The Evolution of ‘The Simpsons’ Animation Over 30 Years (1987-2021)

On May 23, 2021, the 32nd season finale of “The Simpsons” will air on Fox, finishing off a landmark season where the show celebrated its 700th episode.

The series has come a long way from its humble beginnings as a segment on “The Tracey Ullman Show.” On air for 32 years and counting, it’s become the longest-running scripted series on prime time, the longest-running American animated series, and the longest-running American sitcom. And Homer, Marge, Lisa, Bart, and Maggie have evolved a lot over the course of three decades — whether you look at the style of their movement or the details of their character designs, all the way down to pupil size.

In this episode of “Movies Insider,” we turned to David Silverman and Al Jean, two of the main minds behind “The Simpsons,” to find out how the show’s animation evolved from the rough-around-the-edges style of Matt Groening’s early sketches to the crisp, clean look of the show in its 32nd season.

For those who are curious, here is a short episode of Them Simpsons from 1987, 2 years before the debut of the first season of the show:

[Insider]


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