After 800 episodes, The Simpsons' creators take stock
The Simpsons' creators reflect on its 800th episode, a remarkable feat that few series have ever achieved.
Eight hundred episodes, 37 seasons, and one four-fingered family that refuses to age. It's an extraordinary journey that has captivated audiences for nearly four decades. As The Simpsons hits a milestone few series have ever glimpsed this weekend, the architects behind Springfield are reflecting on the choices that turned crude 1987 shorts from The Tracey Ullman Show into a cultural juggernaut.
"We've done 800 episodes, and I'm really glad we didn't do a big overarching story," said Al Jean, executive producer and former showrunner. "You always return to square one at the end of the show. And there's no question that was a big influence on the longevity."
Nearly four decades in, many still don't realize a woman voices Bart Simpson, says Nancy Cartwright. "I'd kind of like to do him," she recalled saying during her 1987 audition, expecting to read for Lisa Simpson. Groening agreed to the "switcheroo" immediately, and the rest is history.
"There are still people that yet don't know that it's a woman that does the voice," Cartwright notes nearly four decades later. Meanwhile, show creator Matt Groening views reaching nearly four decades' worth of production as a triumph tinged with perfectionism. "I've spent 38 years now trying to get them to draw the characters correctly," he said.
"We've got to figure out how to shift perspective and do it more cinematically and we're always trying to improve," Groening added. Episode 800, Irrational Treasure, airs on Sunday in the US. The show's path to becoming a global institution was paved with early outrage. Groening remembers when Bart Simpson was deemed a threat to American classrooms - he relished every moment of it.
"That was the best move ever when the culture decided The Simpsons was too outrageous," Groening said. "And if you wear a Bart Simpson 'Underachiever' T-shirt to school, you got kicked out. That was the best thing for us."
When Fox executives asked whether the show targeted kids or adults, Groening said the creative team made an immediate choice that defined everything that followed. "We said it's for adults," he recalled. "And that was the best instantaneous decision that we made because it meant that we could do a wide range of jokes."
Guest stars have become a hallmark of the series, from Michael Jackson to Lady Gaga to the Rolling Stones. Jackson's 1991 appearance in Stark Raving Dad came after he cold-called Groening. "I was working late in my office at 10pm. My phone rang … 'Hi, this is Michael Jackson.' And I hung up because, you know, it was obviously a prank. And he called back, 'No, really, don't hang up,'" Groening recalled.
While the show secured the King of Pop in Season 3, one prestigious group has consistently declined invitations to Springfield. "The ones that never said yes were US presidents and I don't think we're ever going to do that," Jean said. However, they have made appearances. In a 2000 episode, Lisa famously inherits the presidency from 'President Trump' - one of several times The Simpsons has been credited with having prophetic qualities.
Jean offered a simple explanation: "Well, the predictions are accidental. We're not from the future."
Groening's prediction for the show's future carries characteristic sarcasm. "Well, I can tell you this because we are time travelers," Groening joked. "The Simpsons will be on in a thousand years. Still on. Unfortunately, fans are going to say the show's been going downhill for the last 500 years."
What do you think? Do you agree with Groening's prediction, or do you think The Simpsons will continue to thrive for years to come? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
