The Simpsons has been going on for over three decades now and the show isn't slowing down any time soon. Though that isn’t stopping showrunner Al Jean from having ideas for the series finale, however soon or far away that may be. And like many finales, it will have a connection to the very first episode.
The beloved animated series first came onto the scene in 1989 and was just renewed through 2023. The Simpsons is in its 33rd season and is the longest-running American animated and scripted series. Assuming it lasts beyond 2023, there’s no telling when the series will come to an end, if it ever does. Still, showrunner Al Jean has an awesome ending in mind, as he revealed RadioTimes:
I mentioned that there would be an ending where the last episode, they’d be going back to the Christmas pageant from the first episode, so that the whole series was a continuous loop – that’s how I would end it, if I had to.
It would be interesting to see The Simpsons end in a way that establishes a continuous loop, especially given how much animation and technology has changed over the years since 1989. While there’s no end in sight as of now for The Simpsons, one can never plan too early just in case. The series recently celebrated 700 episodes, and even Al Jean hasn't ruled out reaching 1,000.
This isn’t the first time that Al Jean has brought up ending The Simpsons in a loop. Back in 2018, the showrunner was asked at San Diego Comic-Con how the series would end. Even three years ago, Jean had the idea to loop back to the show’s beginning, connecting the entirety of the series. That said, there are a lot of variables when it comes to The Simpsons ending, if and when that day comes in the foreseeable future.
It’s likely that the end of The Simpsons is many years, perhaps even decades, away. So Al Jean has plenty of time to work on the finale or add to it. But it sounds pretty perfect to me. With so many episodes, connecting all of it back to the very first episode would be the best way to end such a huge and beloved series that has gone through so much.
However The Simpsons takes its final bow will surely be something to look forward to. The show has 30+ seasons under its belt with more on the way. Fans will have Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie for years to come, at least through 2023. For now, you can find new episodes of The Simpsons Season 33 on Fox on Sundays at 8 p.m. ET, and spend hours and hours back in the earlier days of the series with the first 32 seasons streaming on Disney+ now.
