The Simpsons’ Season 36 premiere had a twist that left many wondering about the show’s future. Despite the magnificent finale, Springfield’s famous family appears to have a lot more ahead of them.
The Simpsons’ Season 36 premiere, titled Bart’s Birthday, aired on September 29, 2024, and opened with an unexpected twist. The episode was presented as a series finale, hosted by a cartoon version of former Simpsons writer Conan O’Brien.
Opening at the Dolby-Mucinex Theatre, O’Brien joked about Fox’s choice to end the show. “It’s such an honor to be with you all for the series finale of The Simpsons,” he said, hinting at the humor that was to come.
He stated that The Simpsons played an important role in his early career. “This show was such a special part of my early career, so being here means the world to me,” O’Brien said. O’Brien, who had left a sweater in the writer’s room in 1993, joked that this was his last chance to collect it.
The show paid tribute to The Simpsons’ long history, with O’Brien teasing that Fox had been attempting to end the show for years, dating back to its first episode in 1989. He also introduced many guest stars, including Joel McHale, who played off the network’s other live-action shows.
In a clever parody, O’Brien stated that the episode’s script was written by artificial intelligence. Titled Bart’s Birthday, the story drew on common series finale cliches to make fun of the tradition.
Major characters experienced life-changing events. Mr. Burns dies, Milhouse’s family moves to Atlanta, and Principal Skinner retires, planning to move to a new school in Sacramento. These events were clearly intended to confuse viewers who could have thought they were watching the real end of the show.
One of the most standout moments was Bart realizing that he was turning 11 years old, which was a notable shift since Bart had always been 10 throughout the series.
He refused to blow out his candles, as he didn’t want to grow up. Homer, true to form, attempted to strangle Bart, but the screen reset, bringing Bart to his usual age of ten, and everything returned to normal.
Despite the grand series finale setup, The Simpsons has not yet ended as per Variety. Fox has not officially renewed the show for a 37th season, but new episodes are on the way, including the highly anticipated 35th annual Treehouse of Horror Halloween episode. This year, The Simpsons will team up with Stoopid Buddy Studios, known for Robot Chicken, to parody the Marvel character Venom.
ALSO READ: Throwback: When Harry Styles Said He Does Not Believe In The Concept Of ‘Best In Music’
