The Simpsons is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series is a satirical portrait of the lifestyle of people living in the heartland of America, through the lives of Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa, and Maggie. Set in the fictional town of Springfield, The Simpsons humorously satirizes American culture and society, the human condition, and television itself from many angles. Matt Groening conceived the idea of the Simpsons for a short series for producer James L. Brooks. Groening named the Simpsons after his family members, replacing his own name with "Bart." On April 19, 1987, the short series became part of The Tracy Ullman Show. After three seasons, The Simpsons was converted to a half-hour prime-time series and became one of Fox's early successes.