemingly be going out the way they came in.
The final two episodes of The Simpsons season 37 will air on Fox at 8 p.m. on February 15.
Release Date
December 17, 1989
Network
FOX
Showrunner
Al Jean
Homer Simpson / Abe Simpson / Barney Gumble / Krusty (voice)
Marge Simpson / Patty Bouvier / Selma Bouvier (voice)