<P> The Simpsons was the first successful animated program in American prime time since Wait Till Your Father Gets Home in the 1970s . During most of the 1980s, US pundits considered animated shows as appropriate only for children, and animating a show was too expensive to achieve a quality suitable for prime - time television . The Simpsons changed this perception, initially leading to a short period where networks attempted to recreate prime - time cartoon success with shows like Capitol Critters, Fish Police, and Family Dog, which were expensive and unsuccessful . The Simpsons' use of Korean animation studios for tweening, coloring, and filming made the episodes cheaper . The success of The Simpsons and the lower production cost prompted US television networks to take chances on other animated series . This development led US producers to a 1990s boom in new, animated prime - time shows, such as South Park, Family Guy, King of the Hill, Futurama and The Critic . For Family Guy creator Seth MacFarlane, "The Simpsons created an audience for prime - time animation that had not been there for many, many years...As far as I'm concerned, they basically re-invented the wheel . They created what is in many ways--you could classify it as--a wholly new medium ." </P> <P> The Simpsons has had crossovers with four other shows . In the episode "A Star Is Burns", Marge invites Jay Sherman, the main character of The Critic, to be a judge for a film festival in Springfield . Matt Groening had his name removed from the episode since he had no involvement with The Critic . South Park later paid homage to The Simpsons with the episode "Simpsons Already Did It". In "Simpsorama", the Planet Express crew from Futurama come to Springfield in the present to prevent the Simpsons from destroying the future . In the Family Guy episode "The Simpsons Guy", the Griffins visit Springfield and meet the Simpsons . </P> <P> The Simpsons has also influenced live - action shows like Malcolm in the Middle, which featured the use of sight gags and did not use a laugh track unlike most sitcoms . Malcolm in the Middle debuted January 9, 2000, in the time slot after The Simpsons . Ricky Gervais called The Simpsons an influence on The Office, and fellow British sitcom Spaced was, according to its director Edgar Wright, "an attempt to do a live - action The Simpsons ." In Georgia, the animated television sitcom The Samsonadzes, launched in November 2009, has been noted for its very strong resemblance with The Simpsons, which its creator Shalva Ramishvili has acknowledged . </P> <Table> <Tr> <Th_colspan="2"> Season </Th> <Th> No. of episodes </Th> <Th_colspan="3"> Originally aired </Th> <Th_colspan="3"> Viewership </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Season premiere </Th> <Th> Season finale </Th> <Th> Time Slot (ET) </Th> <Th> Avg . viewers (in millions) </Th> <Th_colspan="2"> Most watched episode </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Viewers (millions) </Th> <Th> Episode Title </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> </Th> <Td> 1989--90 </Td> <Td> 13 </Td> <Td> December 17, 1989 </Td> <Td> May 13, 1990 </Td> <Td> Sunday 8: 30 PM </Td> <Th> 27.8 </Th> <Th> 33.5 </Th> <Td> "Life on the Fast Lane" </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> </Th> <Td> 1990--91 </Td> <Td> 22 </Td> <Td> October 11, 1990 </Td> <Td> July 11, 1991 </Td> <Td> Thursday 8: 00 PM </Td> <Th> 24.4 </Th> <Th> 33.6 </Th> <Td> "Bart Gets an F" </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> </Th> <Td> 1991--92 </Td> <Td> 24 </Td> <Td> September 19, 1991 </Td> <Td> August 27, 1992 </Td> <Th> 21.8 </Th> <Th> 25.5 </Th> <Td> "Colonel Homer" </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> </Th> <Td> 1992--93 </Td> <Td> 22 </Td> <Td> September 24, 1992 </Td> <Td> May 13, 1993 </Td> <Th> 22.4 </Th> <Th> 28.6 </Th> <Td> "Lisa's First Word" </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> 5 </Th> <Td> 1993--94 </Td> <Td> 22 </Td> <Td> September 30, 1993 </Td> <Td> May 19, 1994 </Td> <Th> 18.9 </Th> <Th> 24.0 </Th> <Td> "Treehouse of Horror IV" </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> 6 </Th> <Td> 1994--95 </Td> <Td> 25 </Td> <Td> September 4, 1994 </Td> <Td> May 21, 1995 </Td> <Td> Sunday 8: 00 PM </Td> <Th> 15.6 </Th> <Th> 22.2 </Th> <Td> "Treehouse of Horror V" </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> 7 </Th> <Td> 1995--96 </Td> <Td> 25 </Td> <Td> September 17, 1995 </Td> <Td> May 19, 1996 </Td> <Th> 15.1 </Th> <Th> 19.7 </Th> <Td> "Treehouse of Horror VI" </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> 8 </Th> <Td> 1996--97 </Td> <Td> 25 </Td> <Td> October 27, 1996 </Td> <Td> May 18, 1997 </Td> <Td> Sunday 8: 30 PM (Episodes 1--3) Sunday 8: 00 PM (Episodes 4--25) </Td> <Th> 14.5 </Th> <Th> 20.9 </Th> <Td> "The Springfield Files" </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> 9 </Th> <Td> 1997--98 </Td> <Td> 25 </Td> <Td> September 21, 1997 </Td> <Td> May 17, 1998 </Td> <Td> Sunday 8: 00 PM </Td> <Th> 16.3 </Th> <Th> 19.8 </Th> <Td> "The Two Mrs. Nahasapeemapetilons" </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> 10 </Th> <Td> 1998--99 </Td> <Td> 23 </Td> <Td> August 23, 1998 </Td> <Td> May 16, 1999 </Td> <Th> 13.5 </Th> <Th> 15.5 </Th> <Td> "Maximum Homerdrive" </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> 11 </Th> <Td> 1999--2000 </Td> <Td> 22 </Td> <Td> September 26, 1999 </Td> <Td> May 21, 2000 </Td> <Th> 8.8 </Th> <Th> 18.4 </Th> <Td> "The Mansion Family" </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> 12 </Th> <Td> 2000--01 </Td> <Td> 21 </Td> <Td> November 1, 2000 </Td> <Td> May 20, 2001 </Td> <Th> 15.5 </Th> <Th> 18.6 </Th> <Td> "Worst Episode Ever" </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> 13 </Th> <Td> 2001--02 </Td> <Td> 22 </Td> <Td> November 6, 2001 </Td> <Td> May 22, 2002 </Td> <Td> Tuesday 8: 30 PM (Episode 1) Sunday 8: 00 PM (Episodes 2--20) Sunday 7: 30 PM (Episode 21) Wednesday 8: 00 PM (Episode 22) </Td> <Th> 12.5 </Th> <Th> 14.9 </Th> <Td> "The Parent Rap" </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> 14 </Th> <Td> 2002--03 </Td> <Td> 22 </Td> <Td> November 3, 2002 </Td> <Td> May 18, 2003 </Td> <Td> Sunday 8: 00 PM (Episodes 1--11, 13--21) Sunday 8: 30 PM (Episodes 12, 22) </Td> <Th> 14.4 </Th> <Th> 22.1 </Th> <Td> "I'm Spelling as Fast as I Can" </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> 15 </Th> <Td> 2003--04 </Td> <Td> 22 </Td> <Td> November 2, 2003 </Td> <Td> May 23, 2004 </Td> <Td> Sunday 8: 00 PM </Td> <Th> 11.0 </Th> <Th> 16.3 </Th> <Td> "I, (Annoyed Grunt) - Bot" </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> 16 </Th> <Td> 2004--05 </Td> <Td> 21 </Td> <Td> November 7, 2004 </Td> <Td> May 15, 2005 </Td> <Td> Sunday 8: 00 PM (Episodes 1--7, 9--16, 18, 20) Sunday 10: 30 PM (Episode 8) Sunday 8: 30 PM (Episodes 17, 19, 21) </Td> <Th> 10.2 </Th> <Th> 23.07 </Th> <Td> "Homer and Ned's Hail Mary Pass" </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> 17 </Th> <Td> 2005--06 </Td> <Td> 22 </Td> <Td> September 11, 2005 </Td> <Td> May 21, 2006 </Td> <Td> Sunday 8: 00 PM </Td> <Th> 9.55 </Th> <Th> 11.63 </Th> <Td> "Treehouse of Horror XVI" </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> 18 </Th> <Td> 2006--07 </Td> <Td> 22 </Td> <Td> September 10, 2006 </Td> <Td> May 20, 2007 </Td> <Th> 9.15 </Th> <Th> 13.90 </Th> <Td> "The Wife Aquatic" </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> 19 </Th> <Td> 2007--08 </Td> <Td> 20 </Td> <Td> September 23, 2007 </Td> <Td> May 18, 2008 </Td> <Th> 8.37 </Th> <Th> 11.7 </Th> <Td> "Treehouse of Horror XVIII" </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> 20 </Th> <Td> 2008--09 </Td> <Td> 21 </Td> <Td> September 28, 2008 </Td> <Td> May 17, 2009 </Td> <Th> 7.1 </Th> <Th> 12.4 </Th> <Td> "Treehouse of Horror XIX" </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> 21 </Th> <Td> 2009--10 </Td> <Td> 23 </Td> <Td> September 27, 2009 </Td> <Td> May 23, 2010 </Td> <Th> 7.1 </Th> <Th> 14.62 </Th> <Td> "Once Upon a Time in Springfield" </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> 22 </Th> <Td> 2010--11 </Td> <Td> 22 </Td> <Td> September 26, 2010 </Td> <Td> May 22, 2011 </Td> <Th> 7.09 </Th> <Th> 12.6 </Th> <Td> "Moms I'd Like to Forget" </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> 23 </Th> <Td> 2011--12 </Td> <Td> 22 </Td> <Td> September 25, 2011 </Td> <Td> May 20, 2012 </Td> <Th> 6.15 </Th> <Th> 11.48 </Th> <Td> "The D'oh - cial Network" </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> 24 </Th> <Td> 2012--13 </Td> <Td> 22 </Td> <Td> September 30, 2012 </Td> <Td> May 19, 2013 </Td> <Th> 5.41 </Th> <Th> 8.97 </Th> <Td> "Homer Goes to Prep School" </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> 25 </Th> <Td> 2013--14 </Td> <Td> 22 </Td> <Td> September 29, 2013 </Td> <Td> May 18, 2014 </Td> <Th> 5.02 </Th> <Th> 12.04 </Th> <Td> "Steal This Episode" </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> 26 </Th> <Td> 2014--15 </Td> <Td> 22 </Td> <Td> September 28, 2014 </Td> <Td> May 17, 2015 </Td> <Th> 5.61 </Th> <Th> 10.62 </Th> <Td> "The Man Who Came to Be Dinner" </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> 27 </Th> <Td> 2015--16 </Td> <Td> 22 </Td> <Td> September 27, 2015 </Td> <Td> May 22, 2016 </Td> <Th> 4.0 </Th> <Th> 8.33 </Th> <Td> "Teenage Mutant Milk - Caused Hurdles" </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> 28 </Th> <Td> 2016--17 </Td> <Td> 22 </Td> <Td> September 25, 2016 </Td> <Td> May 21, 2017 (2017 - 05 - 21) </Td> <Th> 4.80 </Th> <Th> 8.19 </Th> <Td> "Pork and Burns" </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> 29 </Th> <Td> 2017--18 </Td> <Td> 22 </Td> <Td> October 1, 2016 </Td> <Td> </Td> <Th> </Th> <Th> </Th> <Td> </Td> </Tr> </Table>

When did the simpsons air in the uk