"Will future generations understand 'The Simpsons'?" asks Matt Zoller Seitz at Salon, igniting a spirited debate among television critics. "The Simpsons" and other shows that have enjoyed extensive runs at the top, such as "Seinfeld" and "South Park," rely heavily on pop culture references for their humor, he says. "They're all footnote shows: amusing and perhaps hilarious right now, but likely to be dated in five years, quaint in 10, and borderline impenetrable in 20." Is he right?
Many shows do not age well: "Some things will always be funny," and "classic Simpsons" is one of them, says Todd VanDerWerff at the The Onion A.V. Club. But it's true that some jokes don't age well. "Murphy Brown" quickly grew outdated because it relied on current references for laughs, while shows like "Cheers" and "I Love Lucy" deliberately avoided references to the modern world and achieved a sense of timelessness.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
Join more than 350,000 subscribers and keep yourself informed with a selection of The Week’s most interesting, enlightening and entertaining stories - plus daily puzzles.
Join more than 350,000 subscribers and keep yourself informed with a selection of The Week’s most interesting, enlightening and entertaining stories - plus daily puzzles.