'The Simpsons' Renewed For 26th Season

Briefly: We've had a good amount of chatter about The Simpsons this week, thanks to the show's tease/promise of killing off a major character, and Guillermo del Toro's wonderful opening for the latest Halloween-themed episode of the show. Now we've got some significant news: while the show doesn't seem to be one that many people actively watch at this point, it still gets lots of viewers. Far more than you'd guess, in fact, as the show's recent season premiere saw a ratings jump of more than 10% from last season.

And so Fox has renewed the show for a 26th season. The show became the longest-running animated series by a long shot many years ago, it is the longest-running sitcom, and in 2009 it became the longest-running scripted American prime time series. With a 26th season, the show will have close to six hundred episodes in the can. The Simpsons has long been a staple of pop culture, and Fox is clearly interested in keeping that going. Now let's hope this energy could lead to a renewed creative spirit for the show.  [Variety]