400th "Simpsons" Goes "24"

Can you believe it has been 18 years already? As yet another season of FOX's "The Simpsons" ends with a one hour finale tomorrow night (Kiefer Sutherland makes another voice cameo in a "24" spoof called "24 Minutes") some feel compelled to ask - how long can the show go on?

The animated series premiered in 1989 having started as short segments on "The Tracy Ullman Show." Being able to appeal to masses, it quickly grew into a 5 billion dollar business for the News Corp. Co. which own FOX Broadcasting.

The producers believe their success in unbelievable in today's climate of reduced ratings as more and more viewers find alternative entertainment on DVD, The Internet and other platforms.

Although the show has reached the point when it no longer needs to produce new shows and if it were to go off air it would continue to make a lot of money for decades to come, it appears "The Simpsons" may eventually exceed "Gunsmoke" (20 years, 633 episodes) as the longest running scripted series of all time.

Despite the fact the show ratings have now gone down to an average of 8,7 million viewers this year, with The Simpsons Movie opening July 27, a video game due later this year and a Simpsons theme park ride, the franchise won't be going away any time soon.


In tomorrow night's episode: Principal Skinner ushers the students of Springfield Elementary into a new era of sneaking, snooping and snitching with the opening of the school's CTU Counter Truancy Unit with Lisa heading up the operation.

Homer is sent on a mission to dispose of a container of yogurt so far past its freshness date that it could be toxic, but the reeking yogurt falls into the wrong hands.

With the help of Jack Bauer (guest voice Kiefer Sutherland) and Chloe O'Brian (guest voice Mary Lynn Rajskub), Bart and Lisa must stop bullies Dolph, Kearney and Jimbo from releasing the ultimate stink bomb at the school's annual bake sale.

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