Animation Domination : The Simpsons

"On your way out, if you wanna kill somebody, it would help a lot."

Series Name: The Simpsons

Television Network : Fox

Running Time : 22-24 Minutes
Broadcast Run : December 17th, 1989 to present(464 episodes)


C'mon. Like I wouldn't dedicate the first Animation Domination post to the most influential cartoon of the past twenty years. Perhaps even the most influential comedy television show of our lifetime, so ingratiated into the lexicon of pop culture that it's spawned entries in Websters Dictionary. You ask a modern day comedy writer what his influences are, you'd be hard pressed to find one who doesn't list the Simpsons as part of his inspiration.

Spawning off The Tracy Ullman Show with short two minute animated shorts, the Simpsons became a regular series and helped keep the Television Network Fox alive during it's first couple years in existence. When the Simpsons first hit the airwaves, it was considered far too controversial. Without Bart Simpson telling his teachers to "Eat My Shorts," we wouldn't have such contemporary vulgar classics such as Family Guy or South Park.

What could I possibly say to you if you're a Simpsons fan that you haven't heard before? And if you've never given the Simpsons a chance, after twenty plus years, what could I possibly say to get you to try it? Starting it's 22nd season on September 26th, the Simpsons is almost as old as me. The Simpsons Movie grossed over $500 million worldwide on it's release in 2007. While I feel the awards shows are just a big circle jerk, if you would, the Simpsons has won over 27 Emmy's, was named Time's Best Television Show of the 20th, Century, and even gave the Simpson family a STAR on the walk of fame.

The story goes like this, newspaper comic strip writer Matt Groening had a strip he was quite fond of called "Life in Hell." He went to James L. Brooks office to pitch a television show but was worried about losing the rights to his beloved characters. So he quickly sketched The Simpsons, naming each character after his own family members, and placing himself in the role of Bart. When the Simpsons became an overnight success, Groening negotiated a deal that would allow him to serve as an executive producer even when not working on the show. The Simpsons has gone through numerous show runners. The list of special guest stars who have lent their voice to the Simpsons is innumerable. The Simpsons airs in syndication ALL over the globe. During my time in Germany, I could watch the Simpsons in an hour block every day of the week. They even teach classes at Universities about the effect of Simpsons on the general public and their perception of policies and social normalities.

Quality of the show varies depending on show runner(Looking at you Mike Scully) but still delivers the laughs. Just not as many as it had in it's prime. Here are some of my favorite animation sequences, because well... listing all the potential hilarity? Way too many choices, and you know how indecisive I am.

You obviously either love the Simpsons, and know enough about it that anything I say will be something you know, or you don't care for the Simpsons, and you're probably not even reading this sentence. For shame.

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