Return of cartoon violence?
“The Simpsons” took yet another swipe at “Family Guy” Sunday night, once again insinuating that the main character of the revived Fox show — Peter Griffin — is just a rip-off of Homer Simpson.
Last night’s episode of “The Simpsons” was the latest Sideshow Bob-themed show (an ongoing series that strangely never gets tiresome). The Simpsons find Bob in Italy and eventually alert the Italian police that Bob was a criminal back in the States. The police confirm this by going through a book of American criminals with their offense listed below their photo. Here’s how the progression went:
Snake - “Invasione Di Casa”
Mayor Quimby - “Drinko Drive-O”
Peter - “Plagiarismo”
American Dad - “Plagiarismo di Plagiarismo”
Sideshow Bob - “Omicidio Attentato Multiplo”
The Peter part was funny enough, but to follow it with American Dad — pure genuis.
The earliest knock on “Family Guy” that I can remember seeing on “The Simpsons” was during the episode where Homer does missionary work, which dates back to the 11th season (February 2000). Towards the end, a telethon is being conducted for Fox and host Betty White says something about low-brow programming before zapping off a TV with the “Family Guy” logo on it.
The most famous dig, however, occured during a “Simpsons” Halloween episode (Treehouse of Horror XIII), specifically the segment where Homer clones himself hundreds of times over and Peter appears as one of the clones.
This one actually caused the creator of “Family Guy” to eventually speak out during an interview with Blender magazine.
Seth MacFarlane said an episode of “The Simpsons” where a Homer Simpson clone was identified as “Family Guy” dad Peter Griffin was “definitely a slam.” …
.. “To me, Peter is much more similar to Ralph Kramden than he is to Homer, right down to his voice,” he said, referring to the character from “The Honeymooners.” “That’s what I see. But because ‘The Simpsons’ and ‘Family Guy’ are really the only two shows of their kind of television, there’ll be comparisons made.”
MacFarlane then went on to admit he was definitely influenced by “The Simpsons” before stating that the long-running series is “not the show it was.”
If that’s the best MacFarlane came come up with, this seems more like a one-sided feud than anything. A one-sided fued that the writers of “The Simpsons” will no doubt continue to perpetuate until Seth decides to really fight back.
December 12th, 2005 at 9:15 pm
simpsons has never been that good in my opinion and i doubt that any time in my life i will enjoy it. i do enjoy family guy, however.
December 12th, 2005 at 11:25 pm
I really like both The Simpsons and Family Guy, but I really don’t think they’re as alike as it seems. There are a few simliarities between them, but Family Guy really pushes the limits a lot more than The Simpsons ever did.
December 13th, 2005 at 12:38 pm
Justin that’s surprising. Have you seen the episodes from about 1995 to 2001? To me, it blows away The Family Guy. These days I’d rather watch the Family Guy, but that’s because the Simpsons is only good now, not great. Family Guy will go stale way before year 15 or whatever their on.
I like them both a lot, and they are not similar (the shows and the Dads). Peter Griffin is more annoying and mildly retarded, Homer is just a flake. What makes the Simpsons funny is Homer and all of the non-Simpsons in Springfield. To me, the Family Guy is carried by Stewie, Brian and Quagmire (and the evil monkey and the giant chicken).
December 13th, 2005 at 4:20 pm
Feud aside, The Simpsons blows Family Guy out of the water for one important reason…ratings. Family guy and American Dad nearly put Fox in last place when they air, but the Simpsons (even during a bad episode, like Sundays) puts Fox in second place (no one beats ABC on Sundays).
Family Guy is putting itself on the verge of being cancelled again due to ratings alone, there are too many 12 year olds who praise the show online but do not watch it. I for one enjoy the Simpsons immensely and hope that they go out on a high note.
December 13th, 2005 at 6:22 pm
Seth and company have fired back before. Here’s Stewie from the “8 Simple Rules for Buying My Teenage Daughter” episode:
“Ha! I got your hat! Take that, hatless! Now go back to the quad and resume your hackey sac tourney! I’m not gonna lay down for some frat boy bastard with his damn Teva sandals and his Skoal Bandits and his Abercrombie and Fitch long sleeved, open stitched, crew neck Henley smoking his sticky buds out of a soda can while watching his favorite downloaded Simpsons episodes every night! Yes, we all love “Mr. Plow”! Oh, you’ve got the song memorized, do you? SO DOES EVERYONE ELSE! That is exactly the kind of idiot you see at Taco Bell at 1 in the morning! The guy who just whiffed his way down the bar skank ladder!”
December 13th, 2005 at 8:39 pm
jeff, i am not anti-groenig because i find futurama to be ingenius and hilarious. i never really liked the characters in the simpsons, some non-major characters are good (like you said the show is carried by non-simpson springfield-ites), but the simpsons themselves have never interested me. i do think that the 95-01 era is good, or at least better than the rest. i have certain episodes that entertain, nay, thrill me… but in general… MEH!
December 14th, 2005 at 5:07 pm
I wouldn’t say Family Guy plagarises off of the Simpsons, but it definitely copies the Simpsons formula. Family Guy is entertaining but nauseating at times, while the Simpsons can be slower but the humor is well crafted. Plus, every single annoying loser is obsessed with Family Guy… so winner is… the Simpsons.
December 14th, 2005 at 6:54 pm
your article is biased and skewed. It failed to mention the context of MacFarlane’s answers.
One example:
MacFarlane then went on to admit he was definitely influenced by “The Simpsons” before stating that the long-running series is “not the show it was.”
You conveniently forgot to mention that MacFarlane had said that no show can remain on the air as long as the Simpsons and remain as fresh as it was. He even stated there’s no way Family Guy could do that.
and that’s fact. No opinion needed. No show can stay on the air that long and not become tired.
December 15th, 2005 at 7:49 am
fued -> feud
Cool article.
December 15th, 2005 at 10:08 am
Lame as it sounds, I useta like the old Simpsons episodes because they generally had some redeeming qualities/sentimentality/old timey-family-home down qualities to them and the satire wasn’t so blatant. Unlike the recent episodes, and all of Family Guy.
December 15th, 2005 at 10:28 am
[…] Check out the Simpsons recent barbs at Family Guy. I definitely agree that the Simpsons is not the show it used to be, but Family Guy will always be half the show the Simpsons is. […]
December 15th, 2005 at 10:30 am
The Simpsons are tripe now and have been for some years. I never watch them. Family guy occupies the same niche, definitely, but it’s far, far, funnier. When the Simpsons’ script can compete on equal terms with their ‘plagiarists’, I’ll give them due credit for originality. Family Guy is Simpsons 2.0.
December 29th, 2005 at 3:50 am
And Homer was a ripoff of Fred Flintstone. The Simpsons used to be funny. Family Guy is funny now. They really are vastly different shows though and hard to compare.
January 5th, 2006 at 1:21 pm
“The Simpsons” is smart humor. “Family Guy” is dumb humor. Both are funny.
May 9th, 2006 at 11:13 am
at my age i have seen a few simpsons episodes and at the same time i was around to see family guy just get started but the thing is that i like both of them for different resons and they are a part of the line up when i get a chance to sit in front of the tube when they are on but anyways there is a close toss up as to which one is the best
August 21st, 2006 at 4:34 am
Simpsons and Family guy are much different shows. Family guy appeals to a smaller minority and that’s why it doesn’t get the rating but it still is a good show. I personally find Family guy funnier but I can see how people dislike it maybe seeing it as dumb humor. Half the humor in Family guy may seem dumb but most of it is just less subtle. Family guy is real where it bags celebrities and tv stations.
August 21st, 2006 at 4:35 am
Long live family guy and all you goddamn simpsons fanatics leave it alone;
August 25th, 2006 at 4:46 pm
GOD! I like them both. Can’t they just get along and have some good-sportsmanship? All comedy cartoons almost have the same formula.