How to watch The Simpsons - what’s it about and who’s in the cast?

The Simpsons is now the longest running American scripted primetime television series. The franchise also has a full length movie.

Where to watch The Simpsons?

Sadly the series isn't on Netflix, but US fans can watch every episode on FXNOW. You can also buy episodes on iTunes or get the DVD box set.

The Simpsons Movie is available on Now TV and the show airs weekdays from 6.30PM until 8PM on Sky One and at 6 on Channel 4.

What is The Simpsons about?

America's favourite dysfunctional family is made up or Marge, a blue-haired housewife and mother, her husband Homer - who has had a variety of jobs including working at a beer factory and more recently (and dangerously) working at Mr Burns' nuclear power plant, and their three children Lisa, Bart and Maggie.

Lisa is a genius and a jazz addict, whilst Bart is the ultimate rebel and Maggie, the baby... well she's just a baby, who couldn't be more unlike her Family Guy counterpart Stewie.

How many episodes of The Simpsons are there?

If you want to catch up with the show you better start watching now - over 650 episodes have aired, which at 22 minutes each (without adverts), would take you nearly 10 days straight to get through.

How many seasons of The Simpsons are there?

So far, there are 31 seasons.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iIB7qq9Jgx4&feature=youtu.be

When did The Simpsons start?

The series aired its first episode in 1989.

Who voices the characters in The Simpsons?

The main cast members are Julie Kavner, Nancy Cartwright, Dan Castellaneta, Yeardley Smith, Hank Azaria, and Harry Shearer.

Kavner's main roles are Marge and her sisters Patty and Selma, whilst Cartright voices Bart Simpson - that's right, Bart is voiced by a woman! - and other children including Ralph Wiggum and the school bully Nelson Muntz.

Castenella voices Homer and Grampa Simpsons, Krusty the Clown, and other male characters, and Smith voices Lisa Simpson.

Azaria and Shearer voice the majority of the other residents of Springfield including Apu Nahasapeemapetilon and Mr Burns.

Who writes The Simpsons?

The Simpsons was created by Matt Groening, and he and Sam Simon worked on the show with an original team of writers made up of John Swartzwelder, Jon Vitti, George Meyer, Jeff Martin, Al Jean, Mike Reiss, Jay Kogen and Wallace Wolodarsky.

Other writers have joined and left the team over the show's 30 year run, but out of everyone that's joined since the show began, Swartzwelder holds the record for the most episodes written.

What has The Simpsons predicted?

The Simpsons has 'predicted the future' many times, including most notably guessing that Donald Trump would become president of the US. But the show's producers have never claimed to have a magic crystal ball - it's just that the series has been running for so long and has made so many predictions about the future that some of them are bound to be accurate.

https://youtu.be/80kUed21j9s

But still, the faulty voting machine's attempt to stop Homer from voting from Barak Obama is very spooky when one considers that one election cycle later, a voting booth in Pennsylvania actually did this in 2012.

Why are The Simpsons yellow?

The Simpsons are yellow because it makes them stand out on TV, as no other show uses their instantly recognisable bright yellow skin tone.

The Simpsons' creator Matt Groening told the BBC that when an animator suggested the idea to him, and showed him a rough sketch, "I said 'This is the answer!' because when you're flicking through channels with your remote control, and a flash of yellow goes by, you'll know you're watching The Simpsons."