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Over the last several weeks The Simpsons has rushed into the public consciousness with an urgency it hasn’t enjoyed in a decade. At Comic-Con last week, in particular, attention was drummed up by the producers grandly, as with galvanic effort they annexed valuable headline real estate across the world. No sooner did Harry Shearer swear to abandon the series than the voice actor announced his triumphant return. One minute Homer and Marge were set to divorce; the next, Matt Groening was loudly assuaging concerns.

Sideshow Bob is set to murder Bart at last, in the reversible fantasy of a Halloween special; Spider-Pig, notable supporting character of The Simpsons Movie, is set to make his television debut. The news even sprawled beyond the frame: the fictitious Duff Beer, fans rejoiced to learn, will soon be available to imbibe in Chile and elsewhere overseas.

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The Simpsons enters its 27th season this September. That staggering number accounts, I think, for the tang of desperation clinging to the rumours and news: it’s surely difficult, after 27 years of The Simpsons, to remind people that it still exists and persuade them that it’s still interesting. Of course the truth is that it no longer is interesting — and it no longer should exist. Why do we accept the pretence that the show remains somehow relevant? It hasn’t been this century. What we ought to hope for now isn’t an intriguing 27th season but a cancellation order.