So I Watched the Family Guy/Simpsons Crossover Episode

I’ve been a fan of both The Simpsons and The Family Guy for YEARS but I’m a fan in the same way many of us were fans of Jodeci boots. I haven’t rocked with them for a long time but nostalgia always makes me reminisce with a smile. I haven’t caught a new episode of either show in I can’t even remember how long but I will stop flipping channels to watch a rerun at night.

When I heard that there was a crossover episode happening, I was actually excited because everyone knows that Family Guy is Simpsons 2.0 and it has been a point of contention for fans. There are so many videos about jokes and situations and storylines that FG stole from Simpsons so them coming together would be a chance for some direct roasting for both.

I missed the live showing of “The Simpsons Guy” so I caught it on Hulu Plus last night. The extra long episode was a premiere of Family Guy’s newest season and Peter gets a comic strip that he uses it to post misogynistic cartoons. The women of Quahog protest so the family leaves town until the heat dies down. They end up in Springfield, STATEWEDONTKNOW when their car ends up getting stolen and they befriend the Simpsons.

Character pairings – Each of the characters are matched up to their counterparts. Peter and Homer mesh their fat, dumb, white guy stupidity and become the best of friends. Stewie and Bart get along in all their troublemaking glory. Lisa tries to help Meg find something she’s good at while Marge and Lois are paired. Brian is matched with Santa’s Little Helper and even he’s irritated by that.

I’m not sure if the pairings worked, outside of Marge/Lois and Peter/Homer. Stewie and Maggie definitely wouldn’t have worked because the only thing they have in common is being babies so I guess him and Bart were the best there. However, Lisa and Meg was completely off. Brian and Lisa would have worked better because they’re both brainiacs who often don’t fit into a family of nincompoops.

The Story – All is well until Peter introduces Homer to the Quahog beer Pantucket Ale and it turns out that it’s Springfield’s Duff beer with a new label. This gives way to the un-subtle comparison of Family Guy being a rip-off of the Simpsons. They end up in court, where judge Fred Flintstone (I see what they did there) rules in favor of Duff beer.

It’s a smart scene because the Quahog characters are seated next to their Springfield folks in court. Cleveland and Carl dap, Mayor Quimby and Mayor Adam West leave together, Quagmire even retorts that Lenny isn’t a perve enough so they don’t go all the way. This was my favorite part of the entire episode because the shows made fun of each other and didn’t rely on what now feels like teenage humor for laughs.

Speaking of bad humor…

Jokes – There were a lot of the low-hanging politically incorrect jokes that both shows are known for (very few of them were funny). But the one that is receiving the most backlash is one where Bart calls Moe’s tavern to prank call him with a name (Leek Kihole). Stewie wants to give it a try to so he yells “Your sister is being raped!” and Bart blank stares him. I fully understand why people are up in arms about it because it was a FAIL.

I THINK what they were trying to do is show that rape is NOT funny because even Bart looked somewhat horrified. Where they fell flat on their face was that they did not make it clear enough that the point was to say RAPE IS NOT OK TO JOKE ABOUT. Family Guy is notorious for one of those long stares and staying on a line for too long. THIS is one scene where they should have done an extended blank stare to drill the point in. They should have emphasized Bart being horrified more or had him say to Stewie “WTF, DUDE?! NO.”

They wasted that moment by making it another throwaway line so I absolutely understand why people are dragging them. Also, the white dudebros who are creators of Family Guy have built a reputation for being assholes so I might very much be giving them too much leeway by even thinking that their point was “RAPE IS BAD.” I might be giving them too much credit. Either way, they absolutely deserve this backlash for being completely obtuse.

Gags – At the end of the episode, Peter and Homer get into a rolling all-out brawl, like Peter does with the chicken. This fight lasted a full 7 minutes and it was the longest 7 minutes EVER. SHEESH. WE GET IT. WE GET IT. LAWD. Ugh. It has overstayed its welcome after minute 2. STAHP.

After being on for 26 years (The Simpsons) and being the longest running sitcom of all time, how fresh can you remain? And when the schtick that made you huge to begin with (being the new edgy kid on the block) is no longer accurate (Family Guy) because its been 12 years, then what keeps folks around?

Like I said, it’s been a while since I watched new episodes of either show and this was a reminder that both of them are past their primes and past the point where they were funny and smart. We might have all outgrown both these shows but the reason they stay on is because of white dudebro privilege our inability to let go of old shit.

When the 2 leads face off, Homer says “It’s just a lousy rip-off!” and Peter replies with “I think I speak for all of us when I say I am over the Simpsons!” To both of them, I say “Yes. Accurate.”

Did y’all watch this crossover ep? Lemme know what you thought.