“The Simpsons” is heading into its 27th season, and with another season already locked down, long-time fans are curious as to what the future will hold for the animated series.
Created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company, “The Simpsons” focuses on the eponymous family in the town of Springfield in an unnamed US state.
The head of the Simpson family, Homer, is not a typical family man. A nuclear-plant employee, he does his best to lead his family but often finds that they are leading him. The “The Simpsons” family includes loving, blue-haired matriarch Marge, troublemaking son Bart, overachieving daughter Lisa, and baby Maggie.
Other Springfield residents include the family’s religious neighbour Ned Flanders, family physician Dr. Hibbert, Moe the bartender, and police chief Clancy Wiggum.
With its 27th season approaching, executive producer Al Jean told Variety in an exclusive interview that one of the plot points for the new season is Springfield’s power couple (aka Homer and Marge) splitting and the introducion of a new love interest.
Al Jean revealed:
In the premiere, it’s discovered after all the years Homer has narcolepsy and it’s an incredible strain on the marriage. Homer and Marge legally separate, and Homer falls in love with his pharmacist, who’s voiced by Lena Dunham. We’ll have cameos from the other women from “Girls”. We have an episode coming up where Lisa befriends a homeless woman who turns out to be an incredible singer. The woman’s voiced by Kate McKinnon, but the singing is done by Natalie Maines.
Wait, back up. What? Homer and Marge are splitting after nearly 3 decades of marriage?
Cue the resounding cries and echoes of, “Noooooooooooo!!”
As for fans who have been hoping for another installment of the “The Simpsons Movie“, as much as we too would like to see it materialise, Jean said that it won’t be happening any time soon:
The movie was such a time-intensive operation, it pulled a lot away from the show. I would rather end the show whenever that happens before doing another movie. It’s unlikely there’ll be another “The Simpsons” feature while the show is being produced.
Oh well 🙁
Meanwhile, it was announced that the upcoming 27th season of the show will feature Bart getting murdered (gasp!), but in a Halloween episode that will take place outside the show’s continuity. And a special appearance of a fan-favourite character from “The Simpsons Movie”, Homer’s beloved Spider-Pig:
The production team also noted that they’re still hoping to work out a new deal with longtime voice actor Harry Shearer, who recently announced he was quitting the series. If he does quit, the team will recast his roles which include Mr. Burns, Principal Skinner, Ned Flanders, and others.
But as of now, producer James L. Brooks has made it really public that they’re still trying to get Harry back on the show:
Hey, we tried. We're still trying. Harry, no kidding, let's talk.
— james l. brooks (@canyonjim) May 14, 2015
Keep your fingers crossed!
Sources: ABC News, Variety, James L. Brooks’ Twitter.
