AlthoughFamily Guyseason 23, episode 10 parodies a string of Hulu shows, it is reallyThe Simpsonsthat the show is borrowing from in this outing. AlthoughThe Simpsonsis the longest-running scripted primetime American TV show in history, it sometimes seems likeFamily Guyis well on its way to catching up with the acclaimed series.
The Simpsonsis arguably themost influential sitcom of all time, and a huge part of this influence comes down to the show igniting the adult animation boom of the ‘90s. Without the success ofThe Simpsons, there would be noKing of the Hill,South Park,Futurama,Beavis and Butt-Head,Family Guy, Bob’s Burgers, orAmerican Dad.
Family Guy’s Best Episodes Are Anthologies Of Shorter Stories
Each Family Guy Season Features An Episode Comprised of Vignettes
However, evenasFamily Guyseason 24nears, few shows have weathered as many close comparisons withThe Simpsonsas Fox’s edgier, darker animated family sitcom. In season 23, episode 10, ”A Real Who’s Hulu,”Family Guyintended to spoof a string of Hulu originals but instead ended up inadvertently highlighting its debt toThe Simpsons.
The bulk of the episode consists of three shorter vignettes that spoof popular Hulu hitsThe Bear,The Dropout, andOnly Murders in the Building.
”A Real Who’s Hulu” begins with Peter searching through his recently rediscovered iPad and watching various Hulu shows. The bulk of the episode consists of three shorter vignettes that spoof popular Hulu hitsThe Bear,The Dropout, andOnly Murders in the Building. Viewers familiar withThe Simpsonswill recognize this formula.
Family Guyregularly utilizes the anthology episode format first seen inThe Simpsons’ Treehouse of Horror Halloween specials, splitting an episode into shorter stories to set up snappier, sillier plots. This tradition dates back to season 3, episode 21, “Family Guy Viewer Mail #1.”
Family Guy Season 23 Episode 10’s Streaming Service Spoof Highlighted The Show’s Strength
The Comedy Series Is Unafraid of Mocking Fellow Hulu Shows
A format clearly indebted toThe Simpsons’ Treehouse of Horror outings, the anthology show setup allowsFamily Guyto parody a broad range of movies and shows. There are over 20Family Guyanthology episodes, from an outing that spoofs Stephen King stories to one that spoofs Grimm’s fairy tales.
WhereFamily GuybeatsThe Simpsons’ anthology setup is the show’s range of subject matter. SinceFamily Guy’s anthology episodes can be linked by any theme, whereasThe Simpsonsare usually horror/Halloween-related, the show tells a broader range of stories within these outings.
Family Guyis available to stream on Hulu.
The Simpsonshas been known to take a similar approach on occasion, with unconventional outings like season 10, episode 18, “Simpsons Bible Stories.” However,Family Guyis more likely to devote an episode to spoofing other contemporary TV shows, unlikeThe Simpsons.
