How 'The Simpsons' revolutionized primetime TV

WBUR | By Here & Now Newsroom

Published May 15, 2026 at 11:59 AM EDT

Find a book excerpt here.

“The Simpsons” is the longest-running sitcom on television, but some of its self-proclaimed biggest fans stopped watching decades ago.

The show’s first several seasons revolutionized primetime TV, blazed a trail for animated comedy, and embiggened our lexicon with endlessly quotable episodes.

What made those early years so special?

Here & Now’s Peter O’Dowd speaks with Alan Siegel about his new book, “Stupid TV, Be More Funny: How the Golden Era of The Simpsons Changed Television—and America—Forever”

This article was originally published on WBUR.org.

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SOMOS CONNECTICUT es una iniciativa de Connecticut Public, la emisora local de NPR y PBS del estado, que busca elevar nuestras historias latinas y expandir programación que alza y informa nuestras comunidades latinas locales. Visita CTPublic.org/latino para más reportajes y recursos. Para noticias, suscríbase a nuestro boletín informativo en ctpublic.org/newsletters.

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