Family Guy - General Discussion

[OnceSane]

Episode 3:

Quote

"Absolutely Babulous"

When Stewie receives a participation medal in his school's toddler games, he begins to question everything he has ever won. Meanwhile, Peter causes a fight between Lois' parents and must repair the damage he caused.

Airs October 13, 2019.

[Galileo908]

Well, Stewie finally burned the house down. I kind of wish there was more to the pie plot. I did like Babs finally getting some character development, though.

I liked that random Cats song. Looked better than that movie that's coming.

[Ubiquitous]

7 hours ago, OnceSane said:

"Absolutely Babulous"

When Stewie receives a participation medal in his school's toddler games, he begins to question everything he has ever won. Meanwhile, Peter causes a fight between Lois' parents and must repair the damage he caused.

This one was OK, but I wished there was more to Stewie's pie plot.

10 minutes ago, Galileo908 said:

I liked that random Cats song. Looked better than that movie that's coming.

Funny enough, I was just thinking about how much I hate Cats when Peter interrupted with his comment!

[DoctorAtomic]

On 10/13/2019 at 7:57 PM, Galileo908 said:

Well, Stewie finally burned the house down. I kind of wish there was more to the pie plot. I did like Babs finally getting some character development, though.

I liked that random Cats song. Looked better than that movie that's coming.

I felt bad for the forgotten cat.

The pie plot should have been in another plot. Time traveling to find the perfect ingredients has a lot of mileage.

Chris being carted off was funny though.

So did none of that happen?

[OnceSane]

Episode 4:

Quote

"Disney's The Reboot"

The network decides that it's time to explore some unique ways to reboot the series. When three versions of the reboots are shown to a focus group, the feedback takes some surprising turns.

Airs October 20, 2019.

[Galileo908]

Disney will be someday owned by Netflix, which will someday be owned by Pornhub. Seems more realistic than other jokes they've done.

Lois: First up, a female-centered millennial sitcom where Lois is the main character. And still wouldn't pass the Bechdel Test.

The Q: Taking the gritty Riverdale/Teen Wolf approach. I loved the visual of Brian with abs. Well, and everyone with abs. Wet abs. And superpowers because they're also lesser-known Marvel characters (spoofing the Arrowverse, but could also point to The Gifted or The Runaways). This was my favorite one.

"Patty, why aren't you in Bitch Class?" 

Family Guy Again: Okay, a Connors-esque reboot removing all the problematic actors, leaving only Chris, Joe, and Tricia Takanawa was a great idea.

I had a feeling that they were sitting on Peter as Bojack Horseman for years. And I want to watch an All Jon Benjamin Family Guy from now on.

I like it when the show gets meta, but the show once again seems to make excuses for how terrible the show can get.

[Eataton]

Ugh! I thought these writers could have done something good with the premise of a reboot. (Didn't they do something similar already?) This episode was so disjointed and unfunny I was just waiting for it to end. Even though this show is getting old,they should try to write something good or just end it.

[Ubiquitous]

On ‎10‎/‎18‎/‎2019 at 10:46 PM, OnceSane said:

"Disney's The Reboot".

The network decides that it's time to explore some unique ways to reboot the series. When three versions of the reboots are shown to a focus group, the feedback takes some surprising turns.

I had mixed feelings (and a sense of deja vu) about this ep.

• Lois seemed liked a typical "chick show" written by men. Moderately funny.
• The Q was on the nose. Great spoof!
• Family Guy Again reminded me of the last season or two of All in the Family. Amusing.

The Griffins watching the focus group (who were in turn being watched) seemed a bit meta and superfluous to the plot, ad it were, and the last gags seemed like they were tacked on.

[Writing Wrongs]

The one guy in the focus group (voiced by Jon Benjamin) looked like The Critic.

[Twilight Man]

11 hours ago, Ubiquitous said:

Family Guy Again reminded me of the last season or two of All in the Family. Amusing.

I was thinking more on the lines of Mayberry RFD.   No Andy, no Barney, no Gomer; just Floyd, Goober, Opie, and some new guy named Sam.

11 hours ago, Ubiquitous said:

the last gags seemed like they were tacked on.

I really get the feeling that they were "sitting" on those ideas (especially the BoJack Horseman gag) and just couldn't think of a way to use them until they decided to write this episode.

[DoctorAtomic]

I liked them all. The theme to the 'teen' show and all the singing cracked me up. Genderfluid showers. Neil with a deep voice. It was basically 90210 with the MCU.

And Lois was totally 'generic chick sitcom'. Complete with Judy Greer.

2 hours ago, Twilight Man said:

I really get the feeling that they were "sitting" on those ideas (especially the BoJack Horseman gag) and just couldn't think of a way to use them until they decided to write this episode.

Probably. They were still funny though. Chris and Joe and Trish being the only ones dancing cracked me up.

I did a focus group way in the late 90s! But I only watched a sitcom in my apartment by myself and they called me after to ask questions.

The lightning round at the end was really good. Neck tattoo with bible verse doesn't matter. Looks creepy.

Edited October 22, 2019 by DoctorAtomic

[Phishbulb]

14 hours ago, DoctorAtomic said:

And Lois was totally 'generic chick sitcom'. Complete with Judy Greer.

This was actually Greer providing her own voice, but I was surprised that I didn't see James Corden's name in the ending credits. Whoever they got to impersonate Corden in that Carpool Karaoke scene was doing a pretty good job. 

[Ubiquitous]

On ‎10‎/‎21‎/‎2019 at 5:51 PM, Twilight Man said:

I was thinking more on the lines of Mayberry RFD.   No Andy, no Barney, no Gomer; just Floyd, Goober, Opie, and some new guy named Sam.

I think I felt it was like All in the Family b/c the house FGA was set in looked like it.

[OnceSane]

Episode 5:

Quote

"Cat Fight"

When Quagmire opens a cat café in town, Brian decides to take a stand to get the café shut down; when Meg and Brian get in trouble at school, Lois becomes nervous and decides they need to go to church camp to find their way.

Airs November 3, 2019.

[Galileo908]

They Ghostbusted Adam West!

I'm not surprised that Brian hates cat cafes. Gotta love karma biting him in the ass when his protests got dogs banned from everywhere. I liked Brian getting so edgy that he pointed out all the weird things in the living room.

I gotta admit, that fiber commercial cutaway just cracked me up. "There's so much regular on the carpet!" I also loved all the bits about 90s action movies.

[DoctorAtomic]

Brian freaking out about the cats in the cafe was hilarious for me because I used to take my dog everywhere. I like when Brian does dog things.

I mean though, it's not like Quagmire doesn't actually have a job.

I wasn't surprised they went for emotional support animal. I totally want to do that.

I think they dropped the ball and should have gone on full chicken fight with Quagmire and Brian.

Edited November 5, 2019 by DoctorAtomic

[AAEBoiler]

On 11/3/2019 at 9:58 PM, Galileo908 said:

They Ghostbusted Adam West!

And they renamed the school Adam West High? Did I miss that change in a prior episode?

Edited November 5, 2019 by AAEBoiler
I don't know what spell check did there.

[Galileo908]

1 hour ago, DoctorAtomic said:

I think they dropped the ball and should have gone on full chicken fight with Quagmire and Brian.

I was expecting that, too! They played the music and everything!

1 hour ago, DoctorAtomic said:

I mean though, it's not like Quagmire doesn't actually have a job.

Officially he's a pilot, but like everyone else his job (or lack thereof) depends on what the plot calls for.

[xander874]

11 hours ago, AAEBoiler said:

And they renamed the school Adam West High? Did I miss that champion a prior episode?

Yeah, I think at the end of last season, there was an episode where Brian got them to change the name to honor Mayor West (and also stick it to crazy James Woods).

[OnceSane]

Episode 6:

Quote

"Peter & Lois' Wedding"

The Wi-Fi goes out in the Griffin house, leaving the family with nothing to do for the evening; Peter and Lois decide to tell the kids the story of how they met and fell in love in the '90s.

Airs November 10, 2019.

[Galileo908]

This week the show retold how Peter & Lois got married in the 90s, not unlike a similar animated show that did the same thing about a decade ago, dated 90s humor and all.

Loved that the WTC is so prominent, it really stands out when you go back and watch shows and movies in the 90s. Showing up in Florida and Boston was a great touch.

The Daria bit was funny, and then Beavis & Butt-Head showed up for real. It's official, Family Guy has had everyone on now.

Yeah, Friends was really that white that FG used two Bonnies instead of including someone like Donna. (And then Donna shows up for real during the once a season cameo)

Edited November 11, 2019 by Galileo908

[xander874]

Yeah the proposal scene where the twin towers were in every angle was pretty funny to me, and a little sad.

On 11/10/2019 at 10:00 PM, Galileo908 said:

Yeah, Friends was really that white

I was confused at first why the 3rd woman in the group wasn't Loretta (RIP) but that makes total sense.  It could've been funny if it was Diane, pre-psycho murderer.

[DoctorAtomic]

Seamus had arms and legs!

I can appreciate at least that they acknowledged playing fast and loose with the show history.

On 11/10/2019 at 8:00 PM, Galileo908 said:

Yeah, Friends was really that white that FG used two Bonnies instead of including someone like Donna.

madTV did an awesome sketch on that.

I did like all the awful 90s gags. X Files was Fox's last great hit. Daisy Fuentes was hot AF.

No grunge jokes though.

Did the Counting Crows guy get that much tail?

[OnceSane]

3 hours ago, DoctorAtomic said:

Did the Counting Crows guy get that much tail?

Yes.  I still don't get it.

[Ray Adverb]

It is crazy to me that 90s is now the hot nostalgia period.  I guess nostalgia is always 20-25 years ago.  Soon we will be in 2000s nostalgia.  It's odd to me because I was born in 1981 so my preadolescence and adolescence were in that time period.  I graduated high school in 1999 and had a reunion last month.  So I have a lot of memories of things people are being nostalgic about for the first time in my life.

Daisy Fuentes gave me this instant "Oh yeah.  I remember her and did not think about her since about 1997".  I never had trouble pronouncing her name, probably because the Weird Science TV show in the early 90s has occasional references to the boys' crush on her.

The a capella version of "Ironic" was very catchy and I would love a full length version.

Also loved Carter referring to the year as "nineteen ninety something".

[Ubiquitous]

On ‎11‎/‎10‎/‎2019 at 4:57 PM, OnceSane said:

"Peter & Lois' Wedding".

The Wi-Fi goes out in the Griffin house, leaving the family with nothing to do for the evening; Peter and Lois decide to tell the kids the story of how they met and fell in love in the '90s.

Yeah, I'm not that fond of the 1990's. I was bemused by the WTC being in so many scenes. Everything changed on 9-11, including the now historical iconic skyline. :-(

Wow, Daria was mean to Peter!

[DoctorAtomic]

I was in college in the 90s, so I enjoyed the jokes. I just don't have the nostalgia for the decade. Nothing bad happened to me or anything, but I just find it all kind of lacking in character. I mean, Friends is really as bland as you can get. 

They weren't wrong or anything. There used to be mtv spring break just like that. It was weird. 

[Galileo908]

7 hours ago, DoctorAtomic said:

They weren't wrong or anything. There used to be mtv spring break just like that. It was weird. 

The show even went to Spring Break pretty early on in the run.

[DoctorAtomic]

Yeah I just wasn't really aware until like 1989.

[OnceSane]

Episode 7:

Quote

"Heart Burn"

In celebration of Peter and Lois' anniversary, the Griffins recount their own versions of three well-known love stories.

Airs November 17, 2019.

[Ubiquitous]

On 11/13/2019 at 12:38 PM, DoctorAtomic said:

I was in college in the 90s, so I enjoyed the jokes. I just don't have the nostalgia for the decade. Nothing bad happened to me or anything, but I just find it all kind of lacking in character. I mean, Friends is really as bland as you can get. 

They weren't wrong or anything. There used to be mtv spring break just like that. It was weird. 

I thought MTV Spring Break was more of a late 1980's thing.

[Galileo908]

10 hours ago, Ubiquitous said:

I thought MTV Spring Break was more of a late 1980's thing.

That lasted well into the 90s.

[Galileo908]

Loved that Peter got mad because Disney wouldn't let them use Hercules since he's, you know, public domain.

Yeah, Romeo & Juliet is really messed up when you stop to think about it.

"Wait a minute, we don't have phones OR Chicago!"

Wasn't expecting the third story to be Fatal Attraction. Or the Inspector Gadget theme played over a sex scene. Oh no, Brian was the rabbit. Hey, Stewie finally got to kill a Lois.

[Ubiquitous]

On ‎11‎/‎15‎/‎2019 at 1:51 PM, OnceSane said:

"Heart Burn".

In celebration of Peter and Lois' anniversary, the Griffins recount their own versions of three well-known love stories.

• I liked the wraparound/bookends to the ep.
• I wasn't impressed with the Helen of Troy story, I think b/c it seemed like a rehash of the baby Jesus ep.
• Yeah, Romeo and Juliette really is a messed-up story. I liked it.
• I did not expect them to choose Fatal Attractions for the third story, but I think I am conflating it with the other psychopathic Sharon Stone movie. Now that I think about it, I cannot remember if I actually watched Fatal Attraction or not, but I remember it being a topic of heated discussion for some reason.

[xander874]

I do enjoy sometimes when Family Guy calls out the problems with source material it is parodying. Like the fact that Romeo and Juliet were 13 (which I guess wasn't as odd back when life expectancy was 35) and when Peter was killing Glenn Close Lois and said something like "I blame you for all my bad choices". Fatal Attraction is kind of a sad movie.

Did Meg appear? Maybe Mila wasn't available or something. I did think it was funny Lois played both female roles in Fatal Attraction.

[Writing Wrongs]

I laughed at the clerk trying to ring up the blurred dildo.

[OnceSane]

Episode 8:

Quote

"Shanksgiving"

When Lois hosts a special Thanksgiving dinner for her family, Peter decides the best way to avoid it is to get arrested. Meanwhile, a secret that Stewie has been keeping from everyone is revealed.

Airs November 24, 2019.

[Galileo908]

They so nailed the worst part of Thanksgiving: pulling out the dining room table.

Yep, everyone knows that Tony is the alpha of Tony Toni Tone.

Then it turned into a "everyone's in jail" episode and I nearly lost interest.

[M. Darcy]

I did laugh every time Peter was surprised by something and said "oh my stars"  ( I think that's what he said). 

[DoctorAtomic]

Opening the table with Ken Burns is an excellent joke.

Rough one for Smash Mouth.

Edited November 26, 2019 by DoctorAtomic

[PWHCHCH]

13 hours ago, M. Darcy said:

I did laugh every time Peter was surprised by something and said "oh my stars"  ( I think that's what he said). 

I wish he had said “well I never in all my life” 

It’s an obscure but hilarious reference. 
 

https://youtu.be/3TzxlDF7dz0

[Ray Adverb]

My favorite parts were the struggle with the dining room table, and Stewie's wordplay.

"You don't know Kal Penn's penpal Ken in the Cal Penn?"

I wish they'd done more with the penpal thing though.  It caught my interest because I have several prison penpals and have been writing them for two years.

[OnceSane]

13 minutes ago, Ray Adverb said:

I wish they'd done more with the penpal thing though.  It caught my interest because I have several prison penpals and have been writing them for two years.

I thought they were mocking Lacey on Love After Lockup--she was engaged to two men, both incarcerated.

[Ubiquitous]

On ‎11‎/‎24‎/‎2019 at 4:07 PM, OnceSane said:

"Shanksgiving"

When Lois hosts a special Thanksgiving dinner for her family, Peter decides the best way to avoid it is to get arrested. Meanwhile, a secret that Stewie has been keeping from everyone is revealed.

I understood their struggle with the dining table leaf, but did  not understand the running gag of Peter exclaiming "Oh my stars!", other than Sam said it on Bewitched.

[OnceSane]

Episode 9:

Quote

"Christmas Is Coming"

Meg has a surprising response after she takes Stewie to the mall to meet Santa; Brian must help Stewie process the experience.

Airs December 15, 2019.

[Galileo908]

How many times has Stewie met Santa that he's finally scared of him? I thought Meg smiling was way weirder. Yeah, why am I not surprised that Meg got off to the first person to show her some kind of affection? Or just Santa in general? And apparently you see Jimmy Connors your first time? And ONLY the first time.

Am from Long Island, can confirm our malls are a little much.

"Next road show, me and you, Meg!"

That was quite a few long bleeps in that Die Hard song.

I wish the Griffins got a new dog too, Brian.

[Spartan Girl]

It so figures that the show would do its filthiest Christmas episode now that Disney owns Fox. But it was still way better and funnier than Road to North Pole. 

I did have a mean laugh at Chris and Stewie asking Santa Brian for a new dog.

[Galileo908]

57 minutes ago, Spartan Girl said:

It so figures that the show would do its filthiest Christmas episode now that Disney owns Fox. But it was still way better and funnier than Road to North Pole. 

I did like the lampshade hang that Brian couldn't describe Meg's situation explicitly because they're owned by Disney now.

[Ubiquitous]

11 hours ago, OnceSane said:

"Christmas Is Coming"

Meg has a surprising response after she takes Stewie to the mall to meet Santa; Brian must help Stewie process the experience.

I'm glad I'm not the only one who wondered why Stewie was frightened of Santa after trying to kill him in the first season.

[Writing Wrongs]

They are so inconsistent with who can understand Stewie. Chris can, but Meg can't? The soda jerk could.