The Simpsons

Sweater-loving, God-fearing Simpsons character Ned Flanders is the inspiration for the Phoenix-based metal band Okilly Dokilly.

They’ll never stop The Simpsons, so have no fear, they’ve got stories for years, but did you know America’s favorite animated family was thought up in the lobby before a pitch meeting? Or that Matt Groening based most of the characters on his own family? These are just some of the Springfield kwyjibos populating the tenth episode of ‘You Think You Know TV?,’ which pays a visit to The Simpsons’ home state of … uh, somewhere!

The Simpsons has gone on long enough that fans will inevitably face cast departure or a potential end to the series, but despite the recent renewal for Seasons 27 and 28, that end may already be in sight. Iconic Simpsons mainstay Harry Shearer appears to have revealed his exit from the long-running FOX animated series, and not even Ned Flanders could find the optimism here.

Last year, the Ohio State University Band gave football fans one hell of a movie tribute, marching along to formations of everything from 'Superman' to 'Jurassic Park,' so what was the one way to top it? TV! See what "the best damn band in the land" came up with for everything from 'Game of Thrones' to 'Dragnet,' with the full TVLand TV tribute!

If FXX's ongoing 12-day marathon of all 522 'The Simpsons' episodes reminds us of anything, it's that the series' enduring popularity makes it impossible to say when FOX might finally call it quits on America's favorite family. Whether or not "You'll Never Stop the Simpsons" however, showrunner Al Jean has a very specific (and familiar!) image picked out for the distant future's series finale.

We'd already seen a first look at 'The Simpsons' going the LEGO route with photos of Homer and the rest of Springfield done up in brick for May 4 installment "Brick Like Me," but like 'The LEGO Movie' before it, these things work best in motion. Catch the first look at Homer building his LEGO life with FOX's first promo for the 550th episode, "Brick Like Me!"

A few months ago we heard the monumental news that FXX had paid an astonishing $750 million for syndication and streaming rights to the entire library of 'The Simpsons,' not only an unprecedented deal in the history of TV rights, but also for making America's favorite animated family more accessible than ever before. Now, the network has announced its intent to kick things off with an impressive 1

Last week saw Dave Letterman shaking up the late-night landscape with the announcement of his imminent retirement, which as since led to all manner of speculation on a replacement, but the impact has already gone further down the pop culture rabbit hole. Watch 'The Simpsons' pay tribute to the retiring 'Late Show' leader with last night's couch gag from "Luca$"!

The recent buzz of toy news brought confirmation that 'The Simpsons' would be going LEGO for an upcoming installment, though few details of the topical concept episode were known. Now, we've learned exactly when "Brick Like Me" will premiere, along with the bizarre twist that leads to Homer finding both himself and the rest of Springfield made entirely of LEGO!

Have you ever wondered about the origins of 'The Simpsons' and what inspired the creation of America's favorite dysfunctional family? Now you can find out in this old video from 1969.