"The Simpsons" is an American television show that began in 1989. Still on the air today, it is the longest-running American sitcom, primetime scripted series, and animated program.
> Explore a ranking of the show's top 10 episodes. (More)
> The best cameos on the series, from Meryl Streep to Paul McCartney. (More)
The show was created by Matt Groening, a cartoonist whose comic "Life in Hell" attracted the attention of producer James L. Brooks. Brooks wanted animated sketches for "The Tracey Ullman Show," a sketch comedy show on the upstart Fox network, and Groening proposed "The Simpsons," an animated sitcom based on his own family, to avoid signing over the rights to his "Life in Hell" characters.
> Learn Groening's rationale behind the show's distinct color palette. (More)
> The series originated in a self-published book featuring disturbing-looking rabbits in LA. (More)
> Ullman would later sue after the show saw mainstream success. (More)
The show quickly became a pop culture sensation and attracted some of the country's best comedy writers, including Conan O'Brien, fresh off a stint at "Saturday Night Live," and Greg Daniels, who would later adapt "The Office" for American TV. In its almost four decades on the air, "The Simpsons" has produced more than 800 episodes, been broadcast around the world in more than 50 languages, and become an American institution.
> Several writers studied math before transitioning to comedy—a key reason for the show's sophisticated math jokes. (More)
> How voice actor Chris Edgerly mimicked the voices of hundreds of characters. (More)
Discover more:
> Nevada is home to a real-life "Simpsons" house. (More)
> A list of predictions the show made accurately, including the election of President Donald Trump. (More)
> See every opening sequence couch gag where the family gathers in front of the TV in some humorous way. (More)
