In the lead-up to the Season 36 premiere of The Simpsons, Fox kept details under wraps, teasing viewers with the promise of “the episode fans have waited for since 1989.” The episode titled “The Simpsons Series Finale” was hosted by former writer Conan O’Brien, who humorously pointed out that there had been multiple attempts to conclude the series over the years, but this was, at last, a definitive ending. O’Brien introduced an A.I. bot designed to process dialogue from every episode of The Simpsons, as well as all series finales in television history, announcing they would present the “perfect” finale created by A.I.
The episode depicted Bart’s 11th birthday, where he encountered an array of recognizable series finale tropes, such as businesses closing and unexpected celebrity cameos. This episode, written by Jessica Conrad and co-executive producer Michael Price, served as a satirical take on the often clichéd endings in television history.
Michael Price explained that the idea for a fake finale emerged from discussions with showrunner Matt Selman during the writers’ strike. After returning to work, Selman suggested creating a parody of a series finale, which everyone immediately embraced. The team initially considered structuring the episode with different act finales from popular shows before pivoting to the A.I. concept. They aimed for an emotional core in Bart’s story, addressing how he’d grapple with the realization that turning 11 might mean his existence in the show would end.
Bart’s choice as the central character stemmed from the longstanding notion that he remained eternally 10, raising philosophical questions about the show’s longevity. Price noted the series had to convey an emotional narrative while poking fun at familiar series finale conventions.
Conan O’Brien became involved early in the process due to his history with the series. The decision to include intentionally bad jokes in the finale was purposeful, with Conrad referencing the mindset of leaning into clichés, illustrated by Maggie’s first words, “Well, that just happened,” a line meant to embody predictability.
The episode balanced humor with emotional fare, echoing beloved series finales while humorously critiquing them. Characters from The Simpsons’ history made appearances, even some from beyond the grave, adding to the finale’s nostalgic tribute.
Price revealed that scenes included rich character interactions, such as a return of Sgt. Skinner. Initially, there was a longer concluding monologue for Bart, emphasizing the dysfunction of Springfield, which ended with a classic Homer strangling Bart moment, reflecting their dynamic humor.
The duo was mindful of previous episodes to avoid overlap, drawing inspiration from classic moments while ensuring a fresh perspective. However, significant ideas, like featuring Barack Obama, had to be cut due to scheduling conflicts.
As for the definitive ending of The Simpsons, Price speculated that any real conclusion shouldn’t conform to typical closure tropes like moving away or character deaths; instead, it should embrace the essence of being a hilarious Simpsons episode.