The Simpsons fans are shocked at how Marge sounds in 2023

Simpsons fans who haven’t tuned into the show for a few years have been shocked by this viral clip from its latest episode.

Iconic animated comedy series The Simpsons has been on-air for more than 750 episodes now – and for the show’s main voice cast, it’s a gig that’s stretched on for more than 35 years.

Still, casual fans of the show have been shocked at a clip from a new Simpsons episode that’s gone viral on social media this week, stunned by just how different Marge Simpson sounds nowadays.

In the clip, which has racked up more than 10 million views on Twitter, Marge and husband Homer lie in bed as she tells him they’ve been invited to an upcoming wedding. Always hoarse-voiced, Marge’s voice sounds very noticeably rougher and older than she did back in the show’s 1990s golden period.

Homer and Marge Simpson, circa 2023.

“The hell happened to marge’s voice?” one fan wrote in response to the clip.

“Why does marge sound like patty and selma?” another asked, referring to the character’s chain-smoking sisters.

“I thought people were exaggerating about Marge’s voice. I was wrong,” said another fan.

Contrary to some fan speculation, this change isn’t the result of a new voice actress being drafted in to play Marge: She’s been voiced by the same woman, actress Julie Kavner, since The Simpsons debuted as a series of animated shorts on The Tracey Ullman Show back in 1987.

Back then, Kavner was 37 years old. Now, she’s 73. Marge’s noticeably older voice illuminates a problem The Simpsons faces as it currently airs for an incredible 35th season: While the characters on the show never age, the actors who’ve been voicing these instantly recognisable characters for decades are now all around retirement age.

Dan Castellaneta, who voices Homer, is now 66 years old. 59-year-old Yeardley Smith voices perennial schoolgirl Lisa, while 66-year-old Nancy Cartwright voices eternal eight-year-old Bart.

Marge actress Julie Kavner (right) with comedian Tracey Ullman in the 90s.

Prolific Simpsons actor Harry Shearer turns 80 next week.

And Harry Shearer, who voices a multitude of distinctive characters on the show including Principal Skinner, Mr Burns, Waylon Smithers and Ned Flanders, will turn 80 next week.

Which begs the question: How much longer can The Simpsons, which has been the longest-running prime time scripted series in TV history for some time, go on?

The series’ US broadcaster Fox has renewed it for a 36th season, which would see The Simpsons rack up more than 800 episodes.

“Eight hundred episodes — not even The Simpsons could have predicted this,” executive producer Matt Selman quipped to EW when the deal was announced earlier this year.

Originally published as The Simpsons fans are shocked at how Marge sounds in 2023