Simpsons cast signs on for four more years...maybe

Don't have a cow, man. The cast of The Simpsons and 20th Century Fox have finally worked out a new deal that will put an and to the  multiple-month production delay. The major Springfieldians are now officially signed on for four more years of the show. Take that, Shelbyville!

But don't you doodly-doo your away over to your good neighbors to invite them over for the next four years of Sundays just yet. Fox is currently only official signed on through the end of the upcoming season, and Gracie Films deal with 20th Century Fox ends at the end of this season.

For now, the new deal puts the major cast member salaries at about $400,000 an episode (from a previous mid-range $300,000) and got the cast back in the studio for the season's first table reads Monday morning. This would place these Springfield residents above Two and a Half Men star Charlie Sheen on the tax bracket, whose 2006 deal to earn around $350,000 an episode made him the highest paid sitcom star on television.

True Simpsons faithful will remember that this production-halting negotiation is not new territory for the show. The same thing happened in 2004. And in 1998 when when the cast asked for a pay raise the studio went so far as to hire a casting director to look for replacements.

The new deal has also added consulting producer to Dan Castellaneta's (Homer) credits on the show. Castellaneta has already written several episodes of the show in addition to his voice talent.

Due to the delay, 20th Century Fox has decided to produce only 20 episodes this season instead of the planned 22.

If you just can't wait out the delay to get your Simpsons fix, have a go at this Simpsonized version of 20 Questions. It's scary good.

Related links:
TheSimpsons.com
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