Family Guy for a variety of reasons. The former’s animated short film was released on May 4th on Disney+ in order to commemorate Star Wars Day. However, what could have been a fun blending of two iconic pop culture franchises fell drastically short of the mark.
The Simpsons has successfully spoofed dozens of movies and television shows throughout its 32 years on the air, yet struggled with its silent parody involving Maggie at Jabba's Hut Jedi Preschool. Family Guy already beat them to the mark with their three hour-long specials, which tell the events of the entire original trilogy. Known collectively as Laugh It Up, Fuzzball: The Family Guy Trilogy and released between 2007-2010, the title’s in-joke alone is a clear indication of the thought put into show creator Seth MacFarlane’s ambitious Star Wars crossovers.
Arguably the main reason Family Guy succeeded where The Simpsons fails is in the parodies’ differing tones. The former gives the impression the creative team are huge fans of Star Wars, even using Return of the Jedi’s fake working title, Blue Harvest, as the name of their first installment. In contrast, The Simpsons boasts no greater knowledge of George Lucas' space western movies beyond obvious tropes and an unfunny attempt to cash in on Disney’s purchase of Lucasfilm. The Simpsons’ parody is ittedly vastly shorter, running at just three minutes, but that’s no excuse for lazy cameos and lacking a clear creative goal.
The Force Awakens from Its Nap simply isn’t particularly funny. While only a short film, there were still plenty of opportunities to make fresh, humorous observations on the Star Wars galaxy. Instead, the parody is treated as an excuse for an endless parade of political commentary via the fascist Empire.
Aside from its obvious attempt to promote both The Simpsons and Star Wars content on Disney+, the animated short doesn’t bother to integrate its characters into the world of Star Wars. The parody turns Maggie’s enemy, unibrow baby Gerald Samson, into Darth Maul, but misses the opportunity to incorporate any other Springfield residents. Meanwhile, Family Guy properly depicts the original trilogy, while still poking fun at Star Wars’ weaker moments and finding amusing ways to include its many sitcom characters. Casting Peter Griffin as Han Solo and Ernie the Giant Chicken as Boba Fett provides a fun nod to their sitcom rivalry without detracting from the story. Family Guy’s parodies feel like they exist in the universe George Lucas created, while The Simpsons’ short is nothing more than a marketing ploy.
Despite Family Guy being known for its crude humor, the Star Wars parodies are surprisingly faithful to the source material. The Simpsons’ lack of imagination is disappointing, given they have referenced Star Wars on plenty of occasions, from Homer spoiling the ending of The Empire Strikes Back for the entire crowd standing in line at a theater, to his saving Mark Hamill from a riot during a sci-fi convention. Ultimately, Family Guy proves that parodies can’t succeed without sincerely honoring their source.
