Would you believe that it’s been 25 years already since the adult animated sitcom was created by Matt Groening, and that we’ve been using neologisms like d’oh, blubber-in-law, and craptacular, for the longest time? On The Simpsons’ silver anniversary, MetroPlus talks to fans who tell us what makes it the hit that it still is today.
Adithya Mallya, a digital consultant, who grew up watching the show says: “My attraction towards comedy started with this show. It used to air when I was in school. I remember rushing home by 3.30 p.m. to watch it. My favourite character is undoubtedly Homer. He is the most lovable character there is.”
John Sundararajan, director of a non-profit organisation, says: “I got into The Simpsons when I was in college and like most people, I was intrigued by the comedic elements of the show. The more I watched it, the more I began to realise just how deep the show truly was. The entire cast of The Simpsons has been carefully curated to present a proper cross-section of America. From the puritanical Flanders to the boring preacher, The Simpsons tried to bring about a celebration of everyday life.”
“Homer is my favourite because no matter how much he bumbles around, he ends up getting a job at a nuclear power plant, loves his family even if he does wring Bart’s neck occasionally, checks Lisa’s over-achieving nature as only a dad can, and adores Marge. He is neither the most attractive nor the smartest, but he is a loving father, a faithful parishioner (at the church and the pub!), and a loyal friend. These characteristics resonate with all of us because in Homer, we see a part of us. Plus, I got to meet the voice of Homer (Dan Castellaneta) when I was in college, which endeared him even more to me.”
For Nikhil Kumar, marketing manager at a luxury travel company, The Simpsons has been his go-to stress-buster for over two decades. “I have seen every episode at least thrice and I especially love The Simpsons Halloween Specials — Treehouse of Horror . My favourite character over the years, undoubtedly, has been Barney Gumble, Homer’s best friend! I share his enthusiasm for beer and belches, and like him, I would have had a more successful career if I had been sober at certain points in my life,” he quips.
The fact that this is an animated show is something that impresses many. “I’ve been watching The Simpsons from the time I was 18 and still enjoy the show. There’s something for every viewer to take back from it. On the one hand, thanks to Homer, environmental issues come into focus while at other times we’re looking at education. Religion is also another recurring theme. All of these really make the show appeal to anyone who watches it,” observes Muriel D’Cunha, a lecturer.
While many watch television to escape the realities of life, fans watch The Simpsons for the exact opposite reason. “I love how Homer’s wife, Marge, has been portrayed as the stereotypical ‘TV Mom’ because in today’s context too, almost all our mothers are addicted to soap operas! Also, just like most mothers I know, Marge comes across as a sweet-natured wife and mother who puts up patiently with the antics of her family. And if anyone could make a beehive hairstyle in blue look funky, it has got to be Marge,” says Rushmi Raghunath, an artist.
There are certainly other TV shows similar to The Simpsons that have a colossal fan following but Dhriti M., a homemaker, says: “ The Simpsons have already done everything that shows like South Park and Family Guy did years later and Homer and his gang did it the best. The way they use witty dialogues and innuendos that leave you in splits, is not something recent shows can boast about. It does take a certain level of intelligence to understand The Simpsons which is why I still love the show 12 years from when I first started watching it.”
Whether it is for the storyline, the hilarious jokes, their unique vocabulary, or simply the mutual experiences of school, family, and professional life, on some level we all love The Simpsons who have quite effortlessly, over the last 25 years, taught us to laugh at our own problems in life and in a way see them as more endurable after all.