Matt Groening on The Simpsons’ 500th episode
Skip to commentsLA Times Television Critic Robert Lloyd interviewed The Simpsons’ creator Matt Groening about the longevity of his TV show which aired its 500th episode last night.
“I think we were in the right place at the right time,” (Groening) said of the series’ long life and global reach. “Audiences were ready again for a prime-time animated TV show. We were the first out of the gate and, using a very conservative template of a family sitcom, found a way to tell jokes in many different styles, from slapstick to references I don’t even get. There are really obvious pratfalls and stuff taken from traditional cartoons, but there’s also a guest appearance by Thomas Pynchon. It’s really crazy that something so quirky is so popular, but whatever that mix is, it works.”
Darryl Heine
Gerry Mooney