The Simpsons, a television and cultural phenomenon, turns 25 this week

Whether as a TV show, cultural phenomenon or commercial juggernaut, it's hard to overstate the importance of . The series, which marks 25 years since its first episode on December 17, has virtually defined comedy, satire and the Fox network that produces it during that time.

Take a moment to imagine a pop culture landscape without and you'll understand its impact. The show not only convinced America (and the world) that animation could be for adults, it could be commercially lucrative at primetime. This opened the door for the likes of , , and countless imitators - and also set the tone for a new kind of self-aware, hyper-referential form of satirical comedy that has influenced everything from and to and .

As creator Seth MacFarlane put it in an interview with : " created an audience for primetime 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."

That medium was driven by an anarchic brand of comedy that encompassed satire, slapstick and often a touch of the surreal, and to which nothing was sacred - even itself. Ever keen on the meta-gag and unafraid to bite the hand that feeds it, has mercilessly mocked Fox on numerous occasions, as well as media tycoon Rupert Murdoch, the network's owner, who has gamely appeared as a guest star in two episodes.

Crucially, due to a clause in the contract negotiated by executive producer James L. Brooks, Fox can't interfere with the show's content.

also marked the dawn of a new age of shows that were as TV-literate as the audience that was coming of age, and it's easy to forget just how groundbreaking it was. The genius of in those early days was the mischievous glee with which it subverted expectations and turned genre clichés on their head to comedic effect.