Icons Unearthed: The Simpsons

In the late 1980's, Fox was desperate to be a major network - and failing. Industry titan James L. Brooks, television veteran Sam Simon, and a crude comic strip from cartoonist Matt Groening combined to create a series of shorts for The Tracey Ullman Show that would propel Fox and its creators into television stardom...Cowabunga, man!

Problems plagued the launch of The Simpsons, causing it to miss its original debut date and throwing the future of the entire series into question. When the pilot finally aired in December of 1989, it wasn't the first episode produced, but a last-minute replacement entitled "Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire." What happened next was a Christmas miracle that resonates to this day.

The Simpsons writers' room is the stuff of TV legend. It would churn out hilarious scripts like a Ford automobile assembly line, turning what could have been a niche, off-beat miss into a surprise hit. The phenomenal success of the show has almost always been attributed to the irreverent and groundbreaking writing, but while the writers toiled away, tensions rose among the three creators.

Just as critical to the success of the show as the writers, the animators had drama and tension of their own. The funky, punk rock animation house Klasky Csupo, led by Gabor Csupo, had secured the contract of a lifetime, but could they hold on to The Simpsons? Through internal strife and natural disasters, the animators gave The Simpsons their signature look.

With the departure of the original creative team, a fresh team of writers take over running the show. Bill Oakley and Josh Weinstein build on the legacy, expanding the world and exploring the side characters. To stay relevant, The Simpsons had to evolve; opening its doors to new creative voices, celebrity guest stars, and even taking on the big screen.

Remaining on air for over 30 years is no small task, yet The Simpsons has always managed to stay fresh and keep up with the modern era. Even contract negotiations and corporate mergers never put The Simpsons' future into question. But what there's no doubt about is the impact the show has had on viewers, television, and popular culture.