Time magazine calls it "dazzlingly intelligent," and named it the "Television Show of the Century." The program was the subject of an intellectual book of philosophical essays by established college professors.
   At www.snpp.com, you can view academic papers written about this witty program. So we're talking about "Frasier" or "The West Wing," right? Perhaps something on PBS? Not even close.
   Television's smartest show is FOX's long-running animated series, "The
Simpsons."
   No other programs make historical references to German philosopher Albert Schweitzer and Shakespeare's Richard III. Though from a distance, "The Simpsons" seems like a lowbrow slapstick cartoon, the four-fingered, yellow-skinned citizens of Springfield, U.S.A, make the show as sophisticated as any other on the airwaves. To be completely honest, there's more to be learned from The Simpsons than many required high school courses.
   I know from experience.
   Here are some things than a student can learn from Beginning Personal Fitness, a required course at my high school: Exercise is good, healthful food is good, and unhealthful food is bad. It's perplexing that an 18-week course is apparently necessary to get these facts across to students.
   But in just a 30-minute episode of "The Simpsons," you can pick up valuable historical references, dozens of useful vocabulary words, interesting pop-culture facts and information, not to mention the most clever humor since Monty Python.
    Intransigent, myopic, and ingenuous are just a few vocabulary words that can be found in a single episode. And what makes hearing vocabulary words in "The Simpsons" more valuable than hearing them in a classroom is the fact that the viewer will genuinely want to understand the word or reference to understand the jokes.
   In one show, there is a scene where Jimi Hendrix's dog is pictured, and the dog sleeps in a box labeled "Rover." To understand this reference, I was forced to do some research on Hendrix, and I finally understood the reference to Hendrix's famous song, Fire.
   "This show contains both types of humor enjoyable to children of all ages: slapstick and intellectual. It's funny to them, and it's a show that leaves them feeling good. They can relate experiences in their lives to the show," says a parent who reviewed the show at www.familyeducation.com.
   "Its a show with great original stories, satires, spoofs, and wonderful fresh ideas, something not many shows can boast. [The show] also provides a very positive social criticism for its viewers," continued the parent of 14, 16, and 18-year-old children.
   Today, television continues to drop new lows in quality. If you think that your kids would be better off watching The Learning Channel, check out the June 25th TV listings. From 6:00-7:00 we have a show about the secrets of professional wrestling. How enlightening.
   Other shows on the network include programs about police chases, monster trucks, and the facts about werewolves. It seems that even the channel with "learning" in its title has lowered its standards to fit the desires of television viewers. But at FOX, (the network that has brought us shows such as Who Wants to Marry a Multi-Millionaire? and World's Sexiest Commercials) there is at least one bright spot.
   Flick on America's favorite dysfunctional family and expect to laugh while you learn.