The Smurfs (1989 sitcom)

The Smurfs is an American-Belgian animated television sitcom based off the comics by Peyo. The show was produced by Gracie Films, Great American Broadcasting (uncredited, seasons 1-2), Turner Program Services (seasons 3-7) and Warner Bros. Television (season 8-present), with animation produced by Hanna-Barbera Cartoons (seasons 1-3), Film Roman (seasons 4-27), Warner Bros. Animation (season 28-present) and Sony Pictures Animation (season 28-present). The show premiered December 17, 1989 on TBS. The show's executive producers and original showrunners were Peyo, Matt Groening, Sam Simon and James L. Brooks. By the fifth season, Theirry Culliford took over for his father as one of the executive producers.

Premise
The series consists of the misadventures of the Smurfs in Smurf Village, as well as in its neighbor city Springfield, while trying to outsmart Gargamel. The Smurfs don't take currency like its neighbor city, but their village is a community to them. The Smurfs try to hide themselves from Springfield, thinking that the town would know about their existence and capture them to turn them into gold.

Trivia

 * This is the second TV series based on the comics, the first being the well popular 1980s series.
 * Nearly all of their voice actors and actresses from the Hanna-Barbera cartoon reprise their roles for the sitcom.
 * The art style leftover from the Saturday morning cartoon, remained unchanged. Peyo felt uncomfortable to work with Groening, along with his refusal to simulate his art style for the show.
 * Unlike the comics and the previous TV series, this series takes place in the present day.
 * Despite that, all of the Smurfs, Gargamel and Azrael remain in their original wardrobe. Originally, Azrael was supposed to talk and appear as an anthropomorphic cat instead of a normal cat. But Peyo vetoed any changes made to Azrael.