For decades (nearly 3 for Simpsons and nearly 2 for South Park) The Simpsons and South Park have been two of the premiere cartoon comedies on TV. Their longevity is evidence of that. But does there come a time where a show should end, even while it's still doing well in the ratings?
I am not sure if we could say that they ought to end but I think that it is a good idea to see if the writing and story lines are as good as they could be. Is there a golden age of each of these shows and if so does the writing now live up to the standard that made each of them cultural icons. – DClarke9 years ago
I think because the worlds are so big in The Simpsons and South Park, the writers just explore every character and write story lines for them. Eventually they will run out story lines to tell, and that's when I think the series should end. At the end of the day, the shows aren't just about the family or friends - it's also about the community they live in. – YsabelGo9 years ago
I hold that "South Park", despite getting a bit sloppy near the end of last year, still has the potential and frequently exercises said potential because it is focused on social commentary, rather than character development. While I avoid new "The Simpsons", I think that it should bow out. I think I mentioned it in one of my previous articles, which whoever writing this should check out: https://the-artifice.com/when-a-story-should-end/ – Matthew Sims9 years ago
South Park, I believe should end but I'm speaking as someone who knows little about it. The Simpsons is different. It holds a certain title. Longest running show on television. All the characters are iconic and they are never forgotten. Imo, it's not that the show has gone downhill, it's that some (some) have gotten bored. It's still widely watched and loved. Simpsons at least should stay. – SpectreWriter9 years ago
Although I believe these shows have had a long run and are definitely not as original or humorous as when they first aired, ending them might be difficult considering how iconic they are. I wonder what the ratings are? if they've gone up or down over the years. – Jameliee9 years ago
I personally believe that every show should try to go out while it's on top, or near there. The Simpson's and South Park's ratings will probably justify it being on air for another decade, but does that mean it should stay on the air? I don't think so. Also, the shows will never really run out of story-lines, especially since a lot of their story-lines come from current events, whether it's politics or pop culture. – cmlalor9 years ago
As long as South Park continues with it's social commentary it will continue to beon television. Long are the days when it can show somewhat random episodes with Christmas poos, Scuzzlebutt and Underpants gnomes. And while hardcore fans would like to see the more outlandish elements return, the show can be more successful without them. Matt Stone and Trey Parker have also recently sated that they would have to be cancelled for the show to end.
The Simpsons is a strange one because its popularity is diminsihing and so is its quality, but it is still seen as a comfort that it can be just put on the tv and watched without full attention. – Jamie9 years ago
The Simpsons should definitely end, it's embarrassing how bad it has become. The producers are to blame as they made an active decision to change the whole style of the show. I believe ironically they tried to emulate the "Whacky" element of Family Guy. even though early Simpsons was so good there really was no need to change it – BigPenguin8 years ago