The Simpsons season 24

The twenty-fourth season of the American animated television series The Simpsons began airing on Fox on September 30, 2012, and concluded on May 19, 2013. The season was produced by Gracie Films and 20th Century Fox Television. This was the first of two new seasons ordered by Fox. The primary showrunner for the season was Al Jean.

The season was nominated for two Emmy Awards, winning one, for two Writers Guild of America Awards, winning one, and for two Annie Awards.

Main cast

 * Dan Castellaneta as Homer Simpson, Mayor Quimby, Arnie Pye, Kodos, Groundskeeper Willie, Santa's Little Helper, Sideshow Mel, Rich Texan, Snowball II, Barney Gumble, Squeaky-Voiced Teen, Grampa Simpson, Krusty the Clown, Louie, Frankie the Squealer, Hans Moleman, Gil Gunderson and various others
 * Julie Kavner as Marge Simpson, Patty Bouvier and Selma Bouvier
 * Nancy Cartwright as Bart Simpson, Ralph Wiggum, Nelson Muntz, Kearney Zzyzwicz and various others
 * Yeardley Smith as Lisa Simpson
 * Hank Azaria as Chief Wiggum, Moe Szyslak, Cletus Spuckler, Professor Frink, Comic Book Guy, Kirk Van Houten, Bumblebee Man, Sea Captain, Lou, Carl Carlson, Johnny Tightlips, Old Jewish Man, Luigi Risotto, Snake, Duffman, Superintendent Chalmers, Apu Nahasapeemapetilon, Disco Stu, Coach Krupt, Julio, Wiseguy and various others
 * Harry Shearer as Kent Brockman, Ned Flanders, Reverend Lovejoy, Lenny Leonard, Otto Mann, Dr. Hibbert, Principal Skinner, Judge Snyder, Dewey Largo, Legs, Mr. Burns, God, Waylon Smithers,  Herman Hermann, Rainier Wolfcastle, Jasper Beardly and various others

Supporting cast

 * Chris Edgerly as additional characters
 * Pamela Hayden as Milhouse Van Houten, Jimbo Jones and various others
 * Tress MacNeille as Brandine Spuckler, Crazy Cat Lady, Bernice Hibbert, Lunchlady Dora, Shauna Chalmers, Lindsay Naegle, Agnes Skinner, Dolph Shapiro, Manjula Nahasapeemapetilon, Mrs. Muntz and various others
 * Maggie Roswell as Helen Lovejoy and Luann Van Houten
 * Russi Taylor as Sherri, Terri and Martin Prince

Guest stars for the season included Zooey Deschanel, race car driver Jeff Gordon, composer Marvin Hamlish, Anika Noni Rose, Jennifer Tilly, Steve Carell, Fred Armisen, Carrie Brownstein, Patton Oswalt, Benedict Cumberbatch, Tina Fey, former United States Attorney General Janet Reno, Edward Norton, and Jane Krakowski.

Production
In October 2011, 20th Century Fox Television announced that the current business model of The Simpsons could not continue and that it needed to reach a new financial agreement with the cast. A report described a previous deal that prevented the series from being syndicated on cable as long as the show continued and that the series may be worth more if it ended. A deal was reached with the cast after an intervention by executive producers Al Jean and James L. Brooks as well as creator Matt Groening. After the actors agreed to a 30% reduction in pay, the series was renewed for a twenty-fourth and twenty-fifth season.

Seven episodes were holdovers from the previous season. Al Jean continued his role as primary showrunner, a role he had since the thirteenth season. Executive producer Matt Selman was also the showrunner for several episodes, a role he performed starting the previous season. This season featured the only episode co-written by David Mandel and the only episode written by Brian McConnachie.

A contest was announced after the season premiere where viewers could submit ideas for a couch gag. Viewers would vote among the finalists, and the winner's idea would be shown in the season finale. The winner was announced to be Cheryl Brown's "Dandelions." A Canadian winner was also selected, whose couch gag aired exclusively in Canada.

Advertising revenue
An October 2012 article in Advertising Age reported that the average cost of a 30-second advertising spot during a first-run episode of The Simpsons was $286,131—up from $254,260 in season 23. In 2012, The Simpsons was the sixth-most expensive television series in the United States to sponsor. The top five were (in ascending order) American Idol (Thursday), New Girl, Modern Family, American Idol (Wednesday), and NBC Sunday Night Football. A first-run, season 24 episode of The Simpsons was the Fox Broadcasting Company's fourth-most expensive program to sponsor, up from fifth in 2011.

Ratings
For the 2012–2013 television season, the season earned a 2.9 rating in the 18-49 demographic, which was the 31st best performing show. It averaged 6.27 million viewers, which was the 70th best performing show.

Critical response
John Schwarz of Bubbleblabbler gave the season an 8.5 out of 10. He enjoyed most of the guest stars, highlighting Tom Waits and Patton Oswalt. He also praised the adaptation of the show to current trends at the time. However, he disliked the Mary Spuckler character and subplots that were not as interesting as the more creative main plots.

Awards and nominations
At the 65th Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Awards, animator Paul Wee won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Individual Achievement in Animation for "Treehouse of Horror XXIII." The same episode was nominated for the Outstanding Animated Program.

At the 66th Writers Guild of America Awards, writer Joel H. Cohen won the Writers Guild of America Award for Television: Animation for his script for "A Test Before Trying." Writers David Mandel & Brian Kelley and Tom Gammill and Max Pross were also nominated for Writers Guild of America Awards for episodes written this season.

At the 40th Annie Awards, writer Stephanie Gillis was nominated for an Annie Award for Outstanding Achievement for Writing in an Animated Television/Broadcast Production for writing "A Tree Grows in Springfield," and composer Alf Clausen was nominated for the Annie Award for Outstanding Achievement for Music in an Animated Television/Broadcast Production for "Treehouse of Horror XXIII."