198 replies to this topic

[Arjan Dirkse]

I've sort of had it with Family Guy. I'm getting increasingly uncomfortable with the abundance of child abuse jokes.

[stephanie familiar]

I've sort of had it with Family Guy. I'm getting increasingly uncomfortable with the abundance of child abuse jokes.

that was me a year ago with the woman abuse jokes.

[Christian U]

I've been watching a few episodes of Once Upon a Time. Man, what a car-crash of a show. I kinda feel bad for it, it tries so hard to be deep and clever and it just doesn't work in the least.

[Ogul]

I've been watching a few episodes of Once Upon a Time. Man, what a car-crash of a show. I kinda feel bad for it, it tries so hard to be deep and clever and it just doesn't work in the least.

Really? I'd been holding off for a while because it wasn't Fables, dammit, but eventually gave it a shot and watched the first two episodes, and I thought they were pretty decent. It's still on my back-burner to actually catch up though. One problem I have with the premise is that Snow is nowhere near as fair as the evil queen, which sort of breaks the suspension of disbelief.

[Paul F]

If a network picks it up over here I'll probably watch, but mostly just for Ginnifer Goodwin.

[Christian U]

Really? I'd been holding off for a while because it wasn't Fables, dammit, but eventually gave it a shot and watched the first two episodes, and I thought they were pretty decent. It's still on my back-burner to actually catch up though. One problem I have with the premise is that Snow is nowhere near as fair as the evil queen, which sort of breaks the suspension of disbelief.

Yeah, that didn't have me worried... I don't know, it's all very touchy-feely with the little kid and Carlyle chewing the scenery doing a goblin impression - none of it works very well together.

[Will Carper]

that was me a year ago with the woman abuse jokes.

And me two years ago with the antisemitism. How does South Park make it work?

[Robert B]

The appeal of Family Guy has always been lost on me.

[Rory Abel]

And me two years ago with the antisemitism. How does South Park make it work?

In South Park, the anti-semitism comes from the despicable, damaged character and is clearly meant to be frowned on (just like it was with Archie Bunker). In Family Guy it comes from the main character and is meant to be laughed with.

Edited by Rory Abel, 19 January 2012 - 09:46 PM.

[Will Carper]

The appeal of Family Guy has always been lost on me.

Yeah, really, I stopped watching it by the end of high school, so 4 years ago. I just thought the stories were unfunny. But I'd occasionally watch an episode and be really shocked by how offensive the antisemitic jokes were, what with so many Jewish writers on the show (I believe).

I was being a bit tongue-in-cheek about South Park. I totally get how Parker & Stone get away with it. They're just better writers. And really, any and every character on Family Guy will say something antisemitic, racist, misogynist, makes jokes about rape and spousal abuse, with no regard for character.

Edited by Will Carper, 19 January 2012 - 09:56 PM.

[Rory Abel]

Yeah, really, I stopped watching it by the end of high school, so 4 years ago. I just thought the stories were unfunny. But I'd occasionally watch an episode and be really shocked by how offensive the antisemitic jokes were, what with so many Jewish writers on the show (I believe).

One of the Family Guy writers was also one of those people who tweeted about the Tsnumia being payback for Pearl Harbor. So honestly I think they're just people with questionable taste to begin with.

[Will Carper]

Oh I believe it. Family Guy characters are just vehicles to deliver jokes, and the jokes aren't even funny! The hardest I've laughed at that show is when, in a really early episode, Peter did an impression of that barking noise Tim Allen used to make on Home Improvement. So, not a joke at all!

[Arjan Dirkse]

In South Park, the anti-semitism comes from the despicable, damaged character and is clearly meant to be frowned on (just like it was with Archie Bunker). In Family Guy it comes from the main character and is meant to be laughed with.

That's basically it. There has to be an indication in some way that the immoral-yet-funny behavior is in fact wrong, for instance in South Park it is pretty clear by the over-the-top-ness of Cartman's evil and general wrongness, and the reactions of the characters around him. Those indications shouldn't be overly obvious or else they become annoying, and preachy which is not what you want when you're watching a comedy, but they still have to be there.

In Family Guy I think that isn't always there, and especially with the very crude jokes (child abuse, pedophilia, murder etc) that leaves me, well, sickened. Maybe not after one or two times, but when these jokes get repeated over and over again.

[Adam Balson]

What's your opinion on American Dad then guys? Personally I find it funnier because the characters are genuinely trying to say funny things rather than being vehicles for controversial jokes or being in a crazy situation. And regardless of the rest of the show Stan and his boss based on Patrick Stewart are hilarious in themselves. I don't know if it's just me looking at it in a positive light but I think Roger is the only character they push things with. E.g. I can't think of any characters in American Dad that are purely based on one controversial aspect alone unlike Family Guy: Herbert= Paedophile, Quagmire=Rapist, Carter=Racist etc.

EDIT: On a lighter note:
Just finished watching Breaking Bad Series 2 on Netflix and they don't have Series 3 yet. WHAT THE HELL AM I SUPPOSED TO DO WITH MY LIFE NOW?!

Edited by Adam Balson, 19 January 2012 - 11:46 PM.

[Paul F]

EDIT: On a lighter note:
Just finished watching Breaking Bad Series 2 on Netflix and they don't have Series 3 yet. WHAT THE HELL AM I SUPPOSED TO DO WITH MY LIFE NOW?!

They're not likely to get it soon; FX UK cancelled the show after S2 so the S3 DVDs never came out here. I had to order it from the US.

[Arjan Dirkse]

What's your opinion on American Dad then guys? Personally I find it funnier because the characters are genuinely trying to say funny things rather than being vehicles for controversial jokes or being in a crazy situation. And regardless of the rest of the show Stan and his boss based on Patrick Stewart are hilarious in themselves. I don't know if it's just me looking at it in a positive light but I think Roger is the only character they push things with. E.g. I can't think of any characters in American Dad that are purely based on one controversial aspect alone unlike Family Guy: Herbert= Paedophile, Quagmire=Rapist, Carter=Racist etc.

Yeah, American Dad is alright. It's much funnier, and I don't feel as turned off by some of the crude jokes like I am with Family Guy.

[Adam Balson]

They're not likely to get it soon; FX UK cancelled the show after S2 so the S3 DVDs never came out here. I had to order it from the US.

Really? Well that sucks. Did it not do as well in the UK? Speaking of, what series is it on in the US?

Edited by Adam Balson, 20 January 2012 - 12:28 AM.

[Carlos Mancilla II]

I've been over Family Guy for a while, I mainly just stick to the re-runs on Adult Swim but they still air the new episodes which I tend to avoid... American Dad is pretty good and the show in general just feels like it has more life in it then Family Guy, jokes might be crude at times but still has not been to a disturbing point yet.. It just seems like to me that Seth McFarlane pretty much let other people take over Family Guy while his focus seems to be on American Dad, Cleveland Show, and his other projects (his movie and I believe he was working on an album?)

[Will Carper]

Adam, finish Breaking Bad any which way you can!!

Also, why in God's name would anyone want to focus their attention on The Cleveland Show?!?

[Paul F]

Really? Well that sucks. Did it not do as well in the UK? Speaking of, what series is it on in the US?

S4 was on in the US last summer, but isn't on DVD yet. The final season starts this year, but will probably be split into two halves, like The Walking Dead.