Fox renews 'Simpsons'; set to surpass 'Gunsmoke' as longest-running primetime TV series

Longest. TV show. Ever.

Fox has ordered two more seasons of "The Simpsons" that will make the animated hit the longest-running series in primetime TV history.

The 44-episode pickup will bring the show to a whopping 493 episodes.

"Gunsmoke" has held the record as the longest-running series and was on the air for 20 years (airing on CBS from 1955 to 1975 with 635 episodes). "The Simpsons" and NBC's "Law & Order" have been closing in on the Western classic, with Fox's comedy tying "Gunsmoke" this year and "Order" currently airing its 19th season.

With this renewal, "The Simpsons" (which debuted in 1990) will easily take the lead. And with NBC shedding its 10 p.m. hour and the "L&O" flagship pulling modest numbers, the chances of the crime drama outlasting "The Simpsons" seems unlikely.

"The Simpsons" launched in 1990. Twelve years ago, the show surpassed "The Flintstones" as the longest-running animated series. Outside of ultra-competitive primetime, other programs have been on the air considerably longer. NBC's "Meet the Press" has been around since 1947. CBS' soap "Guiding Light" has been airing since 1952 and NBC's "The Tonight Show" has been in production since 1954.

The "Simpsons" pickup came after 20th TV closed a new deal with James L. Brooks' company Gracie Films on Wednesday. The voice cast was already secured for two more years as part of their most recent contract negotiations.

Comments

[Homer]

Dohhhh

[Diego]

Actually Guiding Light is the longest running show on the air 1937 to present. It is the only soap to switch from Radio to Tv and still be on the air. So your facts are wrong. I mean just because its first 15years were on radio doesn't mean you don't count those years.

[LanceUppercut]

He said longest running "prime time" series. Unless noon is prime time in your part of the world then he is correct with his facts. You just need to learn how to read better and stop watching The Guiding Light! I still have nightmares when I listen to the theme music.

Love the Simpsons!!! Good stuff!!!

[Kat]

Awesome! Love the show, thanks for the scoop!

Blogged as well: http://squareeyes.blinkx.com/?p=383

[Fact Checker]

"Wall Street Week" ran for 35 years on PBS, "Frontline" has been on since 1983, and "60 Minutes" has a longer prime-time run than "The Simpsons" by a couple of *decades.* Include the word "scripted" and the piece is correct. Sadly, there is *no* correcting the egregiously brain-dead Lance Uppercut.

[Jo Smith]

Actually, "America's Most Wanted" has been in Prime Time on Fox since 1988, longer than The Simpsons has been on the air.

[Rock Strongo]

The starting times of those shows, and not the ones that are publicly financed liberal garbage channels like PBS and you'll see that you're really a dumbass. Oh, and 60 Minutes starts at 7pm Eastern...where "primetime" is defined as 8pm - 10pm.

[Josh]

Um, they said..."ON TELEVISION."

Radio is not television.

[Heradite]

On Sunday primetime begins an hour early.

[Bob The Builder]

Do you people honestly have NOTHING better to do than fight each other in posts on here over this story!?!?! It makes me sad. :-(

[Go Jocko Go]

Hey Bob! You posted too...makes you just as lame! Oh wait...I posted also....now I'm just as lame as all you losers.

[Sol]

Oh god....I remember a time when my very tight undershorts rubbed my crotch unmerciful and I was chaffed so bad that I had to rub a special salve I bought to soothe my fiery scrotum. By the way, I like the Simpsons.

[Suzanne Simmons]

What kind of freaky website is this??? Sol, no one asked you about your scrotum...That is disgusting and not very Simpson-like!

[Suzanne Simmons]

And Jocko, go get a real name, why don't you? And Lance Uppercut? Is that even a name? What a bunch of goobs. Rocko, you aren't very nice. PBS rules! The have fantastic programs, but you are probably a moron who doesn't know beans about what is good or what is terrible. Remember Mr. Rogers? That was the show. Also, Good Times...While it wasn't on PBS, it should have been...It taught me a lot about being a poor person in the ghetto, makin' my way through temporary layoffs and easy credit ripoffs. That is what we need in these troubled times! Not you idiots!

[Suzanne Simmons]

Wendell, TMI, brother, TMI.

[Sol]

Ms. Simmons..this is a free country and I was simply relating a time in my life that made me think of the Simpsons. I am sorry if my scrotum story offended you, but the Simpsons have also offended people at times and just as this story says...they are still going strong. So, my scrotum, just like Homer Simpson, will be around for years. you had better get used to it.

[Suzanne Simmons]

Sol, you are sick. I hope you get help, mentally and for your freaky health problems. Try 600 count sheets next time, they won't chafe.

[Walter]

What the hell is wrong with you people? Get back to chat rooms you freaks.

[curlyjoe]

I had to pay extra for that lady in Vegas to spray hot water on my bottom from the kitchen sink!!!

[Suzanne Simmons]

Right on Walter, right on. (Another reference to Good Times, which taught us all good things.) Remember the janet Jackson episode where she was burned by her mother's Iron? I learned a lot that day. Why don't we rally and get them to bring Good Times into prime time again? It was truly the best show ever. A lesson in every episode. Remember James playing pool to win money for the rent? Ain't we lucky we got 'em? GOOOOOOOOOD TIIIIIIIIIIMMMMMMEEEESS, YYYYYYYYEEEEEUUUUUMMMMM!

[Suzanne Simmons]

Florida, that's not a name, that's a state! Learned a lot on that episode too...Oh, where did the seventies go?

[Sol]

Ms. Simmons, while I admit Good Times was a decent show for the time, it is no where close to the caliber of Diff'rent Strokes. When little Arnold Jackson said "whatchu talkin about Willis?" I would laugh until my asthma kicked in and I had to take a treatment. But well worth it I say! Thank you Mr. Drummond for being color blind. It really does take different strokes to move the world.

[Suzanne Simmons]

Ok. Diff'rent Stokes was cool enough, I'll give you that, but there wouldn't have been a Diff'rent Strokes without Good Times. Remember JJ's art? He had a dream. Persistence. Perserverence. Arnold was cut, but he was no JJ. Could have done without Michael, though.

[Suzanne Simmons]

Cute, not cut. Not a reference to his disability.

[Suzanne Simmons]

JJ was DYNOMITE!

[BillyDBeckell]

Speaking of the Simpsons...one time I slid down a concrete embankment and my behind was so skinned up I couldn't wear underpants for days and days. My roommate told me to pour alcohol on it to kill the germs. Oh god did it burn. I cried, cursed and screamed until my downstairs neighbors threatened to call the police. Then my roommate told about a story he read where you are supposed to rub maple syrup on wounds because the sugar would help repair the skin. So, I poured a whole bottle of syrup on my behind and then rubbed it in. But I forgot my roommate was watching his girlfriends cat. Cats love maple syrup and Mr. Jingles started scratching at my behind. It hurt so bad that I had to watch The Simpsons from the county jail that night because I ran outside naked swinging Mr. jingles around by his tail. My neighbor and his children were not amused.

[Wesley Coller]

Excuse us for not being big soap fans.

[Wesley Coller]

Slab Rockmeat
Stump Bighuge
Bob Johnson

[Freeda L]

I LOVE Good Times!!! One of my favorite episodes was the one where JJ got a raging case of crabs from some girl. Florida made him shave his private area and wash it with kerosene. But it was too late because the crabs had already got in Michael's hair and he had to get most of his hair cut off to get rid of them. Florida was so mad she beat JJ with a mop handle, but it gave him a concussion and he started having seizures and vomiting all over the living room. Well, everything worked out all right. JJ got over the concussion and the crabs and Michael got a new girlfriend because she loved his short haircut. At the end, JJ said "I'm sorry Momma...the only crabs I'm bringing home from now on is from Long John Silver's!" Kind of a sad episode...but funny too! Also, I think they had some money problems.

[Frodo]

gunsmoke has over 630 eps, simpsons under 400 doubt they are gonna beat that anytime soon

[muffinlad]

Fox has ordered two more seasons of "The Simpsons" that will make the animated hit the longest-running series in primetime TV history

TV history, and it is a Series.

A news show is NOT considered a TV Series (even though I can see why people might think it is), it is part of the News Division, and has an entirely seperate budget and set of controlls. I think someone mentioned "scripted", but in fact, most news shows do have some script (just not 100% of the content is scripted).

Also, TV is not Radio, and Guiding Light is not prime time.

[Diego]

THank you Frodo,

This Trainwreck of a show should have been cancelled years ago. Its tired and beyond amusing anymore.

As for you to Queens muffinlad and LanceUppercut do us all a favor and SPEAK ON IT you two QUEENS.

My Dear when Guding Light started there was NO TV you Collosal Failure. SO technical Radio was TV of that time.

Oh and LanceUppercut get your facts right and read its GUIDING LIGHT not The Guiding LIght. My dear it hasn't been that in years since they dropped The from the title.

YOU are a HOT MESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS you 2 nelly Queens.

[Chuch]

The best time I've had on the net in a long time. Thank you, you homo commie loving sons of guns.