The Exact Moment The Simpsons Lost Us

Conclusion

In its prime, the show didn’t pull in megawatt guest stars like Danny DeVito and Michael Jackson in order to capitalize on their fame. Instead the series saw them play interesting, original characters which commented on their respective public images. Even brief, one-joke cameos served to subvert the perception of artists and public personalities, rather than reinforce it for them (and their managers).

Look at Cypress Hill, the hard-edged rap outfit who The Simpsons left collaborating with an orchestra, or the Red Hot Chili Peppers, a controversial rock group who cheerfully acquiesced to family-friendly censorship in their appearance on the show.

The show excelled at forcing people whose job consisted of maintaining an image to dismiss it, twist it, or outright flip it for fun. The Simpsons wasn’t impressed by power and hated authority, because its central family were normal everyday people.

Fast forward through the show’s increasing fame and its cultural import, and the cause of its downfall is clear. The Simpsons lost us the moment the show become as in love with attention, as desperate for approval, and as shamelessly willing to change itself for others as the celebrities who it once mocked.