The Simpsons first aired as a half-hour series on Fox on December 17, 1989, with the Christmas special episode “Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire.”

Quick Scoop

  • The very first appearance of the Simpson family on TV was actually as short animated segments on The Tracey Ullman Show , starting April 19, 1987.
  • Fox then launched The Simpsons as a standalone primetime series, premiering on December 17, 1989.
  • That premiere Christmas special is widely considered the show’s official series debut and the moment the modern animated sitcom era really kicked off.

In short: shorts in 1987, but the main series truly began on December 17, 1989.

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