No cartoon - and even dare I say, tv show - has had such a profound impact on the zeitgeist. Pretty much everyone knows The Simpsons, regardless of their demographic. There have been many copycats (Family Guy) that have tried to steal some of the thunder and appeal, but none have come close.
The Simpsons excels on every front - or at least did, which I'll get into soon.
The characters are all likable and unique. The storylines are original and interesting. The writing is incisive, snappy and witty. What's not to like? That is before the seasons entered into the high double digits.
There is a noticeable decline in quality as the series progresses, but it manages to hang on to its brilliance for many, many years - a task which is no easy feat.
To me, The Simpsons struggled mightily to adapt to the rapidly changing millennium and focused too hard on inserting the latest lazy pop culture reference, such as "Mapple" (in response to the emergent Apple), and so on and so on. The Simpsons also, from what I've heard, suffered from shuffling of writers, which greatly detracted from the overall quality and tonality of the material.
The Simpsons is still by far the best tv show ever made and will in all likelihood retain that designation for the foreseeable future.
Seasons 1-10 are untouchable comedic gold. Not a single episode misses the mark.
The Simpsons excels on every front - or at least did, which I'll get into soon.
The characters are all likable and unique. The storylines are original and interesting. The writing is incisive, snappy and witty. What's not to like? That is before the seasons entered into the high double digits.
There is a noticeable decline in quality as the series progresses, but it manages to hang on to its brilliance for many, many years - a task which is no easy feat.
To me, The Simpsons struggled mightily to adapt to the rapidly changing millennium and focused too hard on inserting the latest lazy pop culture reference, such as "Mapple" (in response to the emergent Apple), and so on and so on. The Simpsons also, from what I've heard, suffered from shuffling of writers, which greatly detracted from the overall quality and tonality of the material.
The Simpsons is still by far the best tv show ever made and will in all likelihood retain that designation for the foreseeable future.
Seasons 1-10 are untouchable comedic gold. Not a single episode misses the mark.