The Simpsons has had a long, upward and downward spiral during its historic run on Fox. As of 2017, the show has produced over 600 episodes, over 700 guest voice actors have appeared on the show and it has surpassed Gunsmoke in terms of seasons as the longest-running primetime show in television history.
To say The Simpsons hasn't had an impact on popular culture is simply false. To say that The Simpsons is no longer relevant is up for debate.
Originally, The Simpsons premiered as short sketches on The Tracey Ullman Show in 1987. It wasn't until December 1989 that the show aired its first full episode. The first season contained only 13 episodes, with the show returning the following fall and eventually becoming one of the most popular animated sitcoms of all time.
Throughout its run, The Simpsons has covered a variety of topics. Some episodes are more satirical, while others dive into social issues occurring in our society.
It's a trend to have social issues featured in an episode where Lisa has the central storyline. In season 5's "Lisa vs. Malibu Stacy," Lisa is excited about a new Malibu Stacy doll that will finally be able to speak.
However, when Lisa pulls the string on her doll for the first time, she is disappointed to find out that Malibu Stacy is only talking about stereotypical female activities and thoughts, such as shopping, relaxing at home with a "big bowl of strawberry ice cream" and the importance of attracting a man.
For the most part, we're still on the verge of making progress in terms of women's rights and their voices being heard. 2017 has been a historic year for women's rights. The Women's March occurred on all seven continents back in January following President Trump's inauguration and the #MeToo movement has reignited numerous debates about sexual harassment in multiple industries.
Season 7's "Much Apu About Nothing" features Apu as the main character and he is also one of the most controversial characters on the show. His character has been getting headlines in the news recently with the release of a documentary on TruTV entitled, "The Problem with Apu." The film discusses his character playing into Indian stereotypes while being voiced and portrayed by a white voice actor, Hank Azaria.
This episode in particular dives into America's perception of immigrants. Sound familiar? It's been 20 years since the episode aired in 1996 and these ideas are still heavily relevant, particularly in rural American communities.
Springfield looks to pass Proposition 24 following an incident with a loose bear, which leaves the townspeople feeling unsafe in the community. At a town hall meeting, Mayor Quimby blames illegal immigrants and this drives the citizens of Springfield to favor the proposition, believing that their problems will be solved once the immigrants are gone.
Throughout the episode, as Apu works to get his citizenship so he isn't forced to leave America, his Kwik-E-Mart store suffers as a business and characters such as Moe Szyslak complain to Homer about how immigrants are to blame for everything. These are many ideas and opinions that were brought back into the spotlight during the 2016 election cycle and they are even more prevalent now that Trump is in the White House.
One of The Simpsons' biggest problems is its struggle to adapt to a changing world and American society. While there are episodes with social justice themes still relevant today, the idea of the modern American family is much different than when the show premiered back in the 1980s.
The Simpsons is a show that reflected the baby boomer generation and how ordinary parents in America were raising their kids. It represented the everyday hardships they faced regarding relationships with immediate family, their neighbors, and their finances.
With the show currently in its 29th season, it's open for anyone to guess how much longer the show will remain on the air. The show may not be in the popular culture spotlight like it was during its peak in the 1990s, but there are important societal issues addressed in these episodes that need to be talked about and perhaps, will always be relevant.