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‘The Simpsons’ hit 500 — episodes, that is – Metro US

‘The Simpsons’ hit 500 — episodes, that is

Sick of “The Simpsons”? Impossible, we say! The series is set to hit 500 episodes on Feb. 19, 2012, after all. But according to series executive producer Al Jean, not everyone is feeling the love.

“There’s a big town meeting that the Simpsons don’t know about, and when they go in, the town is saying, ‘We’re going to get rid of the Simpsons,’” Jean said, explaining the milestone episode’s plot to TV critics touring the show’s animation studio, Film Roman, in Burbank, Calif. on Tuesday. “They’re sick of them.”

For fans still on Team Simpson, Jean spilled other highlights of Season 23, premiering Sept. 25:

The “Treehouse of Horrors” episode will actually air around Halloween this year: On Oct. 30.

Another holiday-themed half-hour — a Christmas episode — takes place 30 years in the future. “Bart is this lousy, deadbeat dad who actually lives in the school, which is now condos, and Skinner is his landlord,” Jean says.

In another episode, Homer becomes a Glenn Beck-like pundit. He leads the “Gravy Boat” movement and selects Ted Nugent as his ideal presidential candidate. The Nuge guest stars — and sings!

Pop culture spoofs and homage abound in Season 23. In a parody of “Inception,” Jean says “one dream level was [drawn in] the ‘Tracey Ullman Show’-style” of the animated series’ early days.

Another reference of note: “Lost.” “We have a show coming up where Homer gets addicted to a show that’s basically ‘Lost,’” Jean says. “It ended five years ago, but he’s like, ‘Don’t tell me how it ends!’ I thought it was good because we’re doing it post-‘Lost,’ and five years from now it will still be post-‘Lost,’ so it should hold up.”