Should The Simpsons be Cancelled?

[x0ny]

I still watch the simpsons and I'm 24, been watching them since I was 5, back when sky one first showed it on sundays at 6pm. The new seasons still have their funny moments.

 

[Assassin Xaero]

Spoiler

People who see this thread will have 1 of 3 reactions:

1. No its the best show ever and shouldnt be cancelled!!

2. Yes its run its course and isn't good anymore

3. I really dont care i stopped watching like 10 years ago.

Im sure most people will have reaction number 3, as a lot of people stopped watching the show years ago and perhaps catch the occassional episode on TV but dont watch it Religiously, and as such dont care 1 way or the other if its cancelled.

But as someone who has pretty much seen every single episode, (thats not to say im an obsessed fan who knows everything about the show or collects anything) i feel that the show has finally slumped to such a low quality that i cant see how it can pull in high enough ratings to be kept on.

While watching the current season number 21, i dont think there has been a single episode i really enjoyed, i generally sit through an episode for the sake of it now, i find myself not really laughing and not particualarly enjoying the storyline either.

When the Simpsons first started it drew in so many viewers and became what it is today because of its high quality, for the first 9 seasons it was brilliant and then after season 9 there was a more noticable change in the dynamic of the episode style which has of course been discussed before this. The dynamic changing to a more whacky "just make Homer do some funny crap" style which though not like the first 9 seasons, watched now is still very funny.

The last 2 season however 20 and 21, seem to have drifted away from this style as well, Homer is very much not at the forfront as much as he was during seasons 10-19, He's still there... but not in the way we had became accustomed and the show suffers from it in my opinion, to such a point that im not really sure what kind of style there going for.

Producers have been asked how they have kept the show going for so long, one of them saying "Lower your quality standards. Once you've done that you can go on forever." Which to be honest... doesnt really work. If they theoretically set their standards at 100% for the first couple of seasons and then by season 4 lower it to 95% or 90% of the original quality by season 21 by continually "lowering" their standards they will end up producing something that is about 40%, 35% the quality of the original couple of seasons, most people wont enjoy something thats so much worse than the original quality they were used too.

The simpsons however is so powerful in terms of brand and importance to fox that you know i probably dont see it getting cancelled anytime soon. But with the decline in viewer numbers im sure it may have more chance of getting cancelled. I Live in the UK so looking at viewer numbers, i can see that an episode of this current season only drew in 5.11 million viewers "episode - Million Dollar Maybe", now im not sure what other shows are like in the US with this time slot in terms of viewers but i assume this isnt great.

The quality of the episodes are at such a low point now that i think its probably run its course, but im sure many will disagree/not care.

Cheers for reading.

I'll admit, I didn't read any of your gigantic post, just read the title and thought "oh hell no." I don't care how good or bad the The Simpsons is, or if it's gotten better or worse, but look at the other shows it is with: Family Guy, American Dad, and The Cleveland Show. King of the Hill was canceled and The Cleveland Show took it's place. If the The Simpsons is canceled, then we will most likely have Family Guy (worse than The Simpsons, by far), and another shitty spin off of Family Guy.

 

[Fuloqwam]

I hate the Simpsons today, and I don't like saying that because I grew up on it. It's gotten so juvenile and uninspired, the once well-rounded characters now just caricatures of what they used to be. Having said that, it's still better than 70 percent of the crap on network TV.

Actually, it's pretty interesting to listen to the "creator commentary" on the DVDs of the early seasons. Matt Groening talks about his creative teams on the show constantly being hired by Pixar. Basically, if a director or a writer or whoever had a few good shows, they were gone shortly after. I attribute this to the show's slide into mediocrity, and it must be frustrating as hell. (That's in the season 5 commentary, by the way. My favourite season)

 

[The Night Shade]

they are running out of ideas but it shouldt be cancelled i prefer watching the simpsons instead of Family Guy or American Dad they are far worse and they dont have many seasons either

 

[AvsJoe]

Option 3 describes me perfectly. The Simpsons jumped the shark for me around the time Homer was the Captain of his own submarine and Bart got an earring and I have watched maybe 6 episodes in the last 10 seasons, Treehouses of Horror included.

But I'm rooting for it to stick around so long as Hank Azaria still finds time to do other projects as well. That guy's a hoot! But if The Simpsons ever gets too busy and clogs his schedule, I'll change my vote to "cancel it" in a heartbeat.

 

[Oomii]

Nah, obviously people are still watching it so why cancel it. I don't think they would risk a new show anyway.

 

[soapyshooter]

There is nothing to replace it in that timeslot and the fan following is large enough that enough people are watching to rake in advertisement revenue. If it was up to me, I would "end it" The show is too successful to call it "canceling"

 

[e2density]

It's a great show, I'm a huge fan. I have Season 12 and Season 1, I have episode guides for Seasons 1-8, 11-12, and 13-14. I have collected various Simpsons comic books and literature. I even bought some Simpsons Valentines a few years ago for 99 cents that I still have unopened.

And I think it should be ended...it's just not the same...I'd rather we remember the show as the "family we all loved" instead of "that family that was pretty good until they got really annoying for the last few years."

 

[Delta 3 Actual]

I think that the Simpsons is a good show that is still some-what child friendly. It may not be as funny as some of the other shows on television, but at least it is more entertaining than Two and a Half Men.

 

[A random person]

Canceled and to be replaced with what, exactly? Another American Idol or Wife Swap-esque time slot?

No thanks. As much as I don't really care for the Simpsons, I'd rather it stay than be replaced by complete trash.

This is one of the most unexpectedly wise posts I've read recently (as in the past few weeks or so, I'm not being a nostalgic), and I somewhat agree. Hell, the Simpsons isn't that bad now, and I quite disagree with the people who said it stopped being funny 10 years ago (I find a charm in the late 90's-early 2000's seasons, personally).

Of course, part of me would like to see it canceled just to see how everyone reacts.

 

[kawaiiamethist]

Yeah, I stopped watching many years ago and will only hold out for reruns. I didn't stop viewing because it grew bad, it just stopped being relevant to me. Meanwhile, South Park and Family Guy haven't failed to entertain, delight and every so often, enlighten.

 

[jimduckie]

gee i did like that show but maybe its time to end it

 

[soren7550]

It should have been canceled back during season 15. let's face it, The Simpsons hasn't been funny in so many years.

(the episode 'That 90's Episode' is what convinced me & my brothers to stop watching it & that the show had officially run its course.)

 

[Booze Zombie]

It's as old as me and I'm 20.

I worry that as soon as The Simpsons ends, my life will suddenly stop, not because I like the show, but because it's just being going so long it feels like it's gotta be attached to someone's life.

Hmm...

 

[DarkRyter]

No, it may not be as good as it used to be, but it's still good enough to be relatively popular.

If it gets enough ratings to keep on trekkin, then it should keep going.

 

[lacktheknack]

Twenty-one seasons is long enough. Especially in comedies.

 

[BatOtaku13]

yes, but only because its time has come. it's one of my favorite shows of all time, but 20 years is enough.

 

[Hugh Mann]

I was sad when they took off king of the hill, and Futurama and replaced it with Family Guy Dark, personally I thought those were funnier than Simpsons anyways and the characters were way more complex than "Bumbling Father" and "Smart ass Child". While theres no way in hell Fox will risk their crack bucket on something not made by Seth McFarlane, The really should look at something different, an old show like Beavis and Butthead, or a rising star like Archer would be a hell of alot better than a FG clone (this time it will be in SPACE so he can rip off Futurama)

 

[Uncreative]

2. "Yes its run its course and isn't good anymore"

I really used to like the show, but these days I usually get more enjoyment out of turning the TV off and letting my mind wander for thirty minutes.