The Simpsons turn 35, but Gen Z barely knows them

The Simpsons turn 35 and fail to hook young audiences

The series that defined a generation's humor turns 35 and faces a problem its creators didn't anticipate: those born after 2000 don't know it, haven't seen it, and when they do, encounter seasons many consider terrible. Nostalgia from those who grew up watching it on Spanish channels clashes with an uncomfortable reality: linear TV is dead, and streaming catalogs no longer distinguish between the golden age and filler.

The decline isn't just an opinion: there is consensus that the show lost its way over two decades ago. Seasons 6 through 12 are cited as absolute masterpieces, while quality plummets after season 12. Viewers today on platforms have no way of knowing which episodes are worth watching and which are the worst kind of filler. The result is that a teenager might binge ten bad episodes in a row and conclude, rightly so, that the series is a waste of time.

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Why don't young people know The Simpsons?

The short answer: because television isn't watched like before. The series became popular in Spain airing on La 2 and then Antena 3 during midday and afternoon slots, when options were limited and audiences were captive. That model has vanished. Today there are infinite streaming choices and attention is fragmented. A 15-year-old won't start watching The Simpsons on their own if they never saw it at home.

There is an additional factor worsening the problem: most episodes available in current catalogs belong to later seasons, precisely the ones veterans consider weak. Young viewers curious about the show have no way of knowing they are seeing its worst version. They form an opinion based on the poorest material possible.

The paradox is cruel: the easier it is to access the series, the less likely someone is to discover its best version. The randomness of old TV programming, which once guaranteed only good chapters aired, has become an unmarked labyrinth.

The golden era: seasons 6 to 12 and the dubbing that changed everything

If there is one point where almost all voices agree, it is that seasons 6 to 12 are the heart of the series. There you find the sharpest scripts, references to classic cinema that only resonate with age, and double entendres that made the show famous. One example cited: the episode where Krusty's father, a rabbi, disowns his son for being a clown, is a direct reference to The Jazz Singer, the first talkie.

The Spanish dub deserves its own section. Carlos Revilla, the original voice of Homer in Spain, is considered irreplaceable. His tone turned Homer into a guy with quirks and madness, not a mentally disabled person. That subtlety was lost with his death in 2000, and many argue the series never returned to what it was. Some claim Matt Groening himself said the Spanish dub was better than the original, though this statement is unverified.

The series was also a pioneer in a genre that didn't exist then: adult animation. It aired at night, with families gathered watching intently, as if it were something forbidden. That status of transgression has completely diluted.

The problem of endless seasons: 35 years and counting

The series accumulates 35 years of broadcasting and more than 700 episodes. Some calculate that reaching episode 1000 still requires about 230 more chapters. The inevitable question: does it make sense to continue? For many, no. The majority opinion is that it should have ended in 2000, coinciding with Revilla's death. From there, the decay was pogre until becoming what some describe as a parody of itself.

The problem isn't just quality. It's also tone. Part of the audience considers the series has become excessively politically correct, with plots prioritizing sarracena messages over humor. Lisa is criticized for going from a repulsive but endearing kid to a mouthpiece for slogans. The show that mocked everything now seems afraid of offending anyone.

Added to this is the decision to retire the character Apu trinc complaints from an Indian actor who considered him a stereotype. For many, this was an example of how the series has lost its ability to laugh at everything and everyone.

Original voice vs. Spanish dub: a lost battle

The comparison between Carlos Revilla and Dan Castellaneta, the original actor, is recurrent. Some argue Castellaneta uses a mentally disabled voice, while Revilla provided an unrepeatable comic register. In Spain, the dub is credited with up to 40% of the series' success, because it managed to translate untranslatable jokes and give them a twist that made them even funnier.

That dependence on dubbing is a double-edged sword. When a voice actor dies, the character dies with them. This peine with Revilla and with the actress who dubbed Bart's teacher. In other countries, voice changes are routine. Here, each substitution is felt as a betrayal.

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The series continues to air. It continues to generate merchandise. It remains a recognizable brand worldwide. But the connection with young audiences has broken, and there seems to be no plan to recover it. Meanwhile, those who grew up with it cling to old episodes, catchphrases, and the feeling that something unique was lost. The question is no longer whether The Simpsons are out of fashion. It is whether anyone will remember them in twenty years.