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The Simpsons

'The Simpsons' turns 30: 12 major moments from the show's record-breaking journey

Bill Keveney
USA TODAY

 In “The Simpsons” first episode, Homer and Bart go to the dog-racing track to win money for Christmas presents and all they end up with is a slowpoke pooch. Oh, that and more than 670 episodes, a record for a scripted prime-time series.

The 30th anniversary of "Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire,” which premiered Dec. 17, 1989, is the latest milestone for the Fox animated classic, a culture-shaping series spawned by animated shorts that began as shorts two years earlier on “The Tracey Ullman Show.” 

Matt Groening's creation, centered around Homer and Marge Simpson and their three children, Bart, Lisa and Maggie, hit the rarefied air of 500 episodes in 2012 and joined “Gunsmoke” as only the second series to reach 600 four years later.

"Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire”: The epic episode that started it all.

It finally surpassed that classic Western's 635 episodes in 2018 – commemorated with a black-and-white illustration of Homer and baby daughter Maggie dueling Marshal Matt Dillon. (FXX celebrates the 30th anniversary with a 15-day marathon of 661 episodes from the first 30 seasons that started Tuesday at 8 EST/PST.)

In a 2007 interview, Groening reflected on the broad and enduring appeal of the comedy, which helped make the Fox network: "I love the style that we stumbled into, this high-velocity pacing that allowed us to do every kind of comedy we could think of, from the most highfalutin literary references to sub-Three Stooges physical abuse."

Although "The Simpsons," recipient of 34 Emmys, is years past peak cultural dominance and many fans profess their love for the early seasons vs. the later ones, new episodes perform well for Fox and the show's library serves as a major selling point for the Disney+ streaming service. It's renewed through its 32nd season in 2021, which would bring the tally to more than 700 episodes.

'The Simpsons' nears 30: Why the show's first Christmas episode is still a fan favorite

As "The Simpsons" passed "Gunsmoke" to set a primetime episode record in 2018, the show commemorated the event with an illustration of Homer and Maggie Homer dueling with the classic TV Western's Marshal Matt Dillon.

With that in mind, USA TODAY (or “US of A TODAY,” as referenced on “The Simpsons”) takes a trip down Evergreen Terrace with a sampling of significant moments (OK, it’s our version of a “Simpsons” clip show).

1989: The 'birth' of the show

“Simpsons Roasting” is the only episode broadcast in the 1980s. (Weekly episodes started Jan. 14, 1990, with “Bart the Genius.”)

“I love that above all else,” executive producer James L. Brooks said of the Christmas kickoff. “It was our birth, as far as I’m concerned."

“The Simpsons” has maintained that connection over the years with memorable gift ideas – remember Bonestorm and Funzo! – and holiday-themed episodes, including this season's “Bobby, It’s Cold Outside,” which includes another "Simpsons" evergreen, the unholy Sideshow Bob (Kelsey Grammer). Believe it or not, “Holidays of Future Passed,” now 8 years old, was once considered a potential series finale.

On this season's holiday episode of "The Simpsons," Sideshow Bob gets a gig as a mall Santa, while someone is stealing all the Christmas packages off front porches.

1991: Celebrity cameos become popular

Dustin Hoffman, credited as Sam Etic, voiced Lisa’s substitute teacher in “Lisa’s Substitute,” an early celebrity cameo in what became a sign of making it in Hollywood. The guest list includes three Beatles, two Rolling Stones and The Who (but not in a pear tree).

1994: 100 episodes

“The Simpsons” reached the 100-episode plateau, long TV's yardstick of endurance. But this show was just getting started.

Playing favorites:Who's Matt Groening's favorite 'Simpsons' character?

Groening explained his confidence about the early prospects of a show that already had spawned viral catchphrases (“Eat My Shorts”), a zillion tie-in products and condemnation by President Bush (the first one; that’s how far back this goes): "I knew if we could get on the air with weird yellow people that kids would tune in, and that their parents would watch with them."

1995: Going 'three for three'

“Treehouse of Horror,” an annual Halloween tradition, stands out for its sixth entry (Advertising mascots come to life, Groundskeeper Willie channels Freddy Krueger, Homer goes 3D), according to former head writer Mike Reiss, author of 2018's "Springfield Confidential."

"Almost always one of the three installments on a ‘Treehouse of Horror’ is not so good. ... That was the first time I thought they went three for three, three really amazing segments."

"Treehouse XXV" in 2013 may have one-upped the earlier installment with a dazzling opening salute to fantasy and horror by renowned director Guillermo del Toro.

2000: 250 episodes and speculation

More than 400 episodes ago, when “The Simpsons” cracked 250, Groening already was answering speculative questions about the show’s eventual conclusion. "I thought we would start and then live forever. But that's how I feel about life, which obviously is untrue."

The cartoon, which showcased boy rebel Bart early on, had long shifted to a Homeric focus. "There's a lot more you can do with a grown man than you can with a 10-year-old boy," said Mike Scully, then overseeing the show.

"The Simpsons": Homer (voiced by Dan Castellaneta), left, Marge (Julie Kavner), Lisa (Yeardley Smith), Maggie and Bart (Nancy Cartwright) have entertained viewers for 30 years. Harry Shearer and Hank Azaria are other primary voice actors on the Fox animated classic.

2003: 300 episodes

As the odometer hit 300, USA TODAY published a two-page report – “300 reasons to love ‘The Simpsons’” – that listed, among other things, 35 couch gags and 50 of Bart’s chalkboard declarations.

2007 and 2008: A movie and a theme-park ride

Springfield residents made their big-screen debut with “The Simpsons Movie,” a critical and box-office hit that pulled in more than $500 million worldwide. After years of making fun of Disney, "Simpsons" producers have talked with the entertainment giant, which took over the show with its purchase of Fox assets, about a potential second movie or spinoff series.

A year after the movie, plans for world dominance continued as “The Simpsons Ride” opened at Universal Studios Orlando. 

2012: 500 episodes

“The Simpsons” hit 500 episodes, a prime-time feat previously achieved only by Matt Dillon’s lawman and a dog, “Lassie.” 

Yes, 'The Simpsons' have changed appearance over three decades, as this scene from 2014's 'Treehouse of Horror XXV' illustrates.

2015: Springfield comes to life

After a smaller version opened in Orlando, Universal Studios Hollywood unveiled “The Simpsons’ Springfield,” complete with a steam-spewing nuclear plant; Moe’s Tavern; Dr. Nick’s clinic (“If you can put it in, we can take it out.”) and a Krusty Burger offering the Ribwich, that fabled sandwich made with “authentic letter-graded meat.” 

Longtime executive producer Al Jean was pleasantly surprised by the food quality. "On the show, Krusty Burger is literally the worst restaurant of all time."

2016: Homer takes calls – live

Seeking to stretch, an episode featured a few minutes of Homer (Dan Castellaneta) answering viewer phone calls live with the help of motion-capture technology.

Sure, Mick Jagger, left, and Keith Richards, right, gained some notice as members of The Rolling Stones, but they really hit the big time when they joined Homer, center, for a 2002 episode of "The Simpsons."

2017: A stereotype sparks criticism

Comedian Hari Kondabolu critiques Kwik-E-Mart operator Apu Nahasapeemapetilon as an Indian stereotype in his documentary, "The Problem with Apu."

While many past shows have been criticized for depicting characters in insensitive or offensive ways, most of those are out of production, with plots and characters encased in amber. “The Simpsons” confirmed in August its commitment to keeping Apu (voiced by Hank Azaria) in response to reports it was writing the character out of the show. 

2018: A record-breaking 636 episodes

As “The Simpsons” passed “Gunsmoke” for the episode record, Groening reflected on the show’s history.

“When we first started, we were part of the downfall of civilization. Bart said he was ‘an underachiever and proud of it, man.’ Simpsons T-shirts were banned in grade schools. I knew it would blow over,” he said. “At the heart of our show is a churchgoing family who eats dinner together every night and is very traditional. They drive each other crazy, but they do love each other.”

As for whether anything might be left on a “Simpsons” bucket list, Groening went along with the pie-in-the-sky (mmm, pie) question: “We need our own full theme park. We've got some rides and a Krusty Burger at Universal, but we need a 600-foot-tall statue of Homer at the center of a park. … And you eat dinner in his head.”

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