© 2025 Texas Public Radio
Real. Reliable. Texas Public Radio.
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations
KCTI-AM/FM is off-air due to damage from a lightning strike. We are working to restore service as quickly as possible.

How 'The Simpsons' changed TV

The cover of "Stupid TV, Be More Funny" beside author Alan Siegel. (Courtesy of Alisa Rigolin)
/
The cover of "Stupid TV, Be More Funny" beside author Alan Siegel. (Courtesy of Alisa Rigolin)

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.

Copyright 2025 WBUR

Tags
Here & Now Newsroom