Here's the deal ... the iconic cartoon just premiered its 36th season ... and besides confusing fans by calling the episode the series finale -- it wasn't -- the episode peppered in shock value when Homer strangled Bart ... a bit most assumed was purposely ended last year.

In an episode that aired last November ... a character noted Homer's firm handshake -- to which he responded ... "See, Marge, strangling the boy paid off." He then follows up and says ... "Just kidding, I don’t do that anymore. Times have changed."

Simpsons' showrunner Matt Selman tells TMZ ... it was a "mistake" to ever suggest the strangulation joke would end, and he regretted the quip "felt more like an announcement ... it was just a joke … and people took it in the wrong direction.”

Stressing the show in no way condones child abuse ... MS tells us the recurring strangulation joke is "in the DNA of the series," and fans can expect to see it happen again … when the moment can be “funny or impactful.”

And to the pearl-clutchers ... the joke was not shoe-horned in as a result of criticism the series had gone "soft" and "woke" ... MS telling us "The Simpsons" has always had an edge ... and that ain't going to stop either.