SerpApi.Org
It's officially the end of an era for The Simpsonsand its fellow animated comedies at Fox.
The Simpsons is renewed through season 40, with speculation among viewers that the milestone will serve as the end for one of television's defining families. Even though Homer and the rest of Springfield's residents are not going anywhere for at least a few more years, there will be a change in terms of which series will be joining a well-known primetime block.
That block is Animation Domination, which Fox first introduced in May 2005. That original lineup consisted of The Simpsons,King of the Hill, Family Guy, and American Dad! It has gone through different iterations in the decades since, even working its way back to the schedule. It is now being sidelined once again in a surprising move.
The network has unveiled its 2026-2027 broadcast television season, revealing that Sunday nights will no longer belong to Fox's robust lineup of animated comedies. The Simpsons and other shows will be joined by the Joel McHale-led live-action sitcom Animal Control.
The upcoming Sunday night lineup will consist of NFL on Fox from 7 PM ET to 7:30 PM ET. It'll then be followed by an Animation Encore from 7:30 PM ET to 8 PM ET. The premiere of The Simpsons season 38 will air from 8 PM ET to 8:30 PM ET, followed by the Animal Control season 5 premiere.
Then, at 9 PM ET, there's the Universal Basic Guys season 3 premiere. Grimsburg season 3 completes the night, airing from 9:30 PM to 10 PM. The full schedule, including non-fiction and reality programs, can be seen in the table below.
With long-running hits like Family Guy and Bob's Burgers being held until a later date, the change marks the first time since September 2019 that Fox's Sunday lineup wasn't defined by the Animation Domination block. It is not the first time that the network has taken a step back from the broadcast staple, though. It made a similar adjustment in Fall 2014, welcoming live-action shows such as Brooklyn Nine-Nine to Sundays.
It is perhaps fitting that after Animal Control season 4, it gets to join the usual animated block. Headlined by McHale, known for his role as Jeff Winger on Community, it follows the hijinks and personal lives of a group of animal workers in Seattle. It has developed a devoted following since its February 2023 debut.
There was even a joke, in the so-called series finale of The Simpsons, about Animal Control being one of Fox's few hits, and McHale received a quick shoutout. Now, that joke has come full circle in a way.
The Simpsons season 38 premieres Sunday, September 27, at 8 PM ET on Fox.
