On January 31st 1999, Seth MacFarlane got the go ahead to create Family Guy, a hilarious show involving a dysfunctional American family. For many years I remained a devoted fan of this show. Then Family Guy was cancelled in 2003. Fans rallied together and brought the show back in 2005. The show continued to deliver it's witty style of dark comedy for the next couple of years. We then fast forward shortly after the completion of season 7 when creator Seth MacFarlane announced that he thought the show had run its course but decided to continue to produce new episodes.
In later years, the show began to suffer from a noticeable drop in quality, but still remained relatively true to itself. By the time season 10 came around, I was shocked at how unfunny I found it. The jokes were too hate filled, the characters quickly became very mean-spirited and they lost that fun innocence that the show was so perfect at balancing out. I myself stayed with Family Guy during its ups and downs, probably due to my optimism that this was just a faze and the show could still return to it's clever, witty comedy. Those thoughts changed on November 25th when I watched the newest Family Guy episode entitled "The Life of Brian". What I got for 20 minutes was not funny or even remotely entertaining. What I got was a desperate cry for attention from a show that has lost it's way.
To those of you who have not seen the episode I will briefly explain the summary. Brian and Stewie use the time machine to go back in time to retrieve guns that were given to native Americans by Stewie. After they succeed, Stewie destroys his time machine and he and Brian bring home some hockey equipment from the dump. Long story short Brian gets hit by a car, he DIES, the family cries and they GET A NEW DOG, THE END. Thats right, Brian Griffin a TV icon was killed in cold blood on live TV to the horror of millions of Family Guy fans. What's even more insulting about this episode is that it spends the first couple of minutes reminding you why this character is awesome. Here's the problem, Brian just like every other character on this show has become a shadow of his former self. By the time this episode aired, Brian had lost every bit of likability that he originally had. He does not deserve our sympathy.
I really had to think about this episode before putting my thoughts into this review. During this episode, I did not feel sadness,I was hurt. This episode hurt me inside. After watching the show for so many years, sticking with it even during its time in peril, the creators decided to punch their fans in the face. What hurts me the most about this episode is not that they killed my favourite character on the show, they killed my last sense of hope that the show still had that spark of entertainment in it. This episode for me was proof that the team that produces this show has lost it's passion. Even the Simpsons, despite the fact the it has run it's course still has the passion to at least try to entertain. Family Guy has nothing left to contribute because the people behind it clear don't care anymore.
I went through denial after seeing this episode.I wanted to believe that the episode must have been a bad dream because I never would have thought that the staff of Family Guy would even dare to pull such a dirty trick to boost ratings. Yes, that is exactly what this episode was for.
The decision to kill a main character was built up weeks before this episode, when one of the writers announced that a character would be killed and replaced.If you want to do this to improve the show, fine, after 13 years, change needs to happen. But if you are going to do something like this and take advantage of your viewers, all I have to say is, SHAME ON YOU.
I wouldn't be as angry as I am now if it wasn't for the fact that I know that he will come back. Family Guy fans are going to be all happy and we can go back to the way it was. Look at the ridiculous "Bring Brian Back Campaigns" online. The show will continue on its path of mediocrity until either Seth or Fox decide to pull the plug. It will be like The Simpsons, a shadow of its former self and won't apologize for it. Fans will continue to watch despite noticing its obvious drop in quality. For three years I have feebly clung to this show, hoping for it to improve but it hasn't. I'm not going to waste anymore of my time watching this trash. It's really sad that in an era that has unfortunately suffered from a lack of good comedy, Family Guy was like a shining light in the dark. After all these years, Family Guy's light has been sadly snuffed out.
That is all!
In later years, the show began to suffer from a noticeable drop in quality, but still remained relatively true to itself. By the time season 10 came around, I was shocked at how unfunny I found it. The jokes were too hate filled, the characters quickly became very mean-spirited and they lost that fun innocence that the show was so perfect at balancing out. I myself stayed with Family Guy during its ups and downs, probably due to my optimism that this was just a faze and the show could still return to it's clever, witty comedy. Those thoughts changed on November 25th when I watched the newest Family Guy episode entitled "The Life of Brian". What I got for 20 minutes was not funny or even remotely entertaining. What I got was a desperate cry for attention from a show that has lost it's way.
To those of you who have not seen the episode I will briefly explain the summary. Brian and Stewie use the time machine to go back in time to retrieve guns that were given to native Americans by Stewie. After they succeed, Stewie destroys his time machine and he and Brian bring home some hockey equipment from the dump. Long story short Brian gets hit by a car, he DIES, the family cries and they GET A NEW DOG, THE END. Thats right, Brian Griffin a TV icon was killed in cold blood on live TV to the horror of millions of Family Guy fans. What's even more insulting about this episode is that it spends the first couple of minutes reminding you why this character is awesome. Here's the problem, Brian just like every other character on this show has become a shadow of his former self. By the time this episode aired, Brian had lost every bit of likability that he originally had. He does not deserve our sympathy.
I really had to think about this episode before putting my thoughts into this review. During this episode, I did not feel sadness,I was hurt. This episode hurt me inside. After watching the show for so many years, sticking with it even during its time in peril, the creators decided to punch their fans in the face. What hurts me the most about this episode is not that they killed my favourite character on the show, they killed my last sense of hope that the show still had that spark of entertainment in it. This episode for me was proof that the team that produces this show has lost it's passion. Even the Simpsons, despite the fact the it has run it's course still has the passion to at least try to entertain. Family Guy has nothing left to contribute because the people behind it clear don't care anymore.
I went through denial after seeing this episode.I wanted to believe that the episode must have been a bad dream because I never would have thought that the staff of Family Guy would even dare to pull such a dirty trick to boost ratings. Yes, that is exactly what this episode was for.
The decision to kill a main character was built up weeks before this episode, when one of the writers announced that a character would be killed and replaced.If you want to do this to improve the show, fine, after 13 years, change needs to happen. But if you are going to do something like this and take advantage of your viewers, all I have to say is, SHAME ON YOU.
I wouldn't be as angry as I am now if it wasn't for the fact that I know that he will come back. Family Guy fans are going to be all happy and we can go back to the way it was. Look at the ridiculous "Bring Brian Back Campaigns" online. The show will continue on its path of mediocrity until either Seth or Fox decide to pull the plug. It will be like The Simpsons, a shadow of its former self and won't apologize for it. Fans will continue to watch despite noticing its obvious drop in quality. For three years I have feebly clung to this show, hoping for it to improve but it hasn't. I'm not going to waste anymore of my time watching this trash. It's really sad that in an era that has unfortunately suffered from a lack of good comedy, Family Guy was like a shining light in the dark. After all these years, Family Guy's light has been sadly snuffed out.
That is all!