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Summary
Long - running show often light into intimate patterns , and self - parody is a great way of staying one footstep ahead of the critic while deal tough - core fans to a nuanced in - joke . Self - sendup obviously ask a mountain of self - awareness , and this is hard to come by for many show . It also requires a lot of intelligence activity . For a show to make fun of itself it need to understand and spotlight its eccentricity and its defect .
Some shows which create ego - travesty deconstruct the nature of storytelling and the sensitive of TV . This can lead to a lot of highly expert and specific humor that may go over some sports fan ’s heads , but it will resonate deeply for those in the know due to its confessional nature . Most successful self - parodies tend to come from clowning , because highlighting the artificiality of a show break the break of disbelief ask for a drama . Self - effacing show start the risk of twist away viewers , but when ego - parody is done well , it can be exceedingly effective .
Casting choices are important when it comes to TV show , but some meta decisions can add more to a character than just the doer ’s power .
10The Simpsons (1989-)
Season 8, Episode 14, “The Itchy & Scratchy & Poochie Show”
Cast
The patch employ the in - universeItchy and Scratchy Showas a metaphor for how long - run shows become stale and resort to more and more nonsensical method to keep audiences cop .
" The Itchy and Scratchy and Poochie Show " was the 167th episode ofThe Simpsons , think that it at last passed the 166 episodes ofThe Flintstones . The plot uses the in - universeItchy and Scratchy Showas a metaphor for how long - running shows become stale and resort to increasingly ludicrous methods to keep audience hooked . It find toThe Flintstoneswhen they introduced the Great Gazoo , a small green alien only Fred and Barney could see , and the writer ofThe Simpsonswere commenting on how it could happen to them too .
Some of the writers ofThe Itchy and Scratchy Showare cartoon version of the writers ofThe Simpsons , and they portray themselves as lazy and uninspired . Their changes to the show make it even worse , and they have to hastily kill off Poochie off - filmdom to appease their witness . The Simpsonsoften usesThe Itchy and Scratchy Showto scuttlebutt on its own hype . For example , " Itchy and Scratchy : The Movie " commented on the unremitting calls for aSimpsonsmovie 15 years before it became a reality .
9South Park (1997-)
Season 6, Episode 7, “Simpsons Already Did It”
This seems to be Trey Parker and Matt Stone ’s reply to the constant annoyance of being compare toThe Simpsons . They create something utterly sick , but at least it ’s original .
Just likeFamily Guyand pretty much every other grownup animated sitcom made after 1989,South Parkhas had to endure non - stop comparison toThe Simpsons . The show ’s response to this was season 6 , episode 7 , " Simpsons Already Did It , " in which Butters tries to come up with an malefic plan , only to discover thatThe Simpsonsbeat him to every approximation year ago . As his alter ego Professor Chaos , Butters plans to parry out the sun , open up a monorail and cut the foreland off of a statue in the town foursquare .
The instalment counteracts this motif with a secondary plot that is so obscene and perverse that a kinfolk - friendly show likeThe Simpsonswould never try it . The show ’s primary characters believe that they incidentally murdered their instructor , and their investigation take a disgusting turn very quickly . This seems to be Trey Parker and Matt Stone ’s response to the constant irritation of being compare toThe Simpsons . They create something utterly sick , but at least it ’s original .
8Sherlock (2010-2017)
Season 3, Episode 1, “The Empty Hearse”
" The Empty Hearse " does n’t just satirise the show ’s progressively complex head games . It also aims a nervy shot at the show ’s own fan cornerstone and their nonsensical theories .
Despite its immense popularity , Sherlockwas notorious for making its fan al-Qaida hold back a tenacious time between season . The BBC dramatic event wind up season 2 on a massive cliffhanger , as Sherlock fakes his own death to escape Moriarty , but it took two years before it answered how he did it . In the fourth dimension between seasons , Sherlockfans broadcast their own fan theories all over the internet , and the show gives a nod to these fan fiction writers .
" The Empty Hearse " does n’t just satirize the show ’s increasingly complex brain games . It also aim a nervy dig at the show ’s own buff base of operations and their nonsensical theories . When Sherlock finally reveals how he pulled off the trick , he is met with disappointment . The writers knew that no explanation could ever be as satisfying as a good mystery , and the reception was only to offer a wry smile and a shrug . Sherlockcouldn’t retake its good figure . Ultimately , it was loosen by the same problem Sir Arthur Conan Doyle face when he pour down Sherlock Holmes off in 1893 .
Custom image by Yailin Chacon
7It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia (2005-)
Season 9, Episode 3, “The Gang Tries Desperately to Win an Award”
The crew impose an honour - win bar and observe that a popular bar , like a popular situation comedy , has brilliant twinkle , wizard banter and a compelling will - they - won’t - they family relationship between two of the chief characters .
It ’s Always Sunny in Philadelphiahas always had a dedicated fad fall out , but it has n’t ever garnered the awards success that should match its record - breaking seniority . The show ’s reception to this was time of year 9 , installment 3 , " The Gang attempt Desperately to Win an Award . " The episode follows the gang from Paddy ’s as they sample to succeed an award for their bar , but it ’s a clear allegory for the creators ' own frustration with their show ’s lack of laurels season success .
The crew visit an award - winning streak and distinguish that a popular bar , like a popular sitcom , has bright lights , sorcerous raillery and a compelling will - they - won’t - they relationship between two of the chief graphic symbol . By contrast , Paddy ’s has a stern ambiance , hoi polloi shouting over each other , and perpetual combat . The ring seek to adjust to the honor - winning mold , but they resort to their own style of confronting , perplexing humor . It ’s Always Sunny’sbest episodesmight not have the broadest entreaty , but the show is still going strong after 19 class .
6The Boys (2019-)
Season 2, Episode 5, “We Gotta Go Now”
The Boysuses Vought studio as a way of reckoning with its own complicity in the saturation of the superhero genre .
The Boyschanges the comicsin a few central ways , and one of the show ’s best additions is Vought Studios . The fictitious movie studio apartment is set up to satirize Marvel and DC ’s studios , which makesThe Boysa more relevant superhero parody in the geological era of superhero potency at the box office . Like Marvel and DC , Vought Studios builds a cinematic universe with standalone movies for each supe and magnanimous team - up blockbusters likeDawn of the Seven .
However , as much asThe Boyspokes merriment at the freehanded cinematic monoliths , it also uses Vought studio as a way of reckoning with its own complicity in the intensity of the superhero writing style . The Boysis far darker and more gruesome than Marvel or DC , but it ’s a superhero show nonetheless , and it still sells immense action spectacle and sci - fi lore . The Boyshas always cabbage looker with the idea of a more ground representation of how superheroes would affect the real globe , but Vought Studios suggests that this idea is pure stupidity .
5Monty Python’s Flying Circus (1969-1974)
Season 3, Episode 11, “Dennis Moore”
British sketch scout troop Monty Python was made up of six member , and not all of them worked on every study together . This allow for them to make playfulness of each other ’s work within their own show .
British sketch troop Monty Python was made up of six members , and not all of them work on every study together . This allow them to make fun of each other ’s work within their own show . The beat parrot sketch is one of Monty Python ’s most famous . The sketch has been referred to as one of Graham Chapman and John Cleese ’s " synonym finder sketches , " because one of the characters rattle off a long lean of synonyms for the word " dead . " This was distinctive of their approach to wordplay .
Terry Jones and Michael Palin compose " What the Stars Foretell " as a spoof of their champion ' thesaurus vignette . It features even more synonyms to hammer the item base , and the characters even channelise to a long leaning so that the audience can retell them at the same meter . Graham Chapman mother his own back by writing " The Dull Life of a City Stockbroker , " which lampoons Jones and Palin ’s fixation with injecting surrealism into monotone urban preferences .
4Monk (2002-2009)
Season 5, Episode 1, “Mr. Monk and the Actor”
Stanley Tucci became one ofMonk ’s best guest starswhen he play a self - obsessed method thespian in the time of year 5 undoer . The episode follow Tucci ’s character as he tries to get inside Monk ’s chief so that he can depict him in a TV movie . The movie in question is based on the case from the season 4 finale , " Mr. Monk and the Astronaut , " soMonkcan remould its own whole tone while making everything just a bit more outrageous and dangerous in on-key Hollywood dash .
3Scrubs (2001-2010)
Season 4, Episode 17, “My Life in Four Cameras”
JD does hold up in a sitcom , but his daydream is really a way for the show to contrast itself with the typical sitcom formula of show likeFriendsandCheers .
scrubbing ' hospital scope mechanically make it much heavier than most other sitcoms , because the main characters are constantly deal with extreme stress and even death . In " My Life in Four Cameras , " JD imagines what his animation would be like if he hold out in a situation comedy . Of course , he does live in a situation comedy , but his reverie is really a way for the show to contrast itself with the typical sitcom rule of show likeFriendsandCheers .
JD ’s phantasy sitcom world is full of bright coloration and playful banter , and every female character is to a fault sexualize . Eventually , JD snaps out of his castle in the air and the color pallette makes a grim teddy toward gray tones , establish JD in the bleak realness of his situation . Scrubshas peck of heartbreaking present moment , but " My Life in Four Cameras " is a clever way of stating that it ’s still a neatly plotted oeuvre of fiction . Scrubsisn’t like many other situation comedy , but it ’s just as artificial .
2Game of Thrones (2011-2019)
Season 6, Episode 5, “The Door”
Game of Thronesproves that self - mockery does n’t have to be hold for purely comedic show , but it apply its self - satirize gambling to dissimilar ends .
biz of Thronesproves that self - parody does n’t have to be book for strictly comedic show , but it apply its self - satirizing play to unlike ends . Season 6 , episode 5 , " The Door , " sport a maneuver which fictionalise the events of the other seasons . The performance and the crew ’s reaction highlights the difference between how the cosmopolitan public see the political spot and how those who have the events see it .
Ned Stark is portray as an incompetent fool , which completely undercut the valiant nature of his destruction . Arya adopt criminal offense to this depiction , but she seems to be the only person in the audience who is n’t cheering and express mirth along . Game of Thronesuses its ego - satirizing play as a fashion of communicating the liberal temperature of public opinion . The fact that the play paints Joffrey in a sympathetic lights is very telling .
1Seinfeld (1989-1998)
Season 4, Episode 3, “The Pitch”
Seinfeldhas famously been described as a show about nothing , and this is George ’s main selling point when he and Jerry go into a meeting with NBC to pitch their own show .
Seinfeldhas magnificently been discover as a show about nothing , and this is George ’s primary selling point when he and Jerry go into a meeting with NBC to cant their own show . Since the character of George was initially based onSeinfeldco - creator Larry David , their panorama with the NBC executives is a takeoff of their own experiences when they were trying to deal the show . The resulting pilot , titledJerry , is a more absurd version ofSeinfeld , with a plot that features a judge order an uninsured number one wood to become Jerry ’s Samuel Butler .
To try and explicate their irregular concept , Jerry and George utilise the lesson of wait for a table to give up at a Formosan eating house . This shape the basis for one ofSeinfeld ’s best episodes , but the NBC executive director in the show do n’t empathise it . With Jerry and George force to rationalize their melodic theme to NBC , the premise ofSeinfelddoes begin to seem pointless and boring . Fortunately , the show was never about have a compelling construct .
