# TV Shows That Spoof Another Network's TV Shows. **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 27, 2010, 8:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-that-spoof-another-networks-tv-shows/530629 "2010-02-27T08:11:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![wedgehed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8edcca/32.png) [@wedgehed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wedgehed)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2010, 8:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-that-spoof-another-networks-tv-shows/530629/1 "2010-02-27T08:11:20Z")
I’ve been watching old _Maverick_ episodes on Netflix. The episode, “Gun-shy”, does a very good job of spoofing _Gunsmoke_. U.S. Marshall Mort Dooley repeatedly runs Maverick out of town & even faces off against him in a gunfight that looks like the classic _Gunsmoke_ opening. There are even counterparts for Kitty, Chester, & Doc. Another episode called “Three Queens Full” does a similar (though somewhat less humorous) job on the cast of _Bonanza_. It’s worth watching just to see “Moose” Wheelwright though. What makes it interesting to me is that _Maverick, Gunsmoke, & Bonanza_ were all in production at the time on different networks. Have you ever seen anything else like this? ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2010, 1:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-that-spoof-another-networks-tv-shows/530629/2 "2010-02-27T13:28:12Z")
“Psych” on USA makes fun of “The Mentalist” in just about every episode lately. ---
**Author:** ![chrisk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@chrisk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chrisk)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2010, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-that-spoof-another-networks-tv-shows/530629/3 "2010-02-27T13:50:38Z")
In its fourth season, “The OC” took several pokes at Grey’s Anatomy by having a supporting character, Doctor Roberts, take a job at Seattle Grace. They referred to well-known Grey’s characters, (like ‘The Nazi’ Bailey,) and even had an episode with Seth going to Seattle to visit Roberts (and pretend to ask permission to marry his daughter,) and Roberts was in the middle of an exaggerated Greys-like plot with a child being impaled by the fake horn of a birthday party unicorn. This was after the show was moved to the Thursday 9pm slot, where Grey’s was more established with better ratings than the OC, if I recall. ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2010, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-that-spoof-another-networks-tv-shows/530629/4 "2010-02-27T15:00:25Z")
It doesn’t happen in every episode, for sure, but _House_ takes shots at other Fox series and shows as well as other medical shows (comedy and drama). One that I recall well enough to describe is where House screams at one of his patients (maybe one of his team) and then explains that that approach works for Jack Bauer. A Comedy Central show I’ve been following, _Tosh.0_ takes digs at other CC shows and hot comics, along with everything else in the Known Universe. And I loved the way _Boston Legal_ was self-referencing in most episodes. ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Bailey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justin_bailey/32/8792_2.png) [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2010, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-that-spoof-another-networks-tv-shows/530629/5 "2010-02-27T15:06:00Z")
> [@Zeldar](#): > > It doesn’t happen in every episode, for sure, but _House_ takes shots at other Fox series and shows as well as other medical shows (comedy and drama). On the flip side, Scrubs would take potshots at House by accusing the House writers of basing the character on Dr. Cox. ---
**Author:** ![notfrommensa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/f14d63/32.png) [@notfrommensa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/notfrommensa)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2010, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-that-spoof-another-networks-tv-shows/530629/6 "2010-02-27T15:22:46Z")
Not really spoofing, but _Married w/ Children_ used to make fun of its network Fox all the time. The family would have to get in the “Fox Viewing Positions” to watch a Fox program. Alluding to the fact that Fox was on UHF and UHF channels were sometimes hard to tune in with antenna. They even spoofed their own show when Kelly was trying out to be an actress on a TV show. _Whose Line is it Anyways_ spoofed many different shows as does SNL. ---
**Author:** ![Terminus\_Est](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terminus_est/32/3087_2.png) [@Terminus\_Est](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terminus_Est)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2010, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-that-spoof-another-networks-tv-shows/530629/7 "2010-02-27T15:36:55Z")
_Burn Notice_ (set in Miami) recently made fun of _CSI: Miami_. Sam disguised himself as a forensic investigator and punctuated dramatic lines by putting on a pair of sunglasses. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2010, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-that-spoof-another-networks-tv-shows/530629/8 "2010-02-27T15:42:29Z")
When _The Simpsons_ ran opposite _The Cosby Show_, one of the Cosby kids wore a Bart Simpson mask on the show. And the character of Dr. Julius Hibbert on _The Simpsons_ is a parody of Cosby’s Dr Cliff Huxtable. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2010, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-that-spoof-another-networks-tv-shows/530629/9 "2010-02-27T15:52:16Z")
Scrubs had an episodes called “My House” that jabbed at House and how Dr. Cox is kind of the “original” House(other than Holmes, that is). ---
**Author:** ![davey77](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/90ced4/32.png) [@davey77](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davey77)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2010, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-that-spoof-another-networks-tv-shows/530629/10 "2010-02-27T15:54:03Z")
Going back to the sixties, _The Avengers_ did a loving, all-out tribute to _Batman_ in the episode _The Winged Avenger._ There was even a fight scene interspersed with words representing sound effects, like “WHAM” and “BLAMMO”. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2010, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-that-spoof-another-networks-tv-shows/530629/11 "2010-02-27T16:07:48Z")
_Chicago Hope_ had one episode where they were hiring a PR firm to make an ad. The advertisement was a parody of the opening credits for _E.R._. This was especially funny since both shows premiered the same season, both showing Chicago hospitals, and both originally in the same time slot. I think a character in _Chicago Hope_ had Hector Elizondo say something like, “We don’t like to talk about that other Chicago Hospital.” (_E.R._ was dominating them in the ratings.) ---
**Author:** ![Horatio\_Hellpop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Horatio\_Hellpop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatio_Hellpop)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2010, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-that-spoof-another-networks-tv-shows/530629/12 "2010-02-27T16:23:48Z")
On Law & Order, Lennie Briscoe got in a cheap shot at the competition replying to a mouthy Crime Scene tech: “Around here, the detectives make the arrests, not the CSU guys!” ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2010, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-that-spoof-another-networks-tv-shows/530629/13 "2010-02-27T16:42:24Z")
On a episode of _The Venture Bros._ titled “Action Jonny”, they did a funny riff on _Jonny Quest_, and I believe that in another episode they killed off Race Bannon. ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim_r.mortiss/32/142_2.png) [@Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_R.Mortiss)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2010, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-that-spoof-another-networks-tv-shows/530629/14 "2010-02-27T16:45:30Z")
I remember detective Sledge Hammer used to take potshots at Cosby (airing at the same time on another network) all the time…TRM ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim_r.mortiss/32/142_2.png) [@Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_R.Mortiss)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2010, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-that-spoof-another-networks-tv-shows/530629/15 "2010-02-27T16:51:18Z")
Another recent one: on an episode of _White Collar_, FBI Agent Peter Burke (Tim DeKay) compared the criminal-of-the-week to regular character Neal Caffrey by calling him “the Bizarro Neal.” DeKay himself played “Bizarro Jerry” on _Seinfeld_. ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Bailey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justin_bailey/32/8792_2.png) [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2010, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-that-spoof-another-networks-tv-shows/530629/16 "2010-02-27T16:59:29Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > Scrubs had an episodes called “My House” that jabbed at House and how Dr. Cox is kind of the “original” House(other than Holmes, that is). [Dr. Cox: I’m invisible, I’m invisible, I’m invisible, I’m invisible, I’m invisible, I’m– Elliot: Dr. Cox! Dr. Cox: --ah, dammit!]([http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=12168100&postcount=5](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=12168100&postcount=5)) ---
**Author:** ![dhkendall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a9adbd/32.png) [@dhkendall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dhkendall)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2010, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-that-spoof-another-networks-tv-shows/530629/17 "2010-02-27T17:02:28Z")
Satirical shows like Simpsons and Family Guy do it all the time. I can recall an episode of Family Guy where Lois goes to work for Fox News, with Brian decrying Fox News as basically evil incarnate (and he turns out to be not far from the mark because of the actions of the fictitious executives in the story). For a show airing on Fox, I thought that took a lot of chutzpa. ETA: OK, so that’s the _same_ network (misread the OP) but IMHO that should be more rare (who wants to bite the hand that feeds them?) ---
**Author:** ![Terminus\_Est](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terminus_est/32/3087_2.png) [@Terminus\_Est](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terminus_Est)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2010, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-that-spoof-another-networks-tv-shows/530629/18 "2010-02-27T17:13:26Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > I think a character in _Chicago Hope_ had Hector Elizondo say something like, “We don’t like to talk about that other Chicago Hospital.” (_E.R._ was dominating them in the ratings.) As I recall, this was actually during a _Picket Fences_ crossover episode. Jill Brock visited the _Chicago Hope_ hospital and was displeased for some reason. She said that she should have gone instead to that _other_ Chicago hospital. ---
**Author:** ![Hello\_Again](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/85e7bf/32.png) [@Hello\_Again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hello_Again)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2010, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-that-spoof-another-networks-tv-shows/530629/19 "2010-02-27T17:18:19Z")
**psych** has been known to make fun of the similar-in-concept-different-in-execution show **The Mentalist** You can see a clip here: [http://www.tvsquad.com/2009/07/27/psych-totally-disses-the-mentalist/2](http://www.tvsquad.com/2009/07/27/psych-totally-disses-the-mentalist/2) It isn’t really spoofing, as per the OP. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2010, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-that-spoof-another-networks-tv-shows/530629/20 "2010-02-27T17:44:14Z")
> [@Tim\_R.Mortiss](#): > > I remember detective Sledge Hammer used to take potshots at Cosby (airing at the same time on another network) all the time…TRM More likely **Moonlighting** , than **Cosby**. Different nights. The final scene of **Max Headroom** referenced both **Miami Vice** and **Dallas** , its ratings competitors (or should have been; I think Max had changed its timeslot by the time the episode aired). [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-that-spoof-another-networks-tv-shows/530629.md?page=2)