What's it about?: The adventures of the Simpson family - father Homer, mother Marge, and children Bart, Lisa and Maggie - in Springfield, somewhere in America... oh come on, surely you know by now.
Why is it good?: It's played a major part in people taking cartoons seriously; it's lasted for years (longer than any other prime-time cartoon - The Flintstones ran from 1960-66, but that record has now been disintegrated) without degenerating beyond hope, although there is a very vocal part of fandom that insists otherwise; and even the later episodes withstand umpteen repeat viewings. Futurama isn't the same. At all.
Who likes it?: It would be simpler to say...
Who doesn't?: Hardcore fans of South Park and Futurama (and don't get me started on King of the Hill). And The Cosby Show. Plus George Bush, the President of Rio, and apparently CBC Channel 8 (the last I heard the show was on well after 10pm... oh dear).
Notes: As part of the show's 10th Anniversary celebrations in 2000 (though the show began in 1989, its UK screenings started in 1990) all but one of the show's voice stars travelled to the Edinburgh Festival and performed two of the scripts live to sellout crowds (the exception was Julie Kavner, although Pamela Hayden [the voice of Milhouse] came along as well); "The Cartridge Family" is the only episode to date not screened on Sky One, though it has been shown on BBC2 and is available on video; "Do The Bartman" topped the UK charts for three weeks in 1991, and "Deep Deep Trouble" reached No. 7; when The Tracey Ullman Show was aired on BBC2 (also home of (yet) another show with Julie Kavner, Rhoda) the original shorts were snipped out - and the first season had Bart and Co. rotating with the exploits of psychologist Dr. N!Godatu (in fact, she was on the very first episode). One of them was dropped from the second season onwards - guess which...
1990: Main Title Theme - Danny Elfman; Outstanding Animated Program (One Hour Or Less) - "The Simpsons Christmas Special." (The show did win the Emmy, but not apparently for a specific episode; the Christmas show, which was the first episode aired (but not produced), was also nominated.) Outstanding Editing For A Miniseries Or Special - "The Simpsons Christmas Special." Outstanding Sound Mixing For A Comedy Series Or Special - "Call Of The Simpsons."
1991: Outstanding Animated Program (One Hour Or Less) - "Homer vs. Lisa and the Eighth Commandment." Outstanding Sound Mixing For A Comedy Series Or Special - "Homer vs. Lisa and the Eighth Commandment."
1992: Outstanding Animated Program (One Hour Or Less) - "Radio Bart." Outstanding Individual Achievement In Music Composition For A Series (Dramatic Underscore) - Alf Clausen, "Treehouse Of Horror II." Outstanding Sound Mixing For A Comedy Series Or Special - "Treehouse Of Horror II." Outstanding Voiceover Performance - Nancy Cartwright ("Separate Vocations"), Jackie Mason ("Like Father, Like Clown"), Julie Kavner ("I Married Marge"), Yeardley Smith ("Lisa the Greek"), Maggie Roswell ("Bart the Lover") and Dan Castellaneta ("Lisa's Pony").
1993: Outstanding Individual Achievement In Music Composition For A Series (Dramatic Underscore) - Alf Clausen, "Treehouse Of Horror III." Outstanding Sound Mixing For A Comedy Series Or Special - "Treehouse Of Horror II." Outstanding Voiceover Performance - Dan Castellaneta, "Mr. Plow."
1994: Individual Achievement In Music Composition For A Series (Dramatic Underscore) - Alf Clausen, "Cape Feare." Individual Achievement In Music and Lyrics - Alf Clausen and Greg Daniels, "Who Needs The Kwik-E-Mart?" (from "Homer and Apu").
1995: Outstanding Animated Program (One Hour Or Less) - "Lisa's Wedding." Individual Achievement In Music and Lyrics - Alf Clausen and John Swartzwelder, "We Do (The Stonecutter's Song)" (from "Homer the Great"). Outstanding Sound Mixing For A Comedy Series Or Special - "Bart vs. Australia."
1996: Outstanding Animated Program (One Hour Or Less) - "Treehouse Of Horror VI." Individual Achievement In Music and Lyrics - Alf Clausen and Bill Oakley & Josh Weinstein, "Senor Burns" (from "Who Shot Mr. Burns? - Part 2").
1997: Outstanding Animated Program (One Hour Or Less) - "Homer's Phobia." Individual Achievement In Music and Lyrics - Alf Clausen and Ken Keeler, "We Put The 'Spring' In Springfield" (from "Bart After Dark"). Music Direction - Alf Clausen, "Simpsoncalifragilisticexpiala(annoyed grunt)cious." Outstanding Sound Mixing For A Comedy Series Or Special - "The Brother From Another Series."
1998: Outstanding Animated Program (One Hour Or Less) - "Trash of the Titans."(NOTE: This was the 200th episode.) Individual Achievement In Music and Lyrics - Alf Clausen and Ken Keeler, "You're Checkin' In (A Tribute To The Betty Ford Clinic)" (from "The City Of New York Vs. Homer Simpson"). Music Composition For A Series (Dramatic Underscore) - Alf Clausen, "Treehouse Of Horror VIII." Music Direction - Alf Clausen, "All Singing, All Dancing." Voiceover Performance - Hank Azaria.
1999: Outstanding Animated Program (One Hour Or Less) - "Viva Ned Flanders." Music Composition For A Series (Dramatic Underscore) - Alf Clausen, "Treehouse Of Horror IX."
2000: Outstanding Animated Program (One Hour Or Less) - "Behind The Laughter."
2001: Outstanding Animated Program (One Hour Or Less) - "HOMR." Music Composition For A Series (Dramatic Underscore) - Alf Clausen, "Simpson Safari." Voiceover Performance - Hank Azaria, "Worst Episode Ever."
2002: Outstanding Animated Program (One Hour Or Less) - "She Of Little Faith." Outstanding Music and Lyrics - Alf Clausen and Jon Vitti, "Ode To Branson" (from "The Old Man And The Key").
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Woo-hoo!!! Links to sites...
The Simpsons Archive
The Simpsons - The Directory
The Simpsons Ultimate Page
The Unofficial UK Simpsons Site
The Simpsons.com