HOLLYWOOD—It’s rare to find a cartoon nowadays that delivers the laughs, but Fox’s “Family Guy” is high on my list. The series was created by Seth MacFarlane, but when it debuted back in 1999, it wasn’t that funny. The laughs were minimal and the characters were not well developed. The show was canceled after airing two seasons. It was later brought back for the fans and something clicked. The show follows a dysfunctional family, the Griffins (Peter, Lois, Chris, Meg, Stewie, and Brian), and the citizens of Quahog.
I will admit it. I’m not a fan of cartoons that have characters who exhibit bad manners and stupidity; not sure what it is, but I think I’m just annoyed by it. So Peter isn’t my favorite, but he has some memorable one-liners and antics that just send me into a laugh attack. Lois’s brass attitude opens the door for funny moments while poor Meg just can’t earn the respect of her peers or anyone in her family. She’s always the butt of the joke or mistreated in some hilarious way, but that all changed in season 8 when Meg went to prison and came home a changed person. The episode was hilarious as Meg enacted revenge on all those who tortured her.
Stewie of course is my favorite; his goal of ruling the world at any cost makes him a highlight of the show. He just seems to have all the jokes in his back pocket and ready to launch at any given moment. What’s so funny about the show is that there’s a talking dog that seems to go unnoticed by everyone. His intellect is at times annoying, yet Brian knows when to pull back. Neighbors Glenn Quagmire, Joe and Bonnie, Cleveland and countless others also join in on the fun.
“Family Guy” is that rare sitcom that is not afraid to push the envelope. They take shots at almost every group imaginable. They have made fun of African-Americans, Caucasians, Jews, fat people, little people, politicians, paraplegics, public figures and pop culture in general. The show has also tackled sensitive issues like Down Syndrome. The cartoon is both a satire and parody; its ability to re-create an image to depict a particular phenomenon or ideal is what elicits the jokes. Celebrities such as Drew Barrymore, Rush Limbaugh, James Woods and Anne Hathaway have featured their voices on the series.
A few highlight episodes of the series include Peter’s encounter with Death, Stewie overtaking the world, Lois taking martial arts classes, Stewie being taken by child services and Lois working at Fox News to name a few. The show does have a bit of violence, profanity and themes not meant for children; it’s geared towards teens and adults. The dialogue can be a bit suggestive at times and some of the imagery on the series is not for everyone.
This cartoon resonates so well with audiences because many realize that the show is all about laughter. It’s good for the heart and soul. If you’re having a bad day, bad week or perhaps a bad month, a good laugh can change all of that. Everyone has a family member that says something stupid from time to time, we have neighbors that we talk about behind closed doors or we talk about issues in society that affect us. “Family Guy” takes all of those taboo themes and incorporates them into a 30-minute show with characters that all have their moments to shine.
While the series is not a family show, if you’re looking for an animated show “Family Guy” should be on your must-see list. My hope is that the show will hit the big screen in the near future. Catch “Family Guy” Sundays at 9 p.m. on Fox.
