Fans of The Simpsons were left stunned after an episode aired on Sunday, labeled as the show’s ‘series finale.’
For 35 years, Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa, and Maggie have brought joy and laughter to viewers, delivering more than 760 episodes of seemingly endless entertainment.
The highly-anticipated 36th season kicked off on September 29, promising some classic antics with the title ‘Bart’s Birthday.’
However, viewers were quickly taken aback when the episode was declared the ‘series finale.’
The announcement came from none other than Conan O’Brien, a former Simpsons writer, who appeared on the show as one of its recognizable animated characters.
During a ceremony, O’Brien’s character stated, “It’s such an honor to be with you all for the series finale of The Simpsons.”
Breaking the fourth wall, he added, “Well, it’s true. Fox has decided to end The Simpsons… Not many people know this, but Fox has been trying to end it for years.”
This announcement left fans shocked and horrified, with many taking to Twitter to express their concerns.
“The Simpsons series finale is proof the world is ending,” one fan tweeted. Another viewer exclaimed, “IS THIS ACTUALLY THE SIMPSONS SERIES FINALE????”
So, is it really the end?
You’ll be relieved to know the answer is no. After claiming the show was concluding, O’Brien’s character showcased clips he said were from previously unaired attempts at a series finale.
He then presented the ‘finale’ episode, which was written using AI.
In a comical twist, the artificial intelligence generated storylines that included Mr. Burns dying. However, by the end of the ‘finale,’ Bart became self-aware, realizing that celebrating his birthday meant he would finally be getting older after 35 years.
Many can relate to Bart’s horror at the realization of aging, leading him to refuse to celebrate. In true fashion, Homer ended up strangling him, as he often does.
However, this time the show glitched and reset, returning everything to normal and reassuring fans that The Simpsons isn’t ending after all.
Viewers have praised this unexpected twist, with one fan commenting: “Okay, so it wasn’t the finale. The premise was that it was the finale, but it was written by AI, and Bart became self-aware and broke the cycle.
“It was a great episode! If you’ve skipped The Simpsons because you thought it wasn’t good, give this episode a chance.”
With season 36 just getting started, there’s still plenty more of The Simpsons to look forward to!