The Simpsons Breaks New Record with Double Renewal

LOS ANGELES: FOX has ordered 29th and 30th seasons of The Simpsons, taking the series to 669 episodes, the largest number of episodes for any U.S. scripted show ever.

The new order broke the record previously set by Gunsmoke (635). Season-to-date, The Simpsons is averaging 7.2 million total multiplatform viewers. The series’ milestone 600th episode on October 16 registered its largest rating (3.6/11 Live + 7) and seven-day multiplatform audience (9.9 million viewers) since January.

“Take that Gunsmoke! You lost a race you didn’t even know you were running!” said Homer Simpson.

“This is yet another record-setting moment for what is truly a landmark series,” said Dana Walden and Gary Newman, chairmen and CEOs of Fox Television Group. “The Simpsons has meant so much to the network, the studio and everyone at Fox, and its continued cultural impact around the globe is a testament to the combined brilliance of Matt, Jim and Al. Congratulations to everyone who works on this groundbreaking series—from the voice cast and producers to the writers and production team—you comprise one of the greatest collections of creative talent in the history of the medium. And to the millions of Simpsons fans around the world, thank you for watching all these years. We’re happy to tell you there’s lots more to come.”