Family Guy's humor largely comes from its willingness to poke fun at all things pop culture and this has resulted in some of the funniest Family Guy spoof episodes. Diving into movies, television shows and franchises that are beloved by fans, it is great fun seeing Family Guy's hilarious character tackling these well-known stories with a mixture of mocking and strong reverence. The funniest Family Guy spoof episodes highlight that this is a huge strength of the show.

Family Guy's best episodes can show why the show remains so popular after 21 seasons and counting, but the spoof episodes are among the most popular. This wide array of "themed" parody episodes place the Griffin family in completely different roles as they play characters from various films, TV shows, and books. The show has satirized just about everything from Star Wars to Stephen King stories, resulting in some of the most colorful and humorous episodes in the series' vast run of two decades.

10 The Fatman Always Rings Twice

Season 20, Episode 9

The distinct style of the noir thriller genre is perfect for parody in movies like The Naked Gun and Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid, and Family Guy proved there is still a lot more material to be found with "The Fatman Always Rings Twice." While the title is a play on the classic noir movie The Postman Always Rings Twice, the episode is closer to a Raymond Chandler-esque detective story with Peter as a private eye searching for a missing girl. Surprisingly, the mystery is a fairly solid one even if it is mostly a setup for jokes and there are some terrific payoffs in the end. This Family Guy spoof episode clearly has a lot of fun with the heightened dialogue and stock characters of the genre, making for a sharp and funny spoof.

9 12 And A Half Angry Men

Season 11, Episode 16

The classic Sidney Lumet movie 12 Angry Men from 1957 makes for a fun concept to spoof and Family Guy's ensemble of characters is perfect for taking on the story. Much like the original story from which it's based, a range of characters spend the duration discussing and arguing over the guilt or innocence of a man seemingly guilty of murder. In the case of Family Guy, the man in question is the quirky Mayor Adam West - and Brian stands as the sole voice of reason within the jury. Like the film, this leads to a fun little character study and a look into the concept of groupthink and persuasion, with plenty of that typical Family Guy wackiness mixed in.

8 Peternormal Activity

Season 14, Episode 4

Rather than focus on a specific story, film, or novel, this season 12 laugher touches more generally on horror film clichés, even using some self-aware, fourth-wall-breaking gags to make clear just how stock some of these premises are. Peter, Cleveland, Joe, and Quagmire end up sharing their ideas for scary stories, which include a killer cat murdering Peter and Lois at a lookout point in his car, and a creepy walk through an empty hospital — where nothing happens. And naturally, Quagmire tells a story of a killer love doll named "Chicky," making for a cheeky Child's Play spoof. The variety of goofy tales sets the stage for an entertaining, laugh-out-loud episode, particularly for horror fans. It also proved The Simpsons Halloween specials didn't have a monopoly on cartoon horror parody.

7 Wasted Talent

Season 14, Episode 4

While most of the Family Guy parody episodes focus the entire episode on a specific spoof, "Wasted Talent" did a hilarious take on Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory as a subplot. The episode amusingly replaces candy with beer as the coveted treat of choice for Peter and the rest of the cast. While the rest of the episode is funny in its own right, the highlight is the first portion, which sees Peter, Brian, and other Quahog citizens embark on a tour of a massive brewery, complete with beer rivers and brews that never go flat. From the introduction of the Wonka-type character to the song of the Oompa Loompa-type characters, there are some terrific moments of satire.

6 Three Directors

Season 16, Episode 5

Drawing inspiration from filmmakers like Quentin Tarantino, Wes Anderson, and Michael Bay sets the stage for an enticing Family Guy episode. "Three Directors" tells the same story of Peter being fired from his job in the style of three separate directors. The hodgepodge of gags from films by these distinct cinematic voices both pays homage and pokes fun at tropes each is known for. This is another one of those fun compilations that fans of these directors should definitely get a kick out of. Much like the films of Tarantino, Anderson, and Bay, there's rarely a dull moment to be had here.

5 Emmy-Winning Episode

Season 16, Episode 1

Family Guy's writers are willing and even eager to target shows that might get more attention than them. In "Emmy Winning Episode," the wackiness of the self-aware humor and various scenarios is off the charts, making for a unique and chuckle-worthy watch. The premise does a meta dive into Family Guy's Emmy conspiracy as the long-running animated series has never won. Peter and company seek to land an Emmy for their show by trying to make their program more similar in style to major network shows. The targets of satire in this one range from Breaking Bad to The Big Bang Theory to Game of Thrones. Even fans of those hit shows will find the humor in this episode.

4 Something, Something, Something, Dark Side

Season 8, Episode 20

Some of Family Guy's funniest themed parody episodes come in the form of the simultaneously epic and hilarious Star Wars spoofs — or at least the first two, which follow Episode IV and V. Though not quite as fresh as the first full-blown Star Wars spoof, this middle episode of the trilogy is a particularly entertaining and funny watch, especially for the millions of Empire fans. The toddler Stewie as Vader is a concept that seems goofy, but it somehow works, given his sinister ways. He's in top comedic form here, as is Peter as Han Solo, and the rest of the gang. After the success of the first episode of this kind, fans were more than happy to see the Family Guy Star Wars adventure continue.

3 Three Kings

Season 7, Episode 15

The cleverly titled "Three Kings" is an episode that's both thematically diverse and consistently hilarious. It centers around three popular Stephen King books and films, Stand By Me, Misery, and The Shawshank Redemption, and each has its own charm. Even if viewers are not the biggest or most knowledgeable Stephen King aficionado, this episode is rife with laugh-out-loud gags and amusing zingers. The Shawshank parody is a particularly great recreation of the King drama with a lighthearted humorous twist. Seeing Stewie as the obsessive nurse Annie while Brian plays the injured writer in the Misery spoof is somehow both bizarre and fitting.

2 And Then There Were Fewer

Season 9, Episode 1

Whether you're a fan of the "whodunit" mysteries of Agatha Christie or not, "And Then There Were Fewer" proves an enjoyable, enthralling watch that provides some dramatic intrigue while still keeping that goofy, zany Family Guy humor. This clever parody takes place in a mansion owned by James Woods, who's invited a large group of Quahog citizens for dinner, as a way of apologizing for the troubles he's caused them. It's all fun and games, until a mysterious murder takes place, and we don't know who to trust. The mystery element is fun, to be sure, but it's also a delight to see all of these colorful characters take part in one, epic episode.

1 Blue Harvest

Season 6, Episode 1

Much like the Star Wars: Episode V parody, this episode superbly blends comedy and action, and makes for a more-than-worthy satire of George Lucas' renowned space-fantasy classic. But where the rest of this Family Guy trilogy gets a little bonkers and borderline desperate with some of its gags, Blue Harvest rides that line between absurdity and subtle cleverness. It pokes fun at quite a few questionable elements of Star Wars — like the Stormtroopers complaining about the lack of a railing on the Death Star. At the same time, it throws in its own random gags, like the funny bit involving Peter and Chris (Han and Luke) struggling to haul an old couch they find in the trash compactor and bring it to their ship while fleeing troopers. Not only is Blue Harvest one of the funniest Family Guy spoof episodes, but it's also one of the best episodes of the show so far overall.