Topic summary

The Tracey Ullman Show

The Tracey Ullman Show

The Tracey Ullman Show is an American television sketch comedyvariety show starring Tracey Ullman. It debuted on Fox on April 5, 1987, as the network's second original primetime series, following Married... with Children, and ran for four seasons and 81 episodes until May 26, 1990. It was produced by Gracie Films in association with 20th Century Fox Television. The show blends sketch comedy with musical numbers and dance routines, choreographed by Paula Abdul, along with animated shorts. The show was conceived by executive producer James L. Brooks. Brooks was determined to come up with a format that best suited his multitalented star. He likened the show to producing three television pilots a week.

The show produced a series of shorts featuring the Simpson family, which were later spun off into the longest-running American scripted primetime television series, The Simpsons. The Tracey Ullman Show was the first Fox primetime show to win an Emmy Award, winning a total of ten over the course of its run. Ullman was the first British woman to be offered her own television sketch show in the United States.

Rolling Stone ranked The Tracey Ullman Show as the 25th-best sketch comedy show in its "40 Greatest Sketch-Comedy TV Shows of All Time" list.