‘Family Guy’ Has Officially Dethroned ‘The Simpsons’ After 25 Seasons

Family Guy has started an annual run of Halloween specials on Hulu, giving the long-running animated comedy a new seasonal tradition that the article argues has outshone The Simpsons’ famous “Treehouse of Horror”. The change matters because The Simpsons has been a defining influence on animated comedy, while Family Guy spent most of its run without a dedicated Halloween episode each year.

The first special, “Peter, Peter, Pumpkin Cheater”, arrived in October 2024 with guest appearances by Glen Powell and Derek Jacobi, but received a mixed reaction. Its 2025 follow-up, “A Little Fright Music”, is described as more cohesive, focusing on Brian and Stewie trying to create a Halloween song. The article contrasts Family Guy’s character-led specials with The Simpsons’ horror anthology format, which has appeared each October since the show’s second season.