We have a nightly ritual in our apartment, one that’s not exactly a point of pride. Around 11:30 PM, my two roommates and I – all of us supposedly cultured and empathetic individuals – find ourselves collapsing onto the couch. The remnants of dinner and the workday surround us, often accompanied by a cold beer. The TV screen, usually tuned to BBC Three back then, blazes with the vibrant, chaotic world of Family Guy. And I know we’re not alone in this. Across the English-speaking world, countless adults, responsible individuals with jobs, bills, and relationships, secretly indulge in the animated absurdity of Family Guy. Your faces, just like ours, are likely illuminated by the glow of LED screens, too drained to move, yet not quite ready for sleep. “Look, Brian and Stewie are singing!” one of us might say, as if needing an excuse to stay glued to the screen. Bedtime can wait.
Many of us grew up rushing home from school, devouring quick meals, and gathering around the TV for The Simpsons. Now, as adults, we trudge home from work, maybe manage to microwave leftovers, briefly glance at unopened bills, call family, answer more emails, adjust the thermostat, and then, almost instinctively, turn to the comforting yet chaotic embrace of Peter Griffin and the Family Guy universe. “Giggidy, giggidy, goo,” indeed.
However, there’s been a change in the broadcast landscape. BBC Three transitioned to an online-only platform and, notably, Family Guy did not make the digital leap with it in the UK. While it did return to terrestrial television on ITV2 later that February, this brief absence provides an opportune moment to consider why we, and so many others, are so drawn to this animated sitcom. What is the enduring appeal of Family Guy?
Having watched an extensive number of episodes, I’m fairly certain its popularity isn’t solely “because it’s funny.” Genuine laughter is a rare occurrence during my viewings. If any sound escapes, it’s more of a groan of disappointed amusement. It’s the kind of noise that questions the very nature of humor itself. It’s akin to the sound I imagine making while changing a diaper: “There’s a lot of mess here, which is somewhat noteworthy in its unpleasantness, but mostly it’s just disgusting and I’d rather not be dealing with it.”
I believe the watchability of Family Guy boils down to three key factors:
The Fast-Paced Nature of Family Guy
Familiarity and Recognition in Family Guy
The Visually Stimulating Bright Colors of Family Guy
Let’s delve into each of these aspects.
1. The Fast-Paced Nature of Family Guy
When you juxtapose Family Guy with contemporary British sitcoms, the source of its appeal becomes clearer. In the post-Peep Show era, British comedy often leans towards drawn-out silences and prolonged awkward stares. Humor frequently stems from characters – friends, family members – saying the wrong thing at the most inappropriate times. These extended, uncomfortable pauses within slow-paced, 30-minute episodes give ample time to ponder just how unfunny the content truly is. In contrast, when Family Guy delivers unfunny jokes, it does so with rapid-fire delivery. Studies suggest Family Guy averages around 5.20 jokes per minute. This relentless barrage of gags means that none linger long enough for deep contemplation of their comedic merit. And when subtlety fails, Family Guy resorts to the opposite extreme, stretching jokes to absurd lengths, practically forcing a laugh out of sheer endurance. Consider Peter’s extended fight with a chicken, or the countless instances of characters comically falling. It’s comedic coercion, holding the audience hostage until they begrudgingly offer a chuckle.
2. Familiarity and Recognition in Family Guy
Family Guy is saturated with references to popular culture figures. The show drops names like Julia Roberts, Sting, Ben Stiller, Daft Punk, Bill Clinton, Barbra Streisand, and countless references to the Star Wars saga. Characters like the Count from Sesame Street, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Hitler, Spiderman, Bill Cosby, historical figures like the Romans, actors like Sean Connery, broad stereotypes of Indian people, Kermit the Frog, Jesus Christ, seagulls, and celebrities like Lindsay Lohan all make appearances. The humor derives, in part, from recognizing these cultural touchstones in a cartoon context. The sheer volume of recognizable references creates a sense of familiarity and engagement, even if the jokes themselves are often shallow.
3. The Visually Stimulating Bright Colors of Family Guy
Finally, and perhaps less intellectually, Family Guy is visually vibrant. The show employs a palette of bright, saturated colors that are inherently engaging to the eye, especially when passively viewing late at night. This visual stimulation, combined with the rapid pace and familiar references, contributes to its almost hypnotic watchability.
However, beneath the surface of rapid-fire jokes and bright colors lies a problematic undercurrent. The humor that fuels Family Guy is often deeply toxic. After acknowledging our own Family Guy habit, my roommates and I started tracking the show’s more questionable content. We counted how many consecutive episodes we could watch before encountering one that didn’t depict violence against women. Our tally reached 14. Fourteen episodes of Family Guy before finding a single 20-minute segment that didn’t feature Meg, Lois, or another female character being assaulted, injured, or demeaned.
Furthermore, Family Guy struggles with nuanced representation. Minority characters are frequently reduced to negative stereotypes. Whether it’s the anti-Semitic tropes associated with Mort Goldman’s perceived greed, Loretta Brown’s stereotypical “sassy black woman” persona (ironically voiced by a white actor), or the recurring Native American character with mystical clichés and gambling problems, Family Guy seems to revel in offensive humor. While pushing boundaries can be part of comedy, Family Guy‘s relentless pursuit of cheap jokes at the expense of vulnerable and underrepresented groups veers into something less like satire and more like a disturbing fixation. It resembles the attention-seeking behavior of a disruptive student who swears in class simply to provoke a reaction. But it’s 2023, and comedic shock value has lost its impact. Explicit content is readily available, and challenging social norms requires more than just lazy stereotypes. The idea that no one has a right to be offended shouldn’t translate into a comedian’s perceived duty to offend.
With streaming services readily available, perhaps it’s time to explore entertainment options that offer more than just offensive gags and recycled pop culture references. Instead of tuning in for another episode filled with tired jokes about Asian women’s driving or musical numbers about serious illnesses, maybe it’s time for a change. This is it. No more looking back. Family Guy, it’s time to move on.
Based on an article by Angus on VICE.
