Simpsons
5
For at least a decade, The Simpsons ruled the roost as the most cleverly written comedy in television history. Although chiefly the target is the baby-boomer audience, this program requires a grasp of history, (both recent and long past) movies, music, pop culture, religeon, politics, science, industry, discovery, invention, big and small business, and day to day life (ditto both recent and past occurences in all categories) and a litany of other topics. In short, it has something for everyone and no subject is too sacred to be lanced by it's ironic wit. The show has featured the guest voices of three ex-Beatles, two Rolling Stones, a dozen or more Academy Award winning actors and actresses, famous writers, inventors, directors, television stars, athletes, and statesman. An army of staff writers and a great cast of talented voice actors give the show it's longevity and continuity and it's spot-on represntations or corporate greed (In the character of billionare industrialist C. Montgomery Burns), small business owners (Moe the bartender, and Apoo, the owner of the QuikieMart)
religeous zealots and jaded ministers (Ned Flanders and Reverend Lovejoy) along with burnt out teachers, spineless school principals, school yard nerds and bullies, and finally, the Simson's family, themselves. Homer is the under-educated, lazy, beer-swilling, loudmouthed husband. Marge is his long suffering wife. Lisa represnts the only voice of reason in a world gone crazy, and Bart, the average skateboard riding schoolkid of today, is the devil himself. The laughs come in droves and appear sometimes right up front, sometimes in layers, and often are revealed as subtle irony. Not at all for those who are weak of thought or rigid in personal viewpoint. This show is strictly for liberal thinkers. If you don't enjoy the talents of the Monty Python team or see the merits in the great satire of 'All in the Family', or the iconoclastic wit in the works of Frank Zappa and other politically incorrect fair, then this is definately not the show for you. For those of you who like to be able to dig a little bit for in order for your ribs to be tickled. The "X" that marks the spot can be found right here.
P.S. Don't worry kids. It'll make better sense after you've been on the planet for a little while. For those who don't ever get it and favor mindless violence and slapstick, they've included the "Itchy and Scratchy" cartoons for you.