This ‘Simpsons’ Two-Parter Is Still Iconic, but One Part Failed Epically

While the shows will continue to release new episodes for the foreseeable future, The Simpsons was at the peak of its popularity within the 1990s. Although the Simpson family unit could be loosely compared to the characters on other popular sitcoms from the previous decade, the freedom of the animated format allowed creator Matt Groening to create an entirely new form of comedy. With its sharp satire of small-town life, clever popular culture references, anarchic sense of humor, and surprisingly resonant emotional beats, The Simpsons laid the groundwork for “adult animation” as it's known today; there would be no Family Guy, South Park, King of the Hill, or American Dad! without the precedent that The Simpsons set. While the show’s infamous two-part episode “Who Shot Mr. Burns?” still ranks among its most beloved installments, a strange tie-in contest became one of the franchise’s most beguiling failures.