The Simpsons' Farewell: A "Regular episode" Ending? Why It's Perfect!
The Simpsons' End Game: Showrunner Wants a No-Frills Finale
Can you believe it? Even The Simpsons will end someday! That's a seriously huge moment. This iconic show; this animation legend which has dominated television has been on our screens for over three decades; providing a sharp commentary and an excellent lens to see the times from that specific viewpoint; that itself is already quite a unique statement in how relevant this television series actually is. The end of this show would involve quite a challenge however – that finale could go many ways, yet this recent revelation from its long-time showrunner might have some of you unexpectedly on-board. It shows a truly original take on how this iconic show should approach that much anticipated, unavoidable farewell.
Matt Selman, the current showrunner (and having endured a huge amount of pressure to meet expectations), is surprisingly unfazed! His ideal ending? Totally low-key, even unremarkable! A "regular episode". Seriously! The kind where the entire Simpson family plays major parts – showing another episode which fully displays and makes use of this family, demonstrating why these individuals matter, yet nothing overly dramatic to showcase some conclusion and leave the show at its most authentic point. It’s almost weirdly perfect, given what viewers expect when considering how long this entire show has been ongoing.
Why a "Regular Episode" Is the Only Way to Go
Selman’s comments to People show the impossibility of a big finale: “I just hope it's just a regular episode with no Winky Winky stuff at all. Just a great family story, just like a classic story that's just funny and involves the whole family and doesn't feel like it needs to wrap up anything or change anything or tie anything up or be magic or talk to the audience directly.” That alone says volumes. Even for a hugely long-running sitcom – attempts to deliver on some specific massive event that brings an iconic conclusion can very easily become overly sentimental; far too predictable. This kind of ending avoids such issues entirely!
The Simpsons is famous for deviations – Halloween episodes, parodies– those are huge elements for the series itself! And they have become a part of The Simpsons’ own identity; meaning they cannot possibly end the series in some hugely unpredictable way, which some might still consider wanting, to add even more creative flair to this already established and hugely impressive series. The key thing here however – maintaining that series’ authentic character remains critical. Thus it's a bold, very smart decision for that final episode to do exactly what always worked: showcasing those great aspects, and building a "regular episode" in a style viewers truly love; one that could involve some humor along with heartfelt moments; perfectly ending things without some contrived story element meant for shocking audience members into that emotionally satisfying conclusion many expect in a final ending. It really takes a bold choice for doing exactly that and avoiding these kinds of tropes which are largely responsible for the lack of audience retention after certain series finish.
The Problem with Traditional Sitcom Endings
Most long-running sitcoms ending on their terms have some shared traits. And sadly, these approaches to finishing such a long series often aren't necessarily creative choices! Those life-changing moments—marriages, babies, job changes, big moves– end up just wrapping up the storylines too neatly and becoming almost clichéd, often relying heavily on sentimental aspects.
Deaths are unusual. It’s usually a forced storyline, adding extra layers of sadness. This predictability and formulaic design impacts every viewer’s experience – creating those unsatisfying ends rather than something intensely original and enjoyable. And Selman is brilliantly addressing this entire point exactly in how he hopes this final ending avoids exactly this very common problem.
Why a "Winky Winky" Ending Doesn't Work for The Simpsons
The comment about "talking to the audience" really is about the timeless nature of The Simpsons. Those characters never age, yet time marches on; technological and social changes show how this series evolved over time to display certain shifts; maintaining this aspect requires this final episode not rely on any of those extremely commonly-used clichés around time or characters themselves to deliver that concluding experience!
Those big, traditional life changes don’t work with this series! Homer and Marge remain married; kids aren’t even old enough to leave home. Those glimpses into the future? Often treated as non-canon.
This ideal "regular episode", this totally simple method of presenting this end is precisely the most authentic style of presentation! The focus should stay on that classic family dynamic. The show isn’t ending the story—it simply stops.
Conclusion: The Simpsons’ Simple Plan Is Utterly Genius
The Simpsons’ planned finale could completely defy expectations from long-time fans; creating a surprisingly good idea; completely unexpected considering its originality; focusing on those basic ideas that got this series going in the first place rather than some massive production-focused ending with some sort of special guests to hype it up, completely avoid any possible controversy and produce something truly relatable; highlighting what actually makes this entire series relevant – this incredibly clever approach suggests immense awareness around viewer fatigue from those repetitive plot styles used to end various series! That’s brilliance! This really is the way to make the best kind of finale— not that grand and intense attempt to “blow you away” but just by doing something utterly different and going beyond those predictable ideas.
