Family Guy

[ᾦɐļᵲʊʂ]

I'm not going to start up the Simpson Family Guy feud, but I'll simply say I find Family Guy to be superior.

My expectations for this first episode are very, very low now.  They used to be very high, I thought they'd make a big comeback, given the hiatus.

But after seeing some of the jokes in the commercials and figuring out that they took all their funny jokes, split them in two and put half in Family Guy and half in American Dad... I was displeased, to say the least.

If you're going to rant on how Simpsons are superior, at least don't tear apart Family Guy to do it. Simpsons have a very political message (or the ability to do so) and a lot of influence, due to the longevity.  To assume Family Guy is a ripoff simply because it's a dysfuncitonal family cartoon, well, that's basically where you're going to find humor in American culture).  If you want to say it's not funny based on... well whatever else reason, that's your opinion, but I think it deserves some credit for the ability to be hilarious to all demographics and make references that are funny even when you don't get them.  (Especially the Benjamin Disraeli one.  "You don't even know who I am.")

It is a solid show (possibly was) and the humor was very original and obscure.  I would even go as far as to say that Groening picked up on a few McFarlane methods (and of course, it can be said McFarlane picked up on Groening's methods...).

[tpfkabi]

as i was looking at the Volume 2 writing/directing credits, McFarlane only has part writing credit on the last episode. is that standard practice? i knew there were definite writing teams on cartoon sitcoms, but i figured he would have at least written some of them. someone explain how it generally works if possible, please.

[Gamblour.]

I'm not going to start up the Simpson Family Guy feud, but I'll simply say I find Family Guy to be superior.

My expectations for this first episode are very, very low now.  They used to be very high, I thought they'd make a big comeback, given the hiatus.

But after seeing some of the jokes in the commercials and figuring out that they took all their funny jokes, split them in two and put half in Family Guy and half in American Dad... I was displeased, to say the least.

If you're going to rant on how Simpsons are superior, at least don't tear apart Family Guy to do it. Simpsons have a very political message (or the ability to do so) and a lot of influence, due to the longevity.  To assume Family Guy is a ripoff simply because it's a dysfuncitonal family cartoon, well, that's basically where you're going to find humor in American culture).  If you want to say it's not funny based on... well whatever else reason, that's your opinion, but I think it deserves some credit for the ability to be hilarious to all demographics and make references that are funny even when you don't get them.  (Especially the Benjamin Disraeli one.  "You don't even know who I am.")

It is a solid show (possibly was) and the humor was very original and obscure.  I would even go as far as to say that Groening picked up on a few McFarlane methods (and of course, it can be said McFarlane picked up on Groening's methods...).

It's not just that they're both families. There are direct jokes being stolen from the Simpsons and other material. I sat there, watching the new episode, pointing them out. One off the top of my head: in the new episode, Peter says "I went to Bed, Bath, and Beyond, but watch out for the beyond section." or something like that. And I yelled, "That's a Jay London joke!" Even though he probably stole it too. Family Guy is derivative in a lot of ways. When I watch FG, I can find flaws. During Season 5 of the simpsons, it's just all too perfect, for example.

And what's this political stuff? Who cares? What's that have to do with you liking FG more?

And bigideas, I've seen every episode, and I've seen about half of those repeatedly.

[SHAFTR]

ugh Simpsons vs Family Guy debate...worthless.

Personally, I'm a Family Guy fan.  The simple reason is because I laugh more during an episode of Family Guy than I do during a Simpsons episode.  This is normally how I judge comedies, # of laughs (call me crazy).

Finally, I find it ironic that members of a PT Anderson board are upset at shows or films that take from other film/shows.

EDIT:  The above is not a shot at PTA, I'm simply pointing out a fact.  I have no problem with an influence being obvious as long as the "imitator" stands on it's own.

[modage]

Family Guy is the Saw of TV!

[Pubrick]

pretty much.

at the very least their fans are the same.

[tpfkabi]

And bigideas, I've seen every episode, and I've seen about half of those repeatedly.

well, if you hate it so much, then why do you watch every episode?

the only reason i ever watch horrible tv shows is because of nostalgia (something i watched as a kid), it's just so horrible that it's funny, and/or it has a really attractive actress on the show.

[Gamblour.]

And bigideas, I've seen every episode, and I've seen about half of those repeatedly.

well, if you hate it so much, then why do you watch every episode?

I was expecting that response because it's the obvious one to make and wouldn't take much thought. I watched the episodes because it's all my zombie friends would watch. Over and over. And over. Someone said it earlier, I watch it sometimes cause it's a lazy laugh, it's easy. The Simpsons aren't always on when I can watch TV, and I've seen those episodes even more than FG.

And I don't watch it because I hate every episode, I don't like it because I've seen every episode.

This debate is pointless because the Simpsons crowd know what the fuck is up. This all goes back to my theory (experience) that people my age only know Fight Club, Boondock Saints, and Family Guy.

[Pas]

What I hate more than the last 5 seasons of the Simpsons is people watching them and bursting : "AH HOMER, YOU ARE SO STOOPID ! lolzer"

I liked the new FG episode.

[RegularKarate]

I can't believe we're still arguing about this... wait, yes I can.

Family Guy goes like this:

1st viewing: few good easy chuckles throughout, maybe one decent laugh out loud moment.

2nd viewing: maybe a half a chuckle during that part I laughed out loud at the first time.

3rd viewing: yeah, I've never got this far, it's pointless.

Simpsons (in it's prime) goes like this:

1st viewing: hilarious, laughing throughout the entire episode.
2nd viewing: see above, except I catch a few jokes I missed the first time.
3rd: even funnier because now I get the parallels and there are even more jokes I'm catching.

this pattern continues until I think I've laughed all I can about it, but then I laugh some more and by the twentieth or so viewing, I'm studying it to try and find out what makes something so perfect and funny.

[Stefen]

lol at you nerds going at it like this over which is better the simpsons or family guy. you guys are actually getting mad here, breaking it down like you're writing a paper explaining evolution.

[Raikus]

I like FG, I like the Simpsons. I love Futurama.

With that said, this first all-new-episode of FG was pretty bad. I mean a GI Joe gag?

FG had a bucket of comedy. It was obvious comedy, but it was funny. It certainly went through that bucket with its first run. Now Seth has broken through the bottom of it and is reaching wildly for anything he can grasp to pull out of it.

And with American Dad he's now wearing it as a hat.

[Ravi]

Yep, FG mostly has little repeat value.

And I just can't stand the musical numbers on the show.  They have no soul.  The music is composed the way it would have been if it was a Broadway show.  At least the songs on The Simpsons had sort of a "Simpsons sound" to them.

[Gamblour.]

What I hate more than the last 5 seasons of the Simpsons is people watching them and bursting : "AH HOMER, YOU ARE SO STOOPID ! lolzer"

No one says that.

[tpfkabi]

And bigideas, I've seen every episode, and I've seen about half of those repeatedly.

well, if you hate it so much, then why do you watch every episode?

I was expecting that response because it's the obvious one to make and wouldn't take much thought. I watched the episodes because it's all my zombie friends would watch. Over and over. And over. Someone said it earlier, I watch it sometimes cause it's a lazy laugh, it's easy. The Simpsons aren't always on when I can watch TV, and I've seen those episodes even more than FG.

And I don't watch it because I hate every episode, I don't like it because I've seen every episode.

This debate is pointless because the Simpsons crowd know what the fuck is up. This all goes back to my theory (experience) that people my age only know Fight Club, Boondock Saints, and Family Guy.

first off, i never said Family Guy was better than the Simpsons........i just haven't seen very many episodes.

the way you worded your response made me assume that you think any person that watches Family Guy and likes it must be stupid.

i don't like Fight Club. i think Se7en is Fincher's best.

as far as music goes, i thought the part in the episode i described above (Brian Goes to Hollywood) was one of the funniest music jokes i've ever seen. i'm talking about the part at the Woodies where they show the award for Best Porn Score. you see the first loser guy playing with a sound mixer with a picture of some girls in bikinis while standard porn/late night freaky music plays - then it cuts to the second guy, toothless playing a keyboard with pictures of girls in bikinis with the score almost exactly the same - then they cut to John Williams and show an orchestra recording the score that sounds very Williams-esque. other funny music cues i can think of off the top of my head:

the episode where Peter plays the piano well when he's drunk - he gets on stage and sits down at the wrong spot and plays it in the wrong key. then Lois comes and pushes him to the right and the song goes up chromatically.

the episode where he meets Joe for the first time. he is talking to Joe and is in need of another player for the company team. while they're talking, Joe is pulling out all of these different sports trophies and with each one there is a corresponding little piano twinkle.

all in all though, i don't need someone else's validation on whether i should like any type of artwork. your opinion is just as valid as mine or anyone else's.

and i ain't seen Saw, Saul, see?