Having been on for a mind-blowing 22 seasons now, The Simpsons has become a juggernaut of a series that has been viewed by multiple generations. But there are many who lament the show continuing on, saying the quality has declined and that the series should have ended years ago.

But not so fast…We asked Robert Canning, who's been covering The Simpsons for IGN TV for several years, what he thought about the subject. Read on to see why he's defending The Simpsons…

Still+<i>Simpsons</i>-ing+after+all+these+years...

Season+21's+

Season+22's+

The Simpsons is still a funny show. That's it. It's that simple. It's still worth watching and has been for years. And, yes, I'm talking about all those years after Season 9 . There are plenty of classic episodes to be found in Season 12 Season 18 and the rest. Admittedly, the classics came more consistently in the single-digit seasons, and there are episodes from that era that will never be topped. Ever. And perhaps you would have been happier if the show ended after " Natural Born Kissers ." But it didn't. 270 more episodes have followed… and counting. If all you're going to do is compare those episodes to " Marge vs. the Monorail " or " Mr. Plow ," you'll miss out on countless more funny bits, quotable lines and touching tales.Just don't tune in expecting to see the next " You Only Move Twice " every time. That's not going to happen. Enjoy the episode for what it is, not what it might have been 15 years ago. Not every episode is going to blow you away, but more than enough have gotten close over the years. Quite a few of these have become some of my all-time favorites. " Mayored to the Mob " from Season 10 . " I am Furious Yellow " from Season 13 . " 24 Minutes " from Season 18. " The Squirt and The Whale " from Season 21 . All of these episodes and more have been added to my growing list of favorites. The Simpsons might not be as consistent as it once was, but there are still more than enough reasons to continue tuning in.The series has changed its tone a bit over the years. The first season was often just a family sitcom that happened to be animated. The next few seasons kept the family sitcom values but added the kind of absurdity that live-action television just isn't capable of. The classic seasons (let's say Season 4 through Season 8 ) found a perfect balance between the two. But when the scales tipped toward absurdity around Season 10, the series found its detractors and people started saying The Simpsons just wasn't good anymore. And I agree that watching Homer fail at some ridiculous scheme or unrealistic new job over and over again can get tiresome. But a bad Simpsons episode is still better and funnier than the countless crap sitcoms that come and go in the blink of an eye. ( Accidentally on Purpose Brothers and Hank to name a few.)During any boring Lisa story you may discover an hilarious Groundskeeper Willie bit, an awesome Ralph Wiggum quote, or a spectacular Itchy and Scratchy short. Sure, not every episode as a whole is killer, but all are packed with the characters we've grown to adore and everybody gets a moment to shine. It's worth watching a so-so episode if Professor Frink shows up, or if Cletus makes an appearance. The consistency of great episodes may have tapered off for a bit, but almost every episode is still good for memorable moments.And honestly, consistently good episodes from The Simpsons have been making a comeback. The series seemed to hit a creative rebirth when it switched to high-definition in Season 20 . The switch gave us the great, different-but-the-same, updated opening titles. And the episodes that closed out that season had a fresh new energy to go along with the crisp new look. " How the Test Was Won ," " Gone Maggie Gone ," and " Waverly Hills 9-0-2-1-D'Oh " were all fantastic and deserve repeated viewing. The following season kept the new momentum going and delivered great episodes like " Once Upon a Time in Springfield ," " Million Dollar Maybe ," and a smart and hilarious Sideshow Bob episode, " The Bob Next Door ."This season is already off to a good start. And like when the series first began, The Simpsons is once again a topic of water cooler conversations, thanks to an opening sequence created by British artist and activist Banksy, and Bill O'Reilly calling The Simpsons "pinheads" for showing a Fox News slogan reading, "Not Racist, But #1 With Racists." The series may not be as edgy as it once was, but it can still make an impact. And the show is still delivering solid laughs.Take this year's best episode so far, " Lisa Simpson, This Isn't Your Life ." After 22 seasons, its no surprise that the basic plot was something familiar: Lisa was worried she wouldn't fulfill her academic potential. You've seen it before in " The Secret War of Lisa Simpson ," " Lisa the Simpson ," " Little Girl in the Big Ten " and numerous other outings. But "This Isn't Your Life" took that familiar story and added new angles, new laughs, and new ways to tug at your heartstrings.The series can still deliver; no matter how many times a plot might be reused. After 22 seasons, The Simpsons is still well worth watching.