The Simpsons soon will be the longest-running scripted TV series in history.
Fox has renewed the animated series for its 29th and 30th seasons and, by the end of No. 30, The Simpsons will have run for 669 episodes. Gunsmoke, the western drama, that ran from 1955-75 is the current record holder with 635 episodes.
“Take that ‘Gunsmoke!’ You lost a race you didn’t even know you were running!” Homer Simpson said in a statement released Friday, via Variety.
The Simpsons has been a cultural phenomenon since its debut in 1989. Though it’s not as edgy as, say, South Park or as currently popular as, say, Family Guy, its longevity and its consistent high quality make it a broadcasting marvel.
“This is yet another record-setting moment for what is truly a landmark series,” Fox Television Group chairmen and CEOs, Dana Walden and Gary Newman, said in a statement. Walden continues:
“The Simpsons has meant so much to the network, the studio and everyone at Fox … 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.”
H/T Variety