What's the greatest issue for The Simpsons as it heads into Season 40?

After The Simpsons being on air for years on end and shaping pop culture to an overtly outer-space extent, along with being a revolutionary animated satirical show, the show is now heading toward an extraordinary landmark —getting renewed for its 40th season.

While the show’s golden era has long been left behind, the iconic animated show still rules the pop cultural environment, grabbing attention as a cultural phenomenon to this very date.

However, as we’re currently on the 36th slated season, there are still 3 more seasons in between to reach the milestone of 40, and this is where the “issue” comes into play.

For now, at least, the biggest issue that The Simpsons faces today isn't keeping their fans feeling tickled pink—it’s keeping its characters alive when their real-life voice actors are aging and fading.

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the writer and from the perspective of the author alone.

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The Simpsons faces a vocal crossroads

The instantly recognizable voices of The Simpsons—from Homer’s extremely iconic “D’oh!” to Marge’s “sighs”—are as embedded in the minds of the audiences as much as the visually seen characters themselves are.

However, behind each voice is a voice actor who, after nearly 40 years, is showing, but naturally, the wear of time, just like any other person would.

Voice actors like Dan Castellaneta, who voices Homer; Julie Kavner, who voices Marge; Yeardley Smith, who voices Lisa; and Nancy Cartwright, who voices Bart, have all been steering the wheel for The Simpsons ever since the day it began making its way into the hearts of its audiences.

Now with each voice actor in their 60s and 70s, their natural and character voices are starting to strain under the influence of an extremely human quality—aging.

With Pamela Hayden’s retirement in 2024 and the absence of Milhouse from several episodes, it shows just how ill-equipped the series might be for changes to take place.

Milhouse, Bart’s long-time sidekick and a star for several classic episodes, hasn’t been recast as of yet—which in turn raises doubts in the minds of the viewers on how other characters will be dealt with on the show with the renewal in mind.

It's quite ironic how in a show where the characters do not age a bit, their real-life voice actors unquestionably do.

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Recasting isn’t radical—it’s necessary

Even though it may feel blasphemous to some long-time fans, recasting is not a new path for The Simpsons to go down.

Previously, the series has, as a matter of fact, swapped out actors for characters like Carl and Dr. Hibbert. These changes were undeniably met with a little reaction over the internet, but as time went on, the spirit of what the characters were remained fully intact.

This example plays out to be important now more than ever as The Simpsons makes way for Season 37 right up to Season 40.

The Simpsons has the beautiful advantage of time on their hands to perhaps transition their leads. Whether they start with minor characters like Milhouse or prep their audience slowly for new voice actors behind Homer and Marge, how the creative team tackles this issue remains to be seen in the upcoming seasons.

However, as of now, castings remain unchanged.

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The one true strength of The Simpsons has always been its capability to satirize American life while staying extraordinarily timeless.

But today, its biggest test isn’t a creative fall —it’s facing up to the reality that the iconic character voices will eventually dry out of a very natural and unescapable human cycle, and that is old age.

Recasting isn’t about erasing or replacing the past—it’s about making way for the future. If the show wants to remain alive and thriving in the minds and hearts of its audience, it must also learn how to let go.