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Has Family Guy jumped the shark?
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Author:  firemarc924 [ Fri Sep 29, 2006 12:14 am ]
Post subject:  Has Family Guy jumped the shark?

In my opinion, yes.

Author:  Acekirby [ Fri Sep 29, 2006 12:27 am ]
Post subject: 

Family Guy is a funny show, but there's a reason it was cancelled.

I always laugh at Family Guy then hit myself for it because it's one of the most poorly written shows on TV. 99% of the jokes are cut-away scenes that come after "Remember the time...". This is one of the reasons I loved South Park's Cartoon Wars so much. It pointed out the most obvious fault of Family Guy.

Has it jumped the shark? It's possible. If it hasn't already, it's really close. And that's not good for them since The Simpsons seems to be making a comeback.

Author:  Mr. Sparkle [ Fri Sep 29, 2006 12:38 am ]
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Yes, as soon as it came back from cancellation.

Author:  Inverse Tiger [ Fri Sep 29, 2006 12:46 am ]
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I haven't seen many of the newer eps, but from a snotty mind-warper point of view, I like how they draw out some jokes for too long on purpose. The flashbacks do seem annoyingly formulaic, tho, like they're thinking "ok, we've spent 20 seconds with the normal plot, time to cut away.. ok another 20 seconds, cut away... come back, aaaaand commercial.

Slightly off topic, I'm hearing the phrase "jump the shark" a lot lately and I'm wondering if it has too ;)

Author:  just a username [ Fri Sep 29, 2006 12:46 am ]
Post subject: 

Family Guy IMO has not jumped the shark, and is still funny as ever.

Author:  Rusty [ Fri Sep 29, 2006 12:59 am ]
Post subject: 

GOD I NEVER CARED ABOUT FAMILY GUY.

AND I NEVER WILL.

So yeah, I think it jumped the shark the moment it came on.

Author:  StrongRad [ Fri Sep 29, 2006 2:12 am ]
Post subject: 

I don't know that it's jumped the shark. Nothing has ever happened that would make me think so. I haven't seen it go downhill.

That's what "Jump the shark" means. When it seems like a show's going downhill and seems like it's staying on just for the sake of filling airtime (kinda like The Simpsons seems every now and then).

Author:  El Santo [ Fri Sep 29, 2006 2:44 am ]
Post subject: 

Actually, I thought "jumping the shark" actually meant an event that changes the nature of the show so fundamentally that it cannot recover. You know, like introducing a baby to the story lines.

Having two characters get married and kill the sexual tension that was driving the show.

Introducing a new character and almost forcing the audience to love him/her.

Replacing Mulder and Scully with two new FBI agents.

Waterskiing over a shark.

It's always something that's tied to an event that ruins a show forever. I don't think a slow, steady demise necessarily qualifies.

Author:  MC Otaku [ Fri Sep 29, 2006 2:48 am ]
Post subject: 

just a username wrote:
Family Guy IMO has not jumped the shark, and is still funny as ever.


Oh, beat me to it. :)

Author:  StrongRad [ Fri Sep 29, 2006 2:49 am ]
Post subject: 

El Santo wrote:
Actually, I thought "jumping the shark" actually meant an event that changes the nature of the show so fundamentally that it cannot recover. You know, like introducing a baby to the story lines.

Having two characters get married and kill the sexual tension that was driving the show.

Introducing a new character and almost forcing the audience to love him/her.

Replacing Mulder and Scully with two new FBI agents.

Waterskiing over a shark.

It's always something that's tied to an event that ruins a show forever. I don't think a slow, steady demise necessarily qualifies.

You're right...
My bad..

Author:  firemarc924 [ Fri Sep 29, 2006 3:04 am ]
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The reason people think it means a slow decline is because Happy Days had one and thats where the term came from.

Author:  IantheGecko [ Fri Sep 29, 2006 3:05 am ]
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El Santo wrote:
Replacing Mulder and Scully with two new FBI agents.
Scully wasn't replaced; Robert Patrick took over after David Duchovny's contract ran out.

Author:  StrongRad [ Fri Sep 29, 2006 3:10 am ]
Post subject: 

firemarc924 wrote:
The reason people think it means a slow decline is because Happy Days had one and thats where the term came from.
I never really meant a slow decline.. Just a decline.

That 70's Show is a good example. After Eric left the show, there was no real point in keeping it on the air, yet they did. Fortunately, they finally dragged it out back and put it out of its misery.

The clear "shark jumpage" in that show, of course, is Eric leaving.

Author:  ramrod [ Fri Sep 29, 2006 3:18 am ]
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Well, according to http://www.jumptheshark.com , the majority of the votes say that it hasn't jumped the shark. Visit it for more info. But I must warn you, some people's language might not be all to Kidlet friendly.

Author:  firemarc924 [ Fri Sep 29, 2006 3:33 am ]
Post subject: 

My say so on Family Guy.

First Season: Pretty bad, but had some good points.

Second Season: They had a pretty good season, but not great. Too many lessons and morals.

Third Season: BEST SEASON EVER. Seriously, I watched this as MY entire first season, and it was so good. It also contained that Chumba-Wumba episode, which had the joke where peter stays on the sidewalk for a minute holding his leg. New definition of ROFL.

Fourth Season: I was sad with this season. Its jokes were too gross. It also tried to be really funny instead of just doing a joke as they go on with there life, which is a GREAT way to do a joke.

Fifth Season: I hate it. With all my gut. It had all the problems of the Fourth Season and more. But really just for one reason. How long a joke took. They tried to make every joke a joke where you would laugh for a minute, which made it increasingly boring. And they WAY over did the "I hate Meg thing." Especially the Meg is Ron thing.


firemarc,
Family Guy expert (In his dreams)

Author:  El Santo [ Fri Sep 29, 2006 3:53 am ]
Post subject: 

Well, my opinion: I think "Family Guy" took a wrong turn when it tried to become the new "South Park." You know, gross humor and overbearing political statements. However, they still keep the typical "Family Guy" pop culture non-sequitors, and the two don't mesh well at all.

It's like when the Simpsons tried out Family Guy-style humor. My brother just looked at me and said, "Darn it! Simpsons is not Family Guy!"

Author:  Shopiom [ Fri Sep 29, 2006 10:55 am ]
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Attention, peoples! Family Guy is still awesome! Seriously! I don't care what anyone says, I love Family Guy, and I don't think it's jumped the shark at all.

Author:  ChickenLeg [ Fri Sep 29, 2006 3:07 pm ]
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It might not jump the shark for at least a couple of more seasons. It still has that charm, but the humor has changed a bit since it started, like every other cartoon. I think this show will still last for a while. Or, it might be like The Simpsons and have a roller coaster of good periods and pseudo jump-the-shark times.

And I think the reason they kept That 70's Show on after Eric left was so that they could make it to New Year's Eve, 1979. Personally, I think it did jump the shark with Eric being gone, but it would've jumped the shark even more if it went on past 1979, but didn't want to disappoint fans for not making it that far.

Author:  Funkstar [ Fri Sep 29, 2006 3:39 pm ]
Post subject: 

It can't really jump the shark, as it was random from the beginning. I show only jumps the shark when it runs out of plot and does random things, thus family guy cannot.

Author:  Dark Grapefruit [ Sat Sep 30, 2006 3:23 am ]
Post subject: 

^In this case, in fact, it was the exact opposite. FG started going downhill when it ran out of random things and started doing the same things over and over. Yeah, we get it. Chris has an evil monkey in his closet. That black guy on the news yells a lot. Can we please move on.

Author:  Alberto [ Sat Sep 30, 2006 4:39 am ]
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Well, I haven't watched it much since it was first canceled off Fox, so I wouldn't know.
I have to agree with Funk, since it consists mostly of random humor, you can't really 'Jump the shark'. But it can lose its' lulz, as DG said.

Author:  topofsm [ Sat Sep 30, 2006 6:32 am ]
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Family Guy still rules.

One reason why it's funny is if you're really tired. Seriously, usually it only gets me a chuckle or two. But at our school's lock-in (I stayed up all night) I saw half the episode and laughed so hard. You need to be tired to watch shows like that.

Author:  Acekirby [ Sat Sep 30, 2006 6:38 am ]
Post subject: 

Dude, if you're tired, anything can be funny.

My friends and I once stayed up until 6:00 AM. We watched an episode of Bear in the Big Blue House. It was possibly the most hysterically funny thing we had ever seen.

Author:  Shippinator Mandy [ Sun Oct 01, 2006 3:21 am ]
Post subject: 

Rusty wrote:
GOD I NEVER CARED ABOUT FAMILY GUY.

AND I NEVER WILL.

So yeah, I think it jumped the shark the moment it came on.


YES! SOMEONE WHO AGREES WITH ME!

Seriously. It's just not an intelligent show, y'know? Like, The Simpsons isn't totally mindless. South Park actually has some pretty good satire in it. Futurama is freakin' awesome. But Family Guy...it has so little going for it. :/

Author:  Solwyvern [ Sun Oct 01, 2006 6:05 pm ]
Post subject: 

StrongRad wrote:
That's what "Jump the shark" means. When it seems like a show's going downhill and seems like it's staying on just for the sake of filling airtime (kinda like The Simpsons seems every now and then).

and
El Santo wrote:
Actually, I thought "jumping the shark" actually meant an event that changes the nature of the show so fundamentally that it cannot recover. You know, like introducing a baby to the story lines.


My understanding is that jumping the shark is a reaction to a decline. Happy Days WAS in a decline and the writers decided to have The Fonz jump a shark in a vain effort to bring the show back. This moment showed everyone that the writers were so desprate that the show was beyond help. Happy Days did things like adding new characters, and changing basic dynamics before jumping the shark, and those measures did work to some extent.

With that understanding, I don't see a jump the shark moment in FG yet. I does seem that they are in a decline though, and I do see some of those pre-"jump the shark" tactics happening.

Author:  Chekt [ Sun Oct 01, 2006 6:10 pm ]
Post subject: 

Acekirby wrote:
Dude, if you're tired, anything can be funny.

My friends and I once stayed up until 6:00 AM. We watched an episode of Bear in the Big Blue House. It was possibly the most hysterically funny thing we had ever seen.

Oh yes, my and some friends did that at a sleep over but only we watched Telitubbies. I love staying up late and doing that.

Author:  Skajunkie [ Mon Oct 02, 2006 1:49 am ]
Post subject: 

I do think that Family Guy has jumped the shark. After that episode with the poltergeist, I gave up on the new episodes. It just doesn't make me laugh anymore; it might be because it geniunely has become stale, or it could be that I'm just being stubborn about being a rebel now that it's quite popular; or perhaps it's a bit of both.

Author:  firemarc924 [ Mon Oct 02, 2006 3:20 am ]
Post subject: 

Todays episode proves my point and doesn't. It had a terribly long entry. And shows the gross NCC jokes. But it is also kind of funny. I am having second thoughts...

Author:  Solwyvern [ Mon Oct 02, 2006 11:58 pm ]
Post subject: 

Ithought the opening of last night's was good: the Osama Bin Butt-head bit and riding the Big Wheel through the streets like the opening to the old show "Police Squad". But it was downhill after that. I give it an F--

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