The Big Picture: It Seems Today ...

[UNHchabo]

When I watched Family Guy, I would rate it alongside South Park, or recent seasons of The Simpsons. That is, there were some amazing episodes and some terrible episodes, but mostly enjoyable.

The point I stopped watching Family Guy was when Peter killed Quagmire's cat. The episode played Quagmire like he was overreacting, as if he was freaking out about Peter breaking a piece of furniture. I cannot abide by that; there are far too many instances of people in this country intentionally abusing someone else's pet for that to be something you can even jokingly endorse.

Bob, your "Simpsons" video was right after you watched Season 14; I think the show was still going decently strong at that point. I agree with another significant faction that believes the show's quality went downhill after the release of the movie. That's not to say there aren't good episodes, but there seems to be a larger number of episodes that are outright bad, and there's a whole lot of episodes that I may laugh while watching, but afterwards I can barely remember anything that happened.

 

[Varya]

My biggest problem with FG is that I don't think all of the writers know WHY the offensive humor works. Like, the show sometimes goes from doing subversive sexist, homophobic and racist gags to just being sexist, homophobic and racist. Don't get me wrong,mI don't think anyone in the team is an actual racist, homophobe or sexsit, they just don't get why some of their jokes work and think that just writing in more offensive jokes will work.
Also think American Dad is the better show, but I like the FG characters better and a good Brian/Stewie ep always wins me over

 

[Darth Sea Bass]

I don't watch it that often but i still like family guy. It's American dad I've never really got with I mean yeah it's funny just never clicked with me.

 

[SquidVicious]

So what you're saying is I should keep watching Bob's Burgers? Cool.

Joke aside, I agree mostly with you on this. I still don't like Family Guy, but American Dad/The Cleveland Show have been very enjoyable.

I was not a fan of Bob's Burgers at first though. It seemed like Bob was the only sane character in a world of crazy people. However, after watching the show for a few episodes, it has grown on me.

Louise is the best!

Spoiler: To anyone who disagrees...

Bob is just as insane as everyone else, it just only manifests when he's under the influence of some kind of mind altering chemical. There's a thanksgiving episode in season 3 where he hallucinates a scene from My Neighbor Totoro.

 

[TheDrunkNinja]

South Park is a show that presents a proper "big picture". Amidst all the inane humor and shear anarchy of whatever issue they're currently parodying, at some point they always present both sides of the debate in a clear and reasonable way, thereupon providing immediate levity by ending the episode on a massive joke.

The point of South Park isn't to "take a stand" on anything. The point is to show that while the people you so easily criticize can be pretty fucking stupid, you are just as capable of the same kind of stupid, only from a different stance.

 

[Pink Gregory]

Eh, I remember liking it, but pop culture references kind of tired themselves out.

No idea why I ever watched Robot Chicken, for that very reason. Used to watch a lot of Adult Swim stuff, but then the website barely showed the ones I liked (12Oz Mouse, the Drinky Crow Show and whatever else) and just repeats the same episodes of Aqua Teen Hunger Force, which does wear thin after a while, even if you're a strange person like me that dug it.

Frisky Dingo was FANTASTIC. Think it may have been the pre-Archer, judging by the animation style.

 

[VladG]

I can very much relate to Bob. Hated the first 3 seasons of Family guy, just a cheap, crude, formulaic Simpsons knock-off.
But then the cringe-worthy humor was almost entirely replaced by genuinely funny and fairly clever humour and... well, what's not to like about that?

I still don't like it anywhere near as much as the Simpsons (not the new seasons, god no!)

But Bob's Burgers? Does it somehow magically turn into not shit after the first season? I just don't see the appeal there. The only source of humour seems to be people talking loudly at the same time.

 

[Merklyn236]

I was always kind of middling on Family Guy. Some of the episodes were good, some great, some bad, some horrifically bad, and many were just kind of meh to me. But the character evolution of Stewie always bothered me. I always pictured him in my head as a reincarnated dictator (take your pick, history is full of 'em) who was constantly thwarted by his mom. And while the dynamics between him and Lois could have been getting one note, I thought they could have expanded his horizons in that vein. Taking him down the road of a lost, sexually confused TODDLER just kinda seemed....stupid.

Although as a father of two daughters, how the entire family's relationship with Meg evolved (or devolved more accurately) really bothered me, but I figured that was just me and ignored those bits.

The Star Wars parodies were some of the shows best work that I've seen, though I haven't watched much of it in about...oh, three years? Four?

Side note to all this, is it wrong that I haven't watched many of the newer animated shows out there (Bob's Burgers, Adventure Time, for example) solely because I looked at the art style and said "No"?

 

[The Material Sheep]

I don't really like family guy but I don't hate people for liking it. I disagree with the aesthetic tastes of those who do like it, and usually don't take their opinions on entertainment as anything relevant to my opinions on entertainment.

So, really I have no problem with Bob enjoying family guy, and it's stupid that someone would think negatively about him for doing so. I disagree with him on his analysis, but different strokes for different folks. I'm just upset that Bob feels it necessary to strawman another cartoon to deflect criticisms he might get for liking a cartoon that is often the butt of unreasonable hatred. Oh well. I perhaps should just stop watching his stuff if I get this disappointed and talked down to every time I watch one of his shows.

 

[arigomi]

Intellectually, I can understand why shows like Family Guy resonate with audiences. Emotionally, I find the characters bland or off putting. It is like being in a room where everyone is laughing at a joke but you aren't. It is awkward because you know what the joke is but it isn't funny to you.

Seth MacFarlane's brand of humor is very "East Coast". It is brash, loud, and unapologetic. It is a style associated with venting unspoken frustrations. It operates on the assumption that the audience will agree with any commentary made. When it works, it is spectacular. When it bombs, it reeks of laziness and unacknowledged prejudices. This is why Family Guy is so inconsistent with its humor.

 

[el_emmens]

to me, sometimes the writing just feels lazy. I will get an occasional laugh, but the fact that they'll often go out of the way to make the cringe worthy joke, then keep going with it until i just want to go "OKAY I GET IT!" That feels like bad writing.

Added in that Meg is a literal punching bag for the entire world at this point in the show, Peter would be in jail for life at this point in any sane world for the things he's done, the transphobia, and occasional racist/homophobic jab (family gay is the episode that makes me slam my head into the wall anytime I see the later half of it.) Then add the whole poking at fox like they have a desire to get cancelled and I really just can't enjoy it..and this is me knowing that Seth isn't really on the writing team anymore.

I'm sorry Bob, but this is just about the one thing I can disagree with you on. Yes it actually takes a stand on things, yes it has the occasional good joke and good point, but it's a mission in bad practice to shovel through garbage for to find the occasional emerald and diamond.

 

[crimsonshrouds]

I just don't find the show funny and feel that Seth Macfarlane is literally insulting the audience for watching his show.
Its a trap and the second Christmas special, I think clearly show this.

 

[ForumSafari]

South Park is like Congress in that it never takes a stand on anything.

That's part of the reason I like South Park and consequentially one of the reasons I have barely any time for Family Guy any more. Almost every issue in real life is nuanced and has an argument for both sides, but people generally don't understand the argument for the other side (or pretend they don't) or even in quite a good chunk of cases for their side. South Park tends to point out the idiocy of both extreme positions and effectively points out that a good number of the people on the 'right' side are effectively there by accident.

Personally as I say I have little time for Family Guy except for a few episodes, MacFarlane is not a good weekly writer in my opinion, he doesn't generate enough good ideas but in his favour when he does they tend to be excellent.

Caveat: When I'm discussing these shows I mean earlier in their run, they both suck now.

 

[Casual Shinji]

It's just cheap. It's a gag reel with no cohesive structure. It's basically comedy porn.

The only episode of Family Guy that I respected was the one where Stewie and Brian get locked in the bank vault, because there's an actual structure to it. No throw-away gags, no drawn out jokes to eat up time, just a real story that lets the comedy flow naturally.

 

[Imp_Emissary]

So what you're saying is I should keep watching Bob's Burgers? Cool.

Joke aside, I agree mostly with you on this. I still don't like Family Guy, but American Dad/The Cleveland Show have been very enjoyable.

I was not a fan of Bob's Burgers at first though. It seemed like Bob was the only sane character in a world of crazy people. However, after watching the show for a few episodes, it has grown on me.

Louise is the best!

Spoiler: To anyone who disagrees...

Bob is just as insane as everyone else, it just only manifests when he's under the influence of some kind of mind altering chemical. There's a thanksgiving episode in season 3 where he hallucinates a scene from My Neighbor Totoro.

Yeah, I get what ya mean. What I meant though by "the only sane person in there world" was that it seemed Bob was always the "straight man" in the show. Kind of how in King of the Hill Hank would sometimes be the only one not freaking out(at least not as much as everyone else was) over what was going on.

 

[-Dragmire-]

The episodes are hit and miss for me but when it hits, it's pretty damn good(like Multiverse). The effort put into the show is easiest to notice in the music and the more challenging scenes like the chicken fight. The writing, as it always was, is a mixed bag.

 

[Screamarie]

Yeah I don't mind Family Guy and it can have some really epic episodes, such as the Stewie and Bryan roadtrip movies and the like. But for a majority of episodes I can't really stand it sometimes. It relies too heavily on jokes it's already done, like the chicken/peter fight which, in my opinion, went on too long the FIRST time they did it. Then there's the whole thing with Meg being considered ugly which just doesn't make sense to me. Her animation isn't made to be wierd or anything, she's not fat despite the fact that everyone says she is and even if she was that wouldn't be a reason to ridicule her. I guess maybe I'm just too female to get it.

Also, I'll admit that some of my distaste for the show comes from the fact that I just don't like Seth Mcfarlan as a person really. I don't think he's very funny, instead he seems like the kind of guy that does "shocking" things in order to watch people be shocked and when they get upset or offended he just hollers "but it's just a joke, you're just too easily offended. There's nothing wrong me! It's all of you!" but that's just how I see it.

 

[OverEZ]

Bob, I'm not mad. I'm just disappointed...

Bob's Burgers, yes. American Dad, yes. Cleveland Show, sure. But Family Guy? You're better than that.

 

[Rad Party God]

I honestly enjoy Family Guy, American Dad and Cleveland Show.
Yes, I said it, I "enjoy" Cleveland Show.

... and there's not much to say really, if you like them, good for you!, I enjoy them also (I've never seen Bob's Burgers before, mainly because I don't dig the animation style, but I'll check it out down the line) and seriously, I've only seen just a couple of people aroud these parts who doesn't like neither of these shows, I wouldn't consider it "the whole internet".

 

[Crazy Zaul]

WTF is supposedly so good about Bob's Burgers? I've only watched about half an episode but that's all it took to know it sucks.