The Simpsons (season 28)

The twenty-eighth season of the animated television series The Simpsons began airing on Fox in the United States on September 25, 2016, and ended on May 21, 2017.^[1] On May 4, 2015, Fox announced that The Simpsons had been renewed for season 28.^[2]

The Simpsons
Season 28
Digital purchase image featuring Chief Clancy Wiggum
Country of origin	United States
No. of episodes	22
Release
Original network	Fox
Original release	September 25, 2016 (2016-09-25) – May 21, 2017 (2017-05-21)
Season chronology
← Previous Season 27 Next → Season 29
List of episodes

This season includes the 600th episode of the show, "Treehouse of Horror XXVII".^[3] On August 31, 2016, it was announced that an episode titled "The Caper Chase", inspired by Trump University, would air sometime in 2017; the episode aired on April 2.^[4]

This season also includes the show's first hour-long episode, "The Great Phatsby", a parody of The Great Gatsby.^[5] Other noteworthy events and gags include a Pokémon Go-themed episode ("Looking for Mr. Goodbart"),^[6] couch gags spoofing Robot Chicken and Adventure Time, an episode that shows how Homer learned to feel better with food ("Fatzcarraldo"), Mr. Burns hiring all of the Simpsons (except Homer) to become his "pretend" family ("Friends and Family"), and Glenn Close returning as Mona ("Fatzcarraldo").^[7]

This was the final season scored by longtime Simpsons composer Alf Clausen. This also marked the first season where former recurring guest star Kevin Michael Richardson joined the regular supporting cast, starting with the episode "The Last Traction Hero".

Episodes

See also: List of The Simpsons episodes

No. overall	No. in season	Title	Directed by	Written by	Original air date	Prod. code	U.S. viewers (millions)
597	1	"Monty Burns' Fleeing Circus"	Matthew Nastuk	Tom Gammill & Max Pross	September 25, 2016 (2016-09-25)	VABF20	3.36^[8]
Mr. Burns puts on a variety show at the Springfield Bowl in exchange for rebuilding the town after it is burned to the ground. However, when the event brings back bad memories for the old man who bombed when he first performed there 100 years ago, Burns tries to muster up the courage to perform again in an effort to redeem himself. Guest stars: Amy Schumer as Mrs. Burns and Pendleton Ward as himself
598	2	"Friends and Family"	Lance Kramer	J. Stewart Burns	October 2, 2016 (2016-10-02)	VABF18	6.00^[9]
Homer finds a new friend in a woman who acts just like him, while Mr. Burns' search for a clan to play his virtual-reality family leads him to hire Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie without Homer (Burns will play the father) and leaves Homer home alone to be his most Homer-esque self. Guest star: Allison Janney as Julia
599	3	"The Town"	Rob Oliver	Dave King	October 9, 2016 (2016-10-09)	VABF17	3.22^[10]
Homer takes the family on a "hate-cation" to Boston when he catches Bart rooting for the rival Boston Americans football team. But after discovering the appeal of candlepin bowling over his regular bowling, and finding a better safety inspector job at a candy factory, they agree to move there. Meanwhile, Lisa discovers how much Boston has to offer academically compared to Springfield. Guest stars: Bill Burr as Townie, Michael Chiklis as Handsome quarterback, Rachel Dratch as Doctor, Doris Kearns Goodwin as herself and Dana Gould as Murphy
600	4	"Treehouse of Horror XXVII"	Steven Dean Moore	Joel H. Cohen	October 16, 2016 (2016-10-16)	VABF16	7.44^[11]
In the 27th annual Simpsons Halloween special, Mr. Burns makes the children fight to the death for a day in his personal reservoir, Lisa's imaginary friend kills her real friends, and Bart is recruited to Moe's group of secret barfly agents. Guest stars: Drew Carey as himself, Donald Fagen as himself, Kelsey Grammer as Sideshow Bob, Maurice LaMarche, Judith Owen as herself and Sarah Silverman as Rachel Note: This is the show's 600th episode.
601	5	"Trust but Clarify"	Mike Frank Polcino	Harry Shearer	October 23, 2016 (2016-10-23)	VABF21	3.36^[12]
Bart and Lisa investigate Krusty's highly dangerous new "Krustaceans" candy, while Homer asks Marge to help him dress for a promotion at the nuclear plant and Kent Brockman has to rebuild his career after he's fired for repeated Brian Williams-type exaggerations in his reporting. Guest star: Dan Rather as himself
602	6	"There Will Be Buds"	Matthew Faughnan	Matt Selman	November 6, 2016 (2016-11-06)	VABF22	3.14^[13]
Homer coaches the kids' lacrosse team with Milhouse's dad Kirk, who is a genius coach but also so needy that it makes Homer despise him. Kirk disappears upon hearing Homer rant about him being a loser, just as the team needs him for the championship game, and Homer has to get Kirk to come back so the kids can win the title.
603	7	"Havana Wild Weekend"	Bob Anderson	Deb Lacusta, Dan Castellaneta & Peter Tilden	November 13, 2016 (2016-11-13)	VABF19	7.13^[14]
The Simpsons go to Cuba to help an ailing Grampa get cheap medical care, but it's the Cuban nostalgia factor and a sexy senorita that lead Abe to decide to start a new life as a nightclub manager alongside an American defector. Guest stars: Stacy Keach as H.K. Duff and Deb Lacusta as Isabella
604	8	"Dad Behavior"	Steven Dean Moore	Ryan Koh	November 20, 2016 (2016-11-20)	WABF01	2.88^[15]
Homer discovers a new app that makes his life easier, and Grampa learns he's going to be a father again. Guest star: Matt Leinart as himself
605	9	"The Last Traction Hero"	Bob Anderson	Bill Odenkirk	December 4, 2016 (2016-12-04)	WABF03	5.77^[16]
Homer gets hurt in a workplace accident, and Marge turns to an unexpected source for romance. Meanwhile, Lisa is made "Bus Monitor".
606	10	"The Nightmare After Krustmas"	Rob Oliver	Jeff Westbrook	December 11, 2016 (2016-12-11)	WABF02	5.60^[17]
Krusty and his daughter spend Christmas with the Simpsons. Meanwhile, Reverend Lovejoy seeks converts to boost church attendance, and a Christmas toy scares Maggie. Guest stars: Wayne Gretzky as himself, Theo Jansen as himself, Natasha Lyonne as Sophie and Jackie Mason as Rabbi Krustofsky
607	11	"Pork and Burns"	Matthew Nastuk	Rob LaZebnik	January 8, 2017 (2017-01-08)	WABF06	8.19^[18]
Inspired by a Japanese self-help book on minimalist living, Marge makes the family get rid of the vast majority of their possessions. Homer attempts to give away his pet pig Plopper (who originally appeared in The Simpsons Movie) and ends up using him as a therapy animal. Meanwhile, Lisa takes the book's advice too far and gives away everything that she owns, including her saxophone. Guest stars: Joyce Carol Oates as herself and Michael York as Dr. Budgie
608	12	"The Great Phatsby" (Vol. I & Vol. II)	Chris Clements	Dan Greaney Matt Selman (part 2 only)	January 15, 2017 (2017-01-15)	WABF04	6.90^[19]
609	13		Timothy Bailey			WABF05
Mr. Burns plots revenge against the music mogul who conned him. Guest stars: Charles Barkley as himself, Jim Beanz, Common as himself, Taraji P. Henson as Praline, Phil LaMarr, Dawnn Lewis, Keegan-Michael Key as Jazzy James, RZA as himself and Snoop Dogg as himself
610	14	"Fatzcarraldo"	Mark Kirkland	Michael Price	February 12, 2017 (2017-02-12)	WABF07	2.40^[20]
When all the fast food restaurants in Springfield become healthy, Homer is forced to turn to chili dogs for comfort. Meanwhile, Lisa tries to save the school radio station. Guest stars: Glenn Close as Mona Simpson
611	15	"The Cad and the Hat"	Steven Dean Moore	Ron Zimmerman	February 19, 2017 (2017-02-19)	WABF08	2.44^[21]
Bart has to deal with his guilt after he betrays Lisa. Meanwhile, Homer begins playing chess, and everyone in Springfield becomes impressed by his talents. Guest stars: Magnus Carlsen as himself, Seth Green as the Robot Chicken Nerd and Patton Oswalt as Bart's Guilt
612	16	"Kamp Krustier"	Rob Oliver	David M. Stern	March 5, 2017 (2017-03-05)	WABF09	2.56^[22]
Bart and Lisa return from Kamp Krusty, both traumatized. Meanwhile, Homer becomes a more productive worker. Guest stars: Lizzy Caplan as Virginia Johnson and Michael Sheen as William Masters
613	17	"22 for 30"	Chris Clements	Joel H. Cohen	March 12, 2017 (2017-03-12)	WABF10	2.61^[23]
In a parody of 30 for 30, Bart becomes a star basketball player, but things go awry when he shaves points for Fat Tony. Guest stars: Stephen Curry as himself, Earl Mann as the Narrator/Eddie Muntz and Joe Mantegna as Fat Tony
614	18	"A Father's Watch"	Bob Anderson	Simon Rich	March 19, 2017 (2017-03-19)	WABF11	2.40^[24]
Marge goes to parenting experts for advice when she thinks that Bart is on the road to failure. Following their advice, Homer opens a trophy store and Bart finds a motivator to both be a better kid and get Homer's goat. Guest stars: Vanessa Bayer as Dr. Clarity Hoffman-Roth, Brian Posehn as Dumlee, Rob Riggle as Dr. Fenton Pooltoy and Adam Silver as himself
615	19	"The Caper Chase"	Lance Kramer	Jeff Westbrook	April 2, 2017 (2017-04-02)	WABF12	2.13^[25]
Mr. Burns opens a for-profit university, with Homer as one of its professors. Guest stars: Jason Alexander as Verlander, Ken Jennings as himself, Stan Lee as himself, Robert McKee as himself, Suze Orman as herself and Neil deGrasse Tyson as himself
616	20	"Looking for Mr. Goodbart"	Mike Frank Polcino	Carolyn Omine	April 30, 2017 (2017-04-30)	WABF13	2.30^[26]
Bart spends time with Principal Skinner's mother, Agnes. Meanwhile, Homer and Lisa get addicted to Peekimon Get. Guest stars: Valerie Harper as Ma-Ma and Jennifer Saunders as Phoebe Pratt
617	21	"Moho House"	Matthew Nastuk	Jeff Martin	May 7, 2017 (2017-05-07)	WABF14	2.34^[27]
Homer and Marge try to work on their marriage. Meanwhile, Mr. Burns's boarding school friend Nigel comes to town and bets Mr. Burns that he can break up Homer and Marge. To do so, he gives Moe the funds to build a more upscale bar called Moho House. Guest stars: Valerie Harper as Mrs. Butterworth and Michael York as Nigel
618	22	"Dogtown"	Steven Dean Moore	J. Stewart Burns	May 21, 2017 (2017-05-21)	WABF15	2.15^[28]
After Homer runs down Gil with his car instead of hitting Santa's Little Helper, he's acquitted because the jury loves dogs in general (and more than Gil). But Springfield then gives dogs rights that supersede those of humans, and the city starts to fall into a canine-ruled dystopia of snarls and bites. Guest stars: Michael York as Dr. Budgie

References

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4. "'The Simpsons' to Skewer Trump University on Upcoming Season". Rolling Stone. Retrieved September 5, 2016.
5. Snierson, Dan (August 8, 2016). "The Simpsons to do first-ever hourlong episode". Entertainment Weekly.
6. Al Jean [@AlJean] (December 15, 2016). "@jade210898 looking for mr goodbart, the cad in the hat" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
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