Michael Cavna, writing at The Washington Post:

With that in mind, it only seems fitting that “The Simpsons” draws upon both principles to dramatize its act of taking down “Gunsmoke” as the new sheriff of television. On Sunday night, “The Simpsons” will pass the classic midcentury western by airing show No. 636 — the most scripted episodes broadcast by any prime-time series in TV history.

Alf Clausen, the composer for almost all of the episodes of The Simpsons, has been fired. Variety reports:

Two-time Emmy winner Alf Clausen has been fired from “The Simpsons” after 27 years of providing music for Bart, Lisa, and company.

Clausen told Variety that he received a call from “Simpsons” producer Richard Sakai that the company was seeking “a different kind of music” and that he would no longer be scoring the longtime Fox hit.