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#10: “American Dad!” (2005-)
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“Breaking Bad” (2008-13) “American Dad!” is no stranger to parody, and the tenth season episode “Faking Bad” has one particular show in its crosshairs. You can probably guess which show. Steve takes on the Walter White role, becoming a local kingpin of fake IDs. The young man even gives himself a German alias a la Heisenberg, going by the name “Guttenberg” (after “Police Academy” actor Steve Guttenberg). Stan embodies the role of Hank, as he is tasked with tracking down the mysterious ringleader who just so happens to be a close family member. The entire episode parodies the style and storytelling techniques of “Breaking Bad,” and it often pokes fun at how it all works in the process.
#9: “The Drew Carey Show” (1995-2004)
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“Babylon 5” (1993-98) Science fiction and its devoted fans are often the target of parody, but “The Drew Carey Show” parodies it all with true style. In the episode “Three Guys, a Girl and a B-Story,” Lewis attends a science fiction convention dressed as G'Kar from “Babylon 5.” The makeup and costume design are on point, but no matter how good Lewis looks, he is still made fun of for his goofy appearance. At one point, Carey says “in a costume like that, even the winners are losers.” Jokes are also made at the expense of G’Kar’s name and a fictional language used throughout “Babylon 5.” Lewis may love the sci-fi classic, but “The Drew Carey Show,” and the characters who populate it, can’t help but poke fun.
#8: “Psych” (2006-14)
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“Twin Peaks” (1990-91; 2017) No matter how iconic it may be, “Twin Peaks” is ripe for parody. Like much of David Lynch’s work, the show is filled with nonsensical and surreal imagery, the characters are quirky, and the plot doesn’t make a whole lot of sense. Enter “Psych” and the fifth season episode “Dual Spires.” The name is an obvious play on “Twin Peaks,” but the jokes don’t stop there. Nope, the whole episode is a playful homage to Lynch’s television masterpiece, with some of its regular cast members even showing up for cameos. “Psych” has a firm understanding of what made “Twin Peaks” tick, and it’s fun to watch that cult classic be comedically poked and prodded.
#7: “Married... with Children” (1987-97)
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“Cops” (1989-) Back in 1996, Fox did a fun little experiment with their flagship shows “Cops” and “Married…with Children.” They decided to do a crossover event, with Al and Jefferson watching and commenting on the “Cops” episode that had just aired. Furthermore, Al learns that Officer Dan will be appearing on the show and works his Al magic to star alongside him. The result is a hilarious parody of “Cops,” with the inexperienced Al playing it up for the camera. The targets of this episode are many, including the colorful characters often seen on the show and its signature handheld camera work.
#6: “Community” (2009-15)
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“Glee” (2009-15) No show is safe from “Community.” And few shows are as ready for parody as “Glee.” The two combine with hilarious force in the season three episode “Regional Holiday Music.” Series creator Dan Harmon reportedly hated “Glee,” and he made his frustrations known throughout this episode. The glee club is portrayed as being overly-sensitive, and everyone finds their performances annoying and obnoxious - so much so that Chang hands them a cease and desist letter. And when the study group is coerced into performing, the show takes aim at “Glee’s” cloying sentimentality and borderline cultish behavior. It’s all great stuff, and it’s obvious that the people behind it had a firm hatred of the material.
#5: “Family Guy” (1999-2003; 2005-)
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“Robot Chicken” (2005-22) There’s obviously a good relationship between “Family Guy” and “Robot Chicken.” Seth Green is a regular performer on “Family Guy,” and Seth MacFarlane helped Green pitch “Robot Chicken” to Adult Swim. But regardless of the shared bond, “Family Guy” has taken some vicious swings at Green’s stop motion sitcom. In “Road to the Multiverse,” Chris makes fun of the show’s nerdy cultural references while Stewie, actually acknowledging Green, asks how it feels to be on a major network. This joke is mirrored in the “Star Wars” specials, with Peter mocking “Robot Chicken’s” niche network and low viewer count. At least Green is a great sport about it.
#4: “Scrubs” (2001-10)
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“House” (2004-12) It was only a matter of time before “Scrubs” took aim at its more serious and dramatic counterpart. While “House” was critically acclaimed, it certainly had a predictable formula, and “Scrubs” took advantage of it. The parody came in the appropriately-named sixth season episode “My House.” The entire episode is a parody of the show, with Cox using a cane and having to deal with over-the-top medical mysteries with unforeseeable conclusions. One of them is a patient with orange skin, which is a direct reference to the “House” pilot. Cox even directly criticizes “House” in one prolonged monologue, poking fun at House’s Hollywood looks and the outrageous number of medical mysteries that he has to deal with.
#3: “The Simpsons” (1989-)
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“Tom and Jerry” (1940-) franchise At this point, Itchy and Scratchy may be more famous than Tom and Jerry. While the earlier cat and mouse duo originally starred in popular short films, they eventually made their way to TV in the 1970s with “The Tom and Jerry Show.” However, this program was vastly different from the films, as censors feared that the violence would not be suited to the small screen. This violence is exactly what “Tom and Jerry” became known for, and it was viciously and relentlessly parodied throughout “The Simpsons.” Itchy and Scratchy are exaggerated versions of Tom and Jerry, with the violence being far more graphic. And it’s through Itchy and Scratchy that “The Simpsons” satirizes cartoon violence and the gleeful manner in which children consume it.
#2: “How I Met Your Mother” (2005-14)
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“Friends” (1994-2004) While it did enough to distinguish itself, “How I Met Your Mother” was always compared to “Friends,” and often unfavorably. Enter the second season episode “Swarley,” which sees the sitcom putting “Friends” in its place. “Swarley” gets right down to business, with Ted, Marshall, and Barney hanging out in a coffee shop that looks exactly like Central Perk. All three look extraordinarily bored, with Marshall and Ted staring off into space and Barney impatiently checking his watch. Both Barney and Ted then remark that spending time in a coffee shop isn’t nearly as fun as spending time in a bar, an obvious jab at the shows’ respective hangouts.
#1: “South Park” (1997-)
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“Family Guy” (1999-2003; 2005-) It’s “Family Guy’s” turn to be on the receiving end of a harsh roast. “South Park” famously came after “Family Guy” in the iconic two-parter “Cartoon Wars,” and let’s just say, they were not very kind. Creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone are not fans of “Family Guy,” primarily owing to its lack of proper storylines and reliance on nonsensical cutaway gags. These cutaway gags are relentlessly mocked throughout “Cartoon Wars.” At one point, it’s revealed that the “Family Guy” writers room is populated by manatees mindlessly working with “idea balls.” And the end of the episode contains a wickedly offensive video made by terrorist Ayman al-Zawahiri, who calls the content “funnier than Family Guy.”
