The Simpsons is grounded in absurdity. Dim bulb Homer as a safety inspector, at a nuclear power plant no less? Ridiculous. Dimmer bulb Chief Wiggum running the police? Impossible. Mayor Quimby- America's favorite currupt politician. Bart not in reform school? Unlikely, but semms ro have a guardian Angel.

Few series, if any, have been more consistently inventive. Consider the brilliant annual Halloween trilogies that serve up dead-on parodies of sci-fi classics; the use of guest stars, from Meryl Streep to Paul, George and Ringo (not together); the music, inspired creations by Alf Clausen that have spawned two CD collections with a treasure trove of tunes,

And detail; in the fifth-season opener, "Homer's Barbershop Quartet," Homer, Apu, Principal Skinner and Barney mirror the Beatles (Chief Wiggum is the unfortunate Pete Best). A quick glimpse of their first album shows the heads of the Springfield fab four against a black background, à la Meet the Beatles. And you'll note that they're discovered at Moe's Cavern. Clever touches like these are why you can see an episode for the fourth, fifth or sixth time and still catch jokes you've missed.

The series has spoofed senior citizens; politicians; mob mentality; and the Mob. They've even lampooned their own merchandising: "How could you, Krusty?" Bart chides in "Kamp Krusty," the fourth-season opener. "I'd never lend my name to an inferior product!"

Created by cartoonist Matt Groening, the Simpsons were introduced on The Tracey Ullman Show in animated vignettes in 1987. The positive response prompted Groening, James L. Brooks and Sam Simon to develop a series around the yellow, blue and bald-headed family. On Dec. 17, 1989, Fox aired the holiday special "Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire," which doubled as a pilot. A month later, The Simpsons debuted as a series and took off, changing the way TV perceived animation, setting the standard by which all other animated series are measured and unleashing "the Dennis the Menace of the '90s" on the American public. "I'm Bart Simpson. Who the hell are you?"

"For the next five minutes, I'm going to party like it's on sale for $19.99!" — Apu

"Well, shut my mouth. It's also illegal to put squirrels down your pants for the purpose of gambling." — Chief Wiggum