The ol' Family guy/Simpsons discussion

allanb49

Ok so i'm a big fan of both,

However i'm looking over the two programmes as a whole.

The Simpsons has only done one continuation in who shot mr burns 15 years ago now.

It's continuity is horrendous. The flashback episodes taking part in the 70s/80s/90s depending on when written.

They never seem to take chances. In recent times they could flesh out the secondary characters a bit more, They have now and then but it just seems meh to me.

I'm looking over at Family Guy now.

- They have the Star Wars Episodes,
- The episode where Stewie and Brian are in the bank vault,
- The murder mystery,
- The different multiverse and the Disney Style segment
- The Fact that peter has changed jobs.
- The call backs to previous episodes - Brian working on his book
- The continuity is far better
- The guest stars who don't just appear for the sake of it. (Robert Downey Jr as the fat guy strangler, Drew Barrymore as Gillian)

I know the simpsons do this sometimes as well but it's more flavour of the month like the Glee cast in the last week or so.

But then it's countered with 50 cent driving by in a limo or Metallica's tour bus breaking down or Britney Spears giving an award.
You do have the classics like Michael Jackson and Dustin Hoffman. But those are now 20 years old.

Family Guy seems to have taken the risks and gone out of it's comfort zone or just being a 22 min carbon copy of the simpsons and most i think are pulled off and even though there is a lot of toilet humor and cheap laughs some of the writing and ideas that they come up with is quite original.

I'm a fan of both shows equally, but it would be nice to see the simpsons try something different.

Or is it that the simpsons writers just don't have the talent or the balls to go outside the box.

The south park episode simpsons did it is now getting so bad the Simpsons are repeating there own story lines.

Just last week Grandpa gave away his inheritance so he could see them enjoy it.

This premise has been used before in the Malibu Stacy/Lisa Lionheart episode back in 1994!

keane2097

The Simpsons has been absolutely terrible for years and years.

At its best I don't think Family Guy gets near it (I'm talking up to Season 8-ish or so), but I wouldn't watch a new episode of the Simpsons over Family Guy in a fit.

allanb49

O i know, the Simpsons has been on a constant decline. Some of the simpsons writing is spot on back in the day. Hell look at the thread in After Hours 800+ quotes of the simpsons no way in hell would family guy manage that. But as for trying new things family guy is in the front in that catogory

BlitzKrieg

i'm an elitist snob and dont bother with either and instead get a diet of south park/venture brothers to give me animated chuckles.

Riddle101

I don't know why the Simpsons got so watered down over the years. There was a time when Simpsons took no prisoners and used to be edgy, but now it seems they've changed their way for a more family orientated show. I think The Simpsons writers have just gotten lazy now, they been going strong for 20 years. The first decade of Simpsons was brilliant, and after riding the success train of those years, they just got lazy in their writing and just lost their spark.

Nowadays people are going on about South Park, but in all fairness. South Park is only funny because it deliberately looks to be controversial, rather then actually having any morals. They deliberately target things like racism, religon and even special needs people, just because they know it will get a reaction out of the audience. But The Simpsons had morals even in their early years. The Simpsons didn't need to be overally controversial, to get a laugh. They used typical tongue in cheek humor, occassionally they did some controversial stuff, but it was always in a good sense where they didn't cross a line with their writing. South Park deliberately cross the line.

I have more respect for The Simpsons then I do for South Park just because the Simpsons had a degree of principle and morals, where as South Park don't care. Not saying I don't like South Park, cause I love that too. As for Family Guy, well where do I begin. The show is just full of random jokes that really make no sense to the plot and ridiculously over the top. Again I like Family Guy to, but compared to The Simpsons. neither beat Simpsons, at least not the first decade of Simpsons anyway

allanb49

But South Park while targeting certain areas and social groups also tend to be well written and not always going for the cheap laugh. It is very topical and can raise serious debates about certain topics.

The 2000 election
The woman on life support - This was aired hours after her death
The somalian pirates

strobe

Riddle101 wrote: »

I don't know why the Simpsons got so watered down over the years. There was a time when Simpsons took no prisoners and used to be edgy, but now it seems they've changed their way for a more family orientated show. I think The Simpsons writers have just gotten lazy now, they been going strong for 20 years. The first decade of Simpsons was brilliant, and after riding the success train of those years, they just got lazy in their writing and just lost their spark.

Nowadays people are going on about South Park, but in all fairness. South Park is only funny because it deliberately looks to be controversial, rather then actually having any morals. They deliberately target things like racism, religon and even special needs people, just because they know it will get a reaction out of the audience. But The Simpsons had morals even in their early years. The Simpsons didn't need to be overally controversial, to get a laugh. They used typical tongue in cheek humor, occassionally they did some controversial stuff, but it was always in a good sense where they didn't cross a line with their writing. South Park deliberately cross the line.

I have more respect for The Simpsons then I do for South Park just because the Simpsons had a degree of principle and morals, where as South Park don't care. Not saying I don't like South Park, cause I love that too. As for Family Guy, well where do I begin. The show is just full of random jokes that really make no sense to the plot and ridiculously over the top. Again I like Family Guy to, but compared to The Simpsons. neither beat Simpsons, at least not the first decade of Simpsons anyway

Of course South Park deliberately cross the line but that isn't why it is better and funnier than the Simpsons. It is funnier than the Simpsons nowadays because the writing is ten times better. As for Family Guy being just random jokes that make no sense, the Simpsons are far far worse for that. Pick any episode in the last ten years and it is just painful to watch them try to fit another unfunny random pop reference in where it doesn't tie into the plot in any way whatsoever.

Back in the day the Simpsons was class, nothing could touch it, but the day was a long long time ago. Awful awful show.

South Park's the best, better written, better voice acted, more coherent plots even when they are deliberately non-sensical. Pop culture references are made for a reason rather than just to be 'hip with the kids' like the Simpsons seem to do now. Not afraid to cross the line, which should be a cause for respect not a reason for disdain. Would any show of any kind other than Sp make that Scientology episode? I don't see why you say you respect the Simpsons more for not crossing the line when even the Simpsons themselves respect South Park for the things they do.



Family Guy comes in second for pure stoner silly comedy with some decent writing on occasion. Would rather watch my own funeral than have an ep of the Simpsons inflicted on me these days.

Riddle101

strobe wrote: »

Of course South Park deliberately cross the line but that isn't why it is better and funnier than the Simpsons. It is funnier than the Simpsons nowadays because the writing is ten times better. As for Family Guy being just random jokes that make no sense, the Simpsons are far far worse for that. Pick any episode in the last ten years and it is just painful to watch them try to fit another unfunny random pop reference in where it doesn't tie into the plot in any way whatsoever.

I agree that South Park is a lot funnier then The Simpsons has been over the last decade, but I made a point of of the whole controversial issue, because sometimes it seems as if South Park thrive on being controversal while the old Simpsons didn't need to be too controversal, their writing was witty enough for them to be funny while not having to cross that line. But again South Park is still funny nonetheles
Back in the day the Simpsons was class, nothing could touch it, but the day was a long long time ago. Awful awful show.

South Park's the best, better written, better voice acted, more coherent plots even when they are deliberately non-sensical. Pop culture references are made for a reason rather than just to be 'hip with the kids' like the Simpsons seem to do now. Not afraid to cross the line, which should be a cause for respect not a reason for disdain. Would any show of any kind other than Sp make that

Scientology episode

? I don't see why you say you respect the Simpsons more for not crossing the line when even the Simpsons themselves respect South Park for the things they do.

I don't know about South Park being better voice acted. I mean it's basically the creators doing the voices for most characters, and even then their voice acting is rather bland and medicore. Simpsons is better voice acted, Futurama is better voice acted and Family Guy as well

Also as for the Scientology episode, I think Simpson might have done it in the old days, but since Nancy Carthright herself is a Scientologist, they proberly wouldn't out of respect. But yeah you're right, no show would do that.