FEATURE:
Celebrating an Iconic American Family
IMAGE CREDIT: Matt Groening/FOX
The Simpsons at Thirty
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ON 17th December, 1989…
IN THIS PHOTO: The Simpsons’ creator Matt Groening/PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images
we were treated to a full half-hour with a family who would soon become icons. The Simpsons made their debut on The Tracey Ullman Show back in 1987. The Simpsons, then, were used as interstitials that would help link parts of Tracy Ulman’s show together. The short little episodes were pretty charming and, whilst the animation was a little crude, it was still mind-blowing. For a start, we had not seen anything like The Simpsons. These yellow characters, for one, were odd and not your usual cartoon fare. It would not be long until the family moved from this bit-part slot to having their own show. On 17th December, 1989, he first full episode arrived and, as a child at the time, I was instantly mesmerised by the show. Rather than The Simpsons being this cartoon that was for children and had no real depth, the show marked itself as an animated comedy with heart; a show that was for everyone and had its own style. Again, if one compares the animation on the first episode, Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire, with what they look like now…the difference is pretty startling! I like the rather basic animation of the debut episode. It makes the show feel warmer and more human, in a strange way. One was not expecting mind-blowing animation in 1989; The Simpsons offered this unique world where you could instantly identify with the characters. Although the characters would become more defined and rounded in seasons to come, there was this sense of individuality and, whilst they were a dysfunctional family, they were there for each other and there was this love.
On Tuesday, we will mark thirty years of a show that is part of our cultural fabric. There are whispers The Simpsons might end but, with nearly seven-hundred episodes under the belt, I do not see what happening! Look at that Christmas debut now and one is still charmed and moved. The basic plot is that Homer discovers that he will not be getting a Christmas bonus; his family has no money to buy Christmas presents after they had to waste money on getting his son Bart's tattoo removed. He decides to keep their financial troubles a secret and gets a job as a shopping mall Santa Claus, but later discovers that the job does not pay enough. Desperate for a stroke of luck, Homer and Bart go to the dog-racing track on Christmas Eve in hopes of earning some money but end up adopting an abandoned greyhound, Santa's Little Helper. The family gets this new member, delivers some big laughs and announces themselves to the world. Since 1989, The Simpsons has grown and evolved. I mention the show, not only because it is thirty on Tuesday, but the fact so many musicians have appeared through the years. This article takes us to 2014 but, in the five years since, a whole host of artists have interacted with America’s favourite family. There is always that great debate as to whether The Simpsons is still funny and whether it peaked by the end of Season 10.
I admit that the show was at its finest through the 1990s; it kind of started to dip a little into the next century but, with changing writers and producers, it was not always going to be as sharp and iconic for all those years. There are theories as to when the show declined, yet I maintain The Simpsons has always been funny. Everyone has their favourite episodes and moments. For me, Lisa the Vegetarian is the perfect show: it has a great plot, bags of laughs and a real emotional punch. In terms of moments, everything from Homer eating sixty-four slices of American cheese to protect a bear, Bobo, from Waylon Smithers and Montgomery Burns – they manage to break into the house and abseil across the ceiling as Homer sits in his underwear and eats cheese -, to Marge being seduced by a lascivious bowling instructor in one of the earliest days…it has been quite a ride. I can watch episodes I have seen countless times and am still overcome with laughter. Such is the brilliance of the voice actors and everyone who works on the show, you are amazed by the humour and quality. I do like how The Simpsons has heart and does not shy away from adding treacle when necessary. Also, like cartoons and animated series, the characters on The Simpsons have not aged much since the earliest episodes. This article gives their ages: Lisa is ten, Bart is eight; Marge and Homer are in their thirties. It is nice that there is a sense of preservation and continuity. If Bart and Lisa were teenagers, the show would feel different and plain odd.
Also, it feels peculiar ageing characters when they have encountered situations that would kill normal people; that sense of them being immortal is what allows for flexible reality and some golden comedy! It is sad to realise that, inevitably, The Simpsons will end one day. It is the greatest-ever T.V. show and one that has followed many of us through childhood and into adulthood. It is clear The Simpsons has changed T.V., and its legacy is clear. I want to bring in an article that talks about how The Simpsons’ heart and comedy brilliance has resonated; how the characters remain unchanged and instantly recognisable:
“Father and mother, happily married but not without their problems, the eldest son, an often undervalued sister, and a baby who came along, unexpectedly, a few years later. This, however, is where the normality ends.
IN THIS IMAGE: A still from the debut episode of The Simpsons, Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire/IMAGE CREDIT: Matt Groening/FOX
The head of this ‘nuclear’ family is an employee at a power plant which deals with the same kind of energy, while his wife has gravity-defying blue hair, which is somehow accepted by audiences along with the bright yellow skin. Furthermore, The Simpson family, like the rest of the inhabitants in their home town of Springfield, are afflicted with a case of Peter Pan syndrome: nobody ever grows up. The show has seen six US presidents, yet Maggie is still sucking on pacifiers.
Words such as 'iconic' are often employed in discussions of this show (is it no coincidence that Lisa's hair resembles the crown of the Statue of Liberty, another concept indivisibly associated with America?) The sheer number of episodes produced guarantees it the honour of the first binge-watchable show in history, quite an achievement considering it came long before Netflix or even the internet. Indeed, as well as being a cultural icon, The Simpsons is also an invaluable introduction to the greatest movies, television shows and celebrities, ever to have existed - all of which the show has either parodied or, in the case of the latter, had on as guest stars”.
It will be emotional marking thirty years of The Simpsons on 17th and seeing how much it has changed – in terms of animation – and how, since 1989, so many people have fallen under its spell. Of course, music is part of the show’s D.N.A. and fabric. From incredible guest appearances to those highly memorable music moments, we all have our highlights. When it comes to music guests, I would select Paul and Linda McCartney from Lisa the Vegetarian and U2 in Trash of the Titans. There have been many classic original songs on the show, but I have a particularly fond spot for We Do (The Stonecutters' Song) – it is an Emmy-nominated song from the twelfth episode of Season 6, Homer the Great. The music was composed by Alf Clausen and the lyrics by John Swartzwelder.
You do not see too many comedies that have used music in the same way as The Simpsons. From using existing songs in the soundtrack to creating their own numbers, it is only right I nod once more to this brilliant show. I will not list the best music guests again – as I have done so already -, but I would encourage people to spend a bit of time on YouTube and on online, listening to the music and the iconic clips. Do some reading and study some articles to see just how impactful The Simpsons really is. Maybe it will not last too many years longer, but that would be a real pity. I think it is a cornerstone of popular culture and it has yet to be equalled. Because of that, to all the residents of Springfield and all the people who have worked on the show from the very start: we offer each one of them…
ALL of our love and respect!