Family guy is overrated. It's a funny show, but it seems to come off more as lite version of the Simpsons. Peter Griffin drives the same friggin' car as Marge Simpson! I just bought the complete set of The Critic. Anyone else here a fan of that show?

How is it a lite version? Family Guy has edge, the Simpsons does not. Considering almost every family guy is good, but 2/3 of Simpsons episodes suck, I'd say the Simpsons is the watered down one.

Family guy is overrated.  It's a funny show, but it seems to come off more as lite version of the Simpsons.  Peter Griffin drives the same friggin' car as Marge Simpson!  I just bought the complete set of The Critic.  Anyone else here a fan of that show?

I would hardly consider FG a lite Simpsons. They've talked about and showed some pretty racy s*** on FG compared to Simpsons.

 

"Wish Upon a Wienstein" was banned from TV because of the jewish jokes

How is it a lite version?  Family Guy has edge, the Simpsons does not. Considering almost every family guy is good, but 2/3 of Simpsons episodes suck, I'd say the Simpsons is the watered down one.

2/3 of the Simpsons episodes suck? WTF?! I'd say maybe 1/4 if you include the new ones. Family Guy just is the same joke over and over each episode.

Family Guy just is the same joke over and over each episode.

what joke?

what joke?

The same type of joke. Each episode is the same thing. To me it just seems to be like I saw it already when I really didn't. Stewey always seems to be trying to take over the world, and that was never funny.

The same type of joke. Each episode is the same thing. To me it just seems to be like I saw it already when I really didn't. Dewey always seems to be trying to take over the world, and that was never funny.

First of it's Stewie, and they abandoned the whole "take over the world thing" around season 2, and it went to a kill lois plot, and even then that was a small part of the story, and toward the end of the run it was a a bunch of things that hinted that Stewie was gay. That was gonna be the plot of the Family Guy straight to DVD movie, but since the show is coming back I'm sure that will be in the new episodes.

How is it a lite version? Family Guy has edge, the Simpsons does not. Considering almost every family guy is good, but 2/3 of Simpsons episodes suck, I'd say the Simpsons is the watered down one

 

Oh go apply some lipstick on a black dude's lips, Urbana dork.

I just bought the complete set of The Critic.  Anyone else here a fan of that show?

You are the only other person on this thread to mention the Critic. I was a big fan and I think that it was the only prime time animated series to come close to the best Simpsons stuff in terms of clever writing. I like most of the shows mentioned, including Family Guy, but I think the Critic and King of the Hill are funnier shows with the humor operating on a few different levels.

 

They all have their running gags. One I particularly liked from the Critic was seeing Jay's kid's friends from the UN school - Klingon kids and big stone0headed Easter Island kids, etc. The Holywood send-ups were always good, and Jay's job as a film critic gave the writers an easy way to work a lot of those kinds of things in every episode.

 

Glad to hear these are out on DVD, now I know what to ask for for my birthday.

Simpsons made a crack at Santo! I'm sorry, Peter Griffin justs comes off like a Homer Simpson wanna be to me. I don't understand what's so funny about a talking dog, or a baby who is obsessed with weapons.

You are the only other person on this thread to mention the Critic.  I was a big fan and I think that it was the only prime time animated series to come close to the best Simpsons stuff in terms of clever writing.  I like most of the shows mentioned, including Family Guy, but I think the Critic and King of the Hill are funnier shows with the humor operating on a few different levels.

 

They all have their running gags.  One I particularly liked from the Critic was seeing Jay's kid's friends from the UN school - Klingon kids and big stone0headed Easter Island kids, etc.  The Holywood send-ups were always good, and Jay's job as a film critic gave the writers an easy way to work a lot of those kinds of things in every episode.

 

Glad to hear these are out on DVD, now I know what to ask for for my birthday.

I got a lot of Critic shows on the computer, sweet. I also liked Duckman and Stressed Eric.

That Mormon South Park had me laughing pretty hard. The Native casino one with the SARS was great also. Each show has it's good and bads. I voted for Family guy because it doesn't have unfunny episodes I can think of.

Coughthesimpsonscough

 

I would hardly consider FG a lite Simpsons. They've talked about and showed some pretty racy s*** on FG compared to Simpsons.

 

"Wish Upon a Wienstein" was banned from TV because of the jewish jokes

I don't consider it "lite" for the material, I consider it "lite" for its originality.

You are the only other person on this thread to mention the Critic.  I was a big fan and I think that it was the only prime time animated series to come close to the best Simpsons stuff in terms of clever writing.  I like most of the shows mentioned, including Family Guy, but I think the Critic and King of the Hill are funnier shows with the humor operating on a few different levels.

 

They all have their running gags.  One I particularly liked from the Critic was seeing Jay's kid's friends from the UN school - Klingon kids and big stone0headed Easter Island kids, etc.  The Holywood send-ups were always good, and Jay's job as a film critic gave the writers an easy way to work a lot of those kinds of things in every episode.

 

Glad to hear these are out on DVD, now I know what to ask for for my birthday.

My favorite running joke is Duke thinking Jay is gay. I got them at amazon for $36 with free shipping.

 

Jay Dressed as Homer Simpson: "Hello Duke."

 

Duke: "Who are you supposed to be? The bald gay man?"

 

Overall.. Simpsons, Futurama, Family Guy, South Park, King of the Hill, the Critic, Aqua Teen Hunger Force, Undergrads, Duckman.

Fav, Family guy scene: Two guys in a hotel room next door: "You got the stuff? uhuh I ain't showin the money til you show the stuff. Stewie:"Oh, for fo God's sake, I've had enough of this, there's only one way to end this. HE'S WEARING A WIRE!." 2 Guys: "WHAT?! YOU SON OF A... " Stewie: .

 

He's Wearing a Wire!

I don't consider it "lite" for the material, I consider it "lite" for its originality.

Don't forget about depth and breadth-- it goes (or rather used to) beyond cheap sit-com punchline humor.

 

I caught one old ep on TV-- Homer recounting how he got Lisa her saxomophone-- and that corny Baker Street montage gets.me.every.single.time. It's ridiculous.

 

 

OT: While I always root for Cubs to lose...... I cannot STAND people who make fun of Ron Santo's amputations and other health problems. You people are absolute f***in' SCUM. If I were running this site, you'd be BANNED long time ago. :fyou POS.

I caught one old ep on TV-- Homer recounting how he got Lisa her saxomophone-- and that corny Baker Street montage gets.me.every.single.time. It's ridiculous.

Wow you even Homer-spelled "saxomophone" right.

 

Bleeding Gums Murphy Lives!

Wow you even Homer-spelled "saxomophone" right.

 

Bleeding Gums Murphy Lives!

I see that rerun ep maybe once a year or so and the end brings a manly tear to my eyes-- I start thinking about childhood, about my father and the whole sentimental nine yards..... :headshake

 

I don't know what it is really, my friends gave me s*** over it, too.

 

It's a frickin' cartoon!

 

Check that, it's the Simpsons.

I see that rerun ep maybe once a year or so and the end brings a manly tear to my eyes-- I start thinking about childhood, about my father and the whole sentimental nine yards..... :headshake

 

I don't know what it is really, my friends gave me s*** over it, too. 

 

It's a frickin' cartoon!

 

Check that, it's the Simpsons. 

You must have been "the sadest kid in gra-a-a-de two-oo-oo!"

 

Some of my favorit classic Simpsons episodes are the ones that have those kinds of moments dripping with sentiment. When, at it's heart, America's First Family of Dysfunction has it right and their compassion for each other comes out. Bart cheering Lisa on in ROTC training, or Lisa doing something similar out of love for Bart even though he's a creep.

 

Sure, these are caricatures of humans, but sometimes they are written with amazing depth. especially for being two-dimensional beings!

You must have been "the sadest kid in gra-a-a-de two-oo-oo!"

 

Some of my favorit classic Simpsons episodes are the ones that have those kinds of moments dripping with sentiment.  When, at it's heart, America's First Family of Dysfunction has it right and their compassion for each other comes out.  Bart cheering Lisa on in ROTC training, or Lisa doing something similar out of love for Bart even though he's a creep.

 

Sure, these are caricatures of humans, but sometimes they are written with amazing depth.  especially for being two-dimensional beings! 

 

Nah, sadly I was more Bart than Lisa. It's uncanny really. Complete with mild undiagnosed ADD.

 

I think you're right. That first flashback episode (there's been a lot of knock-offs since) with HS Homer tryin' to get into Marge's pants, the French lessons, the unwanted 3rd pregnancy....I know exactly what you mean.

 

That's what separates Simpsons from the pack, I think. At their best, they manage to be hysterically funny, creative AND somehow emotionally resonant, poignant....without the usual cloying, sacharine overkill you get from "very special" sitcom moments on Friends, etc.

 

It's funny with the Beatles Anni up on us, I remembered the ending to the Lisa vegetarian ep, with her making up with and riding on Homer's shoulders to Paul Mac's "Maybe I'm amazed the way you love me all...." as the pig is flying through the sky....

 

Hell, they even had that hilarious and flawlessly executed post-ending in the Lassie the Blind-leading dog Ep when right as the ep was supposed to end (it spoofed some 70s cop show, too), the smart dog sniffed some some weed on the "kind" blind man character and Chief Wiggum had this priceless questioning look on his face, and after hearing the old man's weakass excuses, looked at Lou-- flash forward to the rolling credits and that well known mellow jamaican party music starts playing as the credits keep on rolling as it gets darker and darker outside, with police cars pulling up to the house, with women laughing......Just so low-key, timed so well and so f***in priceless.

 

Do you know which ones I am talking about? I am not big on ep titles so maybe I am remembering it wrong...

I do know those episodes, and I also really liek the one with the blind guy's weed getting pinched by the cops.

 

There's a good Chief Wigham one I haven't seen in a long time, where Wigham is taking the kids through a wax museum of crime kind of thing, and it has all the good urban myths in it. 'The babysitter gets stoned and decides to have a littel snack, but is that really a turkey sandwich she's eating..." dun-dun-dun. And there's the baby she's taking care of between two slices of bread and she's about to eat him.

I do know those episodes, and I also really liek the one with the blind guy's weed getting pinched by the cops.

 

There's a good Chief Wigham one I haven't seen in a long time, where Wigham is taking the kids through a wax museum of crime kind of thing, and it has all the good urban myths in it.  'The babysitter gets stoned and decides to have a littel snack, but is that really a turkey sandwich she's eating..." dun-dun-dun.  And there's the  baby she's taking care of between two slices of bread and she's about to eat him.

Yes, do you remember which jamaican/raggae tune was playing as the credits rolled? Bob Marley? I completely forget.....Man, the cops throw that party instead of bringing that weed to the station, so seamless....

 

Re: museum:

Brando and FSJ This site has the BEST episode summaries I have ever seen for the Simpsons, complete with so much info it almost makes you sick.

 

Simpsons Episode History