Rick & Morty Creator’s New Show Proves How Good The Simpsons Actually Still Is

While The Simpsons season 35 might not be as good as the show’s best outings, the creator of Rick and Morty’s new animated Fox sitcom shows just how good the series still is today. It was no major surprise when The Simpsons seasons 30 through 33 struggled with critics and fans alike. The show’s so-called Golden Age ended around season 11, a full 20 years before season 32 began. The Simpsons paved the way for much of the modern adult animation landscape but, by 2020, even the show’s earliest descendants, Family Guy and South Park, were accused of becoming tired and outdated.

However, The Simpsons season 34 improved the show’s critical reception, and season 35’s format shifts and surprising storylines won over even reticent fans. Although The Simpsons hasn’t entered a second Golden Age, the critical consensus agrees that the series has improved considerably in recent years and is now one of the stronger animated adult comedies on television. What makes this surprising turnaround even more striking is the fact that new shows are struggling to win over viewers and critics. Even a series that boasts the talents of Rick and Morty co-creator Dan Harmon can’t muster much hype, which goes to show how impressive The Simpsons’ comeback is.

Dan Harmon’s Krapopolis Continues Fox’s Animation Struggles

Where The Simpsons broke its formula in season 35, Harmon’s Krapopolis stuck to a reliable setup adult animated shows have utilized for decades now. Set in Ancient Greece, the fantasy comedy series focuses on a dysfunctional family of mythical figures and humans who coexist uneasily as a nebbish antihero attempts to establish civilization. While the antiquity setting is original, the family focus of Krapopolis is the same one seen in everything from Family Guy to Bob’s Burgers, American Dad, Rick and Morty, The Boondocks, Solar Opposites, and, of course, The Simpsons. Although Krapopolis has already been renewed through season 3, its humdrum reception proves this premise is tired.

This is bad news for Fox, a network that has historically struggled to maintain audience interest in animated comedies other than The Simpsons, Bob’s Burgers, and Family Guy. While Sit Down Shut Up, Allen Gregory, Golan the Insatiable, and Axe Cop were all canceled after a single season, Bless the Harts lasted only two seasons and Duncanville lasted only three. In comparison, The Simpsons has lasted 34 years, a staggering number that no animated sitcom from the network has since been able to rival. Even Family Guy and Bob’s Burgers, both of which boast impressively long runs, have struggled with dwindling ratings and mediocre reviews in recent years.

The Simpsons Is Still A Lot Better Than Many Network Animated Comedies

While the longevity of The Simpsons is at least partially owed to its status as a television institution, the show’s recent seasons prove it deserves some credit for its survival. Admittedly, some episodes from The Simpsons seasons 30 through 33 would leave viewers wondering how the show survived so long, but most episodes from seasons 34 and 35 represent a much stronger future for the show. Put simply, The Simpsons is still going strong despite its age and is outperforming newer shows because its formula works. As a result, it is no shock that The Simpsons season 35 earns more acclaim than even Harmon’s new series.