To quote Homer Simpson, “Woo-hoo!” The Simpsons is besting Gunsmoke for the second time.
Fox’s animated comedy already surpassed the 1955–1975 Western in 2009 as the longest-running American scripted primetime series, and April 29th’s 636th episode marks the most installments ever aired by a scripted primetime show.
“It’s the home-run record of TV,” says executive producer Al Jean, who estimates the writers have churned out about 50,000 pages of script. “I really try to be modest, but I think it’s amazing.”
He should know. Jean has been on staff since the beginning, when creator Matt Groening’s dysfunctional family from fictional Springfield made the leap from animated shorts on The Tracey Ullman Show to a half-hour comedy in 1989.
Read the rest of this article at TV Insider.
Check out the special show opening for Episode 636 of The Simspons!
