For related works also titled "The Simpsons," see The Simpsons (disambiguation).

The Simpsons is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox network. The television series is a spin-off of a series of animated shorts originally aired on The Tracey Ullman Show. The sitcom is a satirical parody of the "Middle American" lifestyle epitomized by its title family. It lampoons many aspects of the human condition, as well as American culture, society as a whole and even television itself. The Simpsons has also had a significant influence on post-Cold War popular culture. The show has also been cited as an influence on many adult-oriented animated series in the late 1990s, such as South Park and Family Guy.

The Simpsons is currently the longest-running American sitcom and longest-running American animated program of all time. Since it debuted on December 17, 1989, the show has aired 378 episodes in seventeen seasons. As of March 20, 2006, the show has been renewed through its nineteenth season, which would air in 2007–2008. The eighteenth season finale will be the 400^th episode, and the 20^th anniversary of The Simpsons franchise will be celebrated in 2007. A feature-length movie is now being produced simultaneously with the television series, to be released on July 27, 2007.