It's Official, The Simpsons Is Immortal

[Bartmanhomer]

It looks like The Simpson is going to have another season once again. Let's face it, The Simpsons pretty much just about everything and it'll never going to have a series finale. So what do everybody else think about it?

[Willie the Duck]

Was there some announcement of something?

[Lemmy]

Nah... "The Simpsons" died decades ago. What we have now is just an undead mockery of the show.

[Bartmanhomer]

Was there some announcement of something?

No. Most announcements were false.

[Willie the Duck]

No. Most announcements were false.

So there was no recent specific notice of Simpsons being renewed, or the like?

[Bartmanhomer]

So there was no recent specific notice of Simpsons being renewed, or the like?

I'm talking about the announcement of the series finale and yes they're going to have another season which I already mention that in my first post of this thread.

[Willie the Duck]

I'm talking about the announcement of the series finale and yes they're going to have another season which I already mention that in my first post of this thread.

You said there was going to be another season. I asked if there was some specific announcement that this was in response to, and you said no.

[Bartmanhomer]

You said there was going to be another season. I asked if there was some specific announcement that this was in response to, and you said no.

I thought you were talking about the series finale. Yes there's going to be another season and no there's not going to be a series finale. I misunderstood that part.

[JadedDM]

I grew up on The Simpsons. I remember watching the first episode as a kid. Heck, I remember the shorts on the Tracey Ulman show. But honestly, I haven't watched a single episode of that show in at least 10 years, to my recollection.

[Bartmanhomer]

I grew up on The Simpsons. I remember watching the first episode as a kid. Heck, I remember the shorts on the Tracey Ulman show. But honestly, I haven't watched a single episode of that show in at least 10 years, to my recollection.

I remember the Tracey Ulman show watching the Simpsons shorts. They were very popular back then. :smile:

[Mikeavelli]

somehow even more relevant today. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vWgI2YAupCM)

[Magic_Hat]

somehow even more relevant today. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vWgI2YAupCM)

I thought you were going to link to this vid:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TiffTI2WRLs

I personally am of the opinion there are enough voice clips from the Simpsons that you could take sections of audio from any episodes and create a endless series of new episodes meaning if even a voice actor should expire there's still audio content to draw from.

[Malphegor]

I am curious what they're going to do with it cast-wise though. Slowly, their cast is aging. And some of them weren't spring chickens when the show began.

We've had a couple of deaths here and there already, what happens when major characters' voice actors like the Simpsons themselves die?

Dan Castellaneta's 62. How long can he go and have homer still sound like Homer? (also holy moley I did not know he voiced the Robot Devil, man's good)

There's a few options. They could frankenstein a soundboard from existing sounds- the Simpsons surely has every possible syllable speakeable by their main actors by now. With the budget they probably have, it's possible they could use some of the bigger actors they have the most lines recorded in perpetuity. A little ghoulish though, especially when it comes to whether an actor's estate gets paid or not if their voice was used from a soundboard of their voice years after the fact.

Or they could hire new voices. I don't think anybody would mind if Disco Stu got a new voice, up in his wazoo! And Sea Captain is literally the sound line of Yarr, anyone can play him imo.

I dunno. It feels like the show has an end date eventually, it's just uncertain right now when that'll be.

[Bartmanhomer]

I am curious what they're going to do with it cast-wise though. Slowly, their cast is ageing. And some of them weren't spring chickens when the show began.

We've had a couple of deaths here and there already, what happens when major characters' voice actors like the Simpsons themselves die?

Dan Castellaneta's 62. How long can he go and have homer still sound like Homer? (also holy moly I did not know he voiced the Robot Devil, man's good)

There are a few options. They could Frankenstein a soundboard from existing sounds- the Simpsons surely has every possible syllable speakable by their main actors by now. With the budget they probably have, it's possible they could use some of the bigger actors they have the most lines recorded in perpetuity. A little ghoulish though, especially when it comes to whether an actor's estate gets paid or not if their voice was used from a soundboard of their voice years after the fact.

Or they could hire new voices. I don't think anybody would mind if Disco Stu got a new voice, up in his wazoo! And Sea Captain is literally the sound line of Yarr, anyone can play him IMO.

I am dunno. It feels like the show has an end date eventually, it's just uncertain right now when that'll be.

I didn't know that they can do that. Interesting. I don't think the show will ever going to end.

[Evil DM Mark3]

They could frankenstein a soundboard from existing sounds- the Simpsons surely has every possible syllable speakeable by their main actors by now.

That might work, if Homer and Marge's voices in particular hadn't gone on a walking tour around an entire district of accents. Homer's has been up and down his throat and Marge's has been round and round her nasal cavity. Just listen to season one again! Other characters have smiliar, but less obvious, drift too.

Recasting is a lot easier. Its not like every impressionist doesn't already have a Homer Simpson impression ready to go, you just need to find one good enough to make the people still willing to watch the show happy.

[Willie the Duck]

Dan Castellaneta's 62. How long can he go and have homer still sound like Homer? (also holy moley I did not know he voiced the Robot Devil, man's good)

It's pretty amazing what we the audience will allow so long as there is a slow continuous change. Did you ever see any of those movies like Daffy Duck's Quackbusters where it was a minimalist plot made of new material framing a half dozen classic era Looney Tunes shorts? Did you notice when 1970s/1980s Mel Blanc's voice led into 1940s/1950s Mel Blanc's voice? The difference is pretty stark, yet we accepted it because they were both Mel Blanc and gal-darnit he's the voice of Bugs/Daffy/Etc.

I do think that the cast (/writers, producers, etc.) of the Simpsons will eventually want to retire. Only the vocal talent is pseudo-irreplaceable (although, as others have pointed out, we're getting to the era when technology can solve much of that). However, would the audience accept a 'The Ship of Theseus' situation where there were no remaining original cast?

[tomandtish]

It's pretty amazing what we the audience will allow so long as there is a slow continuous change. Did you ever see any of those movies like Daffy Duck's Quackbusters where it was a minimalist plot made of new material framing a half dozen classic era Looney Tunes shorts? Did you notice when 1970s/1980s Mel Blanc's voice led into 1940s/1950s Mel Blanc's voice? The difference is pretty stark, yet we accepted it because they were both Mel Blanc and gal-darnit he's the voice of Bugs/Daffy/Etc.

I do think that the cast (/writers, producers, etc.) of the Simpsons will eventually want to retire. Only the vocal talent is pseudo-irreplaceable (although, as others have pointed out, we're getting to the era when technology can solve much of that). However, would the audience accept a 'The Ship of Theseus' situation where there were no remaining original cast?

Yeah, if you watch Star Trek DS-9, listen to first season Rom vs. 4th season Rom. Almost sounds like different actors. Voices can change a lot, and if it's gradual enough we will never notice.


I didn't know that they can do that. Interesting. I don't think the show will ever going to end.

It will end eventually. One day the ratings will be low enough that they are no longer worth the cost.

Admittedly, since the Simpsons was FOX's 3rd highest scripted show last season, one day is probably still several years away at least.

[Willie the Duck]

It will end eventually. One day the ratings will be low enough that they are no longer worth the cost.

Admittedly, since the Simpsons was FOX's 3rd highest scripted show last season, one day is probably still several years away at least.

Well, 2019''s Fox Network isn't exactly known for their scripted television, so it's unclear what kind of bar that is setting. One of the real issues is that Simpsons is expensive (compared to other sitcoms for sure, but even moreso compared to the non-scripted gameshows or reality shows that are becoming the bread and butter. I can't remember if Simpsons decided not to cut back on their orchestral music backup or not (there was some fan pushback, as I recall), but I know they are trying to cut costs specifically because their revenue is declining compared to the mid 90s (when they were more popular, but more importantly first-run broadcasting had a higher advertising value).

[The New Bruceski]

I want a comedy sketch about a trivia show with categories "The Simpsons" and "Simpsons after Season 11".

[Ibrinar]

I am curious how the new seasons are at their best since the fragments I saw weren't very good. For those who still like them could you recommend one episode I could try from the last few seasons that is really good?

[The Duskblade]

Dan Castellaneta's 62. How long can he go and have homer still sound like Homer? (also holy moley I did not know he voiced the Robot Devil, man's good)


Barring any onset of voice/throat issues, I think he'll be ok for years yet. Adjusting his voice including obscuring any changes to his natural voice is part of his skillset and he's done it successfully for decades.

Hell Russi Taylor was still voicing Minnie Mouse until she passed at 75.

[Avilan the Grey]

Nah... "The Simpsons" died decades ago. What we have now is just an undead mockery of the show.

It is better now than it was in it teen years. Those... three? Four seasons when every plot was "Homer has been fired and is now working as a..."

[Lemmy]

It is better now than it was in it teen years. Those... three? Four seasons when every plot was "Homer has been fired and is now working as a..."
Perhaps... But that isn't exactly a super high bar to surpass.

[Bartmanhomer]

It is better now than it was in it teen years. Those... three? Four seasons when every plot was "Homer has been fired and is now working as a..."

I love that episode. LOL!

[ellenate]

I have no idea what they are doing with that show.

I mean, if they want to keep milking it, there are far better ways.

These corporations don't even know how to greedy right. :smallsigh:


though i kind of suspect they just don't want any other network to have the show. i wouldn't say it made it but family guy gave adult swim a huge helping hand. I imagine something similar would happen if the simpsons where to be let go.