The family was conceived by Groening shortly before a solicitation for a series ofanimated shorts with producer Brooks. He created adysfunctional family and named the characters after his own family members, substituting Bart for his own name; he thought Simpson was a funny name in that it sounded similar to "simpleton".[4] The shorts became a part ofThe Tracey Ullman Show on April 19, 1987. After three seasons, the sketch was developed into a half-hour prime time show and became Fox's first series to land in the Top 30 ratings in a season (1989–1990).
On January 26, 2023, the series was renewed for its 35th and 36th seasons, taking the show through the 2024–25 television season.[6] The two seasons contain a combined total of 51 episodes. Seven of these episodes are season 34 holdovers, while the other 44 will be produced in the production cycle of the upcoming seasons, bringing the show's overall episode total up to 801.[7] Season 35 premiered on October 1, 2023.[8] Season 36 premiered on September 29, 2024.[9]
The Simpsons received widespread acclaim throughout its early seasons in the 1990s, which are generally considered its "golden age". Since then, it has been criticized for aperceived decline in quality. Some observers have subsequently asserted thatThe Simpsons started to become "good again" around its thirty-fourth season in 2023.[10][11][12]Time named it the 20th century's best television series,[13] and Erik Adams ofThe A.V. Club named it "television's crowning achievement regardless of format".[14] On January 14, 2000, the Simpson family was awarded a star on theHollywood Walk of Fame. It has won dozens of awards since it debuted as a series, including 37Primetime Emmy Awards, 34Annie Awards, and 2Peabody Awards. Homer's exclamatory catchphrase of "D'oh!" has been adopted into theEnglish language, whileThe Simpsons has influenced many other later adult-oriented animated sitcom television series.
The main characters are theSimpson family, who live in the fictional "Middle America" town of Springfield.[15]Homer, the father, works as a safety inspector at theSpringfield Nuclear Power Plant, a position at odds with his careless, buffoonish personality. He is married toMarge (née Bouvier), a stereotypical American housewife and mother. They have three children:Bart, a ten-year-old troublemaker and prankster;Lisa, a precocious eight-year-old activist; andMaggie (named by Bart),[16] the baby of the family who rarely speaks, but communicates by sucking on a pacifier. Although the family is dysfunctional, many episodes examine their relationships and bonds with each other and they are often shown to care about one another.[17]
The creators originally intended many of these characters as one-time jokes or for fulfilling needed functions in the town. A number of them have gained expanded roles and subsequently starred in their own episodes. According to Matt Groening, the show adopted the concept of a large supporting cast from the comedy showSCTV.[19]
Continuity and the floating timeline
Despite the depiction of yearly milestones such as holidays or birthdays passing, the characters never age. The series uses afloating timeline in which episodes generally take place in the year the episode is produced. Flashbacks and flashforwards do occasionally depict the characters at other points in their lives, with the timeline of these depictions also generally floating relative to the year the episode is produced. For example, the 1991 episodes "The Way We Was" and "I Married Marge" depict Homer and Marge as high schoolers in the 1970s who had Bart (who is always 10 years old) in the early '80s, while the 2008 episode "That '90s Show" depicts Homer and Marge as a childless couple in the '90s, and the 2021 episode "Do Pizza Bots Dream of Electric Guitars" portrays Homer as an adolescent in the same period. The 1995 episode "Lisa's Wedding" takes place during Lisa's college years in the then-future year of 2010, the same year the show began airing its22nd season, in which Lisa was still 8. Regarding the contradictory flashbacks, Selman stated that "they all kind of happened in their imaginary world".[20]
The show follows a loose and inconsistent continuity. For example,Krusty the Clown may be able to read in one episode, but not inanother. However, it is consistently portrayed that he isJewish, that his father was arabbi, and that his career began in the 1960s. The latter point introduces another snag in the floating timeline: historical periods that are a core part of a character's backstory remain so even when their age makes it unlikely or impossible, such asGrampa Simpson andPrincipal Skinner's respective service inWorld War II andVietnam.
The only episodes not part of the series' main canon are theTreehouse of Horror episodes, which often feature the deaths of main characters. Characters who die in "regular" episodes, such asMaude Flanders,Mona Simpson,Edna Krabappel, etc, however, stay dead. An exception to this isHans Moleman, who is often killed in his appearances - as of 2019[update] he has been killed 26 times only to reappear later.[21] Most episodes end with thestatus quo being restored, though occasionally major changes will stick, such as Lisa's conversions tovegetarianism andBuddhism, the divorce ofMilhouse van Houten's parents, and the marriage and subsequent parenthood ofApu andManjula.
The Simpsons takes place in a fictional American town calledSpringfield. Although there are many real settlements in America named Springfield,[22] the town the show is set in is fictional. The state it is in is not established. In fact, the show is intentionally evasive with regard to Springfield's location.[23] Springfield's geography and that of its surroundings is inconsistent: from one episode to another, it may have coastlines, deserts, vast farmland, mountains, or whatever the story or joke requires.[24] Groening has said that Springfield has much in common withPortland, Oregon, the city where he grew up.[25] Groening has said that he named it afterSpringfield, Oregon, and the fictitious Springfield which was the setting of the seriesFather Knows Best. He "figured out that Springfield was one of the most common names for a city in the U.S. In anticipation of the success of the show, I thought, 'This will be cool; everyone will think it's their Springfield.' And they do."[26] Many landmarks, including street names, have connections to Portland.[27]
When producerJames L. Brooks was working on the television variety showThe Tracey Ullman Show, he decided to include small animated sketches before and after the commercial breaks. Having seen one of cartoonistMatt Groening'sLife in Hell comic strips, Brooks asked Groening to pitch an idea for a series of animated shorts. Groening initially intended to present an animated version of hisLife in Hell series.[28] However, Groening later realized that animatingLife in Hell would require the rescinding ofpublication rights for his life's work. He therefore chose another approach while waiting in the lobby of Brooks's office for the pitch meeting, hurriedly formulating his version of a dysfunctional family that became the Simpsons.[28][29] He named the characters after his own family members, substituting "Bart" for his own name, adopting ananagram of the word "brat".[28]
The Simpson family first appeared asshorts inThe Tracey Ullman Show on April 19, 1987.[30] Groening submitted only basic sketches to the animators and assumed that the figures would be cleaned up in production. However, the animators merely re-traced his drawings, which led to the crude appearance of the characters in the initial shorts.[28] The animation was produced domestically atKlasky Csupo,[31][32] withWes Archer,David Silverman, andBill Kopp being animators for the first season.[33] The colorist, "Georgie" Gyorgyi Kovacs Peluce (Kovács Györgyike)[34][35][36][37][38][39] made the characters yellow; as Bart, Lisa, and Maggie have no hairlines, she felt they would look strange if they were flesh-colored. Groening supported the decision, saying: "Marge is yellow with blue hair? That's hilarious — let's do it!"[33]
In 1989, a team of production companies adaptedThe Simpsons into a half-hour series for theFox Broadcasting Company. The team included the Klasky Csupo animation house. Brooks negotiated a provision in the contract with the Fox network that prevented Fox from interfering with the show's content.[40] Groening said his goal in creating the show was to offer the audience an alternative to what he called "the mainstream trash" that they were watching.[41] The half-hour series premiered on December 17, 1989, with "Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire".[42] "Some Enchanted Evening" was the first full-length episode produced, but it did not broadcast until May 1990, as the last episode of the first season, because of animation problems.[43] In 1992,Tracey Ullman filed a lawsuit against Fox, claiming that her show was the source of the series' success. The suit said she should receive a share of the profits ofThe Simpsons[44]—a claim rejected by the courts.[45]
Matt Groening and James L. Brooks have served as executive producers during the show's entire history, and also function as creative consultants.Sam Simon, described by formerSimpsons directorBrad Bird as "the unsung hero" of the show,[46] served as creative supervisor for the first four seasons. He was constantly at odds with Groening, Brooks and the show's production companyGracie Films and left in 1993.[47] Before leaving, he negotiated a deal that sees him receive a share of the profits every year, and an executive producer credit despite not having worked on the show since 1993,[47][48] at least until his death in 2015.[49] A more involved position on the show is theshowrunner, who acts as head writer and manages the show's production for an entire season.[33]
The first team of writers, assembled by Sam Simon, consisted ofJohn Swartzwelder,Jon Vitti,George Meyer,Jeff Martin,Al Jean,Mike Reiss,Jay Kogen, andWallace Wolodarsky.[50] NewerSimpsons' writing teams typically consist of sixteen writers who propose episode ideas at the beginning of each December.[51] The main writer of each episode writes the first draft. Group rewriting sessions develop final scripts by adding or removing jokes, inserting scenes, and calling for re-readings of lines by the show's vocal performers.[52] Until 2004,[53] George Meyer, who had developed the show since the first season, was active in these sessions. According to long-time writer Jon Vitti, Meyer usually invented the best lines in a given episode, even though other writers may receive script credits.[52] Each episode takes approximately six months to produce, so the show rarely comments on current events.[54]
The Simpsons has six main cast members:Dan Castellaneta,Julie Kavner,Nancy Cartwright,Yeardley Smith,Hank Azaria, andHarry Shearer. Castellaneta voicesHomer Simpson,Grampa Simpson,Krusty the Clown,Groundskeeper Willie,Mayor Quimby,Barney Gumble, and other adult male characters.[62]Julie Kavner voicesMarge Simpson,Patty, Selma, as well as several minor characters.[62] Castellaneta and Kavner had been a part ofThe Tracey Ullman Show cast and were given the parts so that new actors would not be needed.[63] Cartwright voicesBart Simpson,Nelson Muntz,Ralph Wiggum, and other children.[62] Smith, the voice ofLisa Simpson, is the only cast member who regularly voices only one character, although she occasionally plays other episodic characters.[62] The producers decided to hold casting for the roles of Bart and Lisa. Smith had initially been asked to audition for the role of Bart, but casting directorBonita Pietila believed her voice was too high,[64] so she was given the role of Lisa instead.[65] Cartwright was originally brought in to voice Lisa, but upon arriving at the audition, she found that Lisa was simply described as the "middle child" and at the time did not have much personality. Cartwright became more interested in the role of Bart, who was described as "devious, underachieving, school-hating, irreverent, [and] clever".[66] Groening let her try out for the part instead, and upon hearing her read, gave her the job on the spot.[67] Cartwright is the only one of the six mainSimpsons cast members who had been professionally trained in voice acting prior to working on the show.[55] Azaria and Shearer do not voice members of the title family, but play a majority of the male townspeople. Azaria, who has been a part of the main voice cast since the second season in one episode "Old Money" and then perpetually part of the regular main voice cast since the third season, voices recurring characters such asMoe Szyslak,Chief Wiggum,Apu Nahasapeemapetilon, andProfessor Frink. Shearer provides voices forMr. Burns,Mr. Smithers,Principal Skinner,Ned Flanders,Reverend Lovejoy, and formerlyDr. Hibbert.[62] Every main cast member has won aPrimetime Emmy Award forOutstanding Voice-Over Performance.[68][69]
With one exception, episode credits list only the voice actors, and not the characters they voice. Both Fox and the production crew wanted to keep their identities secret during the early seasons and, therefore, closed most of the recording sessions while refusing to publish photos of the recording artists.[70] However, the network eventually revealed which roles each actor performed in the episode "Old Money", because the producers said the voice actors should receive credit for their work.[71] In 2003, the cast appeared in an episode ofInside the Actors Studio, doing live performances of their characters' voices.
The six main actors were paid $30,000 per episode, until 1998, when they were involved in a pay dispute with Fox. The company threatened to replace them with new actors, even going as far as preparing for casting of new voices, but series creator Groening supported the actors in their action.[72] The issue was soon resolved and, from 1998 to 2004, they were paid $125,000 per episode. The show's revenue continued to rise through syndication and DVD sales, and in April 2004 the main cast stopped appearing for script readings, demanding they be paid $360,000 per episode.[73][74] The strike was resolved a month later[75] and their salaries were increased to between $250,000[76] and $360,000 per episode.[77] In 2008, production for thetwentieth season was put on hold due to new contract negotiations with the voice actors, who wanted a "healthy bump" in salary to an amount close to $500,000 per episode.[77] The negotiations were soon completed, and the actors' salary was raised to $400,000 per episode.[78] Three years later, with Fox threatening to cancel the series unless production costs were cut, the cast members accepted a 30 percent pay cut, down to just over $300,000 per episode.[79]
Episodes will quite often feature guest voices from a wide range of professions, including actors, athletes, authors, bands, musicians and scientists. In the earlier seasons, most of the guest stars voiced characters, but eventually more started appearing as themselves.Tony Bennett was the first guest star to appear as himself, appearing briefly in the season two episode "Dancin' Homer".[84]The Simpsons holds theworld record for "Most Guest Stars Featured in a Television Series".[85]
The Simpsons has been dubbed intoseveral other languages, including Japanese, German, Spanish, Portuguese and Italian. It is also one of the few programs dubbed in bothstandard French andQuebec French.[86] The show has been broadcast in Arabic, but due toIslamic customs, numerous aspects of the show have been changed. For example, Homer drinkssoda instead of beer and eats Egyptian beef sausages instead of hot dogs. Because of such changes, the Arabized version of the series met with a negative reaction from the lifelongSimpsons fans in the area.[87]
Animation
Animation directorDavid Silverman, who helped define the look of the show[33]
Several different U.S. and international studios animateThe Simpsons. Throughout the run of the animated shorts onThe Tracey Ullman Show, the animation was produced domestically atKlasky Csupo.[31] With the debut of the series, because of an increased workload, Fox subcontracted production to several local and foreign studios.[31] These areAKOM,[88]Anivision,[89]Rough Draft Studios,[90]USAnimation,[91] and Toonzone Entertainment.[92]
For the first three seasons, Klasky Csupo animatedThe Simpsons in the United States. In 1992, the show's production company, Gracie Films, switched domestic production toFilm Roman,[93] who continued to animate the show until 2016 when they were replaced byFox Television Animation, which allowed the show to be made more in-house. InSeason 14, production switched from traditionalcel animation todigital ink and paint.[94] The first episode to experiment with digital coloring was "Radioactive Man" in 1995. Animators used digital ink and paint during production of theseason 12 episode "Tennis the Menace", but Gracie Films delayed the regular use of digital ink and paint until two seasons later. The already completed "Tennis the Menace" was broadcast as made.[95]
The production staff at the U.S. animation studio, Film Roman, drawsstoryboards, designs new characters, backgrounds, props and draws character and background layouts, which in turn becomeanimatics to be screened for the writers at Gracie Films for any changes to be made before the work is shipped overseas. The overseas studios then draw theinbetweens, ink and paint, and render the animation to tape before it is shipped back to the United States to be delivered to Fox three to four months later.[96]
The series beganhigh-definition production in season 20; the first episode, "Take My Life, Please", aired February 15, 2009. The move to HDTV included a new opening sequence.[97] Matt Groening called it a complicated change because it affected the timing and composition of animation.[98]
The Simpsons uses the standard setup of a situational comedy, or sitcom, as its premise. The series centers on a family and their life in a typical American town,[15] serving as asatirical parody of amiddle classAmerican lifestyle.[99] However, because of its animated nature,The Simpsons' scope is larger than that of a regular sitcom. The town of Springfield acts as a complete universe in which characters can explore the issues faced by modern society. By having Homer work in anuclear power plant, the show can comment on the state of the environment.[100] Through Bart and Lisa's days atSpringfield Elementary School, the show's writers illustrate pressing or controversial issues in the field of education. The town features a vast array of television channels, which enables the producers to make jokes about the entertainment industry and the press.[101]
Some commentators say the show is political in nature and susceptible to a left-wing bias.[102]Al Jean acknowledged in an interview that "We [the show] are ofliberal bent."[103] The writers often evince an appreciation forprogressive leanings, but the show makes jokes across the political spectrum.[104] The show portrays government and large corporations as evil entities that take advantage of the common worker.[103] Thus, the writers often portray authority figures in an unflattering or negative light. InThe Simpsons, politicians are corrupt, ministers such asReverend Lovejoy are dismissive to churchgoers, and the local police force is incompetent.[105] Religion also figures as a recurring theme.[106] In times of crisis, the family often turns to God, and the show has dealt with most of the major religions.[107]
Sexuality is often a source of jokes in the series or serves as the theme of certain episodes. Even though homosexuals are sometimes sources of gags, the series often comments on how American society treats them, with "Homer's Phobia" devoting an entire episode to the family making a gay friend and Homer's initial hostility to him. In 1990,The Simpsons became the first animated early evening show to depict a kiss between two men in "Simpson and Delilah".
The Simpsons'opening sequence is one of the show's most memorable hallmarks. The standard opening has gone through three iterations (a replacement of some shots at the start of the second season, and a brand new sequence when the show switched to high-definition in 2009).[108]
Each has the same basic sequence of events: the camera zooms throughcumulus clouds, through the show's title towards the town ofSpringfield. The camera then follows the members of the family on their way home. Upon entering their house, the Simpsons settle down on their couch to watch television. The original opening was created byDavid Silverman, and was the first task he did when production began on the show.[109] The series' distinctivetheme song wascomposed by musicianDanny Elfman in 1989, after Groening approached him requesting a retro-style piece. This piece has been noted by Elfman as the most popular of his career.[110]
One of the most distinctive aspects of the opening is that three of its elements change from episode to episode: Bart writes different things on the school chalkboard,[109] Lisa plays different solos on her saxophone (or occasionally a different instrument), and different gags accompany the family as they enter their living room to sit on the couch.[111]
The specialHalloween episode has become an annual tradition. "Treehouse of Horror" first broadcast in 1990 as part ofseason two and established the pattern of three separate, self-contained stories in each Halloween episode.[112] These pieces usually involve the family in some horror, science fiction, or supernatural setting and often parody or pay homage to a famous piece of work in those genres.[113] They always take place outside the normal continuity of the show. Although theTreehouse series is meant to be seen on Halloween, this changed by the 2000s (and again in 2020), when new installments have premiered after Halloween due toFox's currentcontract withMajor League Baseball'sWorld Series.[114] Prior to 2020 (between 2011 and 2019), everyTreehouse of Horror episode had aired in October.
Humor
The show's humor turns on cultural references that cover a wide spectrum of society so that viewers from all generations can enjoy the show. Such references, for example, come from movies, television, music, literature, science, and history.[115] The animators also regularly add jokes or sight gags into the show's background via humorous or incongruous bits of text in signs, newspapers,billboards, and elsewhere. The audience may often not notice the visual jokes in a single viewing. Some are so fleeting that they become apparent only by pausing a video recording of the show or viewing it in slow motion.[116] Kristin Thompson argues thatThe Simpsons uses a "flurry of cultural references, intentionally inconsistent characterization, and considerable self-reflexivity about television conventions and the status of the programme as a television show."[117]
One of Bart's earlyhallmarks was his prank calls toMoe's Tavern ownerMoe Szyslak where he asks for agag name. Moe tries to find that person in the bar, but soon realizes it is a prank call and angrily threatens Bart. These calls were apparently based on a series of prank calls known as theTube Bar recordings, though Groening has denied any causal connection.[118]Moe was based partly on Tube Bar ownerLouis "Red" Deutsch, whose often profane responses inspired Moe's violent side.[119] As the series progressed, it became more difficult for the writers to come up with a fake name and to write Moe's angry response, and the pranks were dropped as a regular joke during the fourth season.[120][121]The Simpsons also often includesself-referential humor.[122] The most common form is jokes about Fox Broadcasting.[123] For example, the episode "She Used to Be My Girl" included a scene in which aFox News Channel van drove down the street while displaying a large "Bush Cheney 2004" banner and playingQueen's "We Are the Champions", in reference to the2004 U.S. presidential election and claims ofconservative bias in Fox News.[124][125]
The show usescatchphrases, and most of the primary and secondary characters have at least one each.[126] Notable expressions include Homer's annoyed grunt "D'oh!", Mr. Burns' "Excellent" andNelson Muntz's "Ha-ha!" Some of Bart's catchphrases, such as "¡Ay, caramba!", "Don't have a cow, man!" and "Eat my shorts!" appeared on T-shirts in the show's early days.[127] However, Bart rarely used the latter two phrases until after they became popular through themerchandising. The use of many of these catchphrases has declined in recent seasons. The episode "Bart Gets Famous" mocks catchphrase-based humor, as Bart achieves fame on theKrusty the Clown Show solely for saying "I didn't do it".[128]
Al Jean has commented on the show's purported ability to predict the future, explaining that they are really just "educated guesses" and stating that "if you throw enough darts, you're going to get some bullseyes."[135] ProducerBill Oakley stated, "There are very few cases whereThe Simpsons predicted something. It's mainly just coincidence because the episodes are so old that history repeats itself."[136]Fact-checking sources such asSnopes have debunked many of the claimed prophecies, explaining that the show's extensive run means "a lot of jokes, and a lot of opportunities for coincidences to appear" and "most of these 'predictions' have rather simple and mundane explanations".[137] For example, the device shown onThe Simpsons with autocorrection is anApple Newton, a real 1993 device notorious for its poorhandwriting recognition.[138] Technologically advanced watches have appeared in numerous works of fiction, decades beforeThe Simpsons.[139]
Influence and legacy
Idioms
A number ofneologisms that originated onThe Simpsons have entered popular vernacular.[140][141]Mark Liberman, director of theLinguistic Data Consortium, remarked, "The Simpsons has apparently taken over from Shakespeare and the Bible as our culture's greatest source of idioms, catchphrases and sundry other textual allusions."[141] The most famous catchphrase is Homer's annoyed grunt: "D'oh!" So ubiquitous is the expression that it is now listed in theOxford English Dictionary, but without the apostrophe.[142] Dan Castellaneta says he borrowed the phrase fromJames Finlayson, an actor in manyLaurel and Hardy comedies, who pronounced it in a more elongated and whining tone. The staff ofThe Simpsons told Castellaneta to shorten the noise, and it went on to become the well-known exclamation in the television series.[143]
The Oxford Dictionary of Modern Quotations includes several quotations from the show. As well as "cheese-eating surrender monkeys", Homer's lines, "Kids, you tried your best and you failed miserably. The lesson is never try", from "Burns' Heir" (season five, 1994) as well as "Kids are the best, Apu. You can teach them to hate the things you hate. And they practically raise themselves, what with the Internet and all", from "Eight Misbehavin'" (season 11, 1999), entered the dictionary in August 2007.[153]
The Simpsons was the first successful animated program in American prime time sinceWait Till Your Father Gets Home in the 1970s.[154] During most of the 1980s, US pundits considered animated shows as appropriate only for children, and animating a show was too expensive to achieve a quality suitable for prime-time television.The Simpsons changed this perception,[31] initially leading to a short period where networks attempted to recreate prime-time cartoon success with shows likeCapitol Critters,Fish Police, andFamily Dog, which were expensive and unsuccessful.[155]The Simpsons' use of Korean animation studios fortweening, coloring, and filming made the episodes cheaper. The success ofThe Simpsons and the lower production cost prompted US television networks to take chances on other adult animated series.[31] This development led US producers to a 1990s boom in new, animated prime-time shows for adults, such asBeavis and Butt-Head,South Park,Family Guy,King of the Hill,Futurama (which was created by Matt Groening), andThe Critic (which was also produced by Gracie Films).[31] ForFamily Guy creatorSeth MacFarlane, "The Simpsons created an audience for prime-time animation that had not been there for many, many years ... As far as I'm concerned, they basically re-invented the wheel. They created what is in many ways—you could classify it as—a wholly new medium."[156]
The Simpsons has had crossovers with four other shows. In the episode "A Star Is Burns", Marge invites Jay Sherman, the main character ofThe Critic, to be a judge for a film festival in Springfield. Matt Groening had his name removed from the episode since he had no involvement withThe Critic.[157]South Park later paid homage toThe Simpsons with the episode "Simpsons Already Did It".[158] In "Simpsorama", the Planet Express crew fromFuturama come to Springfield in the present to prevent the Simpsons from destroying the future.[159] In theFamily Guy episode "The Simpsons Guy", the Griffins visit Springfield and meet the Simpsons.[160]
The Simpsons has also influenced live-action shows likeMalcolm in the Middle, which featured the use ofsight gags and did not use alaugh track unlike most sitcoms.[161][162]Malcolm in the Middle debuted January 9, 2000, in the time slot afterThe Simpsons.Ricky Gervais calledThe Simpsons an influence onThe Office,[163] and fellow British sitcomSpaced was, according to its directorEdgar Wright, "an attempt to do a live-actionThe Simpsons".[164] InGeorgia, the animated television sitcomThe Samsonadzes, launched in November 2009, has been noted for its very strong resemblance withThe Simpsons, which its creator Shalva Ramishvili has acknowledged.[165][166]
The Simpsons has historically been open to portrayals ofLGBT characters and settings, and it has routinely challengedheteronormativity.[167][168] It was one of several animated television shows in the United States that began introducing characters that were LGBT, both openly and implied, in the 1990s.[167] While early episodes involving LGBT characters primarily included them through the use of stereotypes,The Simpsons developed several prominent LGBT characters over its run.[169] Producers of the show, such asMatt Groening andAl Jean, have expressed their opinion that LGBT representation in media is important, and that they seek to actively include it.[168][170] Some characters, such as Julio, were created with their sexual orientation in mind, with it being central to their character.[171] The show expanded its roster of openly LGBT characters through episodes in which prominent charactersPatty Bouvier andWaylon Smithers came out in seasons16 and27, respectively.[172][173]
In the United States, the cable television networkFXX, a sibling of 20th Television and formerly the Fox network, hasexclusive cable and digital syndication rights forThe Simpsons. Original contracts had previously stated that syndication rights forThe Simpsons would not be sold to cable until the series conclusion, at a time when cable syndication deals were highly rare. The series has been syndicated to local broadcast stations in nearly all markets throughout the United States since September 1994.[223]
FXX premieredThe Simpsons on their network on August 21, 2014, by starting a twelve-daymarathon which featured the first 552 episodes (every single episode that had already been released at the time) aired chronologically, includingThe Simpsons Movie, which FX Networks had already owned the rights to air. It was the longest continuous marathon in the history of television (untilVH1 Classic aired a 433-hour, nineteen-day, marathon ofSaturday Night Live in 2015; celebrating that program's 40th anniversary).[224][225] The first day of the marathon was the highest rated broadcast day in the history of the network so far, the ratings more than tripled those of regular prime time programming for FXX.[226] Ratings during the first six nights of the marathon grew night after night, with the network ranking within the top 5 networks in basic cable each night.[227] In Australia, a marathon of every episode of the show (at the time) aired from December 16, 2019, to January 5, 2020, onFox8 (a cable network operated on pay TV providerFoxtel and a corporate sibling to the American Fox network).[228] In Canada,Bell Media'sMuch andRogers Media'sFXX Canada syndicate the series as of January 2025.
After Disneyacquired both 20th Television and FX Networks, it was announced thatThe Simpsons would air on the company'sFreeform channel starting October 2, 2019.[229]
On October 21, 2014, a digital service courtesy of theFXNOW app, calledSimpsons World, launched with every episode of the series accessible to authenticated FX subscribers, and is available on game consoles such asXbox One, streaming devices such asRoku andApple TV, and online via web browser.[230][231] There was early criticism of both wrong aspect ratios for earlier episodes and the length of commercial breaks on the streaming service, but that problem was soon amended with fewer commercial breaks during individual episodes.[232] Later it was announced thatSimpsons World would now let users watch all of the SD episodes in their original format.[233]Simpsons World was discontinued after the launch ofDisney+ on November 12, 2019, where the series streams exclusively.[234][235] Initially, the series was only available cropped to16:9 without the option to view the original4:3 versions, reigniting criticisms of cropping old episodes.[236] In response, Disney announced that "in early 2020, Disney+ will make the first 19 seasons (and some episodes from season 20) ofThe Simpsons available in their original 4:3 aspect ratio, giving subscribers a choice of how they prefer to view the popular series."[237][238] On May 28, 2020, Disney+ made the first 19 seasons, along with some episodes from season 20, ofThe Simpsons available in both 16:9 and the original 4:3 aspect ratio.[239] Season 31 came to Disney+ on October 2, 2020, withHulu streaming the latest episodes of season 32 the next day. Season 32 came to Disney+ on September 29, 2021.
The season 3 premiere "Stark Raving Dad", which featuresMichael Jackson as the voice of Leon Kompowsky, was pulled out of rotation in 2019 by Matt Groening, James L. Brooks and Al Jean afterHBO aired the documentaryLeaving Neverland, in which two men share details into how Jackson allegedly abused them as children.[240][241] It is therefore unavailable on Disney+. However, the episode is still available onThe Complete Third Season DVD box set released on August 26, 2003.[242]
In July 2017, all episodes from seasons 4 to 19 were made available for purchase on theiTunes Store in Canada.[243]
On August 10, 2024, it was announced that four episodes of season 36 would air exclusively on Disney+.[244]
The Simpsons was the Fox network's first television series to rank among a season's top 30 highest-rated shows.[245] In 1990, Bart quickly became one of the most popular characters on television in what was termed "Bartmania".[246][247][248][249] He became the most prevalentSimpsons character on memorabilia, such asT-shirts. In the early 1990s, millions of T-shirts featuring Bart were sold;[250] as many as one million were sold on some days.[251] Believing Bart to be a bad role model, several American public schools banned T-shirts featuring Bart next to captions such as "I'm Bart Simpson. Who the hell are you?" and "Underachiever ('And proud of it, man!')".[252][253][254]The Simpsons merchandise sold well and generated $2 billion in revenue during the first 14 months of sales.[252] Because of his popularity, Bart was often the most promoted member of the Simpson family in advertisements for the show, even for episodes in which he was not involved in the main plot.[255]
Due to the show's success, over the summer of 1990 theFox Network decided to switchThe Simpsons' time slot from 8:00 p.m.ET on Sunday night to the same time on Thursday, where it competed withThe Cosby Show onNBC, thenumber one show at the time.[256][257] Through the summer, several news outlets published stories about the supposed "Bill vs. Bart" rivalry.[251][256] "Bart Gets an 'F'" (season two, 1990) was the first episode to air againstThe Cosby Show, and it received a lowerNielsen rating, tying for eighth behindThe Cosby Show, which had an 18.5 rating. The rating is based on the number of household televisions that were tuned into the show, butNielsen Media Research estimated that 33.6 million viewers watched the episode, making it the number one show in terms of actual viewers that week. At the time, it was the most watched episode in the history of the Fox Network,[258] and it is still the highest rated episode in the history ofThe Simpsons.[259] The show moved back to its Sunday slot in 1994 and has remained there ever since.[260]
The Simpsons has received overwhelmingly positive reviews from critics, and it has been noted for being described as "the most irreverent and unapologetic show on the air".[261] In a 1990 review of the show, Ken Tucker ofEntertainment Weekly described it as "the American family at its most complicated, drawn as simple cartoons. It's this neat paradox that makes millions of people turn away from the three big networks on Sunday nights to concentrate on The Simpsons."[262] Tucker also described the show as a "pop-cultural phenomenon, a prime-time cartoon show that appeals to the entire family."[263]
Run length achievements
On February 9, 1997,The Simpsons surpassedThe Flintstones with the episode "The Itchy & Scratchy & Poochie Show" as the longest-running prime-time animated series in the United States.[264] In 2004,The Simpsons replacedThe Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet (1952 to 1966) as the longest-running sitcom (animated or live action) in the United States in terms of the number of years airing.[265] In 2009,The Simpsons surpassedThe Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet's record of 435 episodes and is now recognized byGuinness World Records as the world's longest running sitcom (in terms of episode count).[266][267] In October 2004,Scooby-Doo briefly overtookThe Simpsons as the American animated show with the highest number of episodes (albeit under several different iterations).[268] However, network executives in April 2005 again canceledScooby-Doo, which finished with 371 episodes, andThe Simpsons reclaimed the title with 378 episodes at the end of their seventeenth season.[269] In May 2007,The Simpsons reached their 400th episode at the end of the eighteenth season. WhileThe Simpsons has the record for the number of episodes by an American animated show, other animated series have surpassedThe Simpsons.[270] For example, the Japaneseanime seriesSazae-san has over 2,000 episodes (7,000+ segments) to its credit.[270]
In 2009, Fox began a year-long celebration of the show titled "Best. 20 Years. Ever." to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the premiere ofThe Simpsons. One of the first parts of the celebration is the "Unleash Your Yellow" contest in which entrants must design a poster for the show.[271] The celebration ended on January 10, 2010 (almost 20 years after "Bart the Genius" aired on January 14, 1990), withThe Simpsons 20th Anniversary Special – In 3-D! On Ice!, a documentary special by documentary filmmakerMorgan Spurlock that examines the "cultural phenomenon ofThe Simpsons".[272][273]
As of the twenty-first season (2009–2010),The Simpsons became the longest-running American scripted primetime television series, having surpassed the 1955–1975 run ofGunsmoke. On April 29, 2018,The Simpsons also surpassedGunsmoke's 635-episode count with the episode "Forgive and Regret".[265][274]
The Simpsons is both the longest-running and the highest ranking animated series to feature onTV Time's top 50 most followed TV shows ever.[275]
On February 6, 2019, it was announced thatThe Simpsons has been renewed for seasons 31 and 32.[276]
On March 3, 2021, it was announced thatThe Simpsons was renewed for seasons 33 and 34.[277]
The Simpsons has won dozens of awards since it debuted as a series, including 34Primetime Emmy Awards,[85] 34Annie Awards[278] and aPeabody Award.[279] In a 1999 issue celebrating the 20th century's greatest achievements in arts and entertainment,Time namedThe Simpsons the century's best television series, writing: "Dazzlingly intelligent and unapologetically vulgar, the Simpsons have surpassed the humor, topicality and, yes, humanity of past TV greats."[280] In that same issue,Time included Bart Simpson in theTime 100, the publication's list of the century's 100 most influential people.[281] Bart was the only fictional character on the list. On January 14, 2000, the Simpsons were awarded a star on theHollywood Walk of Fame.[282] Also in 2000,Entertainment Weekly magazine TV critic Ken Tucker namedThe Simpsons the greatest television show of the1990s. Furthermore, viewers of the UK television channelChannel 4 have votedThe Simpsons at the top of two polls: 2001's 100 Greatest Kids' TV shows (despite the show not being aimed at children),[283] and 2005's The 100 Greatest Cartoons,[284] with Homer Simpson voted into first place in 2001's 100 Greatest TV Characters.[285] Homer also placed ninth onEntertainment Weekly's list of the "50 Greatest TV icons".[286] In 2002,The Simpsons ranked No. 8 onTV Guide's 50 Greatest TV Shows of All Time,[287] and was ranked the No. 6 cult show in 2004.[288] In 2007, it moved to No. 8 on TV Guide's cult shows list[289] and was included inTime's list of the "100 Best TV Shows of All Time".[290] In 2008 the show was placed in first onEntertainment Weekly's "Top 100 Shows of the Past 25 Years".[291]Empire named it the greatest TV show of all time.[292] In 2010,Entertainment Weekly named Homer "the greatest character of the last 20 years",[293] while in 2013 theWriters Guild of America listedThe Simpsons as the 11th "best written" series in television history.[294] In 2013,TV Guide rankedThe Simpsons as the greatest TV cartoon of all time[295] and the tenth greatest show of all time.[296] A 2015The Hollywood Reporter survey of 2,800 actors, producers, directors, and other industry people named it as their No. 10 favorite show.[297] In 2015, British newspaperThe Telegraph namedThe Simpsons as one of the 10 best TV sitcoms of all time.[298] Television criticsAlan Sepinwall andMatt Zoller Seitz rankedThe Simpsons as the greatest American TV series of all time in their 2016 bookTV (The Book).[299] In 2022,Rolling Stone rankedThe Simpsons as the second-greatest TV show of all time.[300] In 2023,Variety rankedThe Simpsons as the fourth-greatest TV show of all time.[301]
Criticism
Controversy
Bart's rebellious, bad boy nature, which underlies his misbehavior and rarely leads to any punishment, led some people to characterize him as a poorrole model for children.[302][303] In schools, educators claimed that Bart was a "threat to learning" because of his "underachiever and proud of it" attitude and negative attitude regarding his education.[304] Others described him as "egotistical, aggressive and mean-spirited".[305] In a 1991 interview,Bill Cosby described Bart as a bad role model for children, calling him "angry, confused, frustrated". In response, Matt Groening said, "That sums up Bart, all right. Most people are in a struggle to be normal [and] he thinks normal is very boring, and does things that others just wished they dare do."[306] On January 27, 1992, then-PresidentGeorge H. W. Bush said, "We are going to keep on trying to strengthen the American family, to make American families a lot more likethe Waltons and a lot less like the Simpsons."[252] The writers rushed out a tongue-in-cheek reply in the form of a short segment that aired three days later before a rerun of "Stark Raving Dad" in which Bart replied, "Hey, we're just like the Waltons. We're praying for an end tothe Depression, too."[307][308]
The show also received criticism from the nuclear power industry in its early years, with its portrayal of the evil boss Mr. Burns and "bungling idiot" employees (including Homer Simpson himself) with their lack of safety and security.[309] In a letter to the nuclear power-backedU.S. Council for Energy Awareness, producer Sam Simon apologized, stating, "I apologize that the Simpsons have offended a lot of people in the energy industry. I agree with you that in real life, Homer Simpson would not be employed at a nuclear power plant. On the other hand, he probably wouldn't be employed anywhere."[309]
Various episodes of the show have generated controversy. The Simpsons visit Australia in "Bart vs. Australia" (season six, 1995) and Brazil in "Blame It on Lisa" (season 13, 2002) and both episodes generated controversy and negative reaction in the visited countries.[310] In the latter case, Rio de Janeiro's tourist board—which claimed that the city was portrayed as having rampant street crime, kidnappings, slums, and monkey and rat infestations—went so far as to threaten Fox with legal action.[311] Groening was a fierce and vocal critic of the episode "A Star Is Burns" (season six, 1995), which featured acrossover withThe Critic. He felt that it was just an advertisement forThe Critic, and that people would incorrectly associate the show with him. When he was unsuccessful in getting the episode pulled, he had his name removed from the credits and went public with his concerns, openly criticizing James L. Brooks and saying the episode "violates the Simpsons' universe". In response, Brooks said, "I am furious with Matt, ... he's allowed his opinion, but airing this publicly in the press is going too far. ... his behavior right now is rotten."[157][312]
"The Principal and the Pauper" (season nine, 1997) is one of the most controversial episodes ofThe Simpsons. Many fans and critics reacted negatively to the revelation thatSeymour Skinner, a recurring character since the first season, was an impostor. The episode has been criticized by Groening and byHarry Shearer, who provides the voice of Skinner. In a 2001 interview, Shearer recalled that after reading the script, he told the writers, "That'sso wrong. You're taking something that an audience has built eight years or nine years of investment in and just tossed it in the trash can for no good reason, for a story we've done before with other characters. It's so arbitrary and gratuitous, and it's disrespectful to the audience."[313]
Bans
The show has reportedly been taken off the air in several countries. China banned it from prime-time television in August 2006, "in an effort to protect China's struggling animation studios".[314] In 2008,Venezuela barred the show from airing on morning television as it was deemed "unsuitable for children".[315] The same year, several RussianPentecostal churches demanded thatThe Simpsons,South Park and some other Western cartoons be removed from broadcast schedules "for propaganda of various vices" and the broadcaster's license to be revoked. However, a court decision later dismissed this request.[316]
Critics' reviews of earlySimpsons episodes praised the show for its sassy humor, wit, realism, and intelligence.[41][317] However, in the late 1990s, around the airing ofseason 9, the tone and emphasis of the show began to change. Some critics started calling the show "tired".[318] By 2000, some long-term fans had become disillusioned with the show, and pointed to its shift from character-driven plots to what they perceived as an overemphasis on zany antics.[319][320][321] Jim Schembri ofThe Sydney Morning Herald attributed the decline in quality to an abandonment of character-driven storylines in favor of celebritycameo appearances and references to popular culture. Schembri wrote in 2011: "The central tragedy ofThe Simpsons is that it has gone from commanding attention to merely being attention-seeking. It began by proving that cartoon characters don't have to be caricatures; they can be invested with real emotions. Now the show has in essence fermented into a limp parody of itself. Memorable story arcs have been sacrificed for the sake of celebrity walk-ons and punchline-hungry dialogue."[322]
In 2010, the BBC noted "the common consensus is thatThe Simpsons' golden era ended afterseason nine",[323] and Todd Leopold of CNN, in an article looking at its perceived decline, stated "for many fans ... the glory days are long past."[321] Similarly, Tyler Wilson ofCoeur d'Alene Press has referred to seasons one to nine as the show's "golden age",[324] and Ian Nathan ofEmpire described the show's classic era as being "say, the first ten seasons".[325]Jon Heacock ofLucidWorks stated that "for the first ten years [seasons], the show was consistently at the top of its game", with "so many moments, quotations, and references – both epic and obscure – that helped turn the Simpson family into the cultural icons that they remain to this day".[326]
Mike Scully, who was showrunner during seasons nine throughtwelve, has been the subject of criticism.[327][328] Chris Suellentrop ofSlate wrote that "under Scully's tenure,The Simpsons became, well, a cartoon ... Episodes that once would have ended withHomer and Marge bicycling into the sunset now end withHomer blowing a tranquilizer dart into Marge's neck. The show's still funny, but it hasn't been touching in years."[327] When asked in 2007 how the series' longevity is sustained, Scully joked: "Lower your quality standards. Once you've done that you can go on forever."[329]
Al Jean, who was showrunner during seasonsthirteen throughthirty-three,[330] has also been the subject of criticism, with some arguing that the show has continued to decline in quality under his tenure. Former writers have complained that under Jean, the show is "on auto-pilot", "too sentimental", and the episodes are "just being cranked out". Some critics believe that the show has "entered a steady decline under Jean and is no longer really funny".[331] John Ortved, author ofThe Simpsons: An Uncensored, Unauthorized History, characterized the Jean era as "toothless",[332] and criticized what he perceived as the show's increase in social and political commentary.[333] Jean responded: "Well, it's possible that we've declined. But honestly, I've been here the whole time and I do remember in season two people saying, 'It's gone downhill.' If we'd listened to that then we would have stopped after episode 13. I'm glad we didn't."[334]
In 2004, cast memberHarry Shearer criticized what he perceived as the show's declining quality: "I rate the last three seasons as among the worst, soseason four looks very good to me now."[335] Cast memberDan Castellaneta responded: "I don't agree, ... I think Harry's issue is that the show isn't as grounded as it was in the first three or four seasons, that it's gotten crazy or a little more madcap. I think it organically changes to stay fresh."[336] Also in 2004 authorDouglas Coupland described claims of declining quality in the series as "hogwash", saying "The Simpsons hasn't fumbled the ball in fourteen years, it's hardly likely to fumble it now."[337] In an April 2006 interview, Groening said: "I honestly don't see any end in sight. I think it's possible that the show will get too financially cumbersome ... but right now, the show is creatively, I think, as good or better than it's ever been. The animation is incredibly detailed and imaginative, the stories do things that we haven't done before, so creatively there's no reason to quit."[19]
In 2016, popular culture writer Anna Leszkiewicz suggested that even thoughThe Simpsons still holds cultural relevance, "contemporary appeal" is only for the "first ten or so seasons", with recent episodes only garnering mainstream attention when a favorite character from the golden era is killed off, or when new information and shock twists are given for old characters.[338] The series' ratings have also declined; while thefirst season enjoyed an average of 13.4 million viewing households per episode in the U.S.,[245] thetwenty-first season had an average of 7.2 million viewers.[339]
Alan Sepinwall andMatt Zoller Seitz argued in their 2016 book titledTV (The Book) that the peak ofThe Simpsons are "roughlyseasons 3–12", and that despite the decline, episodes from the later seasons such as "Eternal Moonshine of the Simpson Mind" and "Holidays of Future Passed" could be considered on par with the earlier classic episodes, further stating that "even if you want to call the show today a thin shadow of its former self, think about how mind-boggingly great its former self had to be for so-diminished a version to be watchable at all."[340][341]
In 2020,Uproxx writer Josh Kurp stated that while he agrees with the sentiment thatThe Simpsons is not as good as it used to be, it is because "it was working at a level of comedy and characterization that no show ever has." He felt there were still many reasons to watch the series, as it was "still capable of quality television, and even the occasional new classic" and the fact that the show was willing to experiment, giving examples such as bringing on guest animators likeDon Hertzfeldt andSylvain Chomet to produce couch gags, and guest writers likeSeth Rogen,Evan Goldberg,Pete Holmes andMegan Amram to write episodes.[342] In theseason 32 episode "I, Carumbus", the show itself makes a nod to these concerns in its credits gag where the godJupiter notes that "It definitely feels like they're wrapping it up ... any day now."[343][344]
In a 2021 interview withNME, Jean was quoted as saying, "To people who sayThe Simpsons isn't as good as it used to be, I would say I think the world isn't as good as it used to be. But we're declining at a slower rate."[345]
A counter-narrative since mid-2023 has asserted that—withThe Simpsons season 33 andThe Simpsons season 34—the show started to become "good again".[10][11][12]ScreenRant asserted that season 34 was "seen as a return to form" and had been interpreted by reviewers as a "comeback".[346] They then wrote of season 35 that there was "no denying that there has been an obvious uptick in quality beginning as early as season 33".[347]
The stereotypical nature of the characterApu Nahasapeemapetilon has been the subject of controversy. Indian-American comedianHari Kondabolu stated in his 2017 documentaryThe Problem with Apu that as a child he was a fan ofThe Simpsons and liked Apu, but he now finds the character's stereotypical nature troublesome. Defenders of the character responded that the show is built on comical stereotypes, with creator Matt Groening saying, "that's the nature of cartooning."[348] He added that he was "proud of what we do on the show", and "it's a time in our culture where people love to pretend they're offended".[349] In response to the controversy, Apu's voice actor,Hank Azaria, said he was willing to step aside from his role as Apu: "The most important thing is to listen to South Asian people, Indian people in this country when they talk about what they feel and how they think about this character."[350] In February 2020, he confirmed that he would no longer voice Apu. Groening stated at the same time that the character would remain in the show.
The criticisms were referenced in the season 29 episode "No Good Read Goes Unpunished", when Lisa breaks thefourth wall and addresses the audience by saying, "Something that started decades ago and was applauded and inoffensive is now politically incorrect. What can you do?" to which Marge replies, "Some things will be addressed at a later date." Lisa adds, "If at all." This reference was clarified by the fact that there was a framed photo of Apu with the caption on the photo saying "Don't have a cow, Apu", a play on Bart's catchphrase "Don't have a cow, man," as well as the fact that manyHindus do not eat cows as they are considered sacred. In October 2018, it was reported that Apu would be written out of the show,[351] which Groening denied.[352]
On June 26, 2020, in light of the variousBlack Lives Matterprotests, Fox announced that recurring characters of color (Carl Carlson andDr. Hibbert, among others) would no longer be voiced by white actors.[353] Beginning withseason 32, Carl, a black character originally voiced by Azaria, is now voiced by black actorAlex Désert.[354] In addition,Bumblebee Man, a Spanish-speaking Latino character also originally voiced by Azaria, is now voiced by Mexican-American actorEric Lopez,[355] and Dr. Hibbert, a black character originally voiced byHarry Shearer, is now voiced by black actorKevin Michael Richardson.[356]
Numerous Simpson-related comic books have been released over the years. The firstcomic strips based onThe Simpsons appeared in 1991 in the magazineSimpsons Illustrated, which was a companion magazine to the show.[357] The comic strips were popular and a one-shot comic book titledSimpsons Comics and Stories, containing four different stories, was released in 1993 for the fans.[358] The book was a success and due to this, Groening and his companionsBill Morrison, Mike Rote, and Steve and Cindy Vance created the publishing companyBongo Comics.[358] A total of nine comic book series were published by Bongo Comics between 1993 and the company's dissolution in 2018.[359] Issues ofSimpsons Comics,Bart Simpson's Treehouse of Horror andBart Simpson have been collected and reprinted intrade paperbacks in the United States byHarperCollins.[360][361][362]
20th Century Fox andGracie Films producedThe Simpsons Movie, an animated film that was released on July 27, 2007.[363] The film was directed by long-timeSimpsons producerDavid Silverman and written by a team ofSimpsons writers comprising Matt Groening, James L. Brooks, Al Jean, George Meyer,Mike Reiss,John Swartzwelder,Jon Vitti,David Mirkin,Mike Scully,Matt Selman, andIan Maxtone-Graham.[363] Production of the film occurred alongside continued writing of the series despite long-time claims by those involved in the show that a film would enter production only after the series had concluded.[363] There had been talk of a possible feature-lengthSimpsons film ever since the early seasons of the series. James L. Brooks originally thought that the story of the episode "Kamp Krusty" was suitable for a film, but he encountered difficulties in trying to expand the script to feature-length.[364] For a long time, difficulties such as lack of a suitable story and an already fully engaged crew of writers delayed the project.[19]
On August 10, 2018, 20th Century Fox announced that a sequel is in development.[365]
The popularity ofThe Simpsons has made it a billion-dollar merchandising industry.[252] The title family and supporting characters appear on everything from T-shirts to posters.The Simpsons has been used as a theme for special editions of well-known board games, includingClue,Scrabble,Monopoly,Operation, andThe Game of Life, as well as thetrivia games What Would Homer Do? and SimpsonsJeopardy!. Several card games such astrump cards and The Simpsons Trading Card Game have also been released. Many official or unofficialSimpsons books such as episode guides have been published. Many episodes of the show have been released on DVD and VHS over the years. When the first season DVD was released in 2001, it quickly became the best-selling television DVD in history, although it was later overtaken by the first season ofChappelle's Show.[390] In particular, seasons one through seventeen were released on DVD for 13 years between September 2001 to December 2014 in the U.S./Canada (Region 1), Europe (Region 2), and Australia/New Zealand/Latin America (Region 4). However, on April 8, 2015, Al Jean announced that the season 17 DVD would be the last one ever produced, leaving the collection from seasons 1 to 17, season 20 (released out of order in 2010), with seasons 18, 19, and 21 onwards unreleased.[391][392] Jean also stated that the deleted scenes and commentaries would try to be released to the Simpsons World app, and that they were pushing for Simpsons World to be expanded outside of the U.S.[392] Two years later, however, on July 22, 2017, it was announced that season 18 would be released on December 5, 2017, on DVD.[393] Another two years later, on July 20, 2019, it was announced that season 19 would be released on December 3, 2019, on DVD.[394]
In 2003, about 500 companies around the world were licensed to useSimpsons characters in their advertising.[395] As a promotion forThe Simpsons Movie, twelve7-Eleven stores were transformed intoKwik-E-Marts and soldThe Simpsons related products. These included "Buzz Cola", "Krusty-O" cereal, pink doughnuts with sprinkles, and "Squishees".[396]
In 2008, consumers around the world spent $750 million on merchandise related toThe Simpsons, with half of the amount originating from the United States. By 2009, 20th Century Fox had greatly increased merchandising efforts.[397] On April 9, 2009, theUnited States Postal Service unveiled a series of five 44-cent stamps featuring Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie, to commemorate the show's twentieth anniversary.[398]The Simpsons is the first television series still in production to receive this recognition.[399][400] The stamps, designed by Matt Groening, were made available for purchase on May 7, 2009.[401] Approximately one billion were printed, but only 318 million were sold, costing the Postal Service $1.2 million.[402][403]
Notes
^Known as 20th Century Fox Television until season 31. Also known as "30th Century Fox Television" for the episode "Simpsorama".
^The studio produce animation for the series since season 28.
^Facts on File, Incorporated (2010).Animation. Infobase Publishing. p. 9.ISBN978-1-4381-3249-5.Archived from the original on April 6, 2014. RetrievedFebruary 2, 2014.
^abcdThe Simpsons: America's First Family (television documentary). BBC. 2000.
^Groening, Matt (February 14, 2003)."Fresh Air".NPR (Interview). Interviewed by David Bianculli. Philadelphia:WHYY.Archived from the original on December 13, 2007. RetrievedAugust 8, 2007.
^Groening, Matt; James L. Brooks, David Silverman (2001).The Simpsons season 1 DVD commentary for the episode "Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire" (DVD). 20th Century Fox.
^Groening, Matt; Jay Kogen, Wallace Wolodarsky, Al Jean, David Silverman (2002).The Simpsons season 2 DVD commentary for the episode "Old Money" (DVD). 20th Century Fox.
^Doherty, Brian (March–April 1999). "Matt Groening".Mother Jones.
^Groening, Matt (December 29, 2004)."Fresh Air".NPR (Interview). Interviewed by Terry Gross. Philadelphia:WHYY-FM.Archived from the original on June 10, 2007. RetrievedNovember 9, 2008.
^Kay, Jonathan (September 9, 2000)."Caste of Characters". Saturday Night Magazine. Archived fromthe original on February 10, 2008. RetrievedAugust 7, 2007.
^First episode credit in production order:Groening, Matt; Sam Simon, David Silverman, Kent Butterworth (May 13, 1990). "Some Enchanted Evening".The Simpsons. Season 1. Episode 13. Fox.
^First episode credit in production order:Jean, Al; Mike Reiss, Jeff Martin, George Meyer, Sam Simon, John Swartzwelder, Jim Reardon (October 31, 1991). "Treehouse of Horror II".The Simpsons. Season 3. Episode 7. Fox.
^First episode credit in production order:Meyer, George;Jim Reardon (October 8, 1992). "Homer the Heretic".The Simpsons. Season 4. Episode 3. Fox.
^First episode credit in production order:Swartzwelder, John; Susie Dietter (September 24, 1995). "Radioactive Man".The Simpsons. Season 7. Episode 2. Fox.
^First episode credit in production order:Cohen, Joel H.; Matthew Nastuk (November 30, 2003). "The Fat and the Furriest".The Simpsons. Season 15. Episode 5. Fox.
^Groening, Matt; Al Jean, Jeffrey Lynch, Mike Reiss, David Silverman (2004).The Simpsons season 4 DVD commentary for the episode "Whacking Day" (DVD). 20th Century Fox.
^James L. Brooks; Groening, Matt; Jean, Al. (2001). Commentary for "Some Enchanted Evening", inThe Simpsons: The Complete First Season [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.
^Reiss, Mike. (2001). Commentary for "Moaning Lisa", inThe Simpsons: The Complete First Season [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.
^Strachan, Al (March 10, 2009). "Doh! The Simpson's sets a record by staying relevant".The Vancouver Sun.
^Burey, Chris. (1990).ABC News report about the Bart Simpson t-shirt controversy included as an Easter Egg inThe Simpsons: The Complete First Season (2001) [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.
^Groening, Matt; Jean, Reiss; Moore, Rich; Reiss, Mike; Vitti, Jon. (2002). Commentary for "Lisa's Substitute", inThe Simpsons: The Complete Second Season [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.
^abBrooks, James L.; Groening, Matt; Jrean, Al; Reiss, Mike; Silverman, David. (2002). Commentary for "Bart Gets an 'F'", inThe Simpsons: The Complete Eighth Season [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.
^Cerone, Daniel (May 9, 1991). "'Simpsons' steals away Cosby viewers".Los Angeles Times. p. 4.
^Scott D. Pierce (October 18, 1990). "Don't have a cow, man! More viewers watch 'The Simpsons' than 'Cosby'!".Deseret News. p. C5.
^Gerard O Donovan; Ben Lawrence; Chris Harvey; Andrew Pettie; Neil Midgley; Michael Hogan (November 10, 2015)."The 10 best TV sitcoms of all time".The Telegraph.Archived from the original on November 18, 2018. RetrievedFebruary 24, 2019.
^Anderson, Mike B.; Oliver, Rob (October 4, 2020),I, Carumbus, The Simpsons, Dan Castellaneta, Julie Kavner, Nancy Cartwright, retrievedSeptember 18, 2023
^Groening, Matt; Al Jean, Mark Kirkland, David Silverman (2004).The Simpsons season 4 DVD commentary for the episode "Kamp Krusty" (DVD). 20th Century Fox.
^Browne, David (March 26, 1993)."I Act, Therefore I Sing".Entertainment Weekly.Archived from the original on December 21, 2009. RetrievedJanuary 15, 2022.
^Zdyrko, David (November 27, 2001)."The Simpsons Road Rage".IGN. News Corporation.Archived from the original on January 3, 2013. RetrievedJune 19, 2010.
Keslowitz, Steven (2003).The Simpsons And Society: An Analysis Of Our Favorite Family And Its Influence In Contemporary Society. Hats Off Books.ISBN978-1-58736-253-8.
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