Editor’s note: This segment was rebroadcast on May 15, 2026. Find that audio here.
The Simpsons is the longest-running sitcom on television, but some of its self-proclaimed biggest fans stopped watching decades ago. The show’s first several seasons revolutionized primetime TV, blazed a trail for animated comedy, and embiggened our lexicon with endlessly quotable episodes.
What made those early years so special?
Here & Now‘s Peter O’Dowd speaks with Alan Siegel about his new book, “Stupid TV, Be More Funny: How the Golden Era of The Simpsons Changed Television — and America — Forever.”
Book excerpt: ‘Stupid TV, Be More Funny’
By Alan Siegel
This article was originally published on WBUR.org.
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