Recently, the cultural phenomenon from the mind of Matt Groening celebrated its 30th anniversary. The Simpsons first premiered on The Tracy Ullman Show on April 19th, 1987 as an animated short, and ever since then it has revolutionized cartoons and pop culture as a whole. Admittedly, it isn’t my favorite show in the world, but no one can argue the impact Fox’s flagship show has had on American society.

In its prime, The Simpsons would touch on societal issues such as political corruption, environmental issues, religion, gun control, and much more with an insightful perspective through comedic satire while still being respectful to anyone who is affected by the problem. Similar to how Looney Tunes made nonsensical, fast paced humor popular in cartoons, The Simpsons made social commentary a common stable in cartoons. Nowadays, no joke in the comedy industry is original anymore, as no matter what someone can possibly come up with, I can guarantee you The Simpsons originated it. Adapting is arguably The Simpsons greatest strength, seeing how no matter what year they entered, the writers were always capable of creating episodes that fit the current trends and values.

  With more characters present in this series than a single human being can name (I mean, George Bush was their neighbor in one episode for crying out loud), it’s utterly astounding to believe that their main cast of six voice over 120 characters combined. In contrary to their amount of voice actors, the list of celebrity guest is in a league of its own. Anyone who was popular in the 80s, 90s, 2000s, and 2010s have lent their voice to an episode or more. In my opinion, the guest star episodes are sink or swim, with Lady Gaga and Ke$ha’s appearances seeming pandering and cringeworthy; while on the flip-side, the appearances of Michael Jackson and Mark Hamill made for some of the most iconic episodes in the entire series.  

The Simpsons has achieved impressive accolades throughout its 28 seasons, including 33 Emmys (more than any other TV show), and holding the records for being the longest running American animated show, longest running sitcom, and most Googled TV show. With the length of time this show stretches, it is no surprise that it is an absolute powerhouse in terms of achievements.

Altogether, The Simpsons has become iconic in American culture, with the oddly yellow-colored characters being identifiable to pretty much anyone who hasn’t been living under a rock. This series has also paved the way for other popular long-running TV shows, such as Family Guy and South Park, and set the bar for social satire. Additionally, The Simpsons is only 20 episodes away from breaking Gunsmoke’s record of most scripted tv episodes, and although I yearn for the glory days of this series, I believe it definitely deserves to hold such a prestigious milestone.