The TV Zone

Could "The Simpsons" go another three seasons beyond the one that starts this weekend? It's a possibility, and Al Jean, show czar who's been at the show since day one, suggested as much in a reporter call this ayem. "We signed the cast for four years, including this one, and the Emmy [that the show just got] was wonderful, and I really feel like creatively we're still doing terrific work,and I don't see an end..."

He added: "I'm optimisitc we'll go through that four-year contract..." If this happens, "that'd take me through season 23 and technically spillover into the 24th."

More "Simpsons" factoids, gratis Jean: "'Gunsmoke' had over 600 episodes and 'Lassie' over 500; we just recorded 445. We still have a little ways to go."

BTW, no plans for a new movie, he said, and I'm pretty certain he meant it. The last one took an enormous amount of work/time, and he said that the crew'll get to the next one only after the TV show wraps once and for all.

Whenever that fateful day may come.

(Above: Homer learns he will have job through the coming Great Depression)