Why The Simpsons has been phasing out its iconic couch gags, according to show boss

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Matt Selman, the executive producer of The Simpsons, has revealed the show is using fewer of its famous couch gags because they’re focusing more on developing the stories themselves.

Anyone who watches the show is familiar with the opening – the Simpsons always appear on their couch in a funny and unexpected way.

Over the years, the show’s memorable moments have appeared in many different ways, and have sometimes included appearances by characters from other shows, like The Flintstones and Rick and Morty.

On the Simpsons fan podcast Four Finger Discount, producer Al Jean explained the decline in couch gags. He stated that while he’d love to include one every week, he won’t sacrifice the quality of the story to make it happen.

He explained that to create the most compelling story, they would need exactly twenty minutes and forty seconds.

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He said if money were no object, he’d love to add surprise animated gags to the streaming versions of every episode. However, they need to prioritize investing in the core show itself first.

During the interview, Selman also discussed the upcoming Disney+ special ‘Extreme Makeover: Homer Edition’. He promised fans a very elaborate couch gag and hinted at a joke referencing how people often skip television show intros.

Selman recently shared that the show’s finale won’t follow a typical ending format.

According to Selman, if the show were to end, it wouldn’t have a grand finale. It would simply be a typical episode featuring the family, maybe with a few subtle hints at the show’s ending, but no big farewell moments.

Our goal is to create each episode as a self-contained, unique story, distinct from all the others.

He described the effort to be truly original as difficult, but also incredibly enjoyable. He felt it needed to be substantial enough to justify creating a TV show with creative freedom that audiences would still appreciate.

The Simpsons airs on Disney+ in the UK.

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2026-04-21 13:52