Tonight The Simpsons hits yet another milestone in its 29th season—with tonight’s 636th episode, the series becomes the new longest running primetime scripted program in TV history, beating the record previously held by Gunsmoke, which ran for 635 episodes over its 20-year run! And in the cold open for tonight’s episode, the writers have a bit of fun with this fact.

I’m always amazed at how long this show has been on the air, and that I’m still enjoying it decades after I first saw this crazy cartoon family as just rough animation during the sketch breaks of The Tracey Ullman Show! This series has a wide range of tones, from wacky comedy, to parody, and even heartfelt stories. Tonight’s 636th episode falls into this latter category, exploring the strained relationship between Homer and his father, and taking a glimpse into their past to see what has caused a rift between them in the present. It also features the Glenn Close playing the voice of Homer’s mother. The Simpsons has lasted so long because in addition to making the audience laugh, it also gives viewers characters and relationships that they care about.

I will continue to watch this show as long as it stays on the air. I would be shocked if another series manages to take this record away from The Simpsons. The TV landscape has changed a lot over the past few decades. TV seasons have gotten shorter, and shows don’t last for 30 seasons (except maybe NCIS—it seems like that show will go on forever).

In tonight’s episode, “Forgive and Regret”, Grampa makes a confession to Homer while on his deathbed, but when he makes a recovery, he comes to realize that the issue will not be easy to reconcile.

Tonight I’ll also be watching/recording Deception, Timeless, Bob’s Burgers, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Family Guy, The Last Man on Earth, Fear the Walking Dead, Killing Eve, Worst Cooks in America, Trust, Westworld, and Silicon Valley.

For additional suggestions on what to check out tonight, including Bob’s Burgers, check out the If We Controlled Your Remote… 4/29/18 post at TVisMyPacifier.com.