Family Guy: Good or Bad ?

MORDETH LESTOK · Post by **MORDETH LESTOK** » October 6th, 2009, 14:23

Seems we have some haters in the crowd. I was just wondering why...why you hate the Family Guy?

Obviously, not everyone is great, but there is always a few good laughs in every show. The first 2-3 seasons were the best but that kinda goes for every series for the most part.

I can see you not thinking its funny because of not knowing all the references they make. You need to be old like me a lot of the times to know of them. But other than that?

You're prolly the ones still watching Simpsons...

Stoat · Post by **Stoat** » October 6th, 2009, 14:46

I haven't seen any Family Guy for a while, but I enjoyed the first few series. The reckless abandonment of continuity and- on occasion- taste brought many lols. I hated American Dad though. Some liked it. That's objectivity for you.

And regardless of how bad The Simpsons got in its ditch of seasons 12-14, you can't slap it with the same hand you're using to defend Family Guy.

amblin · Post by **amblin** » October 6th, 2009, 15:00

Baliame · Post by **Baliame** » October 6th, 2009, 15:03

amblin almost reading my mind wrote:Aaaanyway, Family Guy. Awesome, not genius awesome, but awesome. Of it's peers it's not Futurama, but it's better than the Simpsons. American Dad is okay, not as good as FG. The new spinoff is fucking crap and needs to die.

Post by **Dr. kitteny berk** » October 6th, 2009, 15:04

amblin wrote:I had to vote awesome, but only because there wasn't an option entitled "it's okay and kills 23 minutes whilst waiting for something better to download."

surely that'd be the "S'okay...I'll watch it if its on." option?

spoodie · Post by **spoodie** » October 6th, 2009, 15:08

They're all okay, apart from the one that isn't, which I haven't seen. The best at the moment is The Life & Times of Tim. It's not really the same sort of thing, but whatever.

amblin · Post by **amblin** » October 6th, 2009, 15:10

buzzmong · Post by **buzzmong** » October 6th, 2009, 15:23

I think it's OK. It's funnier than the Simpsons at any rate, still lots of slapstick but there's enough satire and sarcasm with Brian and Stewie to more than cover for it.

Not a patch on Futurama though.

Akiakaiu · Post by **Akiakaiu** » October 6th, 2009, 16:18

Where's the "if I had TV I'd watch it" option. I like the show and have collected most of them, I'd have to say I like it more then any of the other shows listed here as I haven't swept so much as an ep of the others. The Cleveland Show should go away forever, along with American Dad which I don't care for either.

Shada · Post by **Shada** » October 6th, 2009, 16:24

It's completely lacking in the genius and comedy timing that makes shows like the Simpsons brilliant, I can't stand the character designs (look at his design for Cleveland Jnr in the Cleveland Show. What the fuck is that?), the animation suffers from "talking heads" syndrome often where the characters just stand perfectly still with their arms flat to their sides while they make the joke, and the background detail is shoddy throughout.

Despite all that, I like seasons 1-4 quite a lot - I used to watch it a lot so I have fond memories of it and it does still make me laugh. I know it's a bit of a tired old cliche when people say "the latest episodes are shit", but I think it really does apply to Family Guy. I tried watching it recently and just couldn't get into it.

But that's just what I think.

Post by **Dr. kitteny berk** » October 6th, 2009, 16:31

Shada wrote:It's completely lacking in the genius and comedy timing that makes shows like the Simpsons brilliant

I wouldn't say the Simpsons contains genius or brilliance, it has its moments, well, had them. nowadays it just seems tired and just not very good.

I could quite easily argue the same about family guy, but at least that still amuses me and actually makes me laugh in places (and occasionally just breaks me)

Shada · Post by **Shada** » October 6th, 2009, 16:39

Yeah, just a taste thing really. I used to love the timing in seasons 1-4 of Family Guy - like the bits where Peter would fall down and it'd be just a single animation frame between being upright and being mangled in a chair or crumpled on the floor. That always made me laugh, but I didn't spot anything like that in the current episodes.

There have only been a few Simpsons episodes I haven't liked. There was a really fucking awful one in the current (or last) season about Lisa imagining up a world. The whole episode had one joke. Goddamn.

Post by **deject** » October 6th, 2009, 17:15

I voted s'okay, but I would change

S'okay...I'll watch it if its on.

to

S'okay...I'll watch it if nothing else is on.

Post by **Roman Totale** » October 6th, 2009, 17:57

It is about as original as a cheese sandwich. The humour caters for those easily pleased by throw away references to internet culture and things from their own childhood.

Oh look, it's another flashback. 80's TV/film reference! Shitty musical sequence. Oh my god, it's so random!

It isn't better than the Simpsons, it's just that we've all seen the episodes so many times and they kept it going for far too long that we forgot how good it really was. Family Guy could never run for the same length of time and remain humerous.

It's cheap is my main problem with it. Similar to Friends in that respect. Funny but only at base level common denominator kind of way. The "post modern irony" makes me seethe too (see also: Ricky Gervais) - it's a faaabulous/disabled/religious/political joke - but it's not really, we're just being "ironic"! For a programme that likes to think it pushes boundaries, it really lacks balls in that sense.

Just found this. I think I'd win on every episode:

Edit: I'm also reminded of Charlie Brooker's Mac/PC article. I am constantly inundated by people who tell me I should like it, and then proceed reel off a sketch from the show in terrible, terrible impressions. Just die!

Post by **Dog Pants** » October 6th, 2009, 18:25

I like it. I've not really analysed it like Roman has, I just like the silliness. He's probably right though. I was going to link the Take On Me video until:

Roman Totale wrote: I am constantly inundated by people who tell me I should like it, and then proceed reel off a sketch from the show in terrible, terrible impressions. Just die!

Post by **Roman Totale** » October 6th, 2009, 18:30

I work in an office where 3 people in my very close vicinity quote Family Guy on an annoyingly regular basis. That's probably the main reason I hate it so much.

That and I'm psychotic.

Baliame · Post by **Baliame** » October 6th, 2009, 18:55

Granted I'm not an old fart like the majority here and therefore I missed out on most of the early Simpsons, maybe that's why I never found it as good as Family Guy? The only problem that bugs me is that it's very, very television (yes, I just used that as an adjective, nazi me), the season premieres are pretty strong episodes, then it goes back to "meh", gradually building up to "that was great" by the end of the season.

Anyway, while we're at cartoons: I'm surprised noone mentioned South Park yet, even though it's the only one of the better known ones which is not running on FOX, because kids swearing for 22 minutes is supposed to be funny. Still cartoons, I'm waiting for Archer to premiere properly, Pilot was watchable.

Post by **Roman Totale** » October 6th, 2009, 19:03

South Park used to be very clever and satirical. Then it went down the 'kids swearing' route and became shit. It felt like every episode was a piss poor film/TV parody done to get a cheap laugh (again, my gripe with Family Guy).

Mr. Johnson · Post by **Mr. Johnson** » October 6th, 2009, 20:47

Roman Totale wrote:Words

I'm a bit tired right now so I'm just going to agree with Roman, as he seems to pretty much share the same thoughts on the matter.
And yes, people that tell me I should like it because it's my kind of humour can just die in a fire, how the fuck do you know what I think is funny?!

Post by **FatherJack** » October 6th, 2009, 20:55

I'd probably watch it if it was on, but I don't seek it out. People saying how it is the best thing ever just annoys me though and make me want to hate it, but I really haven't seen enough of it to do that.

When I see an out-of-context youtube clip I think "oh, God that's awful" but the few eps I've seen in full are okay, but I just like the characters in the Simpsons better.

5punk

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