The Simpsons had defied all odds and logic to reach a new milestone with its 800th episode, but when will the series end? While everyone knows that nothing lasts forever, and one day The Simpsons will follow many other popular shows and not be renewed for a new season, showrunner Matt Selman has suggested that fans shouldn’t expect to see a big “series finale” when the time does come. Speaking to The Wrap while celebrating the show’s newest milestone, Selman responded to questions about whether there were plans for a big finale to The Simpsons, saying:
“We did an episode about a year-and-a-half ago that was like a parody of the series finale. We jammed every possible series finale concept into one show, so that was sort of my way of saying we’re never going to do a series finale. We did a series finale in the middle of the show that made fun of all the ideas of wrapping everything up or ending.
“The show isn’t supposed to change. The characters reset every week. It’s like Groundhog Day but they don’t know it — and they don’t die that much. If the show ever did end, there’s no finale, it would just be a regular episode that has the family in it. Probably a little Easter egg here and there, but no ‘I’m going to miss this place.’”

‘The Simpsons’ Continues to Be as Popular as Ever

Homer, Marge, Lisa, Bart, and Maggie outside their house in The SimpsonsFOX

When The Simpsons debuted as its own series in December 1989, it was new, groundbreaking, and unlike anything else on TV. Four decades on, and many imitators and similar shows have come and gone, yet The Simpsons continues on towards that pie in the sky 1000th episode that those working on the series really want to reach. Despite having gone through some rough times, the last several seasons have seen a renewed interest in the franchise, leading to The Simpsons getting their own dedicated channel on Disney+, and having a new movie announced to be heading to cinemas in 2027. Some will say that the series has had its time and should go out before it pushes the envelope too far, yet, the series continues to draw in viewers around the world week after week, whether new episodes are being released or not.

The 800th episode, entitled “Irrational Treasure,” will debut on Sunday, Feb. 15, at 8pm ET/PT. The episode features appearances by R&B group Boys II Men, who will be performing a new version of the show’s classic theme song and end title music, while the line-up of stars also includes Kevin Bacon, Quinta Brunson, The Roots drummer Questlove, and The Pitt stars Noah Wyle, Katherine LaNasa, and Taylor Dearden, who respectively lend their voices to a doctor, nurse, and intern during the episode. The storyline for the 800th episode reads:
“Marge’s crusade to get the family dog in better shape leads to her entering Santa’s Little Helper in canine agility competitions and a trip to the National Dog Show in Philadelphia. There, Marge and Homer suddenly find themselves — and the dog — mixed up in a historical conspiracy adventure worthy of a National Treasure movie.”

Release Date

December 17, 1989

Network

FOX

Directors

Steven Dean Moore, Mark Kirkland, Rob Oliver, Michael Polcino, Mike B. Anderson, Chris Clements, Wes Archer, Timothy Bailey, Lance Kramer, Nancy Kruse, Matthew Faughnan, Chuck Sheetz, Rich Moore, Jeffrey Lynch, Pete Michels, Susie Dietter, Raymond S. Persi, Carlos Baeza, Dominic Polcino, Lauren MacMullan, Michael Marcantel, Neil Affleck, Swinton O. Scott III, Jennifer Moeller

Writers

J. Stewart Burns, Michael Price, Brian Kelley, Bill Odenkirk, Dan Vebber, Kevin Curran, Stephanie Gillis, Dan Castellaneta, Deb Lacusta, Billy Kimball, Jessica Conrad, Cesar Mazariegos, Daniel Chun, Jennifer Crittenden, Conan O’Brien, Valentina Garza, Elisabeth Kiernan Averick, Christine Nangle, Broti Gupta, Loni Steele Sosthand, Megan Amram, Bob Kushell, David Isaacs, David Mandel

Dan Castellaneta

Homer Simpson / Abe Simpson / Barney Gumble / Krusty (voice)

Julie Kavner

Marge Simpson / Patty Bouvier / Selma Bouvier (voice)