Is it the last season of "The Simpsons"? The long-running animated sitcom left fans puzzled when it labeled the premiere of Season 36 as its "series finale" on Sunday. The episode, titled "Bart's Birthday," featured an animated Conan O'Brien, a former writer for the show, hosting a gala alongside various animated celebrities.
"It's such an honor to be with you all for the series finale of 'The Simpsons,'" O'Brien said to the crowd leaving them silent and perplexed if the show was coming to its end. "I knew I was the right man for the job because I've hosted the last episode of three of my own shows, and counting."
Audiences Left Guessing after Shock Announcement
"Well, it's true. Fox has decided to end the Simpsons," O'Brien continued. "This show was such a special part of my early career, so being here means the world to me. Also. I left a sweater in the writer's room in 1993 and this is the only way they'll let me get it back."
After claiming that Fox "has been trying to end" the show for years, O'Brien showed clips from what he described as unaired series finale scenes from "classic episodes," including the 1990 episode "Bart the Daredevil" and the 2000 episode "Little Big Mom."
O'Brien then introduced the Season 36 premiere, unveiling its major twist—the episode was generated using AI and features various dramatic moments attempting to bring closure to the series.
Scenes showing Mr. Burns's death, Moe's bar shutting down, and Principal Skinner's retirement were among the amusing AI-generated scenes that unfolded throughout the episode.
The episode also featured animated reimagining of the final scenes from well-known series such as "Game of Thrones," "Succession," "The Sopranos," "Breaking Bad," and "Frasier."
The Real Truth
At the end of the episode, Bart breaks free from the AI illusion, realizing he has turned 11 despite having been 10 since the show's inception. Once Bart regains his awareness, the fake "series finale" wraps up.
The show's AI plotline left viewers confused, but they eventually understood that the series was not really coming to an end.
"I legit thought this was the series finale until I realized it was all a joke XD But still this was a great and funny season 36 premiere! Loved all the references!" one user wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
"I DEFINITELY FELL FOR THAT "SERIES FINALE" ON-SCREEN GRAPHIC!" a second fan tweeted.
"Tonight's premiere — not series finale — of @TheSimpsons was freaking brilliant!!! Great work, writer Jessica Conrad!" yet another fan tweeted.
"The Simpsons" aired its first episode on Dec. 17, 1989. The series was created by Matt Groening, and the current voice cast features Dan Castellaneta (Homer Simpson), Julie Kavner (Marge Simpson), Nancy Cartwright (Bart and Maggie Simpson), Yeardley Smith (Lisa Simpson), and Hank Azaria (various characters).
In a 2021 interview with USA Today, Groening, 70, discussed the possible end of the series. "My standard answer is there's no end in sight because anytime I speculate on the show ending, the people who work on it and diehard fans get very upset," he said. "So, I always say there's no end in sight."
However, the Season 37 of "The Simpsons" has not been announced yet.
