Mr. Burns is gonna sound a little off from now on.
By Brandon Wolfe
While Fox’s undying The Simpsons has already been renewed for two more seasons (it’s 83rd and 84th, I believe), don’t expect to hear one voice – several voices, actually – when they air. Harry Shearer, who has been a part of the vocal cast from the start and who voices such major characters as Mr. Burns, Smithers, Principal Skinner, Ned Flanders and many more, has left the show. Shearer, who has long argued that the show should give its longstanding cast a piece of its sizable merchandising pie, posted a couple of cryptic tweets last night that seemed to indicate his departure, and today showrunner Al Jean has confirmed that Shearer turned down the offer that the rest of the cast accepted and has parted company with the series. Shearer’s numerous characters, however, will not be retired, just replaced with “the finest voice talent available.”
While it’s tempting to dismiss Shearer as greedy, the fact of the matter is that he is an indispensable component of the show, and recasting his parts with an armada of impressionists is only going to rankle the fanbase. Furthermore, if one of the veteran cast decides to quit after almost thirty years, isn’t it perhaps time to consider ending The Simpsons altogether? The show hasn’t approached the quality of its ‘90s heyday in over a decade, with most episodes tiresomely recycling former plotlines ad infinitum. The show may still be a cash cow that Fox wants to have, but it’s been mediocre longer than it was brilliant by this point. How many records do they need to break before finally giving Homer and his brood a much-needed retirement?
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