I’m not gonna lie. I watched a lot of shows that I probably shouldn’t have when I was younger.
Married…with Children, Beverly Hills, 90210, hell, even some of my favorite Black sitcoms had some questionable content for a little kid (for example, I was only 11 when I fell in love with the Dick Wolf crime drama, New York Undercover). Well, of all the shows that left a massive impression on me, The Simpsons had the greatest impact.
I’m glad that I grew up watching it. Even after all these years, it’s still one of the smartest shows on TV. So, when my 9-year-old daughter decided that she wanted to watch the series, too, I was overjoyed. But, now that I’ve watched several episodes with her, I’m also a little worried. So, here’s why I have mixed feelings about my daughter’s newfound enthusiasm for The Simpsons.
Why I’m Overjoyed: We Already Bond A Lot, But Now We Have Something Else That We Can Share
First off, my daughter and I share a lot of commonalities.
For example, we both have a limited palate, we’re both massive pessimists (I’m sure she gets that from me), and we like a lot of the same entertainment.
So, when she asked if we could watch The Simpsons together, I was over the moon. I’ve referenced jokes from the show ever since my kids were babies, and I have several Simpsons toys and books in the basement.
I honestly have nobody to blame for my daughter’s interest but myself, and I’m mostly okay with that. I love hearing her guffaw at jokes that had me rolling when I was a kid. And, nothing makes me happier than hearing who her favorite character is (in case you’re wondering, it’s Ned Flanders).
What’s also great is that unlike a lot of Simpsons fans, my daughter doesn’t say things like “The Simpsons peaked at Season 10.” Nor does she compare it to other shows like Bob’s Burgers, which she also likes. Instead, she’s been enjoying the episodes for the first time, going through the various seasons since it’s on Disney+ (it’s still the best thing on the streaming service, if you ask me). However, since she’s been going through all the seasons…
Why I’m A Little Worried: There Are A Lot More Adult Themes Than I Remember There Being
If you were born in the ‘80s like I was, then I’m sure you remember Bartmania.
But, if you weren’t, then let me explain. Bart Simpson was everywhere in the early ‘90s, and he was definitely the main focus of the show. So, even though the entire family was important, Bart was the star attraction. And, since he was the star, a lot of kids tuned in just to see him.
Anyway, all of this is to say that a lot of the adult themes and jokes went way over my head when I was younger, since I wasn’t focused on the “adult” content. I was only focused on Bart. That said, my daughter is a lot smarter than I was, and she’s not focused on Bart at all. In fact, she finds him kind of annoying.
Instead, she’s focused more on the adults, like in the episode, “Homer’s Night Out” where the patriarch gets caught with an exotic dancer, or in “Life on the Fast Lane” in which Marge seriously considers cheating on Homer.
I grew up with this show. In that way, even though there were jokes and themes that I kind of got when I was a kid, I understood a lot more of them when I became a teenager. This is because I watched throughout the years. But, since my daughter can just go through the seasons right now, there are some episodes with themes like adultery, or questioning one’s faith, that my daughter’s watched. That said…
Why I’m Overjoyed: The Humor Is Really Intelligent, So It’s Making Her Think
I mentioned episodes about questioning one’s faith, and the one that resonated the most with my daughter was “Lisa the Skeptic,” in which a so-called angel is uncovered in Springfield.
My daughter, who always groans, “Why do we have to go to church?” on Sunday mornings is definitely a skeptic, and possibly a future cynic (Again, most likely from me). She’s always curious, and constantly asking me hard-hitting questions.
When Lisa started to question whether a real angel was found in Springfield, I could tell my daughter wanted to know the answer herself.
Once it was all over, and “the angel” turned out to be a hoax, my daughter said, “I knew it!” which actually made me feel pretty good. Because even though I’m her father, I’m also a teacher, and I want her to question things. I like that my daughter doesn’t just believe everything she’s told, and I’m happy that a show like this could make her think about her own beliefs.
Yes, a show like Bob’s Burgers is clever, and it has its own sort of intelligence. But, I don’t think it matches the caliber of The Simpsons’ storytelling. Even so…
Why I’m A Little Worried: Unlike Myself When I Was Younger, My Daughter Gets A Lot Of The More Risqué Jokes
As I said, my daughter is smarter than I was at 9.
That means she gets a lot of the more risqué humor on the show that I never understood. The ones that she doesn’t get, she actually ASKS me what they mean.
For example, in the episode, “The Frying Game,” Agnes Skinner, who is elderly, casually remarks, “Who do I have to gum to get a refill?” and I’m sure you could imagine that my jaw was on the floor. When my daughter asked, “What does she mean?” I just shook my head and said, “I don’t know.” But, my daughter knew I was lying. She gave me the side eye.
Also, since she is now a Ned Flanders superfan, she wanted to watch some of the episodes where he’s married to Edna Krabappel. But, if you know anything about Edna (RIP, Marcia Wallace), you’ll know how lascivious she could be. So, some of her jokes had me cringing next to her, who would often say, “Oh!” at some of her lines.
All of this is to say that I’m a tad worried that my daughter might be learning a bit too much when it comes to ribald humor. Even so…
Why I’m Overjoyed: Since The Show Was So Topical, I Can Teach My Daughter About Events From Different Eras
A few semi-dirty jokes is a small risk that I’m willing to take as long as it means that my daughter will get a crash course in learning about the past 60 years or so.
Sure, as a ‘90s kid, I like that I can point out certain topical things to my daughter, like references to Twin Peaks, or Jurassic Park that were current when the show first aired.
But, what I like even more is all of the much older historical references, like when the show mocks President Nixon, or JFK.
In fact, I’ve shown my daughter several Presidents on the show, such as Clinton holding hands with Bob Dole in Treehouse of Horror VII, or even Trump himself in the more recent episodes.
In a lot of ways, it’s is a great introduction to the ‘60s, ‘70s, ‘80s, and ‘90s, and I like that I can teach aspects of history to my daughter through such a fun medium.
Why I’m A Little Worried: My Daughter Now Also Wants To See Family Guy, Which I Refuse To Let Her Watch
Bob’s Burgers is one thing, and The Simpsons is another. But, one show that I refuse to let my daughter watch is Family Guy.
And, she wants to! Because a lot of her friends at school are fans. Naturally, with The Simpsons coming before Family Guy, my daughter doesn’t see the problem with also watching that show.
That said, anybody who’s actually watched Family Guy will tell you that it’s not for children. And, my problem is telling her “No,” without explicitly telling her just why it is so much more coarse and vulgar.
Now, don’t get me wrong. I like the comedy. That said, I feel like I opened the gateway to my daughter when it comes to “adult” cartoons, and I just hope that she doesn’t try to sneak into my Hulu account to check it out when I’m in another room writing.
What do you think? Do you also let your kids watch The Simpsons? If so, how young did you start them off?
