In December of 1989, Fox gave the world an early Christmas gift when it premiered the brainchild of creator Matt Groening. The Simpsons weren’t like any other cartoon at the time. Not only did episodes pack a half hour full of laughs, but they also brought an edginess to animated humor. Fox was the new kid on the block, and with already established shows like Married With… Children, the network would strike gold again with the yellow colored family next door. Between the more sophisticated humor and satirical presence, the show has kept us laughing for decades.
The Simpsons are America’s Family
Within a few seasons, Bart Simpson became one of the most recognizable figures in all of pop culture. Whether he was doing gnarly tricks on his skateboard, causing trouble with his signature slingshot, or getting violently choked by his father, Homer, he was America’s favorite menace. Telling people to “eat my shorts” and making the occasional prank phone call to Moe’s Tavern really showed what adolescent boys would do for fun.
You can’t entirely blame his parents for his actions. Fans found out that Homer’s stupidity stems from a crayon lodged in his brain after he stuck it up his nose as a child. Even if the Simpsons’ patriarch is being referred to as Mr. Plow with a catchy theme song or by Max Power, you can find him eating sprinkled donuts or drinking a Duff beer.
If you are the detention-getting, rule-breaking, not-so-smart brother, it is only right that you have a goodie two-shoes younger sister. Lisa is the perfect counterpart to Bart. The saxophone-playing, straight-A student often outshines her brother academically, but has a soft side for him when he really needs it.
Add a wife and mother, Marge, who continues to put up with Homer’s shenanigans and a little baby, Maggie, and you have the perfect American family dynamic. The Simpsons took not only family situations but also general life situations and made fun of them all.
Characters We Love and the Cultural Impact
The Simpsons are as American as baseball and apple pie. Who doesn’t picture themselves walking into Moe’s Tavern, belly up to the rail, pounding back Duffs with Carl and Lenny? Who doesn’t have that annoying neighbor like Ned Flanders, who every time he speaks, you want to punch him in the face? “Stupid sexy Flanders!”
Maybe you had a nerdy friend who crushed on your sister and thinks “everything is coming up Millhouse!” Or maybe you had a bully like Nelson who would punch you in the stomach and laugh,” HA HA.” Whatever role you played in school could relate to one of the characters; we hope you weren’t the Ralph of your group.
The Simpsons‘ cultural impact is unmatched. From arcade games to video games to the full animated movie to Nostradamus-type predictions, there is no family bigger than the Simpsons. It paved the way for South Park, Family Guy, Bob’s Burgers, and all the adult animation.
Final Thoughts
The Simpsons have been a cultural icon for over three decades, and it doesn’t seem to be stopping anytime soon. There is a reason why South Park had an episode making fun of everything the show has covered. You may not win any friends with salad, but talking about The Simpsons may get you far. If Homer could give us one piece of advice, it would be, “You tried your best, and you failed miserably. The lesson is: Never Try!”
With it being right before Christmas, if you need any snow removal, just remind yourself of this little jingle: “So remember, call Mr. Plow, that’s my name, that name again is Mr. Plow!” Thirty-seven seasons later, and more to come from the folks from Springfield!
