By Jay David Brown

For years, critics and fans have claimed that The Simpsons has gone downhill.

Despite a general decline in TV ratings, the show’s viewership has dropped sharply, with far fewer tuning in compared to its peak.

In an era of television where programming is built around streaming and short-form content, the idea of a show lasting over 35 years can seem excessive and unnecessary.

It’s not hard to understand when people say, ‘the cast is getting too old, ‘it’s gone on too long, they are running out of ideas, and it’s just full of nostalgia.

According to televisionstats.com, season 35 averaged two million viewers. While being far below the 20 million viewers in the golden age, it is better than Family Guy, which has under one million viewers per episode.

The latest seasons get an average rating between 6 and 8 on IMDb, which is strong for an animated show.

After more than three decades on the air, The Simpsons has shaped animated comedy and influenced shows like South Park, King of the Hill, and Family Guy, among many more.

Its blend of satire, social commentary, and slapstick has inspired generations of animators and writers.

Calls to end The Simpsons rely on the assumption that cancellation would fix concerns about legacy or quality.

This debate only shows more about audiences’ unease with the enduring pop culture icon than it does about the shows’ relevance.

With the announcement of a second Simpsons movie underway and the showrunners displaying no sign of stopping, should we crack open another Duff, or should we leave the colourful characters of Springfield?