Family Guy - C or D?

"Awww! If you take away the grease all you can taste is the hog's anus"

Anyway, it's hysterical. Stewie the baby is my hero. Odd that they have both a talking baby and a talking dog, but I suppose they can't backtrack now. I guess the joke is that they're the only intelligent and rational members of the family

(this has multiple meanings)

Also, in the episode where the daughter joins a cult:

"I miss my mom." "I miss my nads!" Ha, ha, ha!

I gotta go with classic.

Me too! I never really thought much of it til I started seeing the reruns on the Cartoon Network.

And Arthur is otm re: Stewie.

Finding a gateway to Narnia in the dryer = priceless the funny.

What I want to know is WHERE ARE THE NEW HOME MOVIES EPISODES? (Or is this a dream of the pipe variety?)

also i want proof

"I hope Osama Bin Laden doesn't know any showtunes"

FG, on the other hand, has so many moments of sheer random genius. The Superman 2 thing in the Lois-knows-kung-fu episode and all the Shatner appearances come to mind immediately.

I thought it was mostly terrible back when it was on Fox, but I used to think that about Futurama and now that I've started watching the reruns on Cartoon Network I think it's brilliant, so maybe FG deserves another shot.

I've kind of become addicted to it, the drunk dog is like my idol.

'money money monnnn-aaay.......(falsetto) MONNN-AAAYY!"

http://www.usatoday.com/life/television/news/2003-11-18-family-guy_x.htm

Cartoonist: Who's your favourite sports star, kid?
Kid: Uh...Reggie Jackson!
Cartoonist: Alright well I'm gonna draw him POOPING on your CHEST.

http://www.animatedbliss.com/news.asp?TID=708

this is one of the things that I liked the show, that they were comedy writers who made sure to put shots in at shitty TV comedy shows while they could.

otoh i keep thinking of Zoidberg kneeling before Fry saying 'yes my liege!' and lol

I've watched two of of three discs of the second Family Guy Box. Some of the episodes are definitely funnier than others, but when they're on, they're fucking on (for ex. the "British" episode, the one with Death, and the Lois learns kung-fu one).

production numbers are always fun.

Chris: "That's the color of poo!"

I keep trying to laugh at the PJ's. It never, ever works. It has jokes an' that, they just aren't funny. Also, the way in which there's no music on the end credits scares me.

e.g. Peter talking about how the clouds are plotting against them, or his warning about staying away from the Candy Tree.

Peter Griffin: Brian, there's a message in my Alpha Bits. It says "OOOOOO".

Brian Griffin: Peter, those are Cheerios.

or

Meg Griffin: You could kill all the girls who are prettier than me.

Death: Well, that would just leave England.

Peter Griffin: Well, they live in a crummy neighborhood.

Brian Griffin: The Bradys?

Peter Griffin: Oh, hell yeah. They got robbers, thugs, drug dealers ah, you name it.

[Aunt Jemimah pops up in the window with a plate of pancakes]

Aunt Jemimah: You folks want some pancakes?

Peter Griffin: No thank you. See, that's the worse we got is, uh Jemimah's Witnesses.

Drug Buyer: You got the stuff?

Drug Dealer: Yeah I got it, where's the money, huh? I wanna see the money.

Drug Buyer: No, no, no, you don't see the money 'till I see the stuff.

Stewie Griffin: Oh, for God's sake, does anyone wait to put an end to this nuisance.

[yelling]

Stewie Griffin: HE'S WEARING A WIRE.

Drug Dealer: What? You son of a...

[gunshots are heard following by a "body drop" sound effect]

It's all in the execution.

Gross reductions C/D?

Peter Griffin: Oh my god. It's the Children of the Corn!

[pulls out a gun, blasts them all]

Glen Quagmire: Don't look at me like that. Fat chicks need love too... but they got to pay.

xpost

in terms of pure laugh-out-loud power South Park still owns them all.

The recent ones in America in which a) they all buy cheap weapons and turn into an anime cartoon which results in Butters getting his eye impaled and on OTT Japanese theme tune with the lyrics 'HEY HEY LET'S GO KICK ASS-oo, something SOMEthing, PROTECT MY BALLS' and b) the one where Cartman tries to feign disability to win the special olympics have made me laugh like an immature child-man, which I am, but still.

The PJs was OK, Tarnell and the Crackhead guy were superb.

That said, the ninja episode (with NINJA CHEF) and the last one about The Passion of the Christ made me go completely batshit with hysterics.

Meanwhile:

"More tea, Mr. Bike?"

Peter: In England they have drive-by arguments
Cut to two well dressed fellows on the streets of London.
1st chap: We must join the European trading Union.
2nd chap: hm-hmm.
Man pulls up in Car and yells: I disagree! then shoots off before his flabbergasted victims can retort

Andrew, you are on the drugs.

You are both invited to my house for a drunken Family Guy Marathon!!

I like both shows, but Futurama seems almost stunted by it's adherence to narrative, whereas Family Guy's surreal asides (and the anticipation of them) verge on the sublime. Also, FG really comments on and inverts traditional narrative structure and has better musical numbers.

It isn't really fair to compare "Family Guy" to "Futurama" because they're completely different shows with different takes on humor (both of which I find effective, for the record).

(actually he's OTM, apples and oranges indeed).

The best FG episode has to be the one that spoofs Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and Peter Griffin realises he can play the piano (always a rendition of an 80s tv theme) really well when he's drunk.

the early futuramas were sooooo bad, but after the first season, it is comedy gold

family guy is kinda hit/miss by episode. but when it is ON, it is absolutely hilarious.

I think Futurama stays true to its genre by continually builidng a frame of continuity, but I think that makes it less funny. But then continuity references as humour at best annoys me.

also it's weird how everyone who likes it mentions how 'bizarre' it is, but I can't recall a single joke or scene that wasn't unsurprising and forced.

x-post.

"The police are looking for an overweight male and his attractive red-haired wife. A sketch based on the desrciption: (picture of Fred and Wilma Flintstone)"

Not Funny, April 7, 2004
Reviewer: Breat Johnson from Noo Jersee
Family guy is stoopid. peepal thik its funy [but] they dnt no funy. family guy has stoopid joks and i dont get anyof it. i nevr laf and it maks me fele stoopid jst waching tht show. i say booo to family ugy!

Oh and

"Hello 911? Its Quagmire. Yep, the window again"

or on the special olympics one where they're having a race for people who have a fear of yellow tape. And they're all just standing right before the finish line which is yellow tape freaking out, until finally someone gets the balls to run through it and everyone cheers. haha fucking classic. Im kindof drunk right now so if I forget this site someone email me the address please, I came here from google and really like it.

on a side note - how many brits rekon stewie is actually funny? I'd have him banned if it was up to me.

Sincerly yours,

Jeremy Laramore.
note to self: never pay attention to the mean people who write here there pricks.

it's calling you.

we're shooing you away.

this would be better than classic.

Surgeon: He's dead! What do we do?
Chief of Police: We must rebuild him! But I don't wanna spend a lot of money...

(Queue cyborg Peter Griffin running around with a dustbin for a leg and what looks like a tree branch for an arm.)

I did laugh.

I'm looking forward to the new season.

Go. Away. Fat. Man.

I found the comment bemusing. That said, there's this comment way upthread:

I just bought the Family Guy Season 1&2 DVDs this weekend. Such a good show. I think I am Brian.
-- Spencer Chow (spencercho...), April 6th, 2004.

Which perhaps that Mr. Chow and I have a cosmic connection via the voice, I guess.

He does seem rather Chow.

Plus they're releasing a DVD of 5 "classic" episodes but with loads of extras (commentary, previews of the new season). Not fair!

THANKS FOR WATCHING AMERICA, IT'S GOOD TO BE BACK!

14 unseen episodes, say wha?

i bought my brother the 5 episode dvd for xmas from the US, its a bit of a rip off...

Chris: Dad, Mom's on the phone.
Peter: Please let it be Somerset, please let it be Somerset...

Wonder if UK TV will ever give it a decent chance.

"Passion Of The Christ 2: Crucify This"

lois - oh no, how could they do that?

peter - well unfortunately lois, there's just no more room on the schedule. we've just got to accept the fact that fox has to make room for terrific shows like dark angel, titus, undeclared, action, that 80's show, wonder falls, fastlane, andy richter controls the universe, skin, girls club, cracking up, the pits, firefly, get real, freaky links, wanda at large, costello, the lone gunmen, a minute with stan hooper, normal ohio, pasadena, harsh realm, keen eddie, the street, american embassy, cedric the entertainer, the tick, louie, and greg the bunny.

lois - is there no hope?

peter - well i suppose if all those shows go down the tubes, we might have a shot!

STEWIE "TELL ME DO THE WOMEN DOWN THERE HAVE EXPOSED CLITERATI?"

I think they realized that they could get more mileage out of just the interaction of Stewie & Brian in various situations, as opposed to relying on just Stewie's schemes.

The whole "Stewie grows up to be gay" thing is getting overplayed.

yeah, another example of how i love their writing; the extended bits where they're aren't really going for set-up/punchline, but the humor coming from situations with the characters having the more realistic dialogue...

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH...sssssssssssssssss

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH...sssssssssssssssss

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH...sssssssssssssssss

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH...sssssssssssssssss

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH...sssssssssssssssss

...

I might be with you on this one... "where's that muscle-y armed paperboy?"

it had me in severe-stomach pains the first time i watched it, i'm scared to see it again.

he was always a bit of both (e.g. first series where he refers to the Native American casino owners as 'savages')

That would make my wife very happy. She's often complaining about our version of Cartoon Network.

I like Family Guy now. I saw a couple of episodes a few years ago and wasn't that impressed, but we've started watching it on digital TV recently and it is very funny.

american dad is at least as good as family guy, yes

What an endorsement.

ELIZABETH SMART RAPE JOKES... NEED MORE OF THOSE ON NATIONAL TELEVISION.

Family Guy goes on without creator Seth MacFarlane

Posted Nov 18th 2007 1:23PM by Jason Hughes
Filed under: Family Guy, Animation, TV Squad Daily, WGA Strike

Family Guy PicnicAs reported last week, production on new episodes of Family Guy didn't stop when it's creator Seth MacFarlane, who also voices the three main male characters Peter, Stewie and Brian, stopped working to support the Writers Guild of America strike, and refused to come back to work. While MacFarlane officially gave his blessing for the studio to continue production of the series without him, according to EW.com he expressed that he hoped they wouldn't, and that doing so would be damaging to his relationship with the network, adding that "it would just be a colossal dick move if they did."

The last pre-strike produced episode aired last Sunday which left the studio with the option to continue without MacFarlane and the writing staff, or go immediately into reruns. With November Sweeps upon us and most of their live action compatriots being forced into repeats soon, network brass decided that the hopes of one creator; who you might recall they've already fired once so they could certainly do it again; paled in comparison to the hopes and dreams of beating Desperate Housewives during sweeps month and being able to jack up ad rates to Super Bowl levels (I know these are the kinds of things TV Execs dream of because I watch 30 Rock). And so, tonight will mark the premiere of the first episode ever completed without its creator's blessing.

While the episodes in question were begun with MacFarlane and the writers in place, considering the long lead time animated series must work under (except for South Park who can knock one out in twelve minutes), there are always late changes and edits that are made before each one goes to air, and this portion is what the networks are doing without their showrunner. If the strike continues, however, they may have to get even more hands on.

My question is what will Family Guy look and sound like without its showrunner, head writer and principal male voice talent? With the opportunity to run their own show that reaches big numbers in the coveted demographic opposite a slate of reruns and hack specials, the execs would probably opt to pen the series themselves to get the "right" message across. For voice actors, they'd have to look beyond anyone who might be sympathetic to the writer's strike and reach for those out of work actors desperate for any sort of paycheck.

Peter (sitting in a lawn chair, voiced by Tony Danza): Yo, Lois. Maybe we could sit and just, you know, talk for awhile.

Lois: No, no, no, no, no! Nobody likes it when you sit and talk to other people. Just shut up, make your funny noises and smile.

Peter: Ohw-woe-ayye-oooowwwwe!

Fonzie (cutting in): Hey, that's my thing! [Rides by on a motorcycle holding both thumbs up and jumps a shark swimming in Stewie's wading pool] Aaaaaaaaayyyyy!

Stewie (in the pool, voiced by Gary Coleman): D'jou see that! Shark just came out this water! Da's messed up is what that is!

Brian (holding a martini, voiced by Dudley Moore): I'll tell you whatsh go-guh-goin' on. It'sh those damned shtoopid writersshhh and their sshhtoopid sht-(hiccup), sht-(hiccup), walkout! They should just akshept the fair and reasonable offer the netwurksch--

Chris: Wait, you sound like Dudley Moore. I thought Dudley Moore was dead.

Brian: It turnsh out dead, drunk, embalmed, pickled, nobody can really tell the diffrinssshhh (burp)!

Meg (walking on-scene): What's going on out here? I heard strange voices. [Shark comes out of the pool and swallows Meg whole before resubmerging.]

Lois. Oh my god! ... I think she was wearing my blouse!

It is pretty weird that they're bothering to do this, it seems like there are more downsides PR-wise than the short-term benefits of keeping the train rolling. I kind of hate most of the new FG episodes I've seen, but I could barely tolerate that one season where Meg's voice was different, I can't imagine how it'd be with any of the primary/funny characters' voices being different.

also that Hughes guy's fan fic at the end of the news story is some serious Lord Custos shit.

yah

^^^came here to post this xp.

This series of FG has been the best since the comeback, until the Stewie Kills Lois two-parter at least.

that two-parter (and the horrid clip show with South Park-style "check out how offensive we are to test audiences" bullshit) are some of the only recent episodes I've seen, so I guess I'll give the other stuff the benefit of the doubt.

yah this season has been great

seth mcfarlane likes to sing sinatra at karaoke up in burbank.

dimples?

Family Guy still sucks, with or without McFarlane

Downside? I dunno: the best-case turnout would give them (a) big curiosity turnout for a couple non-Seth episodes, plus (b) a bump in Seth's anti-suit credibility, so I can see why they'd go with it.

naw, not dimples, that other place up on pass ave by that supermarket.

luv family guy's body of "funny" up to this point has been so consistent that i think people that shit on it are like annoying "oh i dont watch tv" people.

-luv

damn. do i refuse to trrnt this latest one, then, in a show of solidarity? or, by watching it for free, am i socking one to the studio man in all his forms?

and if i do laugh at any point, does that make me a scab bastard?

fuck.

I shit on "Family Guy" because it sucks. I'm a faithful follower at the temple of Beavis & Butthead, South Park, and America's Funniest Car Chases. There's nothing pretentious about hating on a show that just tries to damn hard to be stupid.

Well, based on that article it sounds like the amount of post-production work done w/o McFarlane on the next couple episodes will be really minor and probably unnoticeable, unless there's like a line here or there where Stewie has a completely different voice (lol "now we have wrong-sounding muppets"). So you can probably watch at least those initial post-strike episodes and enjoy them, and McFarlane probably wouldn't even mind, at least until they start writing/recording whole episodes without him.

I like Family Guy to an extent but I really just wouldn't characterize anything about it as "consistent." There have been whole episodes that sucked and I kind of have to overlook a lot of shoddy aspects of the show (not all of which are excused by constant meta jokes about its own shoddiness) to enjoy the really hilarious parts, which are often pretty fleeting.

seth is a bro though. theres no denying that.

Family Guy has one flavor, but I like it. That said, I can't imagine how much more next level the show can go, so if this brings it to an end (which I doubt), then it's for the best.

So was the guy who drew "Fox Trot".

xpost

amend is cool yes.

I think it has different flavors, actually. Every now and then there's a string of shitty episodes that are more or less strings of off-plot, unfunny ethnic jokes by bad writers trying and failing to push envelopes, and I assume Macfarlane's taking some sort of vacation. (The good episodes hew way closer to the characters, and like 70% of the humor seems to come from people saying things in corny or awkward everyday-speech ways; you can sense when some kind of awful writing room is taking over because those things drop off sharply.)

http://img111.imageshack.us/img111/7547/pgsubdg7.jpg

From Jared to Peter.

you remind me of the old man in family guy

paled in comparison to the hopes and dreams of beating Desperate Housewives during sweeps month and being able to jack up ad rates to Super Bowl levels

um... why would this work?

Wouldn't advertisers just go "we know that sweeps was an artificial bump, so take your rate hikes and go fuck yourself"?

Wouldn't they have already said that after every other sweeps stunt/ratings bump in history if they were going to say it now?

Wait, chaki, you're saying Pleasant PLains =

http://www.comicconexclusives.com/files/2006/familyguy.jpg

?????

yes

Every other sweeps week has had networks on an even footing - they all had their normal writing and producing staffs, etc.. If a network performed badly in sweeps, this was probably indicative of the state of the network (whereas this time it's an accident - one has new product, the others don't).

But I do wonder whether or not sweeps is as important today as it used to be (or as important as the media leads us to believe) - with TiVO, and cable/satellite penetration there's a much better picture of what networks are being watched all year long than there were back in the day.

I want to be that old man.

is that a giant purple sex toy?

Every other sweeps week has had networks on an even footing - they all had their normal writing and producing staffs, etc..

Oh yeah. Except for all the shows that have SPECIAL GUEST STARS and EPISODES DIRECTED BY QUENTIN TARANTINO or whatever during sweeps week. Anyway that isn't really applicable here, FOX isn't going for an "artificial ratings bump," they're just bending over backwards to not have to run reruns (and risk what would otherwise be an easy ratings victory) during a time period when ratings matter.

Um, all shows have an equal chance to include SPECIAL GUEST STARS because they're all IN PRODUCTION at the same time. Failure to include this, as I said, may well be telling of the state of the network in general.

Yeah maybe I'm just not understanding your argument at all. This isn't the Olympics, I don't think networks/advertisers really care how they get eyes on the screen, just as long as it's done. And animated shows and pre-taped sitcoms and big budget dramas and live talk shows all have different production schedules and are being effected by the writers' strike on completely different timetables.

you remind me of the old man in family guy

I hate that guy the most!

"This isn't the Olympics, I don't think networks/advertisers really care how they get eyes on the screen, just as long as it's done."

Right - but we're talking about setting ad rates for the upcoming season/year. Advertisers should (and presumably do) care whether or not those eyes will actually be there - whether the ratings are indicative of how many people will be seeing their ads at a given time.

In this case, the time when ad rates will be set is not representative - Family Guy will have an artificial ratings boost over programs not currently in production.

Hence the questions posed - is the focus on sweeps just BS for media columnists to talk about, and will advertisers agree to pay ad rates based on a fluke ratings week, etc..

I dunno, I always thought that kind of ambiguous and sometimes purposefully misleading data was just an accepted part of the whole Nielsen endeavor, and there's nothing they can really do to (fairly) handicap shows or networks that might have some kind of exterior advantage. But maybe I'm wrong.

Family Guy first three seasons--classic
Nowadays Family Guy? ehh.

Sunday's episode was dreadful. Oh well, at least Star Wars was funny this year.

King Of The Hill > The Simpsons > Beavis and Butthead > the rest

I rate Family Guy a notch above Brothers freakin' Grunt. Yep, I hate it.

My hatred for the character of Brian borders on the irrational.

I do have a soft spot (ewww) for Herbert, though. How can you not love Herbert? And his little lazy dog?

for a long time i loathed it ... then i watched a few more episodes and it began to make perfect (non-)sense.

September the 11th, two thousand and FUN.

The British pub one was lolsome

"I'm gonna pretend that you're the New York Knicks."

I must admit, I was laughing my ass off.

"Lois: What's going on down here?
Stewie: Oh, we're playing house.
Lois: That boy's all tied up.
Stewie: Roman Polanski's house."

Saw this one again the other night and it made me lose my shit.

is there a good place I can stream these?

"Marty! It's a problem with your daughter! She married a black man!"

... Every now and then there's a string of shitty episodes that are more or less strings of off-plot, unfunny ethnic jokes by bad writers trying and failing to push envelopes, and I assume Macfarlane's taking some sort of vacation. ...

-- nabisco, Tuesday, 20 November 2007 20:19 (2 months ago) Link

= LATELY, AGAIN

Stewie: (holding lost dog sign) I’ll ask the cashier if I can put this up in the window.
Bruce: I definitely need a breath-freshener…ooh, but that’s gonna give me 11 items.
Cashier: That’s fine!
Bruce: No, no, no..rules is rules. Let’s see what I’m gonna put back. Ok, I need the Reynold’s Wrap and the bathroom tissue. I could do without the Triscuits, but, they sure are good!
Stewie: (sighs with disgust)
Bruce: 7-Up’s the whole reason I came down here in the first place. You know what? I’m not gonna need the V-8, ‘cause I can just get some tomato juice at the mini-mart down the street. It’s a little more expensive, but that’s okay; I like to help out small business… I hope it’s okay if I pay in pennies.

is there a good place I can stream these?

-- That mong guy that's shit, Tuesday, 19 February 2008 17:44 (1 hour ago) Link

http://www.familyguyx.net/

cheers Dom

holy shit extreme lols from episode where cheetah from cheetos commercials is blasting Rush's Tom Sawyer and snorting lines of processed orange cheeto-dust.

http://images.southparkstudios.com/media/images/1004/10042_cartman_pissed_about_manatees.jpg

Brian: Who the hell buys a novelty fire extinguisher?!!
Peter: I'll tell you who! Someone who cares enough about physical comedy to put his whole family at risk!

South Park at its best is great, but Family Guy overall reflects a more nuanced view of humanity, which can only serve the comic vision well...

Okay I like Family Guy but that is so not true.

The words "Family Guy" and "nuanced" should never be written in the same sentence.

"Family Guy: more nuanced than Two and a Half Men"

^^^^^ This, however, is true.

What isn't more nuanced than Two and a Half Men? Morbs?

Really? I think so...am thinking of the esp. character-driven episodes which focus on Brian and/or Stewie. There is a great deal of dissection of everyday human behavioral quirks and minutiae that don't usually receive much attention (admittedly Seinfeldian, basic observational comedy, in that respect? But whatever, I think that show was pretty amazing at its best) and also lotsa meta-stuff in terms of making fun of what passes as being "comedic" or humorous in different realms.

South Park's strengths are in its treatment of the principal characters of the kids, showing how sophisticated kids can be in an endearing way, or kids as adults, a la, Peanuts...plus clever storylines...but when they tread onto political issues, the writing tends to be extremely lazy, and bent towards the agenda of unsubtly hammering home some worldview.

TL; DR, more about Two and a Half Men's lack of nuance.

This show is garbage

^^

The words "Family Guy" and "nuanced" should never be written in the same sentence.

Nah, see, that's the received version of what the show consists of-- an endless series of crude jokes and non sequitur digressions (which is what the South Park episode aimed at Family Guy tried to make a case for)...but in reality, the writing is much more sophisticated than that.

NOTM

Trys way too hard to cram in as many pop-cult references as possible, making its already crap timing even worse. Stewie is the only character that makes me even remotely lol. 80% dud. And I even like South Park, still.

The character of Brian alone, functioning as the voice of reason, or a stand-in for Seth MacFarlane himself, for me provides enough justification for any of the lamer jokes which get thrown into the mix.

It's sort of like how the best Cartman and Butters moments redeem South Park for me.

Umm I'd say it's less that the South Park writing about politics is lazy, and more that those two are just lazy-ass thinkers.

Family Guy seriously alternates between whole episodes that keep me laughing (because the humor is weird and character-based) and whole episodes that are just dumb and crude and offensive (because they've clearly been written by idiot hacks who haven't noticed what's actually funny about this show) -- I'd be happier if the guy did half as many episodes and actually kept them good, rather than farming out to the kinds of jackasses who would want/get to write for Family Guy

xpost -- dudes, Dell is right about the bits that work -- the funniest bits of this never have to do with pop culture, and are all about people being mean to Meg, Stewie talking like a middle-aged Midwestern lady who does crafts, and people talking in the awkward ways people actually talk: Brian pretending to like his friend's one-act show ("what a journey"), Bin Laden goofing around on a video ("what if I did the whole thing totally straight, but just holding this rubber chicken the whole time"), etc. ...

South Park and The Simpsons are better because they manage to keep grounded in everyday observations on school, work, families, etc however wacky the plot gets. Family Guy fails at this totally.

The dog-as-the-one-normal-person-with-lame-romantic-comedy-storylines is the worst thing about the show a lot of times.

South Park and The Simpsons are better because they manage to keep grounded in everyday observations on school, work, families, etc however wacky the plot gets. Family Guy fails at this totally.

-- Bodrick III, Tuesday, 19 February 2008 20:43 (1 minute ago) Bookmark Link

This really isn't true at all.

Especially when Parkers and Stone are on one of their CHALLENGING OPINIONS ABOUT POLITICS episodes.

I assume you mean old Simpsons, or something, because that show has somehow lost the ability to keep any kind of workable narrative arc lately. It's really weird, the pacing is just always ... completely bonkers.

Oh wait, here's the bin Laden tape-blooper thing I was talking about -- I can't tell if the voice here is Macfarlane or H Jon Benjamin from Dr Katz, which would explain why I find it funny --

http://www.tv.com/uservideos/?action=video_player&id=dSNllDr95bgIvjbf

What makes both Family Guy and South Park off-putting is that they definitely appeal and even seem to cater at times to one's inner 13-year old, which makes for some of the most duddish aspects of both shows. However, at their best there are all kinds of other, not just clever, but genuinely lol and subtle touches that smack of some kind of genius.

But, yeah, both shows would likely benefit from having some sort of better quality control standards. Some of the things that both shows have gained the most notoriety for are among the least funny and least appealing things about them. The same thing could be said about Beavis and Butthead. That show was so much funnier than its reputed fanbase and attendant controversies would lead one to believe.

"You think that's bad? Remember when I..."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u7hLrAMHaiY

pwned

Family Guy, as hit or miss as it is, is >>> than the Simpsons has been in years (yeah boring obv, but true) and >> Southpark. Mostly because of the reasons that dell & nabisco lay out, but also because it actually makes me laugh. Sometimes.

Point being, dell-wise, that what people remember laughing at about this show is hardly ever going to be random pop-culture stuff, and is likely to be voice and phrasing stuff like Osama saying "yeah, no" or Peter saying he doesn't like The Godfather because "it insists on itself" or whatever. "It insists on itself."

Especially when Parkers and Stone are on one of their CHALLENGING OPINIONS ABOUT POLITICS episodes.

-- Dom Passantino, Tuesday, 19 February 2008 20:49

That's probably one of the least interesting elements of South Park, sure. But I wouldn't even assume those "opinions" are always sincere anyway.

^Pretty much explains why Family Guy is so much better than South Park, FG just does that stuff as a quick throwaway gag two or three times an episode. South Park just beats the same gag over and over "HEY REMEMBER WHEN SATAN HAD A MY SUPER SWEET SIXTEENTH BIRTHDAY PARTY?"

xxxp

Peter saying he doesn't like The Godfather because "it insists on itself" or whatever. "It insists on itself."

-- nabisco, Tuesday, 19 February 2008 20:52 (33 seconds ago) Bookmark Link

This scene is probably my favourite piece of non-Chappelle comedy this decade.

"I love The Money Pit. That is my answer to that statement."
"Exactly"
"Whatever"
"Well there you go"
"I like that movie also"

I assume you mean old Simpsons, or something, because that show has somehow lost the ability to keep any kind of workable narrative arc lately. It's really weird, the pacing is just always ... completely bonkers.

Yeah, I think I was talking about this in some thread, how 80% of episodes the past decade feel like they were written backwards, with the first segment being a complete red herring as to what the second and third segments will be about (and sometimes the second segment being a red herring re: the third, too).

Yeah, look, the Godfather conversation is almost funnier without the animation -- it's this kind of ways-of-talking stuff that's usually funniest about the show, but of course I say that because I like Dr Katz and stuff:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=avddxEad7u8

"You think that's bad? Remember when I..."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u7hLrAMHaiY

pwned

See, I think the funniest part of that sequence is not the lame jibes taken at Family Guy, but rather Cartman's reaction. Cartman is a brilliant comic creation, but poorly-masked envy does not suit Trey well.

^Pretty much explains why Family Guy is so much better than South Park, FG just does that stuff as a quick throwaway gag two or three times an episode. South Park just beats the same gag over and over "HEY REMEMBER WHEN SATAN HAD A MY SUPER SWEET SIXTEENTH BIRTHDAY PARTY?"

xxxp

-- Dom Passantino, Tuesday, 19 February 2008 20:53

At least those recurring gags have something to do with what's actually going on in the episode rather than being shoehorned in as memories or dreams or whatever.

Especially when it's pretty much identical to the Simpsons parody of South Park from about seven years prior: "lol they just say celebrity names at random with added non-sequiturs"

xp

At least those recurring gags have something to do with what's actually going on in the episode rather than being shoehorned in as memories or dreams or whatever.

-- Bodrick III, Tuesday, 19 February 2008 21:01 (22 seconds ago) Bookmark Link

Really, what's the problem with this? Should all comedy obey the perfect 1950s sitcom formula?

the Godfather scene is partly great because none of the characters (especially Peter and Chris) talks like that usually. that should probably bug me but instead it makes it funnier.

"It's been noted in every annal!"

Yeah, that Godfather thing is a good example. Also, the Altman-ish or Citizen Kane thing of people talking over each other happens quite a bit on FG, and I think that it's brilliantly employed.

See, I think the funniest part of that sequence is not the lame jibes taken at Family Guy, but rather Cartman's reaction. Cartman is a brilliant comic creation, but poorly-masked envy does not suit Trey well.

-- dell, Tuesday, 19 February 2008 21:00

Cartman's reaction is funny because he's taking a totally out of character liberal stand since he has a personal beef with not finding the show funny. It's true to life because people do this, they'll switch from left to right and back as it suits them.

I would not call any of the things you guys have described about Family Guy (which I agree are strengths) "nuanced", plus you can make the exact same argument for why South Park is more than just foul-mouthed kids being bratty.

The two shows are pretty much exactly as nuanced as each other, which is to say "not particularly nuanced but in this day and age where people fall over themselves when a television show gets basic dialogue and pacing down you might make a case for it".

Snakes on a plane!

Sorry.

One of the funniest things I've ever seen on television is the FG episode where Peter gets unlimited credit at the pharmacy and he, Stewie, Chris and Brian have an ipecac-eating contest, where the last one to hurl wins. That entire sequence never fails to incapacitate me with laughter.

Really, what's the problem with this? Should all comedy obey the perfect 1950s sitcom formula?

-- Dom Passantino, Tuesday, 19 February 2008

No, off the wall "random" humour can be very funny, but I think there has to be some balance between the everyday-life stuff and the more out-there gags, it has to tie into the plot one way or another. If you wanna bring up Simpsons digs, then the stand up routine Homer watches in one episode where the comedian asks "What if Mr T and ET had a baby?" nails things like Family Guy totally.

^^^great ep xp

one of my fav family guy jokes ever is the aaron newell megaphone

And the fact that Family Guy looks an animated version of "Fox Trot" annoys me too.

I realize "South Park" has cruder animation, but that's part of its charm.

oh definitely. FG's animation is the pits.

http://www.devilducky.com/media/33774/

From the Original Post:

I think this is one of the best animated sitcoms to come out of America during the last five years.

"I think" "one of" "out of America" "last five years" - Way to kick out the jams, mfer!

also "animated sitcoms" -- it's right up there with the other 3, top 4 easy!

You know what show is really horrible? American Dad.

Seriously.

it's still on?!!???

the Godfather scene is partly great because none of the characters (especially Peter and Chris) talks like that usually.

I kinda disagree with this! I mean, obviously it's more unscripted/conversational than usual, but it's not out of character, or anything -- that's totally the standard Peter standing-my-ground voice, and the standard Lois eye-rolling voice, and so on.

Well, I'll add that much of what I appreciate about FG is along the lines of when they do things like extend a gag for way longer than would be called for. Maybe that is a cheap technique, but I appreciate its daringness nonetheless, and it also seems to speak to MacFarlane's originality and brilliance. I applaud SP's creators for their integrity (the whole fuck you, ScIentologee thing is incredibly admirable of them; at least I think so), but I don't recall any of their episodes employing some of those subtle touches that make the best moments of FG such winning ones.

I think that all in all, SP employs more cheap shock laughs, whereas FG introduces more sophisticated and subtle humor strategies throughout the course of a given episode.

is the alien a symbol of how america treats immigrants?

Every time I think "Family Guy has so much potential, it's just locked into such a lame formula/aesthetic, I'd love to see McFarlane make a new show with the same basic humor and a different premise," I remember American Dad and realize that he'd probably just make a hundred 'subversive' family sitcoms with different combinations of talking babies/animals/aliens.

Oh, and The Winner, man that sucked.

I think that all in all, SP employs more cheap shock laughs, whereas FG introduces more sophisticated and subtle humor strategies throughout the course of a given episode.

-- dell, Tuesday, 19 February 2008 21:16

I think they both use cheap shock gags, but South Park is just better at it.

Family Guy is all "Oh aren't we naughty!" about them, whereas it seems more natural with South Park.

And the fact that Family Guy looks an animated version of "Fox Trot" annoys me too.

I realize "South Park" has cruder animation, but that's part of its charm.

I think that's one of the best features of FG. The premise of it, when viewed from a distance, is basically a crude ripoff of the Simpsons. Except the viewer is spared any sentimental bullshit Bart and Lisa storylines, which were always the worst parts of that show, even at its peak.

The refusal to sentimentalize the family is one of its virtues, much like SP's portrayal of kids as being all-too-human jerks or not-so-jerks...refusal to insult the viewing audience, etc.

I think they both use cheap shock gags, but South Park is just better at it.

Family Guy is all "Oh aren't we naughty!" about them, whereas it seems more natural with South Park.

Would disagree...SP at its worst in that respect makes me think of a frat guy wearing a t-shirt sporting some offensive slogan, and daring you to make a stink about it.

dell that's also family guy

re: frat dude w/ slogan shirt

srsly at some point both sides of the South Park/Family Guy argument have to acknowledge the narcissism of tiny differences going on here

I think American Dad is somewhat disappointing, but not entirely "horrible". The alien who talks like Paul Lynde cannot be fucked with as a concept...I think, anyway...

I think American Dad is the worst show ever made.

Except the viewer is spared any sentimental bullshit Bart and Lisa storylines, which were always the worst parts of that show, even at its peak.

not to the extent that they were actually bad. family guy's stories are pathetic but doesn't matter so much cos of the joke barrage.

^^^I think this is fair, but I worry we're gonna have to go back to the "explaining that FG is a sketch show not a sitcom" thing again.

It's hilarious that the "sentimental bullshit" of trad sitcoms that The Simpsons was originally seen as satirizing/reacting to, and only ever sparingly indulged in, is now apparently its defining characteristic compared to its derivatives.

I think American Dad is the worst show ever made.

Really, what are some things you don't like about it?

By way of comparison, I can't help but bring up Futurama. Every single character on that show annoys me so much that I find it hard to sit through a single episode.

American Dad has its moments, but they really should've spiked it when they found out FG was going back on the air. It's really the same show with an alien instead of a dog and a fish instead of a baby.

Family Guy is all "Oh aren't we naughty!" about them, whereas it seems more natural with South Park.

With Peter Griffin giggling like a little girl, finger to his mouth, shuffling his feet while practically saying "Oh, did I do that?"

I posted that South Park pic not to compare the two, but to point out FG's lazy way of making gags. "Hey, it's like that time I ate meatballs with Abe Vigoda at the Spaghetti Factory!"

CUT TO Peter and Abe sitting at a table, Abe slumped over with his eyes closed

PETER: Um, are you sure those rumors about your death AREN'T true?

American Dad is way more like a conventional sitcom -- in a lot of ways it reminds me of a bad 70s/80s sitcom with very obvious, heavy handed jokes. And the family is just not interesting or likeable.

"It's been noted in every annal!"

tears when i heard this line

With Peter Griffin giggling like a little girl, finger to his mouth, shuffling his feet while practically saying "Oh, did I do that?"

I posted that South Park pic not to compare the two, but to point out FG's lazy way of making gags. "Hey, it's like that time I ate meatballs with Abe Vigoda at the Spaghetti Factory!"

CUT TO Peter and Abe sitting at a table, Abe slumped over with his eyes closed

PETER: Um, are you sure those rumors about your death AREN'T true?

-- Pleasant Plains, Tuesday, 19 February 2008 21:43 (5 minutes ago) Bookmark Link

Can you post some examples of either of these? Preferably actually from Family Guy and not South Park.

I'm paraphrasing, but there was one where Peter announces that something is "like stealing candy from a baby!"

Cut to Peter standing next to a baby's carriage, trying to steal her candy while the baby swats his hand. Scene goes on for like ten minutes (give or take nine minutes.)

Or the one where the son is watching "Passion of the Christ" and Peter says, I would've done it different! Cut to Peter getting whipped by a Roman guard with him screaming for ten minutes.

There are many, many more.

By way of comparison, I can't help but bring up Futurama. Every single character on that show annoys me so much that I find it hard to sit through a single episode.

Futurama is fantastic, though, and waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay more nuanced than any of the other shows being discussed on this thread except for old-skool Simpsons.

"nuanced" in this case = soap opera love story and nerd-pandering math jokes

Futurama's cool, though.

Or the one where the son is watching "Passion of the Christ" and Peter says, I would've done it different! Cut to Peter getting whipped by a Roman guard with him screaming for ten minutes.

There are many, many more.

-- Pleasant Plains, Tuesday, 19 February 2008 21:57 (4 minutes ago) Bookmark Link

This... isn't actually in any episode of Family Guy?

Yeah the Futurama characters seem to have significantly more depth than any characters on Simps/SP/FG.

xp: http://www.lolcenter.com/videos/TV_Clips/Family_Guy__Passion_of_the_Christ (use other examples plz, preferably ones that actually match what you are describing)

Alex, I was thinking more about things like the Poppler episode, where after the reveal that the Popplers are alive while Leela is eating them, Leela gasps in horror, then quickly licks her fingers.

This is what Family Guy reminds me of:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=VpWOZmp6ajY

the soup is the shit

THEN IT'S IN GOOD COMPANY ON THIS THREAD.

i think its funny that dell sees family guy's unwillingness to have sympathetic characters as an advantage over classic simpsons

What actual appeal does the classic sitcom structure have for you then, PP, and why is it such a problem when people try and move away from it?

xp

i think its funny that dell sees family guy's unwillingness to have sympathetic characters as an advantage over classic simpsons

-- deej, Tuesday, 19 February 2008 22:13 (12 seconds ago) Bookmark Link

It's not an advantage, but it does allow them to bring a different dimension to the dynamic. "Who tied you to Meg's poll?" in the latest one being a clear example.

if anything its shit like that that keeps classic era simpsons and shows like king of the hill a lot easier to laud, i think xp

i guess if i had to take sides i find south park ultimately a lot more grating and family guy occasionally a lot more witty ("its turned his whole life upside-down face") but both are pretty facile lots of the time and neither is really 'nuanced'

the futurama vs american dad argument is almost too retarded to acknowledge.

i liked that futurama went in a totally different direction than the rest of the shows by actually becoming more invested in animation for its own sake

This is what Family Guy reminds me of:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=VpWOZmp6ajY

-- Pleasant Plains, Tuesday, 19 February 2008

Spot on, I fucking hate those films.

i liked that futurama went in a totally different direction than the rest of the shows by actually becoming more invested in animation for its own sake

-- deej, Tuesday, 19 February 2008 22:19 (23 seconds ago) Bookmark Link

Example of a show changing to pander to the audience it had begun to attract? Possibly the same as FG, as it's gone on, doing less gags about Catholic guilt and more about Star Wars.

What actual appeal does the classic sitcom structure have for you then, PP, and why is it such a problem when people try and move away from it?

I don't have a problem with shows moving away from "classis sitcom structure". I just find that FG's way of doing it is lazy, unimaginative, and not funny.

Plus, "South Park" contains more melody.

By way of comparison, I can't help but bring up Futurama. Every single character on that show annoys me so much that I find it hard to sit through a single episode.

This is pretty much the complete opposite of my reaction to Futurama.

Alex, I was thinking more about things like the Poppler episode, where after the reveal that the Popplers are alive while Leela is eating them, Leela gasps in horror, then quickly licks her fingers.

Yes! Family Guy actually took a long time to grow on me because I was expecting more internal development, but it's really more about drive-by assaults via parody, outright slapstick, or just going for stupid crap. Not a bad approach, either.

i liked that futurama went in a totally different direction than the rest of the shows by actually becoming more invested in animation for its own sake

This is kind of why I'm skeptical of them revisiting the Futurama franchise too much. It worked well as a pretty tightly-scripted show that knew its boundaries.

See, it's tone-of-voice stuff: one of the main funny things about that Christ clip is that typical wounded pace of HEY, hey ... hey ... HEY ... hey

i think its funny that dell sees family guy's unwillingness to have sympathetic characters as an advantage over classic simpsons

I think Brian is a very sympathetic character, mostly.

There's a difference between sympathetic and schmaltzy. Even during the best of the Simpsons run, they would throw in annoying "oh, poor, misunderstood Lisa" shit.

All of which is completely cynical bullshit, because, Marge, for instance, was rarely depicted as anything other than cardboard cutout of misunderstood, neglected, frumpy wife.

I think it says a lot for FG that they decided to make the only sympathetic character they have a big racist. I mean that in a positive way.

. "Who tied you to Meg's poll?" in the latest one being a clear example.

honest-to-god lol. another advantage FG often has vs. Southpark: firm grasp on comic timing.

note: I DO actually like Southpark (in small doses) and Family Guy falls flat 65% of the time.

South Park does a lot of the same building narrative stuff that Futurama does; it's just that no one notices because they're too busy (for example) talking about how Mr. Slave shoved Paris Hilton up his ass to notice that most of the rest of the episode was about fleshing out Mr. Slave's character and advancing his personal storyline in the whole South Park environment.

Family Guy only really started doing this after they came back from hiatus and I think it's improved a lot of how the episodes hang together.

honest-to-god lol. another advantage FG often has vs. Southpark: firm grasp on comic timing.

-- will, Tuesday, 19 February 2008 22:25 (40 seconds ago) Bookmark Link

Seth MacFarlane is _severely_ underrated as a voice artist. I honestly think he's the best working today.

"Who tied you to Meg's poll?" in the latest one being a clear example.

From my Brian-centric tilted worldview, the best part of that scene occurs just before that, when Brian is grumbling about how unreasonable it is that someone leashed him to a pole, and then half a moment later he is chasing a squirrel around and barking frantically.

I haven't seen any recent FG episodes. Maybe they've turned over a new leaf.

CUT TO Peter picking up a huge leaf

PETER: Wow! This leaf looks pretty sweet!
OZZY OSBOURNE: ALL RIGHT NOW!

dell, I think that's more because The Simpsons started out as a lot more shallower show but ended up changing forms as they concentrated on creating funny reoccurring extended cast characters and started mining characters (mostly Bart and Homer, with smatterings of Lisa and a little Marge) for complete episodes. I think "oh, Homer can't really do his job" started off as this funny thing where they'd occasionally show him at work screwing up before leaving, and now there's probably a couple seasons worth of shows where Homer gets a new job or does something for Mr. Burns.

Family Guy, on the other hand, has had only a few episodes about Peter's job and it seems like more of a parody of the Simpsons workplace formula than anything. I don't think the writers really care where Peter works or why, and neither do I.

err, that was a gigantic x-post to the comment about schmaltzy Lisa episodes.

Seth MacFarlane is _severely_ underrated as a voice artist. I honestly think he's the best working today.

Dom very much otm here, I think. Also I find it amusing how both Trey and Seth are both obviously musically talented, and that makes the weird rivalry expressed in the SP hating-on-FG episode all the more pointed, in a way.

i like 'schmaltzy' lisa eps at least from the first 8 seasons or so

I haven't seen any recent FG episodes. Maybe they've turned over a new leaf.

CUT TO Peter picking up a huge leaf

PETER: Wow! This leaf looks pretty sweet!
OZZY OSBOURNE: ALL RIGHT NOW!

-- Pleasant Plains, Tuesday, 19 February 2008 22:30

Fonzie is underneath the leaf, gives a thumbs up and says "Ayyyy!"

Yeah, you guys suck at parodying Family Guy.

i think part of the problem w/ south park for me is they rely on a lot concepts that we are supposed to see inherent humor in, i.e. the idea of sadaam and satan sleeping together omg lol wouldnt that be crazy?? lots of references to random pop culture/media events or people that we are supposed to find inherently humorous

xp no that's pretty much what the show is like

Have to admit this is one of its main flaws. Although I find SP's weaknesses more boring than annoying. Whereas Family Guy makes me wince.

xpost

this happens at least once a week:

i come home to my sister watching Family Guy
i plop down on the couch and watch
lol, lol, LOLLLIOL this show is kinda funny!
...aaaaand then at some point in the next five minutes I burst from the couch in disgust and ask my sister rather pointedly how she can watch this shit. i mean hat are you gonna watch next? the GWB as a toddler show?

lots of references to random pop culture/media events or people that we are supposed to find inherently humorous

^^^there are none guiltier than FG at this (hence the 65% of the time it kinda sucks)

Family Guy usually goes situation > punchline though, South Park usually goes situation > situation elevated

i think what grates about the way SP does it is for some reason it reminds me of all these pimple-faced teenage dudes shilling for Ron Paul

I think the point isn't that Saddam and Satan are sleeping together as much as it is Satan is such a big pussy. The humor is because the Prince of Darkness is taking so much shit from an odious little shit.

many xps: Well no, there's no internal story to the throwaway gags you guys are coming up with so they don't actually match the throwaway gags in Family Guy.

Also Dom OTM.

I think the point isn't that Saddam and Satan are sleeping together as much as it is Satan is such a big pussy. The humor is because the Prince of Darkness is taking so much shit from an odious little shit.

yah but it becomes a running gag when it should have been a 1-time punchline. its about as funny as disco stu jokes in the '08

Or, to break it down to minimal notes:

The Simpsons: writing
Family Guy: delivery
South Park: concept

xxxp

yah but it becomes a running gag when it should have been a 1-time punchline.

So basically you dislike South Park because it builds upon its internal narrative?

Family Guy usually goes situation > punchline though, South Park usually goes situation > situation elevated

-- Dom Passantino, Tuesday, 19 February 2008

But there's usually a string of lols along the way as the situation becomes more and more absurd.

Family Guy, on the other hand, has had only a few episodes about Peter's job and it seems like more of a parody of the Simpsons workplace formula than anything. I don't think the writers really care where Peter works or why, and neither do I.

I guess that goes a long way toward explaining what I like about FG? There are rarely pretensions of character development or consistency or whatever...the show exists more as a flimsy excuse to string lol's together, which is just fine with me.

At the same time, there is a genuine affection for all of the characters...the constant Meg-bashing, for example, is obviously not meant as something for the viewer to identify with, but functions more in the context of a recurring gag concerning the outrageousness of an insecure teen girl being made fun of and treated disdainfully by her own flesh and blood...in the same way that it would be crazy to take Peter's outrageous sexism and various other shitheaded moves to heart...

The Simpsons struck me as always trying to have their cake and eat it, too, in that sense, which always bugged me. Like, lol, Homer is a totally clueless slobby jerk...oh no, wait, he's actually a sweetheart. That can be done, I think, but the Simpsons always have pursued that angle in a clumsy, cloying fashion.

Family Guy: delivery

Yes! The delivery puts all comparable shows to shame. I'm convinced that constitutes the better part of MacFarlane's genius.

Um, the Meg-bashing came about because most of the viewers thought Meg sucked, so they wrote it into the show.

But there's usually a string of lols along the way as the situation becomes more and more absurd.

-- Bodrick III, Tuesday, 19 February 2008 22:43 (59 seconds ago) Bookmark Link

Yeah, but _still_ the joke is the situation, not actual gags. I mean, it's not as if every South Park episode is full of one liners you can drop into every day conversation is it? I mean, some of the best SP episodes (Casa Bonita, Stanley's Cup, Fat Butt and Pancake Face) have pretty much _nothing_ that works out of context.

Think a lot of flaws being described here in all of these shows are down to them running for so long with so many episodes in each series that the ideas start to wear really thin. SP and The Simpsons are way, way past their peak, and I think even the biggest fans would agree.

xposts

Well, regardless, the way that it's executed is far more favorable to me then classic Simpsons style of, oh, Lisa is such a sweet, misunderstood girl.

Duh? Of course she's got her head screwed on more than the greater populace of Springfield residents, but why did the writers/producers have to bang that into the ground?

(xpost) The Simpsons, okay, but I don't think South Park is way, way past its peak at all.

well i think dell is totally off tm if hes talking about the first 10 seasons of simpsons

Casa Bonita is my holy grail of SP episodes, I'm thinking.

So basically you dislike South Park because it builds upon its internal narrative?

-- HI DERE, Tuesday, February 19, 2008 4:42 PM (8 minutes ago) Bookmark Link

i think that i forget why satan sleeping w sadaam as it goes on and its like, 'oh this is funny because its absurd ... zzzz'

too much reliance on absurdity, maybe is what im thinking? and not enough on wit

Yeah, but _still_ the joke is the situation, not actual gags. I mean, it's not as if every South Park episode is full of one liners you can drop into every day conversation is it?

Well, this is probs why our tastes differ, then. I generally think the best TV comedy works within a really good context or running situation. Guess I'm just old-school like that.

Yeah, but Family Guy Crit Studies 101 is that it's not a sitcom, it's a sketch show. Unless you're annoyed at the lack of internal narrative threads throughout episodes of The Fast Show?

Cartman: (looking quite presentable) Hi Kyle. (smiles)
Kyle: (studies Cartman a bit, but isn't impressed) That isn't it, Cartman.
Cartman: What isn't it?
Kyle: That's not being nice! That's just putting on a nice sweater!
Cartman: ...I don't understand the difference.

Family Guy generally = 30 minutes of mediocrity with usually at least one gag that's the funniest thing I've seen all day

Yeah, but Family Guy Crit Studies 101 is that it's not a sitcom, it's a sketch show. Unless you're annoyed at the lack of internal narrative threads throughout episodes of The Fast Show?

-- Dom Passantino, Tuesday, 19 February 2008 22:53

Why didn't they just make a sketch show, then? So they could have some sort of premise to tie it all together. It seems to strain that premise a lot to shoehorn the "sketches" in. (Classic) Simpsons has tons of great individual scenes while managing to keep the overall plot/episode concept bobbing along nicely.

something something Family Guyyyy
something something something
something something something
something something something
F'N CRY
It's
the
Fam
Lee
Guyyyyy

it's just weak, and lazy, and should have stayed cancelled

I'm kind of glad Family Guy isn't more Robot Chicken-esque

they did make a sketch show.
robot chicken sucks.

^this

BEAVIS AND BUTTHEAD VS KING OF THE HILL GUYS

^that

People talking about Family Guy on facebook update makes me glad I moved to new york and spend all my money on rent and drugs.

BEAVIS AND BUTTHEAD VS KING OF THE HILL GUYS

-- Catsupppppppppppppp dude 茄蕃, Tuesday, 19 February 2008 23:07

Both great for different reasons.

I mean, sure you live in a huge house upstate but you proposed to the first girl who didn't run away from you. NB: I am addressing my sophomore year roommate whose fiance is in a back brace.

robot chicken sucks.

-- chaki, Tuesday, February 19, 2008 11:04 PM

rong rong

i like moving from kosovo -> cuba -> presidential election -> cartoons threads

Why didn't they just make a sketch show, then?

what do you mean why? i think i hated it at first partly because the 'sketch' nature just grated and partly because i thought it was evil, and somehow i just stopped seeing those as bad things. i dunno, it's different. well, i think it is also markedly less evil and noize than it was though, i still don't get off on evilness.

I mean they're trying to hang the gags off a premise, but they're straining that premise to the point where it just gets annoying. Haven't seen Robot Chicken, Thought American Dad was rubbish, tho.

still think FG should ditch the family framework (it weighs everything down as opposed to keeping it grounded) and rename itself...uh, People Guy. and be no more than 50% Griffins. but this would require balls nobody has.

EXCEPT BLUESKI

Casa Bonita is my holy grail of SP episodes, I'm thinking.

I actually saw and got really excited about this one, because, umm, Casa Bonita is genuinely freaking sweet when you're a kid. (I used to get altogether too excited when SP would drop recognizable Colorado references.)

People talking about Family Guy on facebook update makes me glad I moved to new york and spend all my money on rent and drugs.

-- Catsupppppppppppppp dude 茄蕃, Tuesday, February 19, 2008 5:08 PM (28 minutes ago) Bookmark Link

^^^ cartoon I want to see

People talking about Family Guy on facebook update makes me glad I moved to new york and spend all my money on rent and drugs.

-- Catsupppppppppppppp dude 茄蕃, Tuesday, February 19, 2008 5:08 PM (28 minutes ago) Bookmark Link

rather

here ya go

http://gapyx.com/cmt/2006/11/jay_sherman_critic_1994.jpg

/\ one good thing about The Critic was the real big place setting (cliched as NYC-based stuff is outside animated series) instead of cliched smalltown/suburb. more drawing required tho huh.

the critic sucked a lot.

you STINK

Funny from what I remember anyway, but it's been years.

the simpsons tie-in with 'the critic'(in/around the simpsons' heyday iirc) was embarrassing, it's like the writers had to stoop to the other show's level in order to be good sports about the whole thing.

this happens at least once a week:

i come home to my sister watching Family Guy
i plop down on the couch and watch
lol, lol, LOLLLIOL this show is kinda funny!
...aaaaand then at some point in the next five minutes I burst from the couch in disgust and ask my sister rather pointedly how she can watch this shit. i mean hat are you gonna watch next? the GWB as a toddler show?

-- wanko ergo sum, Tuesday, 19 February 2008 22:38 (Yesterday) Link

otm. 'delivery' = we have friends in hollywood and this is how they talk about movies and life and stuff! zzz

family guy thread revivals are always like this, aren't they? like three guys talk about it being funny, 20 guys run in and shriek "THAT ISN'T FUNNY!" and on and on.

yah. people that hate on family guy on the internet are pretty miserable irl.

I just got to a point where I couldn't stand the stewie voice any longer. like a needle dipped in lye right through the ear.

settle down, beavis.

I mean, some of the best SP episodes (Casa Bonita, Stanley's Cup, Fat Butt and Pancake Face) have pretty much _nothing_ that works out of context.

I dunno, I sometimes carry around a record player and narrate things that happen in the Rob Schneider Movie Voice and my friends think it's hilarious

http://community.tvguide.com/blog-entry/TVGuide-News-Blog/Todays-News/Family-Guy-Spinoff/800034597

???

Weird idea, is he even considered a popular character by hardcore fans of the show? He makes me laugh like once every 5 episodes. I'm sure a spinoff of FG would be better than the half-hearted FG xerox that is American Dad, but making Cleveland of all people the main character might just set the stage for even more queasy race humor.

I guess the deciding factor would be which show gets to keep Quagmire.

One of my favorite scenes in all of "Family Guy" is the bit in "Peter's Two Dads" when Lois and Brian run outside to celebrate the death of Francis Griffin.

I think my all time favourite is the "Get ya a big ol' pretzel...". Two second pause. "I WANNA PRETZEL TOO!"

the current season is kinda weak isnt it

It has its ups and downs.

Watching the clip show/focus group live action episode made me realise how fantastic at being a complete douche Seth McFarlane is, and made me wish he was a sitcom actor as well.

Everywhere I go recently I seem to end up in a South Park vs Family Guy argument, with myself being the sole proponent of South Park's obvious superiority.

Family Guy>>>South Park/Simpsons

You're not the only one chap, but I'm not going to start any shit today.

Family Guy and South Park both suck at making political points, but at least FG throw their out in under ten seconds, not dedicating a whole episode to them.

see poll

South Park = Family Guy

I thought i was the only one that loved "Peter's Two Dads". It's one of my fave episodes, but everyone seems to hate new Family Guy...

the scene where the guys all go from hating to admitting they love barry manilow is A+ tv

Nah. And "Peter's Two Dads" is followed by "The Tan Aquatic with Steve Zissou" and "Airport 07", two of the best new-FG episodes of all.

xp, obv

where are we up to with the new season on UK TV? i was torrenting stuff up until the writers' strike, then just overdosing on the repeats.

and now i've not got a fucking clue what's going on.

as usual.

South Park's writing has just gotten painful over the past few years. Stop hitting me over the head, guys, I got your fucking point in the first "joke" that you made about it.

Family Guy is still great. Very densely lol-packed.

The recent South Park with the hostage situation in the re-enactment village was pretty great.

South Park, for me, is really difficult to watch nowadays.

hey, we all miss chef. get over it.

McStroke really is the best Family Guy episode ever. Just so many great moments.

"So you can help pay for school supplies, ha ha! Say what?"
"Five minute break"
"Yeah, it's a holocaust joke"
The Monkees pastiche
Peter singing "It's The End of the World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine)"
"These things matter"
"Kiss on it?"
Stewie walking naked through the school to the accompaniment of "The Hurricane"

Stewie: Oh no, Brian, I'm enjoying myself too much. Do you know that I've got a date with Connie D'Amico this Saturday night at Anal Point?
Brian: Ah, I've heard about that place.
Stewie: Really? What's it like? 'Cause I have no idea.
Brian: Well, uh... I suppose if you imagine it like a parking space, that you think, "Gosh, there's no way I'm gonna be able to fit in there." But then you fold in the side-view mirrors and, sure enough, well, look at that.
Stewie: Well, in that scenario, it sounds like I'd rather be the parking space than the car.
Brian: Yeah, that's what I've always guessed.

"Hmmm. So that's what Peter's penis looks like"

1st three seasons--classic

fourth season (1st back on the air after cancellation)--just 'pretty good'

fifth season--just 'okay'

All seasons since--dud, dud, dud (except Blue Harvest, which was fantastic)

not that their episodes were ever anything but an excuse for random jokes, but the storylines are more ridiculous than ever, jokes run on way too long, and they just seem to enjoy pissing the censors off but not a lot of makng me laugh.

They did pull out two really good episodes last year though...

Hmmm, I'm just going through the early stuff - midway through season 2 - and thinking "too much story, cut to the random jokes!". I like the more ridiculous storylines, the simpler ones seem too concerned to have a moral and it makes the Simpsons similarities all the more stark.

"Hmmm. So that's what Peter's penis looks like"

oh shit i am just watching this very episode

I like the more ridiculous storylines, the simpler ones seem too concerned to have a moral and it makes the Simpsons similarities all the more stark.

otm but it just shows how stupid it was to retain such a similar family setup when they revived it

Yeah, I tend to agree w/ledge. I appreciate more the later episodes in which there's somewhat of a "fuck you" given to the trad narrative style that, say, the Simpsons perennially trafficked in, and the series became a flimsy excuse to indulge in Seth Macfarlane's unreigned genius...the more Brian, the more better, as far as I'm concerned...I seem him as Macfarlane's alter-ego; simultaneously the near-lone voice of conscience, (barring Lois?) on the show, while managing to be a fuck-up in his own right (ironically showcasing the most human of foibles while being "the family dog")...which to my mind enshrines him as being a classic beautiful comic character.

But, I reckon that all similar animated sitcoms, if not all sitcoms-- if not all series in general, take a season or couple to break into a comfortable stride. I mean, the first season(s) of Beavis and Butthead, Simpsons, South Park, King of the Hill, all leave something to be desired, as far as I'm concerned. At a certain point, it seems like the creators/writers relax enough to "get loose", and then the magic happens in full flower.

yea, but it just isn't funny these days either. the gags are way drawn out these days--their best clips were short and quick in the past. the 'manatee' joke in that episode of South Park seems to be dead on.

the two good episodes this year were the one where Brian tells Lois his true feelings and the one where Chris gets a girlfriend

i also didn't ask for it to be a traditional comedy with traditional stories, but nowadays there's no semblance of coherency. it isn't like the old Family guy plots were that straightforward either, I mean....Road to Rhode Island?

their drawn out musical moments are worse than the later simpsons ones (nb this does not include things like peter singing rock lobster)

family guy did rip off the Simpsons pretty shamelessly though...what with the 'lol' messages on the signs outside of buildings, even the blackjack "Hit me" joke where Peter hits on 21. Even Adam West appeared on the Simpsons in a guest spot making fun of his eccentricity first.

but...all is forgiven because the show in its prime was just so fucking hilarious.

"I LOVE Mexicans!!! I'll do it!"

The production number during this Star Wars ep is horrible and way too drawn out. I had forgotten they put a Tom Baker joke in this one, tho.

I was so into Family Guy before it came back in 2004 after being canceled. My roommate had a bootleg set of the entire series and we watched it constantly. But when it came back it just wasn't as funny as it used to be, even though I tried to get into it because I liked the old ones so much. That was during the period when American Dad just came out also. They were both pretty weak. After the South Park "Cartoon Wars" where they make fun of Family Guy I realized if I want to watch an irreverent cartoon I should just watch South Park.

They nailed Family Guy so bad in that episode I can't even watch it anymore. Every time I walk into a room where someone's watching it I almost always hear Peter say "This reminds me of the time..." O the hilarity I must be missing.

The production number during this Star Wars ep is horrible

I hadn't seen "Blue Harvest" before. Most of it was shockingly unfunny -- way too much Star Wars fanboy-ism, recapitulating things rather than really riffing on them. As for the season as a whole, my opinion is the opposite of BJO's, above.

Everybody's heard about the word.

Looks like they're gonna keep doing the REALLY awkward shouting/zooming into Peter's face as he disdainfully(?) laughs at the audience before cutting to commercial break, for those REALLY overextended and self-referential jokes.... but I guess I do find it pretty funny.

it's funny how people say now that all the early seasons before the initial cancellation are great, watching reruns I've realized that the first season of this show was completely godawful, terrible pacing and voices and animation and everything compared to all the later seasons.

i hate this show

It seems like the BBC only bought about 10 episodes of Family Guy and just repeat them over and over, constantly. Wears pretty thin after a while.

watching reruns I've realized that the first season of this show was completely godawful, terrible pacing and voices and animation and everything compared to all the later seasons.

i'll always love the 'Peter Pete Caviar Eater' episode but yeah Stewie is often hard to watch in early ones

Lois got so much better in the later episodes. (I do love the "bar in the basement" episode, though.)

"it's like that time when we invited Darth Vadar for dinner"
"it's like that time when we invited Charlton Heston for dinner"
"it's like that time when we invited Larry David for dinner"

...etc etc etc etc etc etc

The thing that annoys me most is when you tell someone you're kind of meh about Family Guy, and they go to extraordinary lengths to try and convert you under the assumption that you just 'haven't seen enough of it'. I get the programme! I've watched it quite a lot! I just don't really like it.

See also: Fucking Scrubs.

the only thing more tedious than family guy nowadays is family guy haters who think they are ~~*~**~*~*BLOWING MY MIND~~*~**~*~*~ by making jokes about how they do cut-away gags

man i hate that show! they're always like, this is just like that one time i had darth vader over for dinner! they're so like that!~!

haha and what made my nabisco-esque post irrelevant

but yeah Stewie is often hard to watch in early ones

i think after a few episodes of having him be a tiny genius trying to take over the world they realized "oh, we're just writing Pinky & The Brain gags" and starting adding gay jokes to mix it up.

man i hate that show! they're always like, this is just like that one time i had darth vader over for dinner! they're so like that!~!

but they are, and it's not funny. so there.

Thank you for your valuable input.

this is just like that time we argued about Family Guy, with Bea Arthur and Lee Harvey Oswald

It's a real Catch 22 situation, isn't it.

not really

mock family guy joke haterade = 15 yr olds who just hate their lil sisters disney teen pop soooooooo much they sing the songs all the time around the house because man im totally making fun of it no theyre not good songs im just pointing out how stupid they are by singing them!!!!

The best reason to watch the show is the mayor of Quahog. Adam West saves this show for me.

Moderator: Lois, you got any tips for the young girls in the audience tonight?

Lois: Well, I guess the best advice I can give is that you never know who's gonna grow up to be famous. So, just make yourself available.

i thought this was pretty good

http://www.hulu.com/watch/39782/family-guy-road-to-germany

i am actually watching it right now

WEIRD

Adaaaam Weeeeeeeeeeeeeest
Adaam Weeeeest
Adaaaam Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeest

i'm starting to think of family guy's relationship to comedy like one of those weirdo christian sects like latter day saints or jehovahs witnesses that were considered satanic 100 years ago but now are blandly accepted at the fringes of the mainstream

bird bird bird, the bird is the word, buh buh buh bird bird bird, bird is the word

^^^This is the perfect way to do "stretch joke out way beyond the point where it becomes unfunny so it becomes hilarious again"

The chicken fights, on the other hand, are the incorrect way to do it.

http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=46868294632&oid=24132604778

^^^this, on the other hand, may be the perfect FG gag

it helps that surfin' bird is an awesome song

I was seriously goggling at that episode, thinking "they can't REALLY be hammering away at this for this long, can they?????"

i watched like four episodes of family guy on hulu this morning and that was the funniest thing about any of them

In fairness, that was really fucking funny.

any FG joke/routine that lasts more than 10 seconds is bad

Still not a Family Guy guy, but Stewie's Farm Wheel bit was sorta funny.

Also laughed at Peter doing the whole John Candy speech from Planes Trains & Automobiles and Chris pointing and going "Ha, movie references." Because a lame show pointing out that it's lame is sorta funny, in a lame sort of way.

Yeah, I liked exactly that about it too.

People about three years ago who would get the the challopsy habit of saying this show was better than current Simpsons episodes used to make me furious

i don't know what's challopsy about that when the meme is that simpsons has fallen the fuck off. family guy makes me lol more than almost any recent simpsons episodes.

I probably enjoy a new Simpsons ep more on a level playing field, but at least with new FG episodes I'm not constantly thinking of how much better it used to be.

Family Guy is the fast food of comedy shows. It's everywhere, and sometimes I really enjoy it and sometimes it leaves a bad taste in my mouth, sometimes both, but I never rave to someone else about. I'm not invested in it, I don't approve of their business model 100%, I wouldn't list it as a favorite, but it does the trick when I'm feeling lazy.

look at me! i'm an iraq war vet in ten years... no, no, we're gonna take good care of 'em.

Seth MacFarlane singing in the BBC Proms tomorrow night.

And looking good.

Oh wait that was tonight/last night...well it might be on iplayer.

tryin to watch Mr. Belvedere here.....

the Stephen King episode, while a curious choice of subject matter (I mean I guess I just don't see what inspired it) was classic.

especially Shawshank Redemption, which perfectly lampooned the ridiculous ending to that movie (which I like mind you but still....come on!)

Rush Limbaugh and Karl Rove to cameo on Family Guy

not that i've read any of this thread, but the thing i really dislike about FG is the immorality. I guess this makes me sound like a total fangina, but there is something very inhumane about a lot of their humour. The endless cancer and aids jokes, that episode where he has a stroke.. i guess they're going for the whole pomo edginess, but it just strikes me as the work of people who just don't give a fuck, who will mine any sour trench if it gets a cheap laugh. Other shows and comedians will go to these places, but the best have some heart. With Family Guy you get the distinct impression that these people think the darkest recesses of humanity are little more than a comedy goldmine, and will happily sit at the right hand of the "as long as it isn't happening to me" demographic feeding them scraps of human flesh. Fuck em

but it just strikes me as the work of people who just don't give a fuck, who will mine any sour trench if it gets a cheap laugh.

http://bkachinsky.transworld.net/files/2009/06/internet.jpg

Kinda. It's like a really expensive string of snarky ILX posts.

(Except there are funnier people on ILX.)

expensive? ilx has had more of my money than family guy!