FOX has announced that television institution The Simpsons will be back for seasons 31 and 32, which will take them through the 2020-21 season and past the 700-episode mark.
Normally, the fate of a network defining series like The Simpsons would never be in doubt, but the series has become something of a loss leader for the network, losing money while on air but making it back up through streaming and syndication. Where FOX will be without an in-house studio upon the completion of the Disney merger, 20th Century FOX (the studio behind The Simpsons) had to lower the licensing fee in order to secure these next two seasons.
The Simpsons is the first FOX scripted series to be renewed for 2019-20, as the likes of Last Man Standing, Empire, and 9-1-1 continue to await their fates. The network has already ordered two new animated series in Bless the Harts and Duncanville in addition to renewing The Masked Singer and picking up WWE Smackdown from USA Network. With the network working on a rebrand that deemphasizes scripted content in favor of live events, sports, and reality shows, it remains to be seen how much space for scripted shows there’ll be next year and whether we’ll see a surprise cancellation in the coming months.
The Simpsons airs Sundays at 8:00 on FOX.
