The Simpsons

Story

Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie Simpson are a normal working-class family from Springfield, a suburban town in America. The series follows the ups and downs of family life, and explores their relationships with each other and their neighbours.

Why we chose it

The Simpsons are one of the most famous television families across the world.

Where it came from

The Simpsons began as a series of short animated sketches to accompany The Tracy Ullman Show in 1987. Oregon cartoonist Matt Groening named the characters after his own family, replacing his own name with Bart. In 1989, the sketch show was adapted into a half-hour prime time TV series.

Where it went next

The Simpsons is the longest running comedy on American television and has won dozens of awards. It was named the best television series of the 20^th century by Time magazine and has become one of the richest sources of new words in the English language. Its characters have featured in numerous comic books and a feature film, The Simpsons Movie (2007), which grossed over $527 million.

Associated stories

The success of the show encouraged American TV networks to screen other animated series for adults and older children, including South Parks and Family Guy. Other shows created by Matt Groening include Futurama and Disenchantment.