The Simpsons Showrunner Plots Revival of a Beloved 90s Sitcom
Fresh off his exit from The Simpsons, veteran showrunner Al Jean is pushing to resurrect 90s cult favorite The Critic, hinting that revival talks are underway.
Al Jean just stepped away from The Simpsons after more than 20 years calling the shots, and he already has his eye on something that will make 90s animation fans perk up: a new crack at The Critic. Yes, that The Critic.
The Critic comeback Jean is trying to make happen
Jean told Cracked that he and the original team have been talking about reviving the show. He was careful with specifics, but he did offer this:
"It's definitely been discussed. I'll just say there's really only one hurdle. John is up for it. Maurice LaMarche is up for it. Mike Reiss is too. I can't really say what the one hurdle is, but there's one thing standing in the way."
And to decode that one bit: John is Jon Lovitz, the voice of Jay Sherman. Jean added that he's done everything he can on his end to move it forward. The mystery roadblock? He isn't saying.
Quick refresher: what The Critic was
The Critic ran from 1994 to 1995, with Lovitz as New York film critic Jay Sherman. Jean co-created it with Mike Reiss. It lasted two seasons on TV, then briefly resurfaced as web shorts in 2000–2001. Sherman even popped up on The Simpsons, which always kept a creative line between the two shows.
Jean's Simpsons exit (but not really an exit)
In a late-October post on X, Jean said the Nov. 2 episode titled 'Bad Boys... For Life?' would be the last one he'd showrun — at least for now. He's shifted into a consulting producer role, which he's described as the showrunner afterlife: still in the room, pitching jokes, and giving production notes, just not steering the ship every week.
- Jean is actively exploring a revival of The Critic with the original brain trust (Jean, Reiss) and core voice talent (Lovitz, Maurice LaMarche) ready to go.
- There is one unspecified hurdle holding it back; Jean won't say what it is, but says he's pushed as far as he can from his side.
- Back on The Simpsons, Matt Selman continues as co-showrunner, Season 37 is currently airing, and a second feature film is in development.
Where this leaves things
Jean stepping into a lighter Simpsons role makes the timing make sense for a Critic revival attempt. The talent is game, the creators want it, and the history is there. Now it's just that one unnamed obstacle. If it falls, Jay Sherman may finally get to complain on TV again — which, frankly, feels overdue.