this post was submitted on 16 May 2025
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I don't know who is still watching new episodes. Obviously someone, because the show keeps going, but I just don't get it. Occasionally I see some youtuber say "Actually the show is good again." and I check it out and never even get to thinking about the plot because all the voice acting is like a punch in the face. All the characters either sound distractingly old with their original voice actors or they sound totally wrong with new ones.
People just leave it on during dinner. Very few people care anymore, but it's reliable ad venue for the channels.
The show should have been ended a long time ago and the writers and VAs could have moved on to new work, but networks are risk adverse
I'm surprised they don't just use AI at this point, pay the artists like it was real, and then take the heat as publicity. The end result would be better.
I don't think this comic exactly applies; I'm not commenting about people not knowing some bit of trivia. Even if you didn't grow up with the classic Simpsons, I don't know how you can't notice how old and stiff all the main cast sound. Marge sounds older than the voice acting for her mother in classic episodes.
My question is genuine when I ask who is watching these new episodes. Are they people who grew up with the classics who are somehow hanging on? Are they a new, younger audience? Either way, I don't see what the appeal is. The older audience knows the classic episodes, and the younger audience seems to have many choices for animation that seem a lot more in step with them and without a distractingly aged main voicecast.
I think part of it is that most peoiple aren't watching, but the threshold for being a viable network show is so much lower than it used to be. At its peak around season 12, it was averaging 14 million viewers. Season 35 was coming in around 2 million, and it's been going down every year for a while. I guess the trend is predictable though, and the advertising and streaming revenue still works out for their cost structure.
I suppose there is a business argument to be made, but I'm more curious about the audience perspective. Who are these 2 million viewers? What do they like about the show? Do many of them actually even care and rewatch new episodes or is it just background noise?
That’s my point you have new people discovering and liking the show. Not everyone (and actually less people now) are the initial first 10 season watcher. I’m like you, original was good and I’m done with it but the reality is that new generation/people discovers and enjoy the current seasons.
I am asking, sincerely, what they see in it and how they don't get distracted by the gravely, old sounding voices. It is difficult to find these people.
Agreed, I do wonder that since season 11 tbh 😝