The Simpsons season 26

The twenty-sixth season of the American animated television series The Simpsons premiered on Fox in the United States on September 28, 2014, and concluded on May 17, 2015. The season was produced by Gracie Films and 20th Century Fox Television. The season was ordered by Fox in October 2013. The primary showrunner for the season was Al Jean. In May 2015, the series was renewed for a twenty-seventh and twenty-eighth season.

In this season, Krusty the Clown retires after his father dies ("Clown in the Dumps"); Homer and Bart attempt to solve some father/son conflicts ("The Wreck of the Relationship"); Marge opens a sandwich franchise ("Super Franchise Me"); the Simpsons meet their former (The Tracey Ullman Show) selves ("Treehouse of Horror XXV"); Mr. Burns finds a girlfriend in Democratic Assemblywoman Maxine Lombard ("Opposites A-Frack"); Bart schemes to bring down his new fourth grade teacher, Mr. Lassen (guest voice Willem Dafoe), who is a terrible bully ("Blazed and Confused"); Homer has a mid-life crisis ("Covercraft"); and the cast of Futurama make an appearance in Springfield in a crossover episode ("Simpsorama").

Additional guest voices for this season include Nick Offerman, David Hyde Pierce, Jeff Ross, and Matthew Sweet.

The season received positive reviews. Actor Hank Azaria won the Emmy Award for Outstanding Character Voice-Over Performance this season. The season was also nominated for four other Emmy Awards, three Writers Guild of America Awards and one Annie Award.

Main cast

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

Supporting cast

 * Pamela Hayden as Milhouse Van Houten, Jimbo Jones, Rod Flanders and various others
 * Tress MacNeille as Dolph Shapiro, Shauna Chalmers, Brandine Spuckler, Bernice Hibbert, Crazy Cat Lady, Kumiko Albertson, Mrs. Muntz, Agnes Skinner, Mrs. Glick, Lunchlady Dora and various others
 * Chris Edgerly as additional characters
 * Maggie Roswell as Elizabeth Hoover, Luann Van Houten, Helen Lovejoy and Maude Flanders
 * Russi Taylor as Martin Prince and Üter Zörker

Production
The season was ordered to production in October 2013. Six episodes were holdovers from the previous season, and one episode was a holdover from the twenty-fourth season. Executive producer 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 since the twenty-third season.

This season featured the final episode written by Valentina L. Garza before she left for the television series Bordertown. It also features the final episode written by Marc Wilmore before leaving for the television series F Is for Family. In addition, the season featured an episode written by filmmaker Judd Apatow that he submitted as a spec script to the show in 1990.

This season featured a crossover episode featuring the characters from creator Matt Groening's television series Futurama written by J. Stewart Burns, who was a writer on that series. In addition, one hour after its season premiere, the characters of The Simpsons crossed over to the television series Family Guy for a one-hour episode showrun by former Simpsons writer Richard Appel and directed by former Simpsons animator Peter Shin.

The episode held over from the twenty-fourth season, "The Man Who Came to Be Dinner," was considered to be expanded into the next Simpsons feature film. However, Jean and executive producer James L. Brooks thought controversial nature of the plot, featuring aliens Kang and Kodos, would upset viewers, so they allowed it to air on television to reduce the magnitude of the controversy.

Ratings
For the 2014-2015 television season, the season earned a 2.6 rating in the 18-49 demographic, which was the 35th best performing show. It averaged 5.62 million viewers, which was the 100th best performing show.

Critical response
Matthew Poland of Slant Magazine gave the first three episodes of the season a 2.5 out of 4 stars. He thought that the series had settled to the point where viewers expect what they are getting, and the focus is now on the jokes and the couch gags, where more experimentation can occur.

Gonzo Green of Bubbleblabber gave the season a 7.5 out of 10. Green highlighted the episodes at the beginning of the season as well as the holiday episodes and the Futurama crossover. Green also felt there were episodes that were terrible as well as some that had recycled plots.

Awards and nominations
At the 67th Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Awards, actor Hank Azaria won for Outstanding Character Voice-Over Performance for his work in "The Princess Guide." Actors Dan Castellaneta and Tress MacNeille were also nominated in this category. The episode "Treehouse of Horror XXV" was nominated for Outstanding Animated Program. Re-Recording mixers Tara Paul and Mark Linden were nominated for Outstanding Sound Mixing for their work in "Simpsorama."

Writers Matt Selman and Michael Price were nominated for the Writers Guild of America Award for Television: Animation for episodes written this season.

Writer and executive producer Al Jean was nominated for an Annie Award for Outstanding Achievement for Writing in an Animated Television/Broadcast Production for his script for "I Won't Be Home for Christmas."