The Simpsons debuted on FOX with a half-hour Christmas special on Sunday, December 18th, 1989. The series proper would not premiere until Sunday, January 14th, 1990. This is a promotional spot for the series premiere.
Exploring forgotten TV from the 1920s to today.
The series looked (and sounded) a lot different during its first half-season. Who could ever imagine, back then, that it’s STILL on, in first-run episodes, 20 years later? Incidentally, most reference books [including Brooks and Marsh’s] incorrectly list December 18, 1989 as the official start of the series; that, of course, was the “first” Christmas special (informally known as “Simpsons Roasting On An Open Fire”). As RGJ mentioned above, the first episode of the SERIES aired on January 14, 1990.
Make that 26…and it’s been renewed through 28.