Background
The Simpsons was created by American cartoonist Matt Groening. It began as a series of animated shorts. These shorts later became part of The Tracey Ullman Show in 1987. The shorts ran for three seasons as a sketch on the show until being developed into the series we know and love today.
The full-length series started in 1989 on Fox. It quickly became the channel's first show to reach the Top 30 ratings in a season.
The show takes place in the made-up town of Springfield. It follows a quirky family of five. They go on adventures every day. Bart Simpson, Lisa Simpson, Homer Simpson, Marge Simpson, and Maggie were all named after the creator’s own family, replacing his own name with Bart.
These characters made The Simpsons a very successful franchise. It is the longest-running American animated series. It is also the longest-running American sitcom and the longest-running American scripted primetime TV show. The show is currently airing season thirty-six and has been renewed through season forty.
Secret to Success
There has to be something special about a piece of media in order for it to stay relevant for so long. What gives The Simpsons its magic touch is its script. The dialogue in this series makes you question if you should be laughing, and that just addicts audiences, keeping them coming back for more.
The series content is often satirical as well, poking fun at current events or relevant topics. This is another reason for its success. It avoids a boring and repetitive plot. Instead, it draws viewers into a new story each time.
The show has also utilized its popularity by getting famous faces to cameo. Over the course of the show’s run so far, there have been well over a thousand guest stars and appearances.The Simpsons are guaranteed to wow audiences for many generations to come.
- Nyanna Raj
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