In a surprising twist, The Simpsons aired what appeared to be its series finale during the premiere of its 36th season. The episode, titled “Bart’s Birthday,” began with an animated Conan O’Brien hosting a fictional gala and declaring it to be the final episode of the long-running series. Conan humorously mentioned that Fox had been trying to end the show for years. The episode then played out with a major twist: it was created using AI and featured dramatic moments like Mr. Burns dying, Moe’s bar closing, and Principal Skinner retiring.
Viewers were initially perplexed, as the episode spoofed finales of popular shows such as Game of Thrones and The Sopranos. As the plot unfolded, it was revealed that the entire scenario was an illusion, with Bart waking up from the AI-generated fantasy where he had aged to 11 years old. Fans soon realized the episode was a spoof rather than an actual ending, with many praising the creativity and humor behind the fake finale.
Fans took to social media to express their reactions, with some admitting they initially believed the show was truly ending. One fan tweeted, “I legit thought this was the series finale until I realized it was all a joke.” Others called it a brilliant start to the new season, especially enjoying the clever nods to other iconic TV finales.
While the episode gave a playful nod to the idea of ending the series, creator Matt Groening has reassured fans that The Simpsons has no official end in sight, leaving room for many more seasons of the beloved animated show. Season 37 has not yet been officially announced, but this latest episode confirmed that the series is still going strong.
