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"The Simpsons": 16 Going on 350!
Topic Started: May 1 2005, 06:22 AM (38 Views)
Michael Blazer
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By Josh Grossberg



The Simpsons is giving Methuselah a run for his money.

In the midst of its 16th season, America's favorite four-fingered family is about to celebrate yet another TV milestone when its 350th episode airs this Sunday on Fox.

And while even series creator Matt Groening has expressed occasional doubts that The Simpsons may have jumped the shark somewhere along the way, he and fellow producers have no plans to call it quits.

Already the longest running prime-time 'toon in TV history, an achievement that has earned it a place in Guinness World Records, The Simpsons is also the longest running comedy currently on television, far surpassing the lifespan of classic sitcoms and ratings rivals such as Cheers, Frasier and Friends.

With The Simpsons renewed through the 2005-06 season, the show will ascend the all-time list, passing Dallas (357 episodes), Alfred Hitchcock Presents (361 episodes) and My Three Sons (369). At that point, only one comedy series will have made more shows, Ozzie & Harriet with 435 during its 14-year run (Gunsmoke with 633 episodes in 20 years is the overall champ). It would take The Simpsons 20 seasons to reach the Ozzie & Harriet milestone.

But Groening and fellow executive producer Al Jean, who has been along for the ride since the family first appeared in 1989 as a cartoon spinoff of The Tracy Ullman Show, both believe The Simpsons has a shot.

"I think the show has almost reached its halfway point, which means another 17 years," Groening says in the New York Times.

"You know, I can't believe I'm saying this, but it's really not out of the question," Jean tells the Hollywood Reporter. "The cast is already signed through season 19. I think we'll get at least that far. It required such a long negotiation to get the cast under contract for four years that I think it's likely we'll do them."

The show's envelope-pushing has paved the way for such 'toons such as Beavis and Butt-head, Family Guy and South Park, the latter of which recently poked fun at The Simpsons' longevity by suggesting Bart & Co. had nothing left to skewer because they had done it all.

But don't tell that to Jean.

The producer points to several shows this season that still put The Simpsons on the cutting-edge of irreverence. The February installment "There's Something About Marrying," for instance, featured Marge's sister Patty Bouvier coming out of the closet and Homer conducting gay unions to increase tourism to Springfield.

The scheduled Apr. 2 episode satirizing Catholicism and featuring the guest voice of Liam Neeson was pushed back to May 15 until after the new Pope was installed, to avoid offending too many viewers.

Sunday's milestone episode, "Don't Fear the Roofer," will feature guest appearances by Ray Romano and Stephen Hawking.

The Simpsons draws about 10 million viewers a week, down from its 1990s heyday, when it was a fixture in Nielsens top 20. But the franchise has accounted for more than $1 billion, meaning Fox will likely keep it around as long as Groening's gang is willing to write couch and blackboard gags.

And while Homer hangers-on drool over the prospect of more seasons of Duff, donuts and d'ohs, The Simpsons brain trust insists the long -awaited movie version is still on the drawing board, though no timetable has been set.

And that, as Monty Burns would say is "exxxxxcellent!"



Credit http://tv.yahoo.com/news/eo/20050426/111457986000.html

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Sinion Kabe
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Its an excellent show. I hope they go on and on....

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F A Q

P R O M O T E | C C

T H E | B O O K I E S

A F F I L I A T I O N

S T A F F | W A N T E D

C H A R L I E ' S | S C R A P B O O K

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Q P R | F C

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Ca$h
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Sinion Kabe
May 1 2005, 02:01 PM
Its an excellent show. I hope they go on and on....

Yeah i agree sin.
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Nuke
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Ca$h
May 2 2005, 09:58 PM
Sinion Kabe
May 1 2005, 02:01 PM
Its an excellent show. I hope they go on and on....

Yeah i agree sin.

i must agree also
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