Season 23 Information Thread

[The Governor]

If the show doesn't end with season 23, it'll go to 25. If it goes to 25, it'll go to 30 because season 29 will be when the show beats the episode count of Gunsmoke (635). Season 30 will be the victory lap. Look for the show to end in May 2019 with about 660 episodes.

Then it will release the 30th anniversery toy figures, which will sell well to idiots and then the show will try another five seasons, regardless if the original voice actors are alive, or otherwise.

[Jesse Pinkman]

with any other show, this would be completely illogical and like a fairy tale and obviously not true.

but with this show, all this speculation on it lasting so long honestly sounds true and that it probably WILL happen. i wonder how many more fans they will lose before then

[Oh, that's raspberry!]

with any other show, this would be completely illogical and like a fairy tale and obviously not true.

but with this show, all this speculation on it lasting so long honestly sounds true and that it probably WILL happen. i wonder how many more fans they will lose before then

Plus, we're talking 7 more years in some of these senarios. 7 more years for youngsters to find their way to the show. It could be like Star Wars where the new generation of kids actually prefers the prequels. Just wait until a 9 year old tells you their favorite episode was from season 22! DUN DUN DUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUNNNNNNNNNNNNN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Jesse Pinkman]

there's a member here whose favorite is from s21 If i am not mistaken

[Oh, that's raspberry!]

You know what I meant though but fine, IF the show goes on like many are saying wait until one tells you his/her favorite episode is from season 27 or something...

[Jesse Pinkman]

i know what you were getting at, i was just stating that someone's favorite here is from 21, which is obviously 'rare'.

[Friz]

Thing is, I can imagine my favourite episode being from Season 27. If they get some new writers in, and add four and a half simple words.

Executive Producer Conan O' Brien.

[Jesse Pinkman]

every night there is a new episode i come on here (even before i joined), and wondered what it would be like for someone to say "wow! best episode of the series! everything was done so well, everyone was in character, the jokes were hilarious, and the plot. wow. best episode, not only of the season, but of the series itself! 5/5!"

i could see that being d'ohmer (no offense intended, obviously, i'm just getting at how big a fan you are), but no matter what, i want to see someone say this after a new episode (and have them be actually serious, not sarcastic or anything)

[Oh, that's raspberry!]

Thing is, I can imagine my favourite episode being from Season 27. If they get some new writers in, and add four and a half simple words.

Executive Producer Conan O' Brien.

I actually agree, but an optimistic statement like that is pretty rare around here. We know that that's not gonna happen.

[Old painty-can Ned]

Just bringing in Conan wouldn't fix it. They'd have to get rid of the 4 act structure for starters.

[The Governor]

Plus, we're talking 7 more years in some of these senarios. 7 more years for youngsters to find their way to the show. It could be like Star Wars where the new generation of kids actually prefers the prequels. Just wait until a 9 year old tells you their favorite episode was from season 22! DUN DUN DUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUNNNNNNNNNNNNN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Actually, the cutoff will be the people who think the Pre-HD Simpsons were shit vs the Post-HD Simpsons.

[The Wiggs]

I fully expect the series to end after season 25. Everyone on the show, no matter what they say, knows that the show needs to end and I think that once they hit that quarter of a century landmark they'll call it quits. I'm actually excited for the final season because I would expect a lot of people who worked on the show in its early years to come back and contribute.

[noaizuma]

I think ultimately the continuation of the show depends on how long the ballooning budget can be over-come by the show's expenses. Put simply. the budget of the show comes in at 2-3 million an episode. So the real question is how much actual revenue does the show generate? As Ive stated before, if you factor in it's numbers in Canada, Australia and the UK, plus what it does in online streaming from fox, hulu and like; I believe one could comfortably say the show gets nearly 18-20 million viewers for a new episode within it's first week.

But like with any franchise, the real money is in merchandising. Now it seems to me that the Simpsons actually has more merchandising in the UK then it does in America at this point. Maybe not the same amount of actual sales, but more product. Factor in the exchange rate and they dont have to sell like gang-busters to turn a pretty penny. There also seems to be a pretty big boat-load of merchandise in Korea (south of course), as the show has a descent amount of popularity there. In fact in my opinion Fox really screwed the pouch by not making exposure to the Simpsons easier in Japan. They are by-and-large only available on a pay station (like HBO here) cause let me tell you, NOBODY merchandises like the Japanese.

So the real question is how much money does the franchise take in vs. how much do they have to payout to executive producers who have had no input (or very minimal) in the show for years now (Sam Simon takes in around 2 million a year for example).

[dave9199]

I actually agree, but an optimistic statement like that is pretty rare around here. We know that that's not gonna happen.

Off topic, but I love your board name. That line cracks me up every time and I laughed hard when I saw this.

[Company Picnic]

Plus, we're talking 7 more years in some of these senarios. 7 more years for youngsters to find their way to the show. It could be like Star Wars where the new generation of kids actually prefers the prequels. Just wait until a 9 year old tells you their favorite episode was from season 22! DUN DUN DUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUNNNNNNNNNNNNN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

A terrifying vision of the future - won't somebody please think of the children?

[noaizuma]

A terrifying vision of the future - won't somebody please think of the children?

they are thinking of the children....the childrens money!!! ZING

[Zombies Rise from the Sea]

Then it will release the 30th anniversery toy figures, which will sell well to idiots and then the show will try another five seasons, regardless if the original voice actors are alive, or otherwise.

http://rubbercat.net/simpsons/news/2...n-forever.html

[noaizuma]

http://rubbercat.net/simpsons/news/2...n-forever.html

hmmm interesting, but it has many improbabilities (though not impossibilities). Firstly the voice syntho software dosent allow for the range of emotion necessary for animation (talking yes, but the improv like nature of VO no). Secondly, most VA's contracts pay them even if archived footage is used. Now I dont know the nature of the Simpson's VA's contracts, but I would have to assume that theirs are similar. So there is NO monetary interest in doing this. Thirdly, the simpsons has been using a derivative of flash animation for several seasons now, as has virtually EVERY 2D animated tv show currently on the air. The animators (with I'm sure a marginally small exception), draw onto a super sensitive touch monitor. This process automatically vectorize's the illustration and allows for easy and relatively quick "simple" image manipulation. They (like super jail) just animate within the program, frame-by-frame vs using full object manipulation like in Total Drama. It's basically like traditional animation, minus the piles of paper and tedium of scanning/clean-up. As for the last point about computers doing the writing...well hell it sometimes feels like thats already happening now

[Oh, that's raspberry!]

Alright everyone I have something of a mini-mystery for all of you. In an earlier post for this thread I said I had read in multiple places that the current Simpsons episodes ordered count is now upto 515. With that in mind I rewatched the audio-commentary for Day of the Jackanapes last night and Al Jean mentions the show at the time had been renewed for season 21 and 22 with a total of 493 episodes. This sunday FOX will air The Ned-Liest Catch, episode 486, as Season 22's finale. So season 23 will have 7 holdover episodes which is nothing new, but if you add 22, the typical number of episodes FOX orders a season, to 493 you get 515. More interestingly though is that this implies Season 23, if truly the end, will be 29 episodes long! My question then is how will FOX air these episodes? Over the same time period with occasional double new episode nights like we saw with season 16? Maybe stretch new episodes into the Summer of next year? Or is this actual proof that its only a matter of time and contract negotiations before the show is renewed yet again? Thoughts?

[OttoMann14]

Well, if that's 22 episodes for season 23 plus the 7 holdovers from season 22, wouldn't those extra 7 be held over for season 24?

[Oh, that's raspberry!]

A hypothetical season 24 if yes, but the show hasn't been renewed for a 24th season yet...

[noaizuma]

well -and this is MY thoughts here- Until otherwise noted they would continue along as normal until the very end. So what would that mean? Well look how Fox handled both Futurama and King of the Hill. Both of those shows had additional episodes in various stages of completion beyond the official final episode. Those episodes have already been paid for so unless something reallllly went south, production would finish up on them. So what happened to the final episodes in question then humm. Well in King of the Hill's case, they simply included them as part of the syndication package. Now Futurama is a much sticker situation. Depending on who you believe their a variety of explanations of the show hold over episodes. Though (and this is my deductive opinion) it appears that much of the material (both in plotlines/jokes as well as VA's work and animation) was incorporated into the straight to dvd movies.

So what about the Simpsons! My first instinct would be that Fox would air the normal amount for the season, wait a few months until the final hold overs were complete, and then promote the absolute fuck outta them and milk every remaining episode for all it's worth. But (why is there always a but), then I remember that were talking about Fox here. Firstly they HATE the Simpsons (or to be more accurate the creative staff of the show) and secondly, when the hell has Fox's programing decisions EVER made sense from a financial stand point? (the answer is never by the way) So I could just as easily see Fox pulling the plug on essentially completed episodes and letting them rot on the vine probably to never see the light of day (officially anyways).

To be honest with you, I think the real tragedy would be that there wouldnt really be an actual ending for the show. Now I know that thread has already debated it here, but I for one would actually want an actual definitive ending of the show instead of just another episode. Just my opinion on that.

[Oh, that's raspberry!]

Interesting stuff noaizuma, I remember listening to the nohomers podcast about possible endings. Personally I'd like a final episode that gives a sense of finality, but doesn't dwell on it too much or get overly emotional.

Also, I doubt Fox would ignore any completed episode, if there's money to be made of course.

[noaizuma]

ya the only reasons I speculate that they MIGHT disregard completed eps, is solely because various executives have a major ax to grind with the creative staff and money be damned if they'd use ANY opportunity to get the perceived "last laugh" and they certainly have a VERY long track record of dicking over both fans and creators. Now having said that I hope that none of that comes to pass, but Fox has broken my heart SOOOOOO many times in the past. *drops to knees weeping* "Damn you Fox, where are my Small Wonder DVD's!!!" *sob*

[Veganpunk]

I don't believe S23 will, be the last. 25 maybe, but not 23. Aren't they supposed to have some contest for the season finale that will change the show from that point on? Doesn't make sense to do that only to cancel it one season later.

[biffwestwood]

I don't believe S23 will, be the last. 25 maybe, but not 23. Aren't they supposed to have some contest for the season finale that will change the show from that point on? Doesn't make sense to do that only to cancel it one season later.

You are sort of right, there is supposed to be a "fan initiative" with this years season finale. However, we won't know what it is it until the end of the episode. It really depends on whether this hype turns out to be a "blast" or a "bust".

I actually think this is a last ditch effort to save The Simpsons.

[Veganpunk]

You are sort of right, there is supposed to be a "fan initiative" with this years season finale. However, we won't know what it is it until the end of the episode. It really depends on whether this hype turns out to be a "blast" or a "bust".

I actually think this is a last ditch effort to save The Simpsons.

Maybe, but they sure love their milestones, and 25 Seasons would be one. (I don't know why the world gets off on increments of 5?!?)

[noaizuma]

Maybe, but they sure love their milestones, and 25 Seasons would be one. (I don't know why the world gets off on increments of 5?!?)

cause we have 5 fingers....no really thats what it is, we are hardwired to respond to incraments of 10. If we were octopus people we'd probely use a base 10 (or octal) math system. In fact several computer languages use base 8 (like machine language).

sorry I just had a Lisa moment there

[biffwestwood]

Maybe, but they sure love their milestones, and 25 Seasons would be one. (I don't know why the world gets off on increments of 5?!?)

Also near the end of season 25, if they have the usual 22 episodes during season 23, 24, and 25. They will have the 550th episde in which there will be two types of hype during that season.

The end of season 22 will have a total of 486 episodes.

If the usual 22 episode count is used for future seasons:

season 23 will end with 508

season 24 will end with 530

season 25 will end with 552 [If season 25 is the last and the Series Finale is an hour long (split as a two parter for syndication), the 550th episode will be the one before the final episode]. Oh my god, am I encouraging them to go for more milestones.

[Veganpunk]

Also near the end of season 25, if they have the usual 22 episodes during season 23, 24, and 25. They will have the 550th episde in which there will be two types of hype during that season.

The end of season 22 will have a total of 486 episodes.

If the usual 22 episode count is used for future seasons:

season 23 will end with 508

season 24 will end with 530

season 25 will end with 552 [If season 25 is the last and the Series Finale is an hour long (split as a two parter for syndication), the 550th episode will be the one before the final episode]. Oh my god, am I encouraging them to go for more milestones.

Lol. 30 Seasons is just around the corner!!!