the simpsons

Even after Season 28, no one expected The Simpsons to disband anytime soon, especially with some of TV’s biggest records on the horizon. Now, America’s first animated family will officially cross the threshold with a two-season renewal, outpacing one of TV’s biggest milestones in the process.

The Simpsons managed to dovetail its 600th episode with Season 28's “Treehouse of Horror XXVII” this coming Sunday, and no element of the series’ history is off-limits. As such, Hank Azaria will make his long-awaited return to the role of Homer’s “nemesis” Frank Grimes, the first clip of which you can watch right now.

By pure coincidence, 'The Simpsons' premiere featured a bit about Arnold Palmer's namesake beverage, just as news was breaking of the golfer's death.

Season 28 is shaping up to be a big one for The Simpsons; not solely for the series’ first hour-long special, or even the 600th episode, but also some of the familiar faces popping up. To wit, the joint Treehouse of Horror and 600th episode will feature the return of one of Homer’s greatest adversaries, as the famous Frank Grimes pops in from beyond the grave.

These days, it'd take at least two years to watch only only one season's worth of #PeakTV, a quarter of which won't even be around a second year. You’d need some sort of absurd television guidance periodical to navigate it all, but because we love you' we've put together an in-depth look at 30 major must-see premieres kicking off as early as August 31. Come, wrap some barbed wire around your bats and grab a coffee in Stars Hollow, as we descend into the madness that is Fall TV 2016!

The Simpsons still has a few surprises left in its old age, and after going live this past season, Springfield will chart a new frontier: the full hour! After 28 years, America’s favorite family will run a full hour-long episode for the very first time, with special guest Taraji P. Henson and more.

It was sixteen years ago that The Simpsons laughed off the idea of a President Trump racking up national debt, and while the real thing feels far less funny, the FOX animation staple still finds ways to make its voice heard. See who Homer’s voting for in a brutal Trump takedown.

The Simpsons obliquely anticipating future events has become a common phenomenon, though never quite so regrettably as a 2000 episode that referenced “President Trump” in our future. Now, writer Dan Greaney looks back on the unfortunate premonition, noting the line was intended to envision an America that “went as bad as it possibly could.”

Whether imagining Donald Trump in the world of Westeros, or just the regular one, there’s little denying that the 2016 elections have been a nightmare to witness. The Simpsons have now made that literally true, with a standalone clip taking aim at any and all of the presidential candidates.

Twenty-seven seasons in, The Simpsons still needs to stay topical, an especially difficult feat given the animation process’ long lead time. Well, consider The Simpsons more relevant than ever, up to the moment even, as May will see the long-running FOX staple experimenting with a live segment.

More and more each year, TV executives quake in their stylish, yet affordable boots over the exponential increase in peak TV, even as us ravenous viewers eagerly take it all in. Fall 2015 is no exception, cramming your DVR with everything from superheroes new and old, to Scream-ing gore-fests, animated staples and so much more. You’d need some sort of … television … guidance … periodical to navigate it all, but because we love you, we’ve compiled over 30 of Fall 2015's biggest must-see premieres. Remember to sleep, and take in the onslaught of fall 2015's TV madness by our full preview!

The Simpsons has gone on long enough that fans will inevitably face cast departure or a potential end to the series, but despite the recent renewal for Seasons 27 and 28, that end may already be in sight. Iconic Simpsons mainstay Harry Shearer appears to have revealed his exit from the long-running FOX animated series, and not even Ned Flanders could find the optimism here.