The Success of the Simpsons Essay examples -- essays papers

The Success of the Simpsons The Improbable Long-Term Success of The Simpsons When examining the history of modern prime-time television, there is a certain pattern that virtually every successful show inevitably falls into. After a period of initial success, perhaps lasting three or four years, the writing on the show becomes stale by using the same format and same jokes over and over. The viewing audience becomes bored, and eventually, the show fades into television oblivion. Or, as Jeff MacGregor states in The New York Times, â€Å"Historically†¦(successful shows) collapse under the weight of their own complacency, hanging on for a few lifeless seasons while the producers wait to cash out their millions and move to Maui.† Based on this premise, it would seem that â€Å"The Simpsons,† an animated series that debuted in 1987 as thirty second segments on â€Å"The Tracey Ullman Show,† should have worn out its welcome long ago. However, â€Å"The Simpsons† is still going strong today. The secret to the show’s success lies in its producers’ ability to understand the expectations of the television audience and the culture that surrounds them. This understanding, combined with â€Å"wry sarcasm, topical themes, and superb scripting that puts most other comedies to shame,† as well as some old-fashioned slapstick comedy, makes â€Å"The Simpsons† one of the most popular programs in television history. The show is often complex and highly intellectual, while remaining funny at the most basic levels. As Jim Gleeson states in The College Tribune, â€Å"The show is rare in rewarding attention to detail, with especially obscure references that†¦ even if you had never heard of†¦you would still laugh, giddy with the crafted sleight of it all.† This fact that the show works on several levels at once draws a generationally diverse fan base. The adults are attracted by the surprisingly sophisticated dialogue, while the children enjoy the clumsy antics of Homer and the traditionally â€Å"cartoonish† aspects of the program. An example of a multidimensional scene occurs in the episode where Marge, the mother of the Simpson family, starts a crusade against campaign violence. Maggie, the baby, is mesmerized by an â€Å"Itchy and Scratchy† cartoon show in which the mouse pummels the cat over the head with a sledgehammer. Later in the episode, Maggie imitates the actions of the mouse by hitting her fathe... ... theory suggests that the success of â€Å"The Simpsons† is a consequence of television history, and could not have taken place if the show had originated twenty years earlier. The medium of television needed time to build up complexity and diversity, so that the show could virtually redefine what is expected of a television program. Based on this theory, â€Å"The Simpsons’† effect on television is similar to the Beatles’ effect on music. The theory predicts that the show will continue on until, just like the Beatles, they have nothing left to do. At its current pace, â€Å"The Simpsons† seems like it could go on forever. The show is continually progressing and perhaps funnier than ever. The writers are further developing the characters with each passing episode, and the show’s possibilities, for the time being, seem limitless. It is difficult to explain exactly what the allure of the show is, but at the core its most appealing characteristic is that it is simply funny. From the simple pleasure of watching Homer fall flat on his face to the most obscure reference imaginable, â€Å"The Simpsons† continues to entertain over a decade after its conception and shows no signs of slowing down.