It was cancelled because Groening insisted on keeping the rights for himself instead of selling it lock, stock and barrel to Fox, so they continually sabotaged it by changing its time slot or preempting it without warning, then used the resultant low ratings as an excuse to can it.
Now you know.
There were acouple of awful episodes towards the end, there, though.
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| Originally Posted by Starving Dog how about yes |
Seriously, no.
Family Guy is great but i cant watch it over and over like I can with Futurama.
There is no substance to an eppisdoe just some funny gags.
I think it’s bizarre to even compare Family Guy to The Simpsons (and even more bizarre to compare it to Futurama). Here’s the thing the two shows have in common:
And we’re done. The Simpsons is a satire (or at least was) and it did what all great satire does and put our daily world under a microscope and see the absurdity and humor therein.
Family Guy has never been satire. I think Crow is simplifying it a bit by saying that all the jokes are non-sequiters. Family Guy has a lot going for it and while the non-sequiters tend to be the best part, the show’s writers have a great way of turning the most mundane conversational dialogue into a joke simply by virtue of it being so mundane ("You know what I haven’t had in a while? Big League Chew."
.
As Devin points out, the show also makes tons of outdated references. I actually think this is better than trying to get in every piece of pop culture humor and then have the joke age terribly. Rather, McFarlane and his writers seem to prefer making references to the esoteric and the forgotten. Actually, I think Family Guy’s biggest weakness since coming back on the air has been the frequent references to itself, which just feels like pandering.
When I think of Family Guy’s humor, I like to think of a show that happily throws every piece of material against a target and see what hits. In comparing that to The Simpsons and Futurama, I’d say that their writers are actually aiming and they tend to hit the bullseye (although these days The Simpsons seems to either hit the bullseye or miss it completely).
I don’t really have hate for the show; it’s more like disinterest.
A lot of my friends go apeshit over this show and talk about it like its the Holy Grail or something.
I’ve seen a few episodes and I don’t get what all the hype is about.
I think stuff like Wallace & Gromit or the Pixar films have much more humor and ingenuity than this show.
Then again, perhaps I am just not a fan of infantile humor.
My biggest problem with Family Guy is the way over use of flashbacks, and the Pop Culture stuff. Sure it’s funny alot of the time but usually more than half the show is nothing more than “remember when(Insert classic TV Show Carachter) did this…” Or "Remember the time I (insert inane scenario) It just gets old, and they are really starting to reach. The “Shipoopi” last night was a prime example of when pop culture references go wrong.
I find Family Guy Very Funny most of the time, but ultimatley inferior to the Simpsons (which you have to judge all seasons not just the last 5) and Futurama.
I enjoy Family Guy but it’s one of those shows that’s just there. It’s made me laugh extremely hard at times, but it’s because a joke came out of nowhere or was totally unexpected. The only time I ever watch the DVDs is if I have someone over who’s never seen the show, then it’s fun to see their reactions.
And yeah, just because someone says it doesn’t hold a candle to The Simpsons or Futurama doesn’t mean we hate it.
A little clarification of my earlier post which a couple of you don’t agree with.
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| Matt Goldberg said: The Simpsons is a satire (or at least was) and it did what all great satire does and put our daily world under a microscope and see the absurdity and humor therein |
Like the Apartment or Annie Hall
Family Guy is a show that counts on off the wall humor from left field (Kareem Abdul-Jabar as the pilot of the plane. In his uniform!?!?), continued repeated jokes for emphasis ("Looks like I picked the wrong week to stop sniffing glue", or just references (Airplane! spoofs over 20 movies, and is almost a direct comedy remake of a disaster movie). Blazing Sadles is a GIANT spoof of Hollywood and movies in general, as well as race relations and many pop culture items from its time period.
Futurama is a movie that spoofs the state of the world, more than movies themselves (although there is a lot of pop culture references, if in nothing else then the heads of famous people). That is where I came up with the thought of The Producers, or maybe even Dr. Strangelove.
I may have mixed up the Futurama and Simpsons references but, I stand behind my comparisons of the Family Guy.
An explanation is a lot better than a “Yes it is,” “No it isn’t” argument, anyway.
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| Originally Posted by Matt Goldberg I think it’s bizarre to even compare Family Guy to The Simpsons (and even more bizarre to compare it to Futurama). Here’s the thing the two shows have in common: 1. They both feature stupid patriarchs. 2. They both feature reasonable, lovable wives who go crazy from time to time. 3. They’re both half-hour animated comedies. |
I disagree for two reasons.
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| the show’s writers have a great way of turning the most mundane conversational dialogue into a joke simply by virtue of it being so mundane ("You know what I haven’t had in a while? Big League Chew."Wink. As Devin points out, the show also makes tons of outdated references. I actually think this is better than trying to get in every piece of pop culture humor and then have the joke age terribly. Rather, McFarlane and his writers seem to prefer making references to the esoteric and the forgotten. |
While I like this humor, it’s kinda cheap. It’s almost the equivalent of “Hey! Remember <insert old 80s reference here>?”, which isn’t that far off from the lame shit that VH1 produces. There’s not much imagination there other than simply mentioning something that your audience may have remembered. It’s funny a lot of time and nostalgia’s good, but it’s not creative and it just feels cheap, like a fart joke.
And, even with “timeless” 80s references, it’s debatable over whether it’s better than going for more current pop culture. Many people have said, the show doesn’t hold up all that well on repeat viewings anyway, regardless of the references. Sometimes, the references to old stuff (like the “Jake and the Fatman” gag) may not be good 'cuz the old stuff wasn’t worth remembering to begin with.
On that note, where did “Shipoopi” come from?
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| Originally Posted by E.C. Sometimes, the references to old stuff (like the “Jake and the Fatman” gag) may not be good 'cuz the old stuff wasn’t worth remembering to begin with. |
Joe Penny weeps.
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| Originally Posted by E.C. (though the baby and dog talk in FG and the daughter and son have no personalities). Also, considering how major of a role the stupid patriarch is in each series, it’s not a common thread that you can simply brush off. 2. With that logic, you couldn’t compare ANYTHING to anything else. A debate of which is better between Deadwood and Days of Our Lives wouldn’t work in your reasoning. Which just doesn’t make sense. |
First off, I like the character of Chris (the son) quite a bit. Saying that, I completely disagree with you about Chris and Meg having no personalities. I think they are both fairly solid characters, although paper thin, they have a distinct personality that defines all their actions in the show.
And second, you can’t compare Days of Our Lives to Deadwood to determine which is better. It’s like comparing an apple and an orange. They are different things. To compare, you need more than just the logic that they are both TV shows.
The 80’s pop culture references aren’t going to become outdated because they’re already outdated. There’s nothing funny about them other than the fact that these things once existed, and guess what, the cartoon show you’re watching remembers them too! Even the more current references are cult and internet type stuff, that people will enjoy because their little obsession is getting a moment in the mainstream.
It’s like those nerds with their Thundercats t-shirts. It’s not a good look, and it wasn’t even a good show. The merchandise exists purely for the sake of nostalgia, and nobody’s going to dress like that unless they want the same kind of easy attention. That or they’re a furry. Or both.
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| Originally Posted by JGButler I enjoy Family Guy but it’s one of those shows that’s just there. It’s made me laugh extremely hard at times, but it’s because a joke came out of nowhere or was totally unexpected. The only time I ever watch the DVDs is if I have someone over who’s never seen the show, then it’s fun to see their reactions. |
I’ve somewhat the same feelings for it. I do love the show, but it’s not one I could watch everyday like it’s being shown now.
I used to love the Simpsons, but now I’ve grown to be bored by it and turn the channel whenever it’s on.
I never watched Futurama until it was on Adult Swim, now I’m a big fan.
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| Originally Posted by E.C. On that note, where did “Shipoopi” come from? |
That’s from “The Music Man” and the fact you don’t know that sounds like trouble with a capital ‘T’ that rhymes with ‘P’ and that stands for ‘pool’.
And the thing about “Family Guy” is that when it’s not funny, it’s just distasteful. I get put off by the rudeness and crudeness, and while reaching for the joke has it’s moments (the Y2K chicken fight was unbelievable), the fact is this is a show about a family with a dad, Peter Griffin, who’s worse than cancer. Seriously, what an immensely unlikeable guy. Along with the retard son, the imbecile daughter, and the maniacal baby, who’s personality traits change each episode to suit whatever wacky plot he’s figuring in to, there’s a lot to find generally unpleasant about this show.
Last week’s Onion AV Club had an interview with Stephen Colbert, and this bit regarding the kinds of political satire he was exposed to growing up struck me as a good summation of the criticisms often lobbed (justly) at Family Guy (emphasis mine).
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| I liked Mark Russell when I was a kid, 'cause so much of it seemed very easy to me—Ted Kennedy jokes, Ted Kennedy drinking jokes, Ted Kennedy fat jokes, or Ted Kennedy womanizing jokes. Most of them seemed flippant, you know, like somebody saying, “Ted Kennedy—enough said.” That’s not really a joke there, that’s just the attitude of a joke. |
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| Originally Posted by PodBayDoor Last week’s Onion AV Club had an interview with Stephen Colbert, and this bit regarding the kinds of political satire he was exposed to growing up struck me as a good summation of the criticisms often lobbed (justly) at Family Guy (emphasis mine). |
That’s not an argument, that’s just using Stephen Colbert’s opinion.
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| Originally Posted by fabfunk That’s not an argument, that’s just using Stephen Colbert’s opinion. |
Don’t reject Mama Bird’s truth.
My problem with The Family Guy was the blatant idiocy of all the family members, save for the baby and the dog. I couldve maybe even accepted the family as idiots had they been, well…funny. They were just creepy more than anything else, and creepy on it’s own just doesn’t translate as being humorous for me. The voice characterizations for the rest of the family were extremely annoying as well, especially the mother and father. It’s an also ran to The Simpson’s IMO, just without any endearing characters besides the aforementioned two, I actually thought they were funny as hell.
Maybe if it was just Stuie? and the dog with a backdrop of faceless, Charlie Brown-esque peripheral characters that never spoke beyond nonsensical gibberish(Huwa-Huwa-Huwa-Huwa)just focusing on their reactions to the nondescript fools around them, it might have worked for me. As it is, I just couldn’t make myself endure more than those few episodes before giving up on it.
But I tried dammit, at least I did that.
I enjoy Family Guy. Who cares how high-brow or low-brow the humor is? It works for me, most of the time. In fact, the show gets a pass based on one exchange between Lois and Brian alone. The bit about knowing how much a pound of pure cocaine is, Lois swiftly calculating the price, and Brian’s reaction is pure brilliance, stupid humor or not.