Fox has renewed its signature animated series The Simpsons for a historic 26th season, the network announced on Friday.
“For more than a quarter of a century, THE SIMPSONS has captured the hearts and minds of fans in a way that transcends ages, languages and cultures,” said Kevin Reilly, Chairman of Entertainment for Fox. “This groundbreaking series is not only the longest-running scripted show in television history, it’s one of the greatest sitcoms of our time, and I’m looking forward to yet another landmark season.”
The renewal comes at a time when Fox is developing a new generation of animated series’ (through its Animation Domination High-Def block), while older fare such as The Cleveland Show and American Dad won’t be continuing on the network; with The Cleveland Show having been cancelled and American Dad on the move to TBS. The 26th season pick up comes after the twenty-fifth season premiere pulled in strong ratings; averaging 6.4 million viewers and a 2.9 rating in the 18-49 demo, marking a 12% increase from last season’s average.
