39 Years Ago Today, the Best Cartoon of All-Time Premiered in a Surprising Way (And It Was Very Different)

Just as important, The Simpsons likely launched the entire genre of adult animation in America, and it’s been the leading style of TV comedy for the past forty years. Without it, popular shows like Family Guy, South Park, Bob’s Burgers, King of the Hill, and American Dad probably wouldn’t exist. Interestingly, The Simpsons didn’t begin as a typical TV series. It first appeared in 1987 as a collection of short animated segments on The Tracey Ullman Show.








