TV Show Review: The Simpsons

It's hard to believe The Simpsons have been around in some way, shape, or form for over 20 years. They first started out life as part of shorts on The Tracey Ullman Show back in 1987. The Simpsons spun off onto their own FOX sitcom in late 1989 with the premiere of the Christmas special, "Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire." I was in ninth grade when the special premiered, and I remember watching it to see what all the buzz was about. I hadn't watched The Tracey Ullman Show, so I had no idea who The Simpsons were. When watching the Christmas special, I thought The Simpsons had a lot of promise. Lisa is definitely my favorite character in the series. She's an intelligent, yet misunderstood, girl. I also have a soft spot for Maggie. And now, as a parent, I also can relate a lot more to Marge than I could when I was younger.

Now, I have to admit that I've watched The Simpsons off and on over the years, and my memories of the episodes come more from the syndicated reruns than from their original primetime airings on FOX. Over the past few years, we've been buying The Simpsons DVD box sets, and they have really been jogging my memory for the earlier, "classic" episodes of the series. My two older children seem to like the show, even though some of the jokes sail over their heads. They appreciate the humor that they are able to understand. And not surprisingly, my kids have latched on to Homer's "D'oh!" line.

Over the years, The Simpsons has definitely evolved from simply focusing on the Simpson family to being an ensemble show. In a lot of ways, I think that evolution had to happen; otherwise, the show wouldn't have lasted as long as it has. What I have also appreciated over the years is the fact that the show's writers and producers have been willing to tackle controversial subjects; this is something else that has helped to keep the franchise going over the years.

I don't know how much longer The Simpsons will be able to go on. I know of some people who feel the show is well past its prime and should've been retired several years ago. Even though the show's been on the air for over 20 seasons, I'm really not sure how much farther Matt Groening and his crew can keep the concept going and be able to keep it fresh and interesting.