When The Simpsons came out I was in the beginning stages of high school and my parents were appalled. This “cartoon” had adult themes and language but looked like it was a kids’ show.
My brother and I were not allowed to watch. My home was fairly conservative so we weren’t allowed to watch most things on television targeted for the mainstream. But a lot of my friends came from less conservative homes. They were allowed to watch many of the shows with adult themes and adult language – but not the Simpsons. The problem was not the content – but the context. It wasn’t the message – it was the medium.
Cartoons were seen as shows that children watch. Adding adult elements to a kids’ show was terrible. People didn’t understand that this wasn’t just a kids’ show.
Fast forward a couple decades and we see Hollywood embracing animation like never before. If you thought the 1930’s was ToonTown’s golden age – wait until you look back in ten years. Cartoons are being cranked out – with high quality images and story – fast and cheap. And they are more and more being targeted to adults.
What was once looked at as a child’s medium has now been seen as a viable art form for adults. I credit this breakthrough to The Simpsons. They changed the way we think about cartoons – forever.
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