Imagine if you will an alternate reality where The Simpsons was

>>94697147
Well, for one thing, family sitcoms survive a lot longer. One of the biggest influences the series had was that it basically destroyed the traditional family sitcom, by virtue of how utterly the early seasons skewered its usual plot points and archetypes. It might not last forever, given the rise of other channels and alternative programming, but they'll stick around.

Fox probably takes a lot longer to get off the ground, if at all, without The Simpsons to act as its tentpole. Throughout the 90s, Fox had a major problem with having enough shows to fill its schedule, and The Simpsons would take away that, along with the massive flow of merchandising cash.

Laughtrack-style setup-punchline-pause-for-laughter humor remains far more prominent, as the Simpsons was considered largely revolutionary for eschewing it in favor of more rapid-fire multilayered jokes.

Adult animation, particularly most of Seth McFarlane's empire, either never takes off or arrives a lot later. Cartoons in general are held in lower regard.

Matt Groening is remembered as an underground artist who drew Life In Hell. The series itself is considered to be "Hey, remember that time Fox let Matt make a show?"

Without The Simpsons to be his springboard, Brad Bird doesn't make Iron Giant or The Incredibles. By a similar token, we probably never get Conan O'Brien on the Tonight Show. And Futurama is right out.

The 1990s as a whole is a lot less cynical and snarky.