Cape Foure: The Simpsons Madness Goes On...

[Reply #160 on:]

Well, one difference is that The Simpsons was still basically an original concept with original characters.  It used a lot of old ideas (which most great shows do anyway) but combined them with its own unique style and ideas. 

With Family Guy, I'd have to say there weren't many real original ideas.  The characters themselves, although I don't happen to buy the argument that they're "Simpsons" family rip-offs, we're still all fairly typical of sitcom/cartoon cliches.  And the basic humor style had already been done by other shows such as The Simpsons and The Critic, even if Family Guy used the flashbacks and so forth much more prominentally.

For the record I personally enjoyed Family Guy (even though I've lost some interest in it), and I don't personally consider it a rip off like some do.  But I don't think it did anything particularly original either (and for the record The Simpsons was far from its only inspiration).

[Reply #161 on:]

true.  The biggest thing FG had going for it is the random speed joke.  Which it did well, and is the biggest reason I like the show.  Also, I'd have to say that as far as original characters go, I haven't seen many like Brian or Stewie, which are the staple characters anyways.

[Reply #162 on:]

Well, a talking dog isn't really an original concept at all, and having a really smart pet isn't really either.  Stewie is a little more of a standout, but still sort of a combination of characters that had already been done.

I think my other problem with FG is that its just too much of just speed jokes.  They're funny the first time, but what about repeat viewings?  They lose a lot of their luster at that stage.  And they don't have the endearing characters of Simpsons or Futurama to back up the stories.

[Reply #163 on:]

I don't watch a lot of the episodes more than once... and although the talking dog and the smart pet have been done, what about the talking, smart, alcoholic dog?  And yeah what you said about stewie.

[Reply #164 on:]

I'd rather watch a bad episode of The Simpsons than Family Guy, and that's saying something. A poor episode of a good show is better than a good episode of a bad show in my book. I just find Family Guy boring, and not very funny. I find the bad jokes of the Scully Simpsons era more funny...

[Reply #165 on:]

I would put Family Guy on a level with stuff like Friends and Will & Grace - entertaining enough but nothing to get exited over. I would probably like it alot more if the animation wasn't so bland. 

[Reply #166 on:]

In terms of ripoffs...

Honeymooners begat The Flintstones begat The Simpsons begat Family Guy.
Not to mention a lot of generic sitcoms along the way that followed the same formula.
"Hey, how about we get a really fat, lazy, alcoholic guy with an attractive wife."
"Ooh, and some smartass kids." <- Added later.

[Reply #167 on:]

 

Originally posted by Mr Fuzzywuvems:
 I would probably like it alot more if the animation wasn't so bland. 

That's another reason why I'd take a crap Simpsons episode over it, at least it still looks better...

[Reply #168 on:]

 

Originally posted by Nerd-o-rama:
In terms of ripoffs...

Honeymooners begat The Flintstones begat The Simpsons begat Family Guy.
Not to mention a lot of generic sitcoms along the way that followed the same formula.
"Hey, how about we get a really fat, lazy, alcoholic guy with an attractive wife."
"Ooh, and some smartass kids." <- Added later.

I don't think The Flintstones really has anything to do with the Simpsons other than they're both animated sitcoms. It has more to do with stuff like Leave it to Beaver and The Andy Griffith show (and Rocky & Bullwinkle animation wise). In fact Matt Groening once said that he got into animation because he hates Hanna Barbera. 

[Reply #169 on:]

Even when the Simpsons was new, the show's animation was still top notch.  In the past few seasons, the animation has looked even better, almost as good as Futurama.  The designs grew as necessary, and every character had a wealth of physical expressions. 

Family Guy, on the other hand, looks like ass.  The animation is ugly and the character designs are lame.  Perhaps it's just McFarlane's drawing style, but the show looks unorginal.  And what's with the scrotum-chins all the males  have?

[Reply #170 on:]

I actually wouldn't say Family Guy's animation was bad.  I think its character designs weren't anything special (not awful, just not anything special) but the animation itself was usually pretty crisp if nothing else.  The backgrounds often looked pretty bad though, especcially earlier on.

But I think I might agree with those saying that it tended to look a little "bland".  Not really any great direction or anything beyond a very technical side.  The Simpsons' first season, while flawed in certain episodes, is at the very least still much more interesting and dynamic to look at.

As for Honeymooners....eh, I don't really buy that it had much to do with The Simpsons.  Flinstones is a direct rip off of it, but not The Simpsons (and by proxy The Simpsons had little to do with The Flinstones).

I think The Simpsons was partially inspired by a wide variety of shows, which is true of most works of art (meaning that most works of art are inspired by other works of art, not just tv shows).  I think that a lot of shows (including The Honeymooners, although the listing would need to be far more extensive that that and the Flinstones) helped to pave the way for The Simpsons.  But The Simpsons still has its own unique style and characters and spirit.  Other shows had their effect, but there's hardly anything "rip off" about The Simpsons.  Which is debateable with shows like Family Guy.

[Reply #171 on:]

Family Guy really only focuses on humour & that's it... and you do have to have a specific sense of humor to find it funny, as it only really has one style of humour.

The Simpsons, on the other hand, attempts jokes that anyone could find funny (although the humour was often pretty Family Guy-ish during Seasons 10+). This is why the shows shouldn't be compared - sure, they both focus around a dysfunctional family, but then again, this concept was around a LONG time before The Simpsons came along. They only really get compared because they're cartoons, other than that - they are 2 different shows with 2 different motives.

[Reply #172 on:]

This conversation came up tangentally during one of my classes today.  The main difference, IMO, between the characters of The Simpsons versus the characters of Family Guy is that the Simpsons are likeable.

Think about it:  while Homer may be a jerk-ass a lot of the time, most of the time he has his heart in the right place.  Never have I thought Homer doesn't love his family.  He's not the best dad, but his heart's in the right place.  Compare that to Peter.  Peter's the jerk-ass without the heart.  It doesn't seem like he ever really likes any of his family members, and therefore, I can't relate to him.  It's hard to like someone who hates their family.

This can be connected to every other character.  People like Bart.  People don't really like Chris.  People could hang out with Lisa.  Meg is universally hated. I could go through with every character, and the Simpsons characters are just better people.

[Reply #173 on:]

Yeah, exactly.  The Simpsons characters had depth.  They were endearing.  Even on the rare occasion that Family Guy tried to emotional (which was maybe two episodes) it just never worked.

I think that's really the problem with repeat viewings of FG.  Once you've seen all the jokes once, they're no longer that funny.  And there aren't any good characters or stories for the show to fall back on.

[Reply #174 on:]

My friend made the point today that Family Guy is like Battle Beyond the Stars to The Simpson's Star War - It's fairly entertaining but it's ultimately a rip-off and will never have anything like the cultural impact that the Simpsons had.

   

[Reply #175 on:]

I saw THOH14 a few days ago, and it was really bad. Nothing interesting happened, there were only a few things funny at all, and it didn't make sense that Frink's dad was staeling people's organs. I have my expectations very low for season 16.

[Reply #176 on:]

Well, it wasn't that it didn't made sense by THOH logic(he wanted real organs instead of mechanical ones), it just wasn't all that funny.

[Reply #177 on:]

You're telling me! It was painfully unfunny! A horrible segment, and who cares about Frink's father anyway?...

[Reply #178 on:]

Well, I though putting Frink's father (played by Jerry Lewis, no less!) into a THOH was actually a wonderful idea.

The problem was the execution. 
Although it does have a great line I repeat every so often.  "I just came back from the race for the cure.....of homosexuality!"

And in any case, can someone explain to me why they haven't done an Exorcist parody yet?  Seriously, what are they waiting for?

[Reply #179 on:]

You can't rush genius, i'm sure when they do an exocist skit, it'll be great.

And if they don't do it, it's probally because it has been done to death, the best i've seen, the very beginning of Scary Movie 2, the rest of the movie is a 5, but the beginning is a 10 IMO.

[Reply #180 on:]

 

Originally posted by John Pannozzi:
I saw THOH14 a few days ago, and it was really bad. Nothing interesting happened, there were only a few things funny at all, and it didn't make sense that Frink's dad was staeling people's organs. I have my expectations very low for season 16.

Basing you're expectations on a season 14 produced episode perhaps isn't such a great idea.

I have a theory on the frink segment, that it was an experiment that didn't work in seeing if Frink could work as a character with emotional depth.

by the way its not much but it should interest a few people here.

GABF08 - The Seven-Beer Snitch - Written by Bill Odenkirk

[Reply #181 on:]

Yeah, I believe he's also writing "Treehouse of Horror XV." I guess we'll have to wait and see how he fares.

[Reply #182 on:]

Saw '..The Ziff' today. Not bad, had a few laughs in it. And Geek wedding.

Also, Fraudcast news is on. This better be good enough I predict to pass.

[Reply #183 on:]

IMO, the best part of Fraudcast News was the montage at the end. That was a near classic era joke.

[Reply #184 on:]

I've only seen Fraudcast News twice, but I personally thought it was a little boring at times. It's not bad or anything, just over-rated considering all the good things I had heard about it before seeing it.

By the way, speaking of Fraudcast News - it's finally airing in Australia, after being postponed for several weeks! Wednesday, 7:30pm. 

[Reply #185 on:]

Fraudcast news was okay, I enjoyed the little montage at the end too. That tune brung back some memories I tell you that.

[Reply #186 on:]

I remember liking "Fraudcast News" when it came on tv, but I honestly can't remember any of the jokes from the second and third acts.  Oh well.

[Reply #187 on:]

I liked fraudcast News, I don't remember the montage that was spoke of earlier.

[Reply #188 on:]

It was at the end when Mr Burns goes shopping to cheer up, it was just a load of photos set against the same music that was used for Burns and Smithers, "running the plant themselves" in LETS.

 

I remember liking "Fraudcast News" when it came on tv, but I honestly can't remember any of the jokes from the second and third acts. Oh well.

Nelson: I can make nerds cry
Lisa: Good you'll be our t.v critic.

Willie: Lisa, I reviewed the tractors, their all Shite.

[Reply #189 on:]

Well, I'm going to be watching 'Fraudcast News' on Wednesday now. I love that music piece from LETS, it's still one of my top five Simpsons scenes.

[Reply #190 on:]

Yes, t'was a great scene from a great episode... I'd still say that my favourite bit from Last Exit To Springfield is when Homer punches Lenny in the back of the head. Just the fact that he does it a random moment without giving any warning or even an explanation... don't know why, but it always makes me laugh. 

Still, I'd have to say that my favourite joke from an early Simpsons episode was the bit in Moe's from Homer's Barbershop Quartet...
MOE: What'll it be?
BARNEY: I'll have a Duff.
MOE: And for you?
BARNEY'S GIRLFRIEND: I'll have a single plum, floating in perfume, served in a man's hat.
MOE: Alright, here you go.
(Moe reaches under the bar and pulls out a duff and a man's hat filled with perfume & a plum soaked in it, acting completely normal as if it's something he serves all the time.)

[Reply #191 on:]

What's your favourite Simpsons episode?
Mine would probably be Deep Space Homer.

[Reply #192 on:]

Mine... 'Lemon of Troy'. Aaah yes, so good...

[Reply #193 on:]

Either Homers Enemy,Mr Plow or Boy Scoutz'N the Hood. 

[Reply #194 on:]

 

Originally posted by Otis P Jivefunk:
Mine... 'Lemon of Troy'. Aaah yes, so good...

Thats one of my favourite episodes too. Along with "Bart Sells His Soul" And also, the one where they get a pool, and Bart breaks his leg so he cant go in it. And he thinks Ned has murdered his wife. I'm sorry I dont know the name of the ep, but I think thats a great one 

[Reply #195 on:]

Don't really have any real thoughts on reviews but
ratings.
Fraudcast news A-
Co dependents day B

just BMB left which judging from reviews will be crap Damn Sky airing the episodes out of order.
still episode rankings.
A-
President Wore Pearls
Fraudcast News
  B+
Simple Simpson
Catch em if You Can
Way We Weren't
Carjacker
I d'oh bot
B
Today I am a Clown
Co Dependents Day
Fifteenth Season
B-
Ziff Who Came to Dinner
Smart+ Smarter
Diatribe
Millhouse Doesn't...
C+
Marge vs SSCCT+G
Wandering Juvie
THOH XIV
C
Margical
C-
Geek Wedding
Regina Monolouges
Fat and Furriest.

[Reply #196 on:]

Personally, I'm looking forward to tonight's premire.  This has been the first Simpsons season I've actually felt good about.  Plus, it doesn't hurt that 'Arrested Development' is now on after it. 

[Reply #197 on:]

   

Originally posted by ghoulishmoose: The one where they get a pool, and Bart breaks his leg so he cant go in it. And he thinks Ned has murdered his wife. I'm sorry I dont know the name of the ep, but I think thats a great one     

I think it's called "Bart of Darkness"
It's a very good episode, my favorites are "Deep Space Homer", (the scene where Homer figures out that the planet of apes, was actually Earth, is hilarious), "Duffless" is also great, (I love the "When I was 17" song), and "Last Exit to Springfield"
Lenny- Now play Classical Gas.
(Lisa plays classical gas on guitar)

Now what's your least favorite episode?
Mine is "Simpson Safari"

[Reply #198 on:]

Least fave? The one where they go to Brazil. Aaah yes, so bad...

[Reply #199 on:]

Although I can see someone disliking that episode, I don't really see how it could be worse then "Simpsons Safari" and plenty of others.

But anyways, worst would be "Simpsons Safari" and "Pray Anything" for me.

For best, here's the top twenty list I created in May '03 and never bothered to change:

1. Lisa's Substitute
2. Lisa's Wedding
3. Bart the General
4. Last Exit to Springfield
5. Cape Feare
6. Summer of 4 ft 2
7. Homer: Badman
8. Radio Bart
9. Lisa's First Word
10. Two Cars in Every Garage, Three Eyes on Every Fish
11. Moaning Lisa
12: Mother Simpson
13. I Love Lisa
14. Itchy and Scratchy and Marge
15. Homer the Heretic
16. Flaming Moe's
17. Treehouse of Horror V
18. Marge Be Not Proud
19. Life on the Fast Lane
20. A Streetcare Named Marge

Even when I made it I didn't totally agree with it though.