The popularity and success of the Simpson's has been going on now for over twenty years. Even though it is a cartoon, it is definitely not something for all ages to watch, in fact each week they can take on topics in American culture and world events, that most small children won’t even understand. The language and some of the images are not exactly something you want small children viewing as well. The best thing about the show is its boldness in addressing various hypocrisy's in our culture in a way that other shows don't (Frank, L., 2001).
When it comes to the characters in the show I think that everyone can relate to at least one and have a favorite. It could be a family member like Bart to Lisa, a neighbor like Ned Flanders, or friends that resemble Lenny and Carl. There are also pet characters in the show that have crazy personalities like Snowball the cat and Santa's Little Helper, the Simpsons dog. Some of my favorites are the lesser known ones, The Rich Texan, Comic Book Guy and Crazy Cat Lady.
Our relationships with one another are reflected in The Simpson's. I think the appeal is that it puts society and family life in a light that is not perfect and flawless. The Simpson's have become such a pop icon because the show makes us feel better about ourselves, maybe we realize that we are not alone in our thinking, and there are others out there that feel as we do. It is unfortunate that there are hypocrisy's out there, it’s just most don’t speak or act on it. However in Springfield they do act on it and in a way that can make us laugh at ourselves and maybe wish we could get away with what they do. The Simpson's mirror our society in a dark and distorted light, usually with great insight and always in jest (Frank, L., 2001).
The Simpson's celebrate family, religious beliefs and community (Frank, L., 2001). Even though it is animation, it is presented in such a way that adults can enjoy it as entertainment. It is the material used in each episode that draws us to it and out of curiosity we continue to watch. That is what makes it work, it gets us talking and debating issues that they use on the show. We continue to tune in to see what they could possibly come up with next.
References
Frank, L. (2001). The evolution of the seven deadly sins: from God to the Simpson's. Journal of Popular Culture, 35 (1).
I love the Simpsons! I feel that animated television series were created as a way to help minimize the impact when controversial issues are displayed. I believe that it makes it easier for us to understand as well as relate to topics that are portrayed on the show. Great post!
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