Harry Shearer

The Simpsons isn’t just a television show — it’s a cultural institution. It’s hard to imagine the pop culture landscape without Fox’s venerable animated sitcom, which has stuck around for nearly 30 years despite losing its satiric fangs about 14 years ago.

The Simpsons has gone on long enough that fans will inevitably face cast departure or a potential end to the series, but despite the recent renewal for Seasons 27 and 28, that end may already be in sight. Iconic Simpsons mainstay Harry Shearer appears to have revealed his exit from the long-running FOX animated series, and not even Ned Flanders could find the optimism here.