Family Guy: The Simpsons Guy
September 29, 2014 12:33 PM - Season 13, Episode 1 - Subscribe
When the Griffins become stranded in Springfield after their car is stolen during a road trip, Homer Simpson steps up and offers to help the lost family.
The Family Guy team clearly had fun playing in The Simpsons world for a while, highlighting some famous and favorite Simpsons moments with a Quahog spin. There's Homer and Peter embarking on a crazy scheme together, Bart and Stewie engaging in mischief (until Stewie takes things too far to Bart's horror), Meg and Lisa bonding over music, and Brian thinking less of Santa's Little Helper for speaking a "gutter language" ("Bark bark!"). There are even cameos from Bob of Bob's Burgers and Roger from American Dad.
The episode builds to a deconstruction of how The Simpsons has aged beyond its glory years and how Family Guy pushes the envelope into bad taste too often, but that both shows really do just want to entertain. It all ends up with a courtroom scene in which a surprise celebrity judge versed in these matters determines which show is really ripping off the other and features silent cameos from Matt Groening and Seth MacFarlane (along with a speaking cameo from both versions of James Woods).
Oh yeah, and the person who stole the Griffins' car? Hans Moleman. With his poor vision, he thought it was his car.
The Family Guy team clearly had fun playing in The Simpsons world for a while, highlighting some famous and favorite Simpsons moments with a Quahog spin. There's Homer and Peter embarking on a crazy scheme together, Bart and Stewie engaging in mischief (until Stewie takes things too far to Bart's horror), Meg and Lisa bonding over music, and Brian thinking less of Santa's Little Helper for speaking a "gutter language" ("Bark bark!"). There are even cameos from Bob of Bob's Burgers and Roger from American Dad.
The episode builds to a deconstruction of how The Simpsons has aged beyond its glory years and how Family Guy pushes the envelope into bad taste too often, but that both shows really do just want to entertain. It all ends up with a courtroom scene in which a surprise celebrity judge versed in these matters determines which show is really ripping off the other and features silent cameos from Matt Groening and Seth MacFarlane (along with a speaking cameo from both versions of James Woods).
Oh yeah, and the person who stole the Griffins' car? Hans Moleman. With his poor vision, he thought it was his car.
This was one of the most confusing things I've ever seen. Honestly, it was so bad that I shut it off after a half hour. . right when Peter Griffin said D'oh.
posted by pwally at 1:42 PM on September 29, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by pwally at 1:42 PM on September 29, 2014 [1 favorite]
For continuation on South Park's Simpsons/Family Guy commentary, there is also Cartoon Wars.
I am going to go home and watch this, but I'm not gonna feel good about it.
posted by phunniemee at 2:38 PM on September 29, 2014 [1 favorite]
I am going to go home and watch this, but I'm not gonna feel good about it.
posted by phunniemee at 2:38 PM on September 29, 2014 [1 favorite]
I feel like a worse person for having watched this. I don't even know why I did.
posted by dinty_moore at 8:13 PM on September 29, 2014 [3 favorites]
posted by dinty_moore at 8:13 PM on September 29, 2014 [3 favorites]
Used to quite like both shows but lately they seem quite flat. This wasn't quite as bad as say Dr. Who, but it was close. Nothing was a surprise. The brawl was the most entertaining thing in some of the mechanics of it, which might make for a good video game but otherwise the same tune.
posted by juiceCake at 10:19 PM on September 29, 2014
posted by juiceCake at 10:19 PM on September 29, 2014
One of the biggest differences between the shows is rewatching old episodes.
Old episodes of The Simpsons provoke the response: "wow, they used to be relatable people in a character-driven comedy"
Old episodes of Family Guy provoke the response: "wow, I can just barely remember that contemporary thing they mentioned existed"
posted by DoctorFedora at 10:25 PM on September 29, 2014 [7 favorites]
Old episodes of The Simpsons provoke the response: "wow, they used to be relatable people in a character-driven comedy"
Old episodes of Family Guy provoke the response: "wow, I can just barely remember that contemporary thing they mentioned existed"
posted by DoctorFedora at 10:25 PM on September 29, 2014 [7 favorites]
The Simpsons were never to my taste, but they've permeated the culture so thoroughly that somehow I know all their tropes anyway. It's interesting that I watched this last night, but most of the crossover jokes have already passed from my memory. I fast-forwarded through the car wash scene. The one thing that really stood out was the obvious joy the Family Guy animators took in a shot that lasted maybe a second where Homer was drawn Family Guy style and Peter in The Simpsons style.
Anyway, I know I'm supposed to hate the show now, but I got a lot of laughs out of it when I really need them — especially after it started playing for an hour every night on Adult Swim. I guess it comforts me the same way The Simpsons does other people.
P.S. I thought of one! In the courtroom they all say "Oh no!" as they do, and the Kool-aid guy calls Peter and says he's in the wrong Springfield. I laughed at that one.
posted by ob1quixote at 10:48 PM on September 29, 2014
Anyway, I know I'm supposed to hate the show now, but I got a lot of laughs out of it when I really need them — especially after it started playing for an hour every night on Adult Swim. I guess it comforts me the same way The Simpsons does other people.
P.S. I thought of one! In the courtroom they all say "Oh no!" as they do, and the Kool-aid guy calls Peter and says he's in the wrong Springfield. I laughed at that one.
posted by ob1quixote at 10:48 PM on September 29, 2014
I'm a long enough Simpsons fan that the callbacks and background characters made me smile (it's been a long time since we've seen Hank Scorpio). I gave up on Family Guy years ago and this show didn't do anything to change my mind.
That fight scene went on way too long, although I did like two moments of it:
- "We're going to make it!" "Trust me, we're not" over the gorge.
- Ralph Wiggum's "I'm in danger" was good.
Which I think sums up the whole episode. There were funny bits here and there but it really didn't need to be an hour long.
posted by Gary at 11:41 PM on September 29, 2014
That fight scene went on way too long, although I did like two moments of it:
- "We're going to make it!" "Trust me, we're not" over the gorge.
- Ralph Wiggum's "I'm in danger" was good.
Which I think sums up the whole episode. There were funny bits here and there but it really didn't need to be an hour long.
posted by Gary at 11:41 PM on September 29, 2014
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And despite being twice as long as that South Park episode, it was only half as good. The only subplot I really enjoyed was Brian's, perhaps because he didn't have quite such an obvious doppelganger to lean on.
posted by Etrigan at 12:59 PM on September 29, 2014 [2 favorites]