‘The Simpsons’ Season 38 Episode 2 Release Date, Time, and Where to Watch Next

Springfield’s first family is back on the air, and fans who enjoyed the season premiere are already eager to know when the next episode of ‘The Simpsons‘ will air. After more than three decades on the air, the animated sitcom continues to be a staple of Fox’s Sunday night lineup, and Season 38 is set to deliver another exciting series of adventures for Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa, and Maggie.

As the longest-running scripted series in American television history, each new episode carries significant anticipation for longtime viewers. Here’s what fans need to know about the release schedule, what’s coming up next, and how to catch every new episode as it airs.

‘The Simpsons’ Season 38 kicked off on Sunday, September 27, with the premiere episode airing at 8 PM Eastern and Pacific time, which is 7 PM Central. The premiere, titled “The Children’s Book Job,” revolves around a British author whose visit to Springfield Elementary takes an unexpected turn when Homer is assigned to pick her up from the airport.

This season features a shorter broadcast run of 15 episodes on Fox, continuing the trend of reduced network orders, while maintaining its traditional Sunday night slot. Following this weekly schedule, fans can expect the next new episode to air the following Sunday at the same 8 PM Eastern and Pacific time on Fox, as the network has kept ‘The Simpsons’ as the cornerstone of its entire animated block for the season.

The Sunday lineup features ‘The Simpsons’ at 8 PM, followed by ‘Animal Control’ at 8:30 PM, ‘Universal Basic Guys’ at 9 PM, and ‘Grimsburg’ at 9:30 PM. Fox confirmed this schedule as part of its broader fall 2026 premiere week announcement, which also highlighted returning favorites like ‘Hell’s Kitchen’ and ‘The Floor.’

As of now, Fox has not released an official title or synopsis for the second episode of the season, but the network has confirmed that showrunner Matt Selman plans to air the full 15-episode order sequentially throughout the fall and winter months without breaks.

While specifics about episode two remain under wraps, there are already exciting details about what else is in store for Season 38. Notably, the beloved Halloween tradition is making a return, which fans eagerly anticipate each year.

‘Treehouse of Horror XXXVII’ is confirmed for this season, and producers aim to make the segment genuinely scary this time. The special will feature a stop-motion sequence created by Stoopid Buddy Stoodios, parodying ‘The Nightmare Before Christmas,’ along with a mashup segment combining ‘Freaky Friday’ with Stephen King’s ‘Pet Sematary.’

In addition to the Halloween special, another storyline teased for the season involves Bart and Lisa adopting a baby chimpanzee, with Homer becoming increasingly paranoid about the animal’s future behavior. This absurd, family-centered premise showcases the show’s knack for finding humor in Homer’s anxieties.

Fans of crossover nostalgia also received a hint, as Matt Groening suggested that the classic video game ‘Hit and Run’ could be revived in some capacity, although Selman quickly downplayed the idea, leaving only a slight possibility open for now.

Catching new episodes of ‘The Simpsons’ is easy for viewers with access to traditional broadcast television. Season 38 premieres and airs live on Fox at 8 PM Eastern and Pacific time, with new episodes also available the following day on Hulu.

This next-day streaming on Hulu has become standard for the show in recent seasons, providing fans who miss the Sunday broadcast a reliable way to watch each episode shortly after it airs. Disney+ subscribers with a Hulu bundle can also access the platform’s growing library of ‘Simpsons’ content through that integration.

It’s worth noting that Disney+ has also featured a few exclusive specials outside the main Fox broadcast season, offering fans additional ‘Simpsons’ content to enjoy between traditional episode releases. These specials follow a separate release schedule from the numbered Fox season, so viewers should not confuse them with the mainline episode count.

The heart of any ‘Simpsons’ season lies in its voice cast, and Season 38 brings back the actors fans have cherished for years. The core voice ensemble, including Dan Castellaneta, Julie Kavner, Nancy Cartwright, and Yeardley Smith, is set to return for all episodes this season.

Academy Award winner Emma Thompson guest-starred in the premiere as a British children’s book author visiting Springfield Elementary. Additional confirmed guest stars for the season include Los Angeles Philharmonic conductor Gustavo Dudamel, along with Rachel Bloom, Jenna Ortega, Paul Dano, Henry Winkler, and Jennifer Aniston.

This impressive lineup of guest talent suggests that Season 38 will embrace star-studded cameos, blending award-winning names with the show’s signature mix of satire and heart. Fans can expect to see these names appear throughout the remaining episodes as more details are revealed.

With a shorter but steady episode order and a Halloween special already generating excitement, Season 38 has a lot at stake as it heads into its second episode. Which returning character or new guest star are you most looking forward to seeing when ‘The Simpsons’ releases its next new episode?