THE SIMPSON
&
WORLD RELIGIONS
By Aisha ALSalmi
Simpsons and World Religions
An Overview
The Simpsons is an animated comedy series of Matt Groening who developed the characters in short cartoons for Tracey Ullman Show in 1987. The Simpsons gained immediate success and within a year, it had already become among the highest-rated shows within its network and also among the top ten shows on TV. Later in 1989, The Simpsons was given its own series and has become an anchor of the Fox network ever since. The show has since gained millions of viewers from all over the world with more than 30 years of debut episodes.
The family
The Simpsons focus on a traditional nuclear family that comprises of five members. The father Homer, a quick-tempered but good-hearted dim-witted nuclear safety inspector; his wife Marge that likes to stay at home but passionate for helping others and making things right; their son Bart, an archetypal menace who hates school, pulls pranks and causes mischief wherever he goes; their daughter Lisa, the most intelligent member of the family with passion for social justice but also a stereotypical little girl; and baby Maggie, who despite unable to talk her actions reveal her as being the protector of the family and very wise beyond her years. Being an animated series, the characters in the show have not changed much in 30 years of airing. The most identifying characteristic of characters in this comedy is their weird bright yellow skin color to be eye-catching episodes. While portraying a dysfunctional family living in a fictitious town of Springfield, the comedy has parodied all aspects of American society.
