I like the show. It reminds me of King of the Hill in that I don’t really make an effort to watch it but am always pleasantly surprised when I do. It’s funny but could also possibly work as a live-action family sitcom.
On the other hand, not sure who Family Guy is supposed to be appealing to now, beyond the obvious (people obsessed with Judaism to the point of pathology who think violence against women is the height of comedy. Not that I don’t think violence against women can’t be funny, but some of those scripts must read like notes from the diary of a serial killer).
I love it. I had my doubts initially, but it’s hard not to like a show with H. John Benjamin and Kristen Schaal. It’s got the Silverman sisters, too. The bed and breakfast episode slayed me.
Huh? Family Guy is about an Irish Catholic guy married to a WASP. The only Jewish character is Mort Goldman, who isn’t even a secondary character. How is this show obsessed with Judaism?
And similarly, where’s the violence against women? Are you talking about the way the family treats Meg?
I like the show, though it’s a bit uneven, but getting better. Kristen Schaal is absolutely KILLING it as Louise. Probably my new favorite cartoon character: “What’s it going to take to get you into this rhino anus today?”
38, male, college graduate, electrical engineer, still childish enough to love cartoons.
Recently, it’s come out that Babs, Lois’s mother, is a Holocaust survivor. She’s repressed her Judaism to please Carter. To get in touch with her roots, she actually drags out Max Weinstein, again. This is what really grinds my gears – we already did a Judaism episode, this is just a recycled plot. OK, this time Peter shoots at Lois like Schindler, so that was new. But still, a rehashed plot with a few new chuckles. I suppose that counts as violence too, 'tho last night’s episode also included Foxy Boxing.
I’ve seen the last two episodes of Bob’s Burgers, and was happily surprised by how amusing it was. As funny as Family Guy at its best, and, unlike FG, the characters are not repellent, vicious monsters, but persons you can identify with and feel sympathy for.
I don’t get it either but then again I generally don’t find any animated series funny. I used to watch The Simpsons a little bit growing up and I’ll watch Family Guy when people I’m hanging out with want to but only the parts that feature Stewie because to me the rest of the show is pointless.
I am actually surprised a the amount of people who do love the show…I thought I was the only one.
FTR: Male, 25, got an undergrad and currently going for my masters, single, huge cartoon fan.
I never thought about it before but it does have a lot of King of the Hill in it. Very blue collar, down home, every day people doing every day things. I’ve noticed that the episodes don’t have me in stitches but there is always at least one (usually two) line(s) in it that make me laugh out loud.
Bob’s Burgers is okay. The mother is so very grating that if the ep focuses on her I’d rather not watch. Bob’s VA is so freaking good, I love Archer so Bob gets some free points just because of that.
I grew up on the Simpsons but have long since ceased to watch. South Park used to be good and I still tune in with hope, I miss the Cartman of old. I used to ff through the music videos to watch Beavis & Butthead which I found hilarious when I was 11.
I never liked Family Guy, it’s not funny. No, no, I get it, it’s just not funny. At all.
The show has an inordinate amount of jokes about Judaism and women being hit or murdered. There are tons of jokes and flashbacks every episode, but the ratio of these to general pop culture references is warped. Maybe someone’s compiled them somewhere, I’m not sure (though I can think of a dozen off the top of my head, and I don’t have a great memory). I used to be a big fan and still laugh here and there, but it has gotten to the point where I’ll switch half way through an episode because it’s just tired, lazy and mean. I’m not even sure McFarlane (or his staff writers) even has a problem with Jewish people, he’s just obsessed with them. The Meg stuff I find funny. Quagmire’s rape machine, less so.
Good point here - for those wondering what the appeal of the show could possibly be, a lot of the voice actors are fairly well known for other their work. If somebody knows the guy who voices Bob (H. Jon Benjamin) from his character Coach McGuirk on Home Movies, or from Archer or from the characters he voiced on Aqua Teen Hunger Force, they’re probably more inclined to give the show a chance. Same with those who know Kristen Schaal from Flight of the Conchords and The Daily Show.
My husband (male, 37) and I (female, 40) both have bachelor’s degrees. We are not supergeniuses, nor are we idiots. Our jobs have nothing to do with our degrees. Our income probably puts us smack in the middle class (or maybe lower). We’re suburban liberals with no religious affiliation (but we dig the Universe). And…
…we adore the show.
There are cute/clever things to look for each week, like the burger special and the ever-changing storefront next door.
The voices are GREAT. I don’t see why a the mother’s accent being different from her family’s turns people off. This may be super wacky of me, but uh… I think people with different accents marry pretty regularly…and the kids usually adopt the accent of the region where they live.
The meatballs were not hilarious, but the fact that she wanted to compete with last year’s ziti is kind of a typical mom/woman thing worth mocking. I would say that last night’s episode was possibly my least favorite thus far, but I still enjoyed it.
Bob is absolutely my favorite character. He’s a good guy with a good attitude who tries to do the right thing even when it pains him, which it often does. I especially enjoyed the episode where he takes on a job driving a taxi at night to earn extra cash for Tina’s birthday party. He meets some extraordinary people, whom he doesn’t judge (which I love), in the process.
I also enjoyed the art fair one from a couple of weeks ago.
It’s just silly and fun. But if you don’t get it, you don’t get it. You shouldn’t force yourself. It won’t work.
I never particularly thought Yosemite Sam was funny, but there are enough tattoos to prove that some people do.
I’m watching the third episode now, and so far I’m enjoying it. It’s great that’s there’s a network animation show that isn’t being done by Groening or MacFarlane. I think Tina & Louise are constantly hilarious. Yeah, the mom annoys me too. It’s weird how Bob reminds me of Randy Marsh, both in appearance, voice and often behavior.
I think it’s hilarious, and much better than any other show on Sunday nights (save for The Amazing Race.) The pilot was the weakest episode so far, but the crawl space one had me in stitches. I think it was maybe the 3rd episode?
I’ve watched almost all the episodes tonight and I think the show is great!
I love Beavis and Butthead, Daria, The Simpsons, King of the Hill, Home Movies and Aqua Teen.
I do not like South Park or Family Cleveland Dad.
Big fan of Benjamin and am familiar with Schaal and this is my favorite role of hers by far. Also digging all of the guest voices, like Jack McBrayer as one of the transvestites from the birthday party episode.
32, single, female with a BA, living with my dog in the suburbs. I use Sensodyne Whitening toothpaste.
Why do I watch it? I really want to like it. It’s a cartoon, and supposed to be a very good one. I would like to see it stay on Sunday nights, but it still isn’t working for me. I did find tonight’s episode with Bob in the crawl space pretty good, but that lasted only until the inlaws showed up. Big mouth, no chin mother in law that talks exactly like bob’s wife. Didn’t need two of those characters in there.
Why am I asking about it? Simple. If I am missing some premise that would make things appear a bit funnier, why not ask? Sadly, I don’t think this the case.
Why do I think the older daughter is a lesbian? (not that there’s anything wrong with it)… Well, her voice is very deep, and I wouldn’t be surprised about her being voiced by a man. She also reminds me of Velma, the odd asexual woman on Scooby Doo.
I guess I don’t see the humor in a lesbian cartoon character, She just looks like a boy with boobs and no chin with a girls name. That’s all I have for you there.
It boils down to this… if it doesn’t click with me after another episode or 2, I’ll be baling out. But it seems that a lot of people like the show. I want to be one of the cool kids and get it too. (Like Larry Mudd)
