The Simpsonsis not only a staple of San Diego Comic-Con, but an enduring pop-culture staple that has been going strong for more than three decades. As such, the show has made its return this year for Comic-Con@Home, the digital edition of the annual event. The show’s creators are on hand for a special panel that takes a look at how the series managed to stay on track during quarantine to deliver its landmark 32nd season.
The panel showcased two clips, both of which were focused on Homer. The first one kicked off the panel, with Homer waking up in the plant to see a version of himself as “Homer Barbera,” a riff on Yogi Bear, as well as “Disney Princess Homer.” The second clip was brief, but was taken from this year’sTreehouse of Horror. It sees Homer at his desk at the plant eating quite a bit of Halloween candy.
Al Jean, Matt Selman, David Silverman, Carolyn Omine, Mike B. Anderson and moderator Yeardley Smith, who moderates, are on-hand for the panel, which was done over Zoom. They reveal how the show has surmountedsocial distancingand turbulent times en route to Season 32. The panel is scheduled to debut online at 11 a.m. PT.
Fox recentlyset premiere datesfor its returning animated shows, withThe Simpsonsamong them. With the production shutdown that is still largely ongoing, few shows will be premiering as originally this fall, which will make for a unique situation. But Fox’s animated lineup, which also includesFamily Guy,Bob’s BurgersandBless the Harts, is soldiering on. The shows were able to remain in production, with the creative teams working remotely over the last few months.
This has been a big year forThe Simpsons. For one, the entire series is nowstreaming on Disney+, which has made it arguably more accessible than ever. Especially since the original aspect ratio was recently restored for the first 19 seasons and change. Plus, some other major changes were recently implemented, as Hank Azaria has stepped down as the voice of Apu. Not only that, but the producers have revealed that white actors will no longer be voicing non-white characters. It remains to be seen if the topic will come up during the panel.
Another big question is, how much longer can the residents of Springfield soldier on?The Simpsonsis already the longest-running scripted show in American television history, and season 32 will push it over the 700 episode mark. There were rumors floating around that the show was coming to an end soon, but that was quickly shot down. Be that as it may, Fox hasn’t renewed the show for season 33 yet.The Simponswas created by Matt Groening and made its debut in 1989.
This is just one of dozens of panels that the organizers ofComic-Con@Homemanaged to put together for the online version of this year’s event. Movies, TV shows and more will be covered with virtual gatherings throughout the weekend. The good part is that they will be available to all, and not just those who were able to make the trek to San Diego. Be sure to check outThe Simpsonspanel for yourself. And be sure to keep up with our coverage for the rest of the weekend, as we’ll be bringing all of the news fromComic-Con@Home.
