‘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.
- Family Guy launched annual Hulu Halloween specials in 2024.
- Its 2025 special is presented as an improvement on the first.
- The article argues the new tradition rivals The Simpsons’ “Treehouse of Horror”.
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The Simpsons and Family Guy are animated comedies about American families, known for jokes about everyday life and popular culture. The Simpsons began in 1989 and became a major influence on later adult animation; Family Guy started in 1999 and built its own following with fast-paced, often irreverent humour.
The shows have taken different approaches to Halloween. The Simpsons has made “Treehouse of Horror” anthology episodes, with several spooky stories in each, an annual tradition since its second season. Family Guy went most of its run without a yearly Halloween special, and its newer episodes instead centre on stories involving its regular characters.