I must admit it took me a long time to realise what a great show The Simpsons was, but now I must confess to being one of its greatest fans. I decided to find out more about this dysfunctional American family who now have a cult following around the world.For those who are not Simpson fans, The Simpsons is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series is a satirical parody of a middle class American lifestyle epitomized by its eponymous family, which consists of Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie. The show is set in the fictional town of Springfield and lampoons American culture, society and television, and many aspects of the human condition.
The show was originally pitched for a series of animated shorts with the producer James L Brooks. The shorts became part of the Tracey Ullman show on 19 April 1987. The show was eventually developed into a half-hour prime time programme making the top 30 ratings in 1989-90.
Since making its debut on December 17, 1989 the Simpsons became a massive hit and a feature length film followed in 2007. The show is currently being shown in Britain on Channel4 television at 6 p.m. each day.
