17th December 2025

The first episode of The Simpsons marked the unlikely beginning of what would become the longest-running scripted TV show in history. This episode explores the show’s rough early animation, its debut in 1989, audience reactions at the time, and how that first outing laid the groundwork for decades of cultural influence, satire, controversy, and iconic characters. A look at how a dysfunctional cartoon family reshaped television forever.