The Simpsons showrunner clarifies long-running joke in show's 'finale' episode that left fans baffled

Friends wouldn’t be Friends without ‘How you doin?’, The Office wouldn’t be The Office without ‘that’s what she said’ and The Simpsons wouldn’t be The Simpsons without Homer strangling Bart.

Although, fans thought that staple gag had seen its final day. And The Simpsons showrunner has now had to clarify the long-running joke after the ‘finale’ episode left viewers baffled.

During an episode that aired last November, a character pointed out Homer’s firm handshake which led to his response: “See, Marge, strangling the boy paid off.”

And leading fans to believe the TV classic joke was all over, he followed up with: “Just kidding, I don’t do that anymore. Times have changed.”

May it never end. (Fox/Disney)

But Matt Selman told TMZ it was a ‘mistake’ to have ever suggested the long-running strangling joke would ever end as he regretted it came across as an ‘announcement’ as he said: “It was just a joke.

“And people took it in the wrong direction.”

Because so many people had taken it wrong, fans were then pretty shocked when the premiere of its 36th season recently aired.

Oh, and just adding to the confusion, this episode was billed as the ‘series finale’.

Of course though, the bigger shock was when Homer strangled Bart once again – confirming the joke truly isn’t over.

Selman did stress that the show obviously doesn’t condone child abuse in any way as he said the recurring joke is simply ‘in the DNA of the series’.

The showrunner added that The Simpsons fans can expect to see it happen again when the moment can have a ‘funny or impactful’ effect.

As for the ‘series finale’, that’s obviously a bit of a joke too – don’t start panicking.

Selman isn't letting the gag go. (Amy Sussman/Getty Images)

Titled ‘Bart’s Birthday’, the recent episode saw former writer Conan O'Brien recreated as one of the classic yellow people declaring: “It’s such an honour to be with you all for the series finale of The Simpsons.”

And ensuing a level of panic, he continued: “Well, it’s true. Fox has decided to end The Simpsons...

"Not many people know this, but Fox has been trying to end it for years."

But Selman said the episode was meant to make ‘fun of the idea of last episodes and everything we do’.

He added to PEOPLE: “Every episode is both a first and a last episode of the show.”

Selman sees how it can be a ‘little confusing’ but it was simply an ‘audacious idea’ and he’d love to see other series ‘do self-hating, non-finales’ too.