Why Aren't There More "Simpsons Lite" Episodes Of The Simpsons?

[Neo Ultra Mike]

This Sunday the Simpsons became the first American cartoon and pretty much the first western scripted syndicated show (not counting Talk Shows, Soaps or game shows and the like) to officially get to 700 episodes. There may be more an ending in sight supposedly then in the last 10 something years (even though that's debatable) but it's clear the show is going to keep going and though we can debate it's fall in quality and lesser significance, it's clear the team are still going to make episodes for the show. Here's my question though;

Are we going to see more "Simpsons Lite" episodes of the Simpsons in this run and if not, WHY not?

Now it's pretty clear FOX isn't going to run an episode of this series even if only for branding that isn't going to have some of the most well known family of Springfield in some fashion or another. So you're going to see some apperance of Homer, Bart, Lisa, Marge and Maggie in some form in every episode. And I also get that the team who works on this show doesn't really have the time to work on another show nor is there enough interest right now to get one of those other characters in Springfield their own series by a new team. However how come episodes like "Road To Cincinnati" aka the one just focused on Principal Skinner and Superintendent Chalmers with only minor appearances by the rest of the family, such a rarity? I think everyone agrees that's been one of the key highlights of the show so far allowing for different kind of jokes and set up and stories told because the focus wasn't put on Bart's pranks or Homer's ignorance or Lisa's activism or Marge's mothering etc it was on characters that though fans knew weren't ever really given the most prime focus before in a singular episode and yet finally were.

Really seems to me we should have more of these kind of episodes pop up in the show. Yeah not every character like Disco Stu or Hans Moleman or Policeman Lou could fill a focus episode but there's still a fair amount of the citizens that could that would allow to focus on different kinds of stories and set ups and jokes that haven't been beaten to the ground over and over again. I know the team likes sticking to the same thing but you'd think just for variety's sake we'd get more of that. And honestly at this point having been on for so long the team more then any other show out there is allowed to take more riskes and do unique things because well of that longevity and that status quo still being a thing. Really I would love the Simpsons to take more time off in their own show and give focus to the other characters and want to know why that isn't a thing and if you would wish it to be a thing along with me.

 

[Red Arrow]

We are left to guess what "Simpsins Lite" means.

 

[Fone Bone]

We are left to guess what "Simpsins Lite" means.

I think it means episodes where the family appears rarely or only has a minor supporting role like "A Fish Called Selma".

 

[Neo Ultra Mike]

We are left to guess what "Simpsins Lite" means.

....

However how come episodes like "Road To Cincinnati" aka the one just focused on Principal Skinner and Superintendent Chalmers with only minor appearances by the rest of the family, such a rarity?

Aka "Simpsons Lite episodes are ones with very minor appearances by the actual Simpsons episode focused mostly on other characters in the show that don't need the family put into every other scene. Such as "Road To Cincinnati" which had one scene with the family at the end and a couple of little scenes with Bart and Lisa in the background but otherwise did not involve the Simpsons family at all in the overall narrative"

Thought I honestly explained that in my post the first time but yeah that's what I'm asking; how come after 32 seasons the team doesn't experiment and make episodes of the show much more focused on other characters without the Simpsons family needing to be involved in like every other scene? Even something like "A Fish Called Selma" still has them in a fair amount of scenes (even if you could mostly cut them out narrative wise of the story) compared to "Road To Cincinnati" which is what I would actually call A Simpsons Lite episode.

 

[Red Arrow]

That's a good idea. Yeah, I have no idea why they are not doing this more. They seem to have told every possible story with the main characters already.

 

[JTOONSAnimation]

The show isn't going anywhere anytime soon, I'm sure we'll get more soon.

 

[Dr.Pepper]

I don’t watch the Simpsons regularly, but this sounds like a great idea.