The Energon Pub

Title question. Me and my bro are fans of Family Guy(and American Dad/Simpsons/Bob's Burger's), but we've noticed a stark decline in Family Guy's quality the past couple seasons. Last week he wasn't able to DVR the show and missed Family Guy, and I told him he didn't miss anything(it was the episode where Quagmire's sister and her abusive boyfriend stay at his house). This week's episode wasn't much better, and if the show continues like this I may stop watching it entirely.

So what does everyone else think? Is it time the show ended, or do I just not get the humor anymore?

Of course it has. Seth MacFarlane has even expressed regret it's run this long and secretly wishes the fans would would give up and let it die.

Family Guy only had a handful of 'good' seasons. I'd say it ran its course quite a while ago.

I haven't watched for about 2 years now. I did buy the Star Wars spoof set, but that's the last I saw of it. I watched The Cleveland Show and wasn't impressed. On both shows I think the only good character is the baby of the family (Stewie and Arlo). Actually, if MacFarlane wants to do something good, he should give Stewie his own show. American Dad is still pretty funny. Or, it was when I last saw it last year...

Yeah, there's a few gems in S7 and 8, but honestly? It's been 'meh' to 'awful' since season 5. Even "It's A Trap!" was mostly forgettable (I think I laughed more at the bonus footage of the writers playing Star Wars Trivial Pursuit). The per-cancellation eps are so much better, IMO.

One of the manatees must have kicked the bucket.

American Dad clearly reigns supreme of all three shows. Honestly, if American Dad cannibalized characters from the other two shows, I wouldn't be upset at all if the other two faded away.

And, really, I'd argue that it'd be near impossible for American Dad to fade away for awhile. Great main cast, fantastic supporting characters, great story ideas (Roger becoming Steve's caretaker? FANTASTIC IDEA!)

I still love the show no matter what

I feel like Family Guy can still have some good episodes if they could stop making gross out/offensive jokes just for the hell of it. Most episdoes I thought had a couple of laugh out loud parts surrounded by "blah". And what could have been great episodes (like the one where Brian and Stewie are trapped in a vault} are ruined by pointless gross out humor. It also doesn't help that it feels like something of a void since Cleveland left.

As far as the Cleveland Show, I really don't care for it. Since the beginning it's just felt... how do I put this? Uneven, I guess you could say. It's like they have a bunch of characters, with weird personalities and quirks drawn from a hat, and none of it really meshes together right. Not to mention how much I didn't like their turning Cleveland from a quiet straight man into Black Peter Griffin Lite.

i love family guy its a awesome show. i think it gets more awesome as the episodes progress. i kinda wish they'd age the characters a bit to make it more interesting. like seeing stewie at 5 years old. seeing meg turn into that hot blonde permanently. seeing the dog get really old. seeing peter with some white hair & maybe some balding. etc....

i don't like cleveland,all the characters are annoying & have horrible personas.

i never seen any bobs burgers episodes,mainly because they don't air on cartoon network.

american dad is only cool because i think the blonde wife is super hot. i don't like the ugly daughter. the son is too weak & nerdy. the alien is just way to gross & ulgy. the gold fish is lackluster. it is cool hearing captain picards voice come out of stans boss. stan is way too overly conceited,obnoxious & superfiscial for myself to like. stan reminds me of the action hero actors i hate like sylvestor stalone,juan cluade van dam,the rock & so forth.

RhA wrote:One of the manatees must have kicked the bucket.

This.

I got tired of the show a few years ago due to how lazy they've gotten with it. How many times did they cut away to Conway Twitty for several minutes, show an entire music video, or do the same joke over and over and over again? It's like they stopped putting forth any effort.

Evil_the_Nub wrote:I got tired of the show a few years ago due to how lazy they've gotten with it. How many times did they cut away to Conway Twitty for several minutes, show an entire music video, or do the same joke over and over and over again? It's like they stopped putting forth any effort.

Or more recently when Peter was homeschooling the kids they showed the entire "Dancing in the Streets" music video by David Bowe and Mick Jagger. The first time they pulled that it was somewhat humurous because it was different, but then it just felt like they were padding the episode to make up for a lack of jokes or plot.

Wreck 'n Rule wrote:

Evil_the_Nub wrote:I got tired of the show a few years ago due to how lazy they've gotten with it. How many times did they cut away to Conway Twitty for several minutes, show an entire music video, or do the same joke over and over and over again? It's like they stopped putting forth any effort.

Or more recently when Peter was homeschooling the kids they showed the entire "Dancing in the Streets" music video by David Bowe and Mick Jagger. The first time they pulled that it was somewhat humurous because it was different, but then it just felt like they were padding the episode to make up for a lack of jokes or plot.

That's exactly what they're doing. MacFarlane is trying to get the show canceled. He wants it over with. Badly.

Yeah, I'm another fan adding voice to the "let it die" crowd.

The only thing I've been recently impressed with in the show was thepart when Brian got stoned, and the animation sequence was kinda spiffy.

American dad I've always been pretty "meh" about, and the Cleveland show I thought was rubbish anyway.

He's going to ruin the Flintstones, just sayin'.

IMO FG has been dying a long, slow, painful death for ages. I really do think it's time to put it (and us) out of its misery.

R.I.P FG?

still like it. It hasn't become stale to me just yet. I look forward to it every sunday. It would be a shame to see it go. Plus the crop of new cartoons they're sneaking in on the side isn't capturing my attention half as much as "the tired" Family Guy stuff.

I laugh out loud once or twice with every new episode which none of the others do.

It's not dead yet.

Autobot032 wrote:He's going to ruin the Flintstones, just sayin'.

A fat white guy married to a smart redhead way above his station? Nah, they'll mine that comedy seam for years.............

It stopped being funny after about season five.

Autobot032 wrote:

Wreck 'n Rule wrote:

Evil_the_Nub wrote:I got tired of the show a few years ago due to how lazy they've gotten with it. How many times did they cut away to Conway Twitty for several minutes, show an entire music video, or do the same joke over and over and over again? It's like they stopped putting forth any effort.

Or more recently when Peter was homeschooling the kids they showed the entire "Dancing in the Streets" music video by David Bowe and Mick Jagger. The first time they pulled that it was somewhat humurous because it was different, but then it just felt like they were padding the episode to make up for a lack of jokes or plot.

That's exactly what they're doing. MacFarlane is trying to get the show canceled. He wants it over with. Badly.

If that is the case, I believe it. Some segments lack humor entirely.

This week's episode has Brian and Stewie travling back to the pilot episode(Family Guy's third? time travel episode), so it has potential to be good.

it had a course?

Marcus Rush wrote:it had a course?

it used to, now they ran out of ideas and it has become a commercial for seth mcfarlane's political beliefs...

I still think family guy is awesome. all the characters are in their zone & have great secenes & humor.

that season 10 quagmire episode with the sister was trully awesome. the irony is they were looking down on the sisters boyfriend for being a beater. but quagmire is literally thousands of times worse.

for those whob know quagmire & have seen how he treats his female dates,you know what i'm referring to. as far as quagmire treating women thousands of times worse than quagmire's sisters boyfriend.

I kinda want the dog to get more episodes. as he always gets great story episodes & he's got a unique awesome funny persona. the dog is my favorite family guy character on the show.

Tidalwavex wrote:that season 10 quagmire episode with the sister was trully awesome. the irony is they were looking down on the sisters boyfriend for being a beater. but quagmire is literally thousands of times worse.

Seriously? Are you for real?

His sister's husband beat her, threatened to kill Joe and Peter, tried to kill Glen, and it was all played straight. If I want that, I'll go watch Wifetime or one of the fifty Law and Order clones.


I watch Family Guy for laughs. The stupid sight gags, Peter's cutaways, even the extended scenes from Hee-Haw (y'know, before they ran the joke into the ground).


This ep and the one where Brian and Stewie are trapped in the bank vault are perfect examples of why the show needs to be put down.