If you’ve caught The Simpsons on the 2026 Television schedule, you may have noticed something a bit different about the long-running animated series. The show has slowly been phasing out one of its oldest staples: the opening couch gag. The series showrunner, Matt Selman, is opening up about the decision behind gradually scaling back the iconic opening moment of the show.
Speaking on the Four Finger Discount after-show podcast, Selman addressed why those “funny” couch gags aren’t guaranteed every week, even though fans clearly love them and are the highlight of some of the best episodes. According to the showrunner, it's not a matter of not wanting to do them, but a matter of storytelling priority. He explained:
