What could have been a disastrous end to the long running animated series was averted and the Simpsons have been signed on for another 2 more seasons. There was a contract dispute regarding salaries for the actors who voice the yellow family and the others in the Springfield community. Previously, Dan Castellaneta, Nancy Cartwright, Julie Kavner, Hank Azaria, Yeardley Smith and Harry Shearer each earned a whopping $8 million US a season, which they say pales in comparison to the profits the studio makes off the show. Fox says that they couldn’t continue making the show, which is the longest running sitcom for the network and for American Television, without cutting costs and that included the voice actors taking pay cuts.

Initially the actors refused to take the pay cut, causing concern that the series may be axed by the network as being too costly to afford. On Friday Shearer said he’d offered to take a 70 per cent pay cut, in exchange for profit participation in the show. The terms of the cast’s new deal were not announced, though The Hollywood Reporter, citing unidentified sources, said the actors accepted a 30 percent pay cut. The new deal secures the show through seasons 24 and 25. The six main voice actors behind the cartoon juggernaut agreed to undisclosed but substantial per-episode salary cuts, though not as steep as the 45 percent Fox TV had been demanding, to ensure that the 23-season-old staple would continue through a landmark 25th. Thought what will happen beyond 2014 is anyone’s guess.

I wouldn’t complain if the show came to a close; and that is only because it will have had a run of 25 years which is awesome and I doubt if it can ever be repeated. Sure there are soaps and other crap that run for many decades which I would never watch unless you gave me a million dollars (I’d sleep with your daughter for that money) but something as good as The Simpsons will never happen again. I won’t be sad cause I would have 25 seasons worth of stuff to keep me company. Later this month I plan to get a copy of seasons 1-18 that is being offered at a huge discounted rate in a store in the city. 18 seasons worth of Simpsons averaging around 22 episodes per season. With the 25 seasons, it should keep me company and in good humour until my death.