9 Worst Times TV Shows Went Meta
5. The Simpsons/Family Guy Crossover
Two animated comedies in their twilight years brought together for the crossover nobody wanted. What could be better than for the writers to constantly draw attention to the declining quality of both shows?
Well, that’s exactly what they did. There were numerous references to Family Guy's plagiarism (there was even a Duff Beer vs. Pawtucket Patriot Ale trial) and allusions to The Simpsons' diminishing returns (Peter proclaims "I am over The Simpsons" at the end of the episode).
But the worst instance arrives right out of the gate: the very first scene finds the Griffin family watching an “All In The Family/Modern Family” crossover. Chris smirks: “Yay, a crossover always bring out the best in each show! It certainly doesn’t smack of desperation; the priorities are always creative, and not driven by marketing…”
Some self-awareness is to be expected, but do we really need Family Guy dragging The Simpsons down to its level?