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"Family Guy" (1999) More at IMDbPro »

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465 comments in total

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323 out of 459 people found the following comment useful :-
Seth MacFarlane, YOU'RE A GENIUS!!, 28 helmikuu 2005
Author: loismustdie125 from TN

I cannot even begin to discuss how ridiculously smart and outrageously funny is this show. Not only does this program far surpass most of the comedies on television, it has the guts to hit topics that most of the overly sensitive public shies away from. I never understood why it was taken off the air in the first place. Fox can show something as tawdry and humanly degrading as Temptation Island, but Family Guy was too racy? Riiiight.

I absolutely must comment on the incredible voice talent done for this show, most especially the amazing creator himself, Seth MacFarlane. First of all, his versatility is unlike anything I have ever heard. When I discovered how many voices he actually performed, I was floored. I am currently receiving my masters in speech pathology so I find his ability particularly interesting. Not only can he speak in these individual voices, he can sing in them, and very well I might add.

The musical numbers in this cartoon revive a dying art. The "Road" episodes are a hysterical throw back to the Crosby/Hope movies, which is a reference I usually have to explain to my friends though they often must explain a few that I miss. In fact, the scope of the references range from cheesy 80's TV to political commentary to Broadway. This is why everyone will find something funny about this show. Everyone in one form or another can relate to it.

Most of my guy friends think I should be offended by the show because I am a woman and this is a "guy's show." Let me tell you, this is not the case at all. Lois Griffin is a freakin role model. I like to think I have half of her savvy when dealing with my ignorant boyfriends.

Absolutely excellent television. Edgy, funny, intelligent and extremely creative. This show was a breath of fresh air for mundane television and will soon awaken the network again. Seth MacFarlane, you are a genius!!

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149 out of 242 people found the following comment useful :-
Outrageous and hilarious., 14 toukokuu 2002

Author: Devyalento Latchford Deschanel from London, England

Family Guy is far and away one of the most outrageous, audacious television shows I've seen, animated or not. It's sheer disregard for political correctness can be a bit surprising at times. So many times I have watched it now and I still can't believe some of the gags that made it to the final cut. But, even so, it's still one of the funniest shows put to the screen, complete with memorable, well drawn out characters, and, above all, it's funny. Far too many series take for granted that a comedy series is supposed to make people laugh, and even if it does upset the political correctness massive, who cares? If a show is funny, then watch it. That doesn't automatically make Family Guy faultless though.

Of course, you can't look at Family Guy without making some sort of comparison to The Simpsons, even though it's not always necessary. Family Guy does make The Simpsons seem rather tame at times, although, to be fair, The Simpsons has lost some steam after a decade or so. Something new and fresh was needed on the market, and this was it. Yes, you have your South Park's and your King Of The Hill's, but Family Guy is genuinely intelligent. This factor shines above everything else. The amount of clever pop culture references and nods to seemingly obscure television stars and shows is staggering, and never fail to shock and amuse.

The one problem I do have with the show is the lack of numerous winning characters. Of course, Stewie is worth a dozen animated series, no doubt about it. Here is a character that could easily maintain and carry a series all on his own, even if he's only knee-high. There's also some inspired creations in Brian, the family dog who's more sophisticated than his owners, and the local newsreaders, who are questionable at best, but hilarious with it. But the rest of the characters are far too erratic to be completely loveable. Meg and Chris aren't given enough screen time or good lines to make their mark, and Lois could have been an interesting character, but is emphasised as the put upon wife, who hardly ever gets the last laugh. But it's Peter that's the main offender. Don't get me wrong, he's a funny character, but he's just too annoying at times. Whereas Homer Simpson is a clumsy oaf but loveable with it, Peter Griffin is just a stupid, frustrating fool. It's very hard to empathise with some of the things he does, which makes it a bit trying to continually tune in, but the thought of Stewie screaming, "Victory is mine!" again is more than enough to convince me otherwise.

When you get to the bare bones of it, Family Guy is a very funny, if flawed series. There have been many animated series since the explosion of The Simpsons, but this has found it's niche and knows what its limitations are. Hopefully it will be around for a long time to come, but lets just pray that it doesn't get tiresome soon. But for now, just sit back and laugh.

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148 out of 266 people found the following comment useful :-
Another Great 1999 TV-show!, 26 heinäkuu 2004
Author: SonicStuart from Kansas City, MO

Family Guy is another of the best TV-shows that premiered in 1999! Family Guy kind of reminded me of The Simpsons a little bit but there both different. The way Family Guy is like The Simpsons is that they both have the same plot which is a sit-com about a dysfunctional family that lives in a medium sized town where anything can happen and plus the humor is slapstick. Peter Griffin (voiced by Seth MacFarlane) does his best to do what's right for the family, but along the way, he makes mistakes that are the stuff of legends and he is the not so bright one in the family, he speaks before he thinks which is hilarious. Then there's Lois (voiced by Alex Borstein) who is the most sane of the bunch. There is the two teenagers of the family Meg (Season 1 was voiced by Lacey Chabert and then Season 2 and beyond Mila Kunis did the voice of Meg) who is one of those kids who tries so hard to fit in but yet it doesn't work and I feel so sorry for her and then there's Chris (voiced by Seth Green) who is fat, not really that smart but yet spirited and kind of weird. Then there's Stewie (voiced by Seth MacFarlane, again), the evil baby who has an English accent and is this evil genius who wants to take over the world and then there is Brian the dog (voiced by Seth MacFarlane, again), who is the smartest in the family and likes to drink and smoke and doesn't really describe himself as a domestic animal and is trying to find his purpose. The show is so funny because it also makes fun of several movies and other TV-shows which is another thing Family Guy and The Simpsons are alike! The other characters in the show are Cleveland (voiced by Mike Henry) who is this all-around nice guy; Joe Swanson (voiced by Patrick Warburton) who is this tough guy who is in a wheel-chair because he paralyzed his legs and he mainly uses his upper-body strength and then there is Quagmire who is this sex-maniac who goes crazy for any woman that is sexy and I like the way Quagmire says "Alright!" and I say it the way he would said it now. Plus Adam West is in Family Guy playing the Mayor of Quahog, himself and Seth MacFarlane also worked with Adam West when MacFarlane was working in Hanna-Barbera! It premiered back in 1999 after the 1999 Super Bowl where the Denver Broncos won! Then in 2002 FOX canceled this series and then Cartoon Network's Adult Swim block came along and picked up the series for re-runs and then TBS and now it is going to make a return on FOX! You can get this series out on DVD too!

User Rating: 9/10

BOTTOM LINE: HILARIOUS AND A BIT LIKE THE SIMPSONS BUT DIFFERENT!

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85 out of 143 people found the following comment useful :-
Great Show!, 2 elokuu 2004
Author: Ginger87 from New York City

I started watching "Family Guy" right after it premiered after the Super Bowl back in 1999. I immediately fell in love with it and thought it was hilarious. "Family Guy" is about the Griffin family who live in Rhode Island. Peter Griffin is the father of the family and not very bright. He usually says wrong things in the wrong time. Lois is the mother of the family and smarter than Peter. Meg is the daughter of the family and she tries to avoid her family from making her look uncool and goes through teen problems. Chris is the son who loves to eat and is also not very bright. Stewie is the baby who tries to kill his family and take over the world. Brian, the dog, is the voice of reason in the family but also an alcoholic. "Family Guy" has many great episodes. My favorites include "Road to Rhode Island", "Peter, Peter Cavier Eater", and "Mr. Saturday Knight". I am glad new episodes are coming next year! This show deserves 10/10 stars!

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40 out of 55 people found the following comment useful :-
Not as memorable as The Simpsons, but Family Guy is a fresh new and funny look at adult comedies, 24 marraskuu 2003
Author: Kristine (kristinedrama14@msn.com) from Chicago, Illinois

Family Guy is actually one of my favorite shows, the jokes are always a blast to hear and watch and it has one of my all time favorite cartoon characters: Stewie Griffin. A lot of hard core Simpsons fans do accuse this show of being a rip off, I agree, it's similar in some aspects, but still Family Guy is always worth the watch in my opinion. It's also a little more grown up than other cartoons, when it comes to the hard core jokes, Family Guy never disappoints, they will take the joke as far as they can go.

The show is about the Griffin family: Peter, Lois, Chris, Meg, Stewie, and Brian. Peter is the head of the household, he's a bit on the slow side, loves beer, and is in love with TV. Lois is the wife and mother, she's always the one you'd want to go to with problems, but when you mess with her, she comes back with a punch! Chris is the son, very slow and stupid, but sometimes has those strange moments of very deep thoughts. Meg is the daughter who just can't be noticed and is finding herself in the harsh world of high school. Stewie, the baby, is a wanna be dictator, wants to kill Lois, will destroy broccoli, kill he man in white, and is always looking for victory to be his! Brian is a man stuck in a dog's body who loves Lois and is trying to figure out why he's with the Griffin Family.

Family Guy has some extremely funny episodes, for me the most memorable are: Chitty Chitty Death Bang, Emission Impossible, A Very Special Family Guy Freakin' Christmas, and 8 Simple Rules for Buying My Teenage Daughter. Those are the episodes that just always can get a constant laugh from me. But I do recommend Family Guy, it's not for the faint of heart, but it's just a fun show if you want a few good laughs. The cast loves doing this show and they always pull in great and memorable characters. While I still prefer The Simpsons, Family Guy is also a show that I will always watch when I get the chance.

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106 out of 191 people found the following comment useful :-
One of the best animated series ever, 15 huhtikuu 2003
Author: nixar55 from NYC

Shame on Fox for mishandling this show! As with "Futurama", scheduling problems made this show impossible to find on a regular basis. But it was worth hunting down - this show is funny, surreal, and offensive. Wittier than South Park (and more un-PC, too) and more original plots than The Simpsons, this show is hysterical. This show is also primarily for twentysomething kids who can "get" the references to Big League Chew, Kool-Aid, and that episode of "Who's the Boss?" where Tony sees Angela naked in the shower. I could tell this show was scripted by people my age, and that made it even cooler to me. I can't wait to own all of the episodes on DVD. Watch it on Cartoon Network as part of their Adult Swim line-up if you're uncertain, but you'd have to be crazy not to love this show.

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209 out of 402 people found the following comment useful :-
Losing its edge, 26 syyskuu 2005

Author: Anthony Lalande from Montreal, Canada

While I know that I run the risk of being chased out of town for saying this, I feel that since the beginning of Season 5, the show has lost its edge.

90% of the jokes in "Family Guy" fall into one of 3 categories: 1) Jokes making fun of pop culture (especially old TV shows and celebrities) 2) Gags that run so long that they become absurd 3) Flashbacks, most of the time introduced with "This is more ___ than that time I ___"

I'm sure that a lot of people find this stuff funny, but after 4 seasons with this kind of humour, it just becomes so expected that it ends up being routine. This doesn't do it for me.

I still like this show and I think it has a lot of potential, but it needs some new ideas!

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44 out of 73 people found the following comment useful :-
My favourite TV show, 25 maaliskuu 2007

Author: animalfanatic from United Kingdom

I love everything about family guy.

My favourite characters in family are Brian and Stewie and I like the episodes when it mainly features them such as "Road to Rhode Island" (Season 2), as they interact very well. The comments they make just have me in stitches. Peter's behaviour is also very funny as some of the things he does "are just so brilliant they're retarded." The voice acting is excellent, especially Seth MacFarlane as he provides the voices for half of the Griffin family as well as their perverted neighbour Glenn Quagmire and how he manages this range (particularly with singing) I just don't know. He deserves his two Emmy's for providing the voice of evil baby genius Stewie. Adam West also steals the show with his funny and completely insane regular character the mayor of Quahog. What I like about Chris (voiced by Seth Green) is the things he says show that he takes after his father when it comes to intelligence and common sense.

The only thing I have found annoying is that in the UK Fox has decided to change the seasons to increase DVD sales, which in no way reflect the programme itself but rather the marketing.

If you enjoy Family Guy then I would thoroughly recommend Seth MacFarlane's other project American Dad which uses a different style of humour but is still extremely hilarious.

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47 out of 83 people found the following comment useful :-
MacFarlane's brilliant sitcom parody was once one of the funniest things on TV, but now it may suffer the same creative fate as the Simpsons, 12 elokuu 2007
Author: howTVshouldbe from star range: 1 - 4, expanded to 5 for classics

Network: Fox; Genre: Animated Comedy, Satire, Parody; Content Rating: TV-14 (pervasive sexual content, scatological humor, strong language, violence, animated nudity); Perspective: Contemporary (star range: 1-5);

Season Reviewed: 5 seasons

After 5 seasons, two cancellations and a now militant army of fans the show has amassed, I don't quite know what to say about "Family Guy" anymore.

When "Family Guy" debuted in 1999 it was a shotgun blast of comic brilliance that came out of nowhere and went unheard by an audience still enraptured by the antics of "Friends". At first it all appears relatively routine, even - as many have accused - a ripe-off of "The Simpsons". Fat, child-like, head of household Peter Griffin (voiced by creator Seth MacFarlane) screws things up while dotting wife Lois (Alex Borstein), put-upon daughter Meg (Mila Kunis) and genetic copy Chris (Seth Green) look on. Also in the mix is genius, homicidal infant Stewie (MacFarlene) - one of the most deserving break-out characters in TV history - and Brian, the family's talking dog.

If the characters sound like clichés, that's the point. MacFarlane uses them simply as vessels and with the show regurgitates every pop culture childhood memory to create a full-length parody of 70s and 80s sitcoms. Even better than a parody, a satire. Just as Archie Bunker was a product of the 50s being imposed on by a changing 70s culture, "Family Guy" is about the new millennial values juxtaposed on sitcom camp of the last century. In MacFarlane's world there are child molesters on "Lost in Space" and "Eight is Enough" actually refers to disciplinary beatings.

Yes, "The Simpsons" have covered similar ground, with a particular emphasis on random flashbacks and fantasy scenes. But with "The Simpsons" in a creative tailspin for the last decade, MacFarlane and crew swoop in to fill this gaping void. To out-Simpson "The Simpsons" if you will. What MacFarlane brings to the table is pitch-perfect comic timing - an ability to know how quick to cut or how long to drag out a particular bit to get the laugh. As well as utter fearlessness. From bits in which Jesus Christ turns water "into funk" or a TV parody "Gumble 2 Gumble: Beach Justice" staring Greg and Bryant Gumble as bicycle cops, "Guy" isn't just one of the funniest things to grace TV, it was freakin' brilliant. This breaks from are more often like an animated version of "The Far Side", then "The Simpsons".

Then it was canceled only to be renewed at the 11th hour. And then it was canceled again, brought back supposedly by strong DVD sales. But given the networks ownership of the show and how Fox beat to death the equally strong "Futurama", it's hard to buy that. This constant shakeup has got to take a toll on a series' rhythm. When the show returned for a 3rd season it felt lacking of something. As if the network notes to "slow the pace", "tone down the fantasy scenes" and "thicken the story lines" were rigidly being followed when the breaking of these rules was what made the show great in the first place. Still it contained classics like "Emission: Impossible", "The Thin White Line", "Road to Rhode Island" and "Brian Wallows, Peter's Swallows" to keep us satisfied.

Upon the 2nd return, giving us seasons 4, 5 and beyond, the show has completely lost it's footing. After a LONG agonizing wait, the 4th season premiere is a disappointing "North by Northwest"/"Passion of the Christ" parody. The rest of the season follows suit in which only "PTV", the show's satire of the TV ratings system, recaptures it's prior lunacy. MacFarlane makes the crucial mistake here, actually wanting us to care about them. Given that they where envisioned as clichés in the first place, putting the weight of a story on their backs only shows how lacking the show is for character depth. Even Stewie, once a source for huge laughs, is stripped down to a single latent homosexuality joke. The show gets story heavy where it shouldn't. Slows down when it should speed up. Goes broad when it should go cult. Gets political and angry when it should be mindless escapism. "Family Guy" was about velocity, randomness and obscure 1% gags.

I won't go as far as to say that "Family Guy" beyond seasons 4 and 5 is proof that a dead show should probably remain dead. But it is proof that a show can't go through constant cancellations and reshuffling and remain intact. It also suffers from the same fate that has plagued "The Simpsons". It is full of itself. It has become lazy in a belief that it can do no wrong in the eyes of it's fans. "Family Guy", in many ways, has sold out. It isn't the acerbic TV rebel it used to be. It is now part of the system itself

"Guy's" humor has a masterful ability to appeal to "Star Trek" nerds and drunken frat boys alike. And it is hard to deny the TV geek in my doesn't flip out when they do something half of either audience won't get like weave a "Star Wars" joke into a "Curb Your Enthusiasm" reference. But the show's die-hard legions of fans (some damn near sycophantic over the show's brilliance) have allowed it to be lazy and complacent and paved the way for MacFarlane's head to slide right up his own posterior. In some ways he deserves it, the show can still be very, very funny. But the true fans out there know that it can do much, much better.

* * * ½ / 5

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17 out of 29 people found the following comment useful :-
Got stale too fast, More annoying than funny, 30 elokuu 2007

Author: Mister_City_Policeman from United States

Family Guy doesn't have much of a lasting appeal and isn't all that funny in my opinion. Its comedy relies on shock value and randomness. I do not think the show really pushes any boundaries, but when it does (usually Peter saying something incredibly racist or sexist), it is more often than not in bad taste and garners no laughs. In fact, I think this show is about as edgy as Mind of Mencia, possibly the worst show on Comedy Central (but I'll save that critique for another time). If you need shock comedy, I would suggest South Park as that provides more laughs and has recently up'd its satire and topical aspects.

The randomness part of Family Guy greatly contributes to its nonexistent lasting appeal and the show's increasing mediocrity. The cut away jokes that produce much of the randomness, get repetitive and often fall flat. While randomness can be initially funny, it gets old quick and, I find, can hardly ever be appreciated as good writing. Not to praise the preachy South Park, but I think they did a great job of "calling" out the Family Guy writers weak writing, and still making fun of themselves.

This leaves the show's comedy up to the characters. This is a bad thing. Much like Mad TV's reoccurring characters, the cast of Family Guy is a collection of idiots* who come off as more annoying and smug (when they reference celebrities and politicians) rather than funny. Many characters are one dimensional, and seem like place holders or random plot devices. Often, you can take a line from one character and give it to any other character and no one would know. Brian is the most complete, unique and least annoying character the show has to offer.

Others complain about its frequent 1980s pop culture references, but I see the real problem is that, for the most part, the show's demographic didn't live through the 80s, but instead were "cultured" by 30 hours of VH1's I love 80s. Any show that relies on these types of culture references is risking laughs because the audience may very likely not know what is being referenced.

Many also complain that the show is just a rip off of The Simpsons. While the family setting, characters and jokes can very often be linked to Simpsons counterparts, The Simpsons isn't all that original of a show either, though more so than Family Guy. As they say, there is nothing new under the sun.

Lastly, though there is worse out there, the animation is undeniably poor and simple. Some may say that animation doesn't matter, just like graphics with video games, but I would be quick to disagree. As with other media, cartoons and games are a form of art, and a lack of style or quality is a flaw. Both are absent in the board and expressionless Family Guy. Even South Park has some style, and actually contributes to the feel that the show is about fourth graders. And while The Simpsons isn't too much better, Groening's Futurama blows the competition away in all American cartoon television series**.

Fans are sure to cite that as long as the show makes you laugh, then it's done its job. To some, it's funny, but to others, I suspect, it is a show they once very much enjoyed but now sit through syndicated episodes not laughing anymore, as do I. With jokes that fail more often than not, that cannot provide laughs for multiple viewings, and increasingly annoying characters, I find Family Guy to be, overall, a bad comedy show/cartoon. I do not mean to come off as a pseudo-intellectual, and if you consider my reasons and reasoning, I think you'll find them to be valid and decently supported.

* Idiots as in silly and over-the-top; that is not an insult. ** For some reason, I always group The Simpsons, Futurama, Family Guy, South Park, American Dad, and King of the Hill as competing cartoons and from separate from shows on Nickelodeon and Cartoon Network.

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