Matt Groening Goes Medieval With New Series, ‘Disenchantment’

The Simpsons remains one of the better series on network television. No longer as on point as it was in the early 90s, it still manages to eke out an insightful episode every so often with potshots at some recent insanity that could not have been imagined when the show was in its heyday. Weirdly enough, the show has managed to forecast some future events, including Disney acquiring Fox. The Simpsons is "good" today because most of what's on the broadcast networks is astonishingly bad. From reality shows to game shows to mediocre comedies and dramas, it's impossible to put together a single night of "must see" TV with an entire week's programming. Perhaps it's because we now have so many better options from cable networks and streaming services. Without them, we would probably be forced to read...

Presumably the beer in Simpsonsland would only be sold in six-packs.

Ever since that day I first read an installment of "Life in Hell" in the now defunct Village Voice, Matt Groening has made me laugh. That's pretty good.

Matt Groening is truly a creative genius who brought joy and thought with his entertaining and somewhat subversive (in a good way) shows. The only problem I have with Matt is that he has an evil twin named Steve Bannon. Please, please Matt. Give yourself a haircut and new glasses!

The Simpsons ran for 10 years, and it was the most brilliant sitcom ever made, animated or otherwise. The following 19+ years are sometimes called "Zombie Simpsons", as in, dead but somehow still walking around. Futurama had writers with PhD's in math. One episode even presented an original mathematical proof as part of an on-screen joke. The show was also brilliantly funny, and it excused the other, undead one being phoned in for a paycheck. Mr. Groening has changed TV comedy as a medium via his works. That's a hard act to follow, but it also argues convincingly for watching his next offering.

"'You might have thought Matt was Mr. Underground Cartoonist,' Mr. Weinstein said, 'but he had a very organized mind for what he wanted.'” Fellow cartoonist Lynda Barry, who went to college with Groening, described him as a real card sharp when they were students. But the game he played was euchre, which he no doubt learned from his grandparents, as I did from mine. "Matt was always a rebel," said Barry, "but on his own terms." I look forward to Disenchantment!

Looking forward to his new show. Groening always attracts a great team of writers and knows how to poke fun at our ridiculous society.

As someone who is a big fan of "The Simpsons", I am super excited for this new Netflix series. I actually saw an article on IGN saying that Matt Groening was inspired by the Adult Swim series, "Rick and Morty" (which i also love), when creating the "Disenchantment". That makes me even more excited to see this show. I hope to see some deranged, deep charactars like "Rick" in this series and I am sure Matt Groening's genius mind put it in somewhere.

You forgot one important thing. Portland to LA via Evergreen State College, one of the more unique places in the realm of higher ed in the US.

Someone should let Matt Groening know that there is a Simsponsland at Universal Studios.

I would pay money to see a Simpsonsland. Lord, just take my money now...

Personally, I miss Life in Hell. Binky tapped into so many of our anxieties. Akbar and Jeff were a little much but still told a good story.

Already zeroed-in on this on Netflix. Looking forward to it! A friend and I can and do spend hours communicating through Simpsons quotes alone. Even such an elementary nicety as “thankyou” is spoken as “Thankyou, door!” ala Rod & Todd.

Looking forward to Disenchantment a lot- given a creative team with such admirable antecedents, especially Futurama and Gravity Falls. I'm 74, watch 2 episodes of animated with my 8 year old neighbor every single day. These are our all-time favorites.

Good Luck, Matt Groenig! Thanks for The Glorious Simpsons, Futurama and let’s not forget Too Much Coffee Man!

Groening is a genius who has helped keep the best traditions of American comedy and comix alive.

Groening gets far, far too much credit for the brilliant run of The Simpsons (seasons 2 - 8 or 9); he wasn't writing the show or offering significant creative input. The show runners and writers of the era (like Conan O'Brien) were the ones squarely responsible for The Simpsons we know. Unfortunately his comments on the Apu controversy signify where The Simpsons has gone: the show has become a relic, the kind of thing that in its heyday would have been intelligently mocked by the show itself back in the nineties. I'm skipping Disenchantment.

I love how Groening has successfully tackled the present (Simpsons) and the future (Futurama), and now is embracing the past (with Disenchantment). He's a man for all times… I can't wait to watch!