Viewers of The Simpsons were taken by surprise after a new episode aired on Sunday, leading many to believe it was the show’s ‘series finale’.
For 35 years, the beloved characters Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa, and Maggie have been delighting audiences, providing endless laughs and comfort through more than 760 episodes.
The much-anticipated 36th season kicked off on Sunday (September 29) with an episode titled ‘Bart’s Birthday’, promising the usual mix of humor and antics.
However, it soon took an unexpected turn when the episode was declared as the ‘series finale’.
This shocking revelation came from Conan O’Brien, a former writer for The Simpsons, who appeared in animated form on the show.
During a ceremony on the episode, 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 continued: “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 news left fans in shock, leading many to express their concerns on Twitter.
“The Simpsons series finale is proof the world is ending,” one fan tweeted.
Another shocked viewer wrote: “IS THIS ACTUALLY THE SIMPSONS SERIES FINALE????”
So, is it really the end?
The answer, fortunately, is no.
After making the announcement, O’Brien’s character shared clips he claimed were from previous, unaired series finale attempts.
He then introduced the ‘finale’ episode, supposedly written by AI.
In a bid to ensure the show couldn’t continue, the AI-generated storylines included Mr. Burns dying.
However, at the episode’s conclusion, Bart became self-aware, realizing that celebrating his birthday meant aging for the first time in 35 years.
Like many, Bart was horrified by this realization, and he started to refuse. Homer, in typical fashion, ended up strangling him.
This time, however, the show glitched and reset, restoring everything to normal and reassuring fans that The Simpsons isn’t ending.
Fans have praised the unexpected twist, with one commenting: “OK so it wasn’t the finale. The premise was that it was the finale but it was written by AI, Bart became self-aware and broke it.
“It was a good episode. If you haven’t seen The Simpsons because you thought it wasn’t good give this episode a shot.”
With season 36 just starting, there’s plenty more of The Simpsons to enjoy!