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Simpsons creator Matt Groening wants to keep the show going until at least 2009, he told the Media Guardian today.

The cult cartoon is about to enter its sixteenth series in the US; staying on air for another five years would take it to a milestone twentieth season, making it the longest-running entertainment show in US TV history.

"A few years ago I thought, well, we've got to run out of steam soon and that we'd be done by now," said Groening. "We're not, in fact we're going full steam ahead."

He also confirmed that plans were underway for a Simpsons movie, due out towards the end of the decade. "Everyone on the show this year seems really re-energised and we're starting to throw out ideas for the movie and I think that will either kill the show or completely re-invigorate it."

The show is currently renewed through 2006; the vocal actors are contracted through 2008.

http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/article/ds16151.html

How many ideas can they reuse up/steal until then?

 

[Rorschach]

"A few years ago I thought, well, we've got to run out of steam soon and that we'd be done by now," said Groening. "We're not, in fact we're going full steam ahead."

Stick with your first instincts. Please.

 

[Rlan]

Yeah, Full Steam ahead. That 'Patty is a Lesbian' plot point was really necessary.

Pfft.

 

[Grizzlyjin]

They ran out of ideas many many many years ago...I can imagine them putting Bart and Lisa in High School to get some new juice going.

 

[aoi tsuki]

Is there anyone here who still watches the show? i woulnd't mind some spoilers seeing as how i'll likely never get back into the show again. Last episode i watched was the one where Bart got his own place, with a persistent cameo with Tony Hawk.

 

[FoneBone]

PLEASE, KILL IT NOW

 

[Pedigree Chum]

"Everyone on the show this year seems really re-energised and we're starting to throw out ideas for the movie and I think that will either kill the show or completely re-invigorate it."

Please for the love of god, let the former happen.

 

[Drensch]

As grandpa would say:"Bitch, Bitch, Bitch"

 

[AniHawk]

I'm a big Simpsons fan, and although they're not what they used to be (Fox is constantly reminding me this with reruns from the 2nd-6th seasons 3 times a day), I'd be interested in seeing the show actually end after twenty years. Maybe they can get the old writers back for the movie so everything can be "wrapped up."

Maybe after The Simpsons we can see a comeback of Futurama? Maybe it can just take its place altogether? Family Guy- if Fox doesn't cancel it AGAIN- might be getting old by then.

 

[Mega Man's Electric Sheep]

Full steam ahead? Judge for yourselves. Upcoming plots this year:

Treehouse of Horror XV
Act One: Ned Flanders can see the future.
Act Two: Mr. Burns' body is explored.
Act Three: Lisa becomes a new Sherlock Holmes.

Discovering that Nelson Muntz has no parental figure, soft-hearted Marge invites him to live with the Simpsons.

After Homer suddenly develops a knack for cooking, he unwittingly competes against Marge in a bake-off.

Bart and Lisa get in a Saving Private Ryan style spit-ball fight ending in the loss of Bart's last baby tooth, pushing Bart into a ten-year-old midlife crisis.

After Homer inadvertently performs a wild crowd-pleasing dance at a local carnival, he will stumble across a new career as a "victory dance choreographer." After working for defensive tackle Warren Sapp, basketballers LeBron James and Yao Ming, and figure skater Michelle Kwan, he's called upstairs to choreograph the Super Bowl halftime show. In over his head, Homer turns to neighbor Ned for help. Together they create a clean and classy, non-violent, deeply meaningful halftime show, only to have America turn on them for such a "blatant display of decency."

50 cent comes to Springfield and Bart sneaks to the concert by faking a kidnapping after Marge and Homer forbid him to go.

Homers private space is ruined when Marge starts serving at Moe's




Personally, I think the 50 cent and superbowl ones sound horrid; the others might be ok.

 

[snaildog]

I'm trying to accurately pinpoint why I abhor The Simpsons now. I do hate the outrageous plots - the most fun parts for me have always been around the house, at school, the power plant, Quick E Mart etc - but then again a lot of best ones did have 'stupid' plots as well (Stone Cutters!). Maybe it's just the ratio of them. I think it's also because the classic episodes generally have about three plots running through them instead of one big crazy adventure. And the stupid celebrity cameos drive me nuts, of course.

 

[MrAngryFace]

well with social security less secure, he probably wants to continue building a sizable retirement fund.

 

[ManDudeChild]

Full steam ahead? Judge for yourselves. Upcoming plots this year:

Treehouse of Horror XV
Act One: Ned Flanders can see the future.
Act Two: Mr. Burns' body is explored.
Act Three: Lisa becomes a new Sherlock Holmes.

Discovering that Nelson Muntz has no parental figure, soft-hearted Marge invites him to live with the Simpsons.

After Homer suddenly develops a knack for cooking, he unwittingly competes against Marge in a bake-off.

Bart and Lisa get in a Saving Private Ryan style spit-ball fight ending in the loss of Bart's last baby tooth, pushing Bart into a ten-year-old midlife crisis.

After Homer inadvertently performs a wild crowd-pleasing dance at a local carnival, he will stumble across a new career as a "victory dance choreographer." After working for defensive tackle Warren Sapp, basketballers LeBron James and Yao Ming, and figure skater Michelle Kwan, he's called upstairs to choreograph the Super Bowl halftime show. In over his head, Homer turns to neighbor Ned for help. Together they create a clean and classy, non-violent, deeply meaningful halftime show, only to have America turn on them for such a "blatant display of decency."

50 cent comes to Springfield and Bart sneaks to the concert by faking a kidnapping after Marge and Homer forbid him to go.

Homers private space is ruined when Marge starts serving at Moe's




Personally, I think the 50 cent and superbowl ones sound horrid; the others might be ok.

For the love of all that is good and pure in this world, PLEASE tell me you're making shit up.

 

[Mega Man's Electric Sheep]

Sadly, no. Those are actual plots I got from tvtome.

 

[ManDudeChild]

Ugh. That Dancing Homer re-visited plot sounds lame.

 

[dog$]

Herr Groening:

Just make enough episodes until it can surpass Mutt & Jeff to become the world-record longest running animated series.

Then decapitate the show.

 

[Trevelyon]

"After Homer inadvertently performs a wild crowd-pleasing dance at a local carnival, he will stumble across a new career as a "victory dance choreographer."

Ok, I swear they did this in like season 1 or 2, but Homer was the mascot for the local Baseball team.

What... the writers are so desperate now that they're ripping off themselves?

 

[ManDudeChild]

Ok, I swear they did this in like season 1 or 2, but Homer was the mascot for the local Baseball team.

What... the writers are so desperate now that they're ripping off themselves?

Yes, with "Dancing Homer" for the Isotopes. Homer then went to Capital City, where he was boourned.

 

[Vormund]

I'm curious what the ratings are like. Does anybody seriously watch it anymore? Or do the networks still think because it was really popular, somehow it still is?

 

[human5892]

So now I can look forward to there being more utterly shitty Simpsons episodes in existence than there are good ones?

THANK YOU SATAN

 

[Memles]

Maybe they can get the old writers back for the movie so everything can be "wrapped up."

Supposedly, according to Variety, Jon Vitti ("Mr. Plow" among others) has been tapped to write the Simpsons Script. He's also writing the second Ice Age movie.

 

[clipunderground]

You guys are such whinny bitches. Simpsons are still good. Even it's shittiest episodes are better then most crap on tv anyway. So whats the fucking problem?!!!

 

[FnordChan]

Just make enough episodes until it can surpass Mutt & Jeff to become the world-record longest running animated series.

First it'll have to beat Sazae-san, which has been running continuously in Japan since 1969 and has over 1700 episodes under it's belt.

FnordChan

 

[OmniGamer]

A part of me really hates Nu-Simpsons(as a whole that is...a good chuckle can still be salvaged here and there), but another part would love to see it hit that magical "20 seasons" mark. My main complaints have to do with Homer being a complete guy-you'd-like-to-beat-the-shit-out-of obnoxious jerk type(see MasterCard commercial for prime example), instead of the dimwitted, oblivious, somewhat self-centered but deep down loving type. Also, the retarded and blatant "celebrity" guest stars(flavor of 6 months ago) instead of the "discreet" guest star voice work of the early seasons, and of course the beaten into the ground "The Simpsons are going to *insert location here* stuff.

Springfield used to have a life of its own...now it's all but featureless and is just a plug&play backdrop. Do we even see whole acts take place in one setting anymore, like their home, or Springfield elementary, or the power plant, etc. Everything is so spastic now and is just one poke-you-in-the-eye "gag" after the next.

 

[Jim Bowie]

You guys are such whinny bitches. Simpsons are still good. Even it's shittiest episodes are better then most crap on tv anyway. So whats the fucking problem?!!!

Clip, we see eye to eye. The Simpsons still make me laugh. Not as hard as Futurama, but it makes me laugh all the same.

 

[human5892]

Even it's shittiest episodes are better then most crap on tv anyway.

That's been the phrase used to defend the Simpsons for years now (ever since it started being terrible), but just because a new episode of the Simpsons might be better than a show like Will & Grace or Mad About You doesn't make it good.

If I had to choose, I'd rather eat paper than mouse droppings. That still doesn't say much for the tastiness of paper, though.

EDIT: Omnigamer hit it right on the head.

 

[bjork]

First it'll have to beat Sazae-san, which has been running continuously in Japan since 1969 and has over 1700 episodes under it's belt.

FnordChan

Don't give them any ideas...

 

[Memles]

The issue is the characters being turned into one-dimensional caricatures of their former selves, not that it's "unfunny".

 

[Flynn]

You guys are such whinny bitches. Simpsons are still good. Even it's shittiest episodes are better then most crap on tv anyway. So whats the fucking problem?!!!

I hate this argument.

Chocolate covered turds taste better than hobo shit.

 

[MrCheez]

Bring back Futurama goddammit!!

 

[Flynn]

Discovering that Nelson Muntz has no parental figure, soft-hearted Marge invites him to live with the Simpsons.

After Homer suddenly develops a knack for cooking, he unwittingly competes against Marge in a bake-off.


Homers private space is ruined when Marge starts serving at Moe's

These seem to have the James L. Brooks influence -- the family/heart sensibility that made us love these characters in the first place.