Watch Simpsons/Family Guy Crossover Episode: Review
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The concept of the crossover has always originated with the fans. In a world they create where anything is possible the many What If's are pondered and countless theories are born.
Since the beginning of the show, Family Guy has been compared to The Simpsons for reasons good and bad.
These early discussions evolved into a much bigger comparison, and the cult following behind both shows have been bumping heads ever since.
15 years later the two shows responded to the underground rumblings and provided all the answers in the form of an hour long crossover event.
It was apparent that the fans were in high consideration while making this episode. Though it sounds like what you would want to hear, this is where the problem with this episode begins.
The most common argument heard when comparing two characters in a fictional world is "Who would win in a fight?" Unfortunately, we have to sit through a sequence entertaining just that.
A forced conflict that overstays its welcome where Homer replaces the giant chicken role in the, now infamous, Family Guy chicken episodes.
The story also takes a turn where Peter and Homer compare their town's local beers spawning a friendship-breaking argument.
This was a very cleverly written play on the series' themselves poking fun at the biggest accusation that Family Guy is a cheap imitation of The Simpsons.
Had this been the premise of the entire episode it would have been far more enjoyable, but it was thrown in halfway through the episode in order to settle a fan based debate.
There was a beautiful marriage of the two opposing worlds as far as the art department goes. Most of the time it blended together very well.
Unfortunately it's not consistent enough and the Family Guy art does tend to surface at inappropriate times throughout the episode, making some of the Simpson's characters and landscapes look fake and out of place.
#Family guy #Simpsons cross over was awesome. Soo many laughs
-- david (@21keno) September 30, 2014
Most of the time we are bumping into Springfield residents so that we can be given a well-known catchprase consistent with their character.
Moe gets yet another prank phone call, Apu is still selling expired food, Comic Book Guy is a fanboy, and so on.
There are plenty of moments in the show where well written jokes are given, and a handful of opportunities to laugh, but this shouldn't be an OK episode. It should have been a memorable event.
If more time had been spent on the two families interacting and less on introducing the audience to a town they already know inside and out we might have had just that.
Instead we are spending most of our time touring Springfield so that we can listen to everyone deliver their tired catch phrases.
Frankly, it wasn't even close, and this will just be an easily forgotten episode that never reached its full potential.