End of the road for The Simpsons?

By Tim Molloy

After surviving aliens, skateboarding hooligans, and living in the shadow of a very poorly regulated nuclear facility for decades, will Springfield be ruined by money troubles?

The studio that produces "The Simpsons" says it needs to cut its budget or abruptly stop producing new episodes after its current, twenty-third season.

Also read: NBC Cancels 'Playboy Club'; Orders Full Seasons of 'Up All Night,' 'Whitney'

Its statement sprung from a Daily Beast report that said its lead voice actors may walk over a demand to cut their $8 million-per-season salaries almost in half.

"Twenty-three seasons in, 'The Simpsons' is as creatively vibrant as ever and beloved by millions around the world. We believe this brilliant series can and should continue, but we cannot produce future seasons under its current financial model," 20th Century Fox Television said in a statement. "We are hopeful that we can reach an agreement with the voice cast that allows 'The Simpsons' to go on entertaining audiences with original episodes for many years to come."

Harry Shearer (the voice of Mr. Burns, Principal Skinner, and Ned Flanders, among others) suggested the fate of the show is up to the studio Tuesday, when a fan tweeted, "Simpsons facing cancellation? Say it ain't so, Harry!"

Shearer responded: "Don't tell me, tell Fox."

Also read: 'The Simpsons' Take Another Dig at Fox News

Fox TV has tried to get actors to take paycuts before, threatening to replace them with soundalikes. The 45 percent cuts they're being asked to take would reportedly drop their salaries to slightly more than $4 million for about 22 weeks of work each season.

"The Simpsons" remains the anchor of Fox's Sunday animation block, and is the longest-running primetime scripted series in the history of television. With nearly 500 episodes, it would still live a long life in syndication.

Besides Shearer, the actors being asked to take cuts are Dan Castellaneta (Homer, Grampa Simpson, Krusty the Clown, and others), Julie Kavner (Marge and others), Nancy Cartwright (Bart and others), Yeardley Smith (Lisa), Hank Azaria (Moe Szyslak, Chief Wiggum and Apu).

Until the issue is resolved, expect to see them march day and night by the big cooling tower.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/10/04/idUS121478954320111004

All good things must come to an end

Aww, that's disappointing, great show.

It had a good run. The Simpsons and Friends. My college shows. End of an era.

It may not have the cultural pop significance as it once did in the 90s or as many feel not as funny, but it would still be desperately sad if it ended. I grew up watching The Simpsons and I can safely say that I have never and will never watch a better, more funny or more touching tv show. In it's heyday it was just untouchable in it's brilliance. I often go back to watching those old episodes I watched endlessly as a kid and they really are an even greater pleasure now as an adult.

It may not have the cultural pop significance as it once did in the 90s or as many feel not as funny, but it would still be desperately sad if it ended. I grew up watching The Simpsons and I can safely say that I have never and will never watch a better, more funny or more touching tv show. In it's heyday it was just untouchable in it's brilliance. I often go back to watching those old episodes I watched endlessly as a kid and they really are an even greater pleasure now as an adult.

Couldn't have said it better myself. I'm glad Fox channel in Brazil shows at least 4 episodes every day. Sometimes they repeat the same episode too much but it's still great to have so much Simpsons on tv.

It may not have the cultural pop significance as it once did in the 90s or as many feel not as funny, but it would still be desperately sad if it ended. I grew up watching The Simpsons and I can safely say that I have never and will never watch a better, more funny or more touching tv show. In it's heyday it was just untouchable in it's brilliance. I often go back to watching those old episodes I watched endlessly as a kid and they really are an even greater pleasure now as an adult.

Agree mate and as much as I enjoy Family Guy, Futurama, American Dad etc The Simpsons is still my favourite animated TV show.

Nah, just a nice bit of publicity to boost flagging ratings!

I still like watching The Simpsons but I don't find the later episodes particularly funny. I thought the movie was pretty crap and everything they've made after that has been dodgy.
I agree that it's a shame but it couldn't go on forever.

I still like watching The Simpsons but I don't find the later episodes particularly funny. I thought the movie was pretty crap and everything they've made after that has been dodgy.
I agree that it's a shame but it couldn't go on forever.

Pretty much what I was going to say, in my opinion the later episodes are w*nk. But the older ones are still brilliant.

It had to be expected that they'd run out of top idea's for it after 20 odd years.

I still like watching The Simpsons but I don't find the later episodes particularly funny. I thought the movie was pretty crap and everything they've made after that has been dodgy.
I agree that it's a shame but it couldn't go on forever.

I liked the movie a lot. I felt the characters were like they used to be and not like the idiots they are like on a lot of the later episodes. Take Marge for example. She always was the voice of reason and stood tall over the family when any mishaps occurred. Now half the time she's the one creating the mess and acting like a f**king moron rather than solving it!

 Plus the movie was a whole lot more funnier than many of the later episodes. Granted there are still some newer episodes of The Simpsons which are still worth watching but when you watch episodes like Marge getting a boob job and you think 'what is the point in stooping so low'?

The Simpsons was different from any other US comedy. It separated itself from the others in that it mocked and satirised American culture. The massive problem is that with the new generation of writers The Simpsons was turned into a parody of itself, which in turn pushed it into that territory of being just another American comedy. No matter what criticisms of the later Simpsons era there are, it's the 90s Simpsons which still counts and which still makes it the best tv programme ever made.

It would seem not.

The Simpsons extended for two series

US TV network Fox has announced that animated show The Simpsons will run for a further two series after a contract dispute with the cast was settled.

The terms of a new deal with voice actors has not been disclosed, but The Hollywood Reporter said they had accepted a 30% pay cut.

Producers warned earlier this week that the show could no longer be produced "under its current financial model".

Actors had demanded a share of merchandising and syndication profits.

The voice artists, who reportedly earn $8m (£5.2m) each per series, were prepared to accept a deep cut in pay in order to gain a small share of the show's wider revenues.

One of the show's cast, Harry Shearer, said he had been told that there were "simply no circumstances under which the network would consider allowing me or any of the actors to share in the show's success".

While he conceded that their salaries were "ridiculous by any normal standard", Shearer added he found it "hard to believe that this is Fox's final word on the subject" of profit-sharing.

The show's makers declined to respond to his comments.

They had previously said that slashing the cast's salaries by 45% would be necessary to allow the long-running animation to continue.

The Simpsons - currently in its 23rd series - is the longest-running comedy series on US television and is broadcast in more than 100 countries and 50 languages.

However ratings for the current series in the US have averaged 7.1 million viewers, down 14% from last year.

Fox are looking into increasing revenue from The Simpsons, including the possibility of launching a cable channel devoted to showing repeats of the show.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-15231778

But how much money do these people want FFS. £5,200,000 per series. Greedy bas**rds. 

I have never ever watched an episode of the Simpsons.

Some are very good with subliminal adult humor. I have only seen what has been broadcast on BBC2/Ch4.

I do enjoy them, taking the piss out of everyone. But Family Guy is better.

Some are very good with subliminal adult humor. I have only seen what has been broadcast on BBC2/Ch4.

I do enjoy them, taking the piss out of everyone. But Family Guy is better.

I used to love the Simpsons but Family Guy killed that love, nothing compares to Family Guy for me now.

I used to love the Simpsons but Family Guy killed that love, nothing compares to Family Guy for me now.

Just South Park, which is now probably the funniest piss-taking cartoon out there.

I used to love the Simpsons but Family Guy killed that love, nothing compares to Family Guy for me now.

Don't watch the Simpsons anymore. Family Guy started the different interest for me, but I'm more inclined to watch American Dad and South Park now.

http://www.southparkstudios.co.uk/

Family Guy is incredibly funny but it will never match The Simpsons of the 90s. South Park doesn't do it for me. Never has done.

Never liked Family Guy and South Park.

Simpsons all the way for muah.

Family Guy writer Seth MacFarlane wants show to end

Family Guy creator Seth MacFarlane has admitted that he thinks the popular US cartoon should have ended by now.

The 37-year-old told The Hollywood Reporter that the show, which has just finished its 10th series, has been running for too long.

"Part of me thinks that Family Guy should have already ended. I think seven seasons is about right," he said.

The surreal show follows the Griffin family, including Dad Peter, which MacFarlane provides the voice for.

"I talk to the fans and in a way I'm kind of secretly hoping for them to say we're done with it," he said.

"There are plenty of people who say the show is kind of over the hill, but still the vast majority go pale in the face when I mention the possibility."

The writer, who is also responsible for other US cartoons including American Dad and The Cleveland Show, said he would prefer to end the show and release a film every few years.

There is a deal in place for a Family Guy movie, which MacFarlane is reported to be writing along with series co-producer Ricky Blitt.

He is also set to bring back a revamped version of 1960s Hanna-Barbera cartoon The Flintstones.

When he made the announcement in May, MacFarlane revealed Fred Flintstone had been "the very first cartoon character I drew at age two".


http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-15286557

I guess when your getting boat load of money is reason enough to keep a show going despite the dip in quality. All shows for the most part run their coarse, Simpson's should of been stopped about 5-7 years ago and Family Guy is going the same route. South Park right now is the best, with the way the show is made they can keep up with the current event (well make fun of them) and turn them into episodes a lot faster. It is a lot different from the early years of toilet humor and fart jokes.

I guess when your getting boat load of money is reason enough to keep a show going despite the dip in quality. All shows for the most part run their coarse, Simpson's should of been stopped about 5-7 years ago and Family Guy is going the same route. South Park right now is the best, with the way the show is made they can keep up with the current event (well make fun of them) and turn them into episodes a lot faster. It is a lot different from the early years of toilet humor and fart jokes.

You could argue that The Simpsons should have shut up shop 11/12 years ago.