One of the big kerfuffles that Disney has been dealing with the last couple of years on an international basis is removing series like The Simpsons from their broadcast homes and forcing everyone to switch to Disney+. The United States of America doesn’t have to put up with this so long as FOX Entertainment keeps renewing the series, but internationally is a different story and Disney wants subscribers. That said,that still leaves a base of fans that maybe don’t want to switch to streaming that may want to keep watching their favorite shows on broadcast. Fortunately for UK viewers, one such instance seems to be getting a slight reversal.
Starting in January 2025, The Simpsons will move to UK’s E4 channel starting with season 32 but only after the episodes debut on Disney+ first. Season 36 will begin airing episodes sometime in Spring 2025 after they’ve debuted on the streamer and then made available on broadcast on C4’s on-demand’s services for a limited time after. Note, it is unclear if any of the Disney+ exclusive shorts or the new double-episode that just started streaming today on the service are part of these broadcast rights, but right now we doubt it.
Synopsis:
The longest-running primetime scripted show in television history, The Simpsons exploded into a cultural phenomenon in 1990 and has remained one of the most groundbreaking and innovative entertainment franchises, recognizable throughout the world. The Emmy Award-, Annie Award- and Peabody Award-winning animated comedy has won 37 Emmy Awards and will begin its 36th season this fall.
In The Simpsons Season 36 premiere, Bart celebrates the most shocking birthday party of his entire life — one that might just change everyone in Springfield forever. Season 36 also brings two terrifying Halloween episodes! In “Treehouse of Horror XXXV,” giant monsters created by political rage threaten to tear the town apart, a Victorian Mr. Burns is jump-scared on Thanksgiving by the ghosts of his abused workers, and Homer bonds with a pair of extra-terrestrial jeans in an unforgettable stop-motion adventure that can only be called… Denim. In the bonus fright-fest, “Treehouse of Horror Presents: Simpsons Wicked This Way Comes,”a tattooed man at a mysterious night circus transports Lisa into three strange stories from the innocent 1950s, the chilling retro-present, and a brutalist future where prestige TV rules the world.
The Simpsons Season 36 is exploding with amazing stories! Grampa reveals his secret past as a 1980s-era private detective, The Simpsons encounter death on vacation at a high-end resort in “Yellow Lotus,” and Lisa has a blazing misadventure in the dark world of Capital City’s downtown art scene. Guest stars announced so far for this season include Conan O’Brien, John Cena, Joel McHale, Danny DeVito, and Tom Hanks.
The Simpsons is a Gracie Films Production in association with 20th Television. James L. Brooks, Matt Groening, Matt Selman, and Al Jean are the executive producers. The Gracie Films Worldwide Brand Division develops and produces the licensed content for the series.