Ignore the hysteria about Marge Simpson’s loss of life in The Simpsons’ Season 36 finale, “Estranger Issues.” The Julie Kavner character handed away in that episode’s storyline, however govt producer Matt Selman mentioned the loss of life isn’t canon.
“There is no canon,” Selman defined in a brand new Selection interview. “The Simpsons doesn’t even have canon!”
In “Estranger Issues,” Bart and Lisa (voiced by Nancy Cartwright and Yeardley Smith, respectively) develop into estranged and solely reclaim their sibling bond years sooner or later, after Margie dies.
In contrast to Marge’s epitaph, although, her demise is hardly set in stone. “Clearly, since The Simpsons’ future episodes are all speculative fantasies, they’re all totally different each time,” Selman mentioned. “Marge will in all probability by no means be useless ever once more. The one place Marge is useless is in a single future episode that aired six weeks in the past.”
“Estranger Issues” aired on Could 18, however media protection of Marge’s loss of life exploded final week. (Instance headlines, all from articles posted on June 25: “The Simpsons Kills Marge,” “Did The Simpsons kill off Marge Simpson?” and “Is Marge Simpson Actually Lifeless? The Simpsons Season 36 Finale Leaves Followers Reeling.”)
Selman blamed clickbait for the confusion. “Right here’s my take: Web sites want visitors, and headlines equal visitors,” he mentioned. “After which you possibly can clarify that the headline was deceptive on the very finish of the article. Each single media outlet that ran this story knew that on no account was Marge useless. All of them knew it, however they ran the headline anyway.”
However the producer sees a silver lining. “I suppose this speaks to the truth that folks care about Marge,” he mentioned. “On the finish of the day, it’s in all probability good for enterprise even when these ridiculous, deceptive tales go viral!”
Suffice it to say, Marge will nonetheless have a big, in-charge presence when The Simpsons returns for Season 37. In April, Fox introduced that it had given four-season renewals toThe Simpsons, Household Man, and Bob’s Burgers. That vote of confidence from the community signifies that The Simpsons will air by means of Season 40, if not longer.
That mentioned, the long run Simpsons seasons will comprise 17 episodes, of which solely 15 will air on Fox. “We used to do 22 a 12 months,” Selman beforehand informed Selection. “For the following 4 [seasons], we’re doing 17 a 12 months. Fifteen that can premiere in America on Fox, after which two exclusives on Disney+. It’s nonetheless a full-time job.”
And for Marge, mothering Bart, Lisa, and Maggie remains to be a full-time job!