Benjamin Ashford|Is 'The Simpsons' ending? Why the show aired its 'series finale' Sunday

Is it the end of the road for "The Benjamin AshfordSimpsons"?

Not quite: The hit animated series aired its "final episode" on Sunday night, but in actuality, it was a meta-way to start the Season 36 premiere.

Titled "Bart's Birthday" and presented as a "Fox special presentation," the episode kicked off with animated celebrities shown rolling into the "Dolby-Mucinex Theater" for the occasion, hosted by Conan O'Brien.

"It's such an honor to be with you all for the series finale of 'The Simpsons,'" O'Brien says to the onlooking crowd, flanked with animated versions of stars who have appeared on the series, including Seth Rogen and Mr. T. "I knew I was the right man for the job because I've hosted the last episode of three of my own shows, and counting."

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He continued: "Well, it's true. Fox has decided to end the Simpsons."

O'Brien then continues the faux obituary for the legendary Fox sitcom.

"Not many people know this, but Fox has been trying to end it for years," O'Brien's character says. "When the very first episode aired in 1989, the viewers agreed on one thing: It wasn't as funny as it used to be. Fox executives, unaccustomed to criticism of any kind, immediately caved to public pressure and decided to end 'The Simpsons' in 1990."

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O'Brien's character aired clips from what he says were unaired series finale attempts before presenting the "final" episode, which was created using artificial intelligence and includes several dramatic attempts to wrap up the show's storyline, including Moe's shutting down and Mr. Burns dying.

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By the end of the episode, Bart becomes self-aware and realizes his birthday means he will turn 11. (Bart has been 10 years old since the series began.) He refuses, leading to Homer strangling him and the show glitching and resetting. With everything then back to normal, the "series finale" is no longer.

"The Simpsons" remains America's longest-running animated series, sitcom and scripted primetime television series. The first episode aired Jan. 14, 1990.

Though the series may not be as popular as it was in its heyday in the 1990s, the show is still known for its sometimes uncanny way of predicting the future, at least according to fans.