In 1987, The Tracey Ullman Show made its American debut to critical acclaim, and virtually no public interest. As a variety show, however, it featured a 20-second spot that introduced the world to the cartoon hyperreality of The Simpsons. Soon enough, the 20-second sketches were expanded to 90 seconds, and Bart Simpson was well on his way to being a cult icon and a marketing phenom. Before The Simpsons? debut in 1989, Bart Simpson was on T-shirts, posters and in ads for Butterfinger and Baby Ruth candy bars.
During that time, The Simpsons became a landmark TV show for a variety of reasons, but from an industry perspective, it revolutionized the cartoon landscape. The Simpsons instigated a tidal wave of adult cartoons, flooding the market with socially and politically charged cartoon sitcoms.
