The Simpsons was one of those tv shows that as a parent rated your level of leniency towards your children and your parenting style. The parents who let their kids watch Homer drink Duff and Bart terrorize the neighborhood, were often seen as the parents who had no moral standing and didn't care about whether their kids brains were rotting in front of the screen or not.
When my siblings and I were younger my parents didn't really like us to watch The Simpsons. I don't think they had even watched a single episode before they had formed this opinion, which is a bit unfair, but I do understand where they were coming from. For younger kids I don't think any tv is really all that great at all. The commercials make them think they need things they really don't. And the topics on television, even cartoons aren't the most healthy. Even some of the way the characters dress are just... I don't know, slutty...?
So, The Simpsons. Because it was something my parents didn't want us watching, of course we wanted to watch it. Eventually as we got older, we would watch it, and my parents would even watch it with us. I guess it started to turn in to a family activity. I guess as a parent you will settle for any way to hang out with your kids even if it's not your ideal situation. Not that Im saying that's what my parents did. ... Anyway, eventually, as I got older, I came to see that a lot of the issues The Simpsons characters were dealing with actually had valid points. that sometimes they just ended up in silly dilemmas or exaggerated endings, but they were still trying to share a little lesson with it's viewers.
Anyway congrats to The Simpsons creators for getting picked up for yet another 21st and 22nd season. If they last it will be the longest running prime tie series in US history. Read HERE.