"The Simpsons" now becomes the longest-running scripted show in the US

"The Simpsons" has now become the longest-running scripted show in primetime American television history after airing its record-breaking 636th episode.

The said episode aired on Sunday and surpassed the previous record set by "Gunsmoke". "Gunsmoke" started on radio in 1952 and eventually became a TV series that ran for 635 episodes from the year 1955 to 1975. As a celebration of this feat, the episode that aired last week showcased a gunfight battle between two characters. Towards the end of the show, one character named Homer told the children that their series was about to pass previous record-holder “Gunsmoke”.

"The Simpsons" focuses on a family of five, namely Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie - and their animated antics in the fictional town of Springfield.

The show has won 32 Emmy Awards, 34 Annie Awards and a 2016 People's Choice Award, according to their website. It was the first animated series to win a Peabody Award, and was nominated for an Academy Award in 2012 for the theatrical short "The Longest Daycare".