Fans of The Simpsons were left confused during the Season 36 premiere, which aired on Sunday, as the show presented a fake “series finale.” The episode, titled “Bart’s Birthday,” opened with a surprising appearance by animated Conan O’Brien, a former writer for the show, hosting a star-studded event.
“It’s such an honor to be with you all for the series finale of The Simpsons,” said O’Brien. He then joked, “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.”
Did that REALLY just happen?!
Watch the Season 36 premiere of #TheSimpsons now on @hulu. pic.twitter.com/5wpuYTRwO0
— The Simpsons (@TheSimpsons) September 30, 2024
O’Brien went on to humorously claim that Fox had finally decided to end The Simpsons, poking fun at the idea that the network had been trying to cancel the long-running series for years. “This show was such a special part of my early career, so being here means the world to me,” he said, adding a funny remark about a sweater he left in the writer’s room back in 1993.
The episode then introduced a big twist: it was created using artificial intelligence (AI). The AI-generated storyline featured dramatic and comical moments, including Mr. Burns dying, Moe’s shutting down, and Principal Skinner retiring. There were also parodies of famous series finales from shows like Game of Thrones, Succession, The Sopranos, Breaking Bad, and Frasier.
In the AI-created illusion, Bart Simpson ages from 10 to 11, despite being stuck at 10 since the show’s start in 1989. Eventually, Bart snaps out of the AI-induced story, bringing the fake series finale to a close. Fans initially believed the show was truly ending but soon realized it was all part of the joke.
One fan posted on X (formerly Twitter), “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!” Another fan tweeted, “I DEFINITELY FELL FOR THAT ‘SERIES FINALE’ ON-SCREEN GRAPHIC!”
Despite the clever trick, The Simpsons is still going strong, with no official announcement about a Season 37 yet. The show’s creator, Matt Groening, previously addressed the potential end in 2021, saying, “There’s no end in sight.”
