onsdag 31. januar 2024

"Family Guy" - The Popular, Snarky and Edgy Seth Macfarlane Animated Sitcom Who Became Iconic in Pop Culture

Hi folks! Welcome to my My Own Personal Nerdy Disney and Animation Scrutinizing Analysis blog. A blog where I'm analyzing several Disney films, Disney or Animation in general! These entries are just meant to be my analyses. Not reviews or
statements. Just fun analyses! Though I'll make some personal remarks now and then, the content of these entries are meant to be depicted objectively. They're made for entertainment purpose only and the pictures/clips are copyright Disney or other companies. 

Make sure to leave a comment if you like this site! And if there's something you think could be improved, please let me know. But in a constructive way, please. And just a note; I'm not a Native English writer, so my incorrect grammar may be notable.

And finally; If you haven't seen the films, beware of spoilers! And the funny lines aren't meant to be nothing than funny. So I hope you won't find them offensive. If so, I apologize

 
 
 

Yes, since I`m the patriarch of this house, only I`m allowed to have the remote control :) Sorry, Stewie :)

 
 
 
 
 

We`re a blast from the
past :)
If there`s ever been a stigma and a staple to animation, it`s how animation is mostly for children. While it`s a stigma that`s always existed due to logical reasons, the honest and unbiased truth is that animation is of course an artform in itself. And doesn`t really appeal to only children. In fact, there`s been many TV series and movies that has been specifically made for an adult audience, despite how it took many decades before this became a trend in animation. The first series to truly define this genre was of course The Simpsons, who`s become iconic in animated history. Afterwards came Mike Judge’s Beavis and Butt-head (1993) and King of the Hill (1997). Of course another contender is none other than South Park, who`s also become iconic in animation. But at least those shows paved the way for upcoming shows who were in the same mold.
Since the show is
about me, I need to be
front and center :)
Premiering in January 1999 and officially airing in April by Seth MacFarlane, Family Guy has become one of the most popular current animated series to date. And yes, it has marked it`s way to Pop Culture. But at the end, it`s fair to say that it`s been shaped and formed by The Simpsons (which it was inspired from and even had a crossover) and therefore compared to it. Cause Family Guy is just another contender to the animated, edgy sitcoms who are mostly made for an adult audience. Feautring voiced talents by Alex Borstein (Lois), Seth Green (Chris), Mila Kunis (Meg), Mike Henry (Cleveland Brown), Patrick Warburton (Joe Swanson) and Jennifer Tilly (Bonnie Swanson). While Family Guy isn`t Seth MacFarlane's only addition to the animated world, it`s still his longest-running show and also his most popular, who`s still running to this day. Family Guy ranks as Fox’s most-streamed program on record, averaging 5.1 million P2+ viewers.
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
The Components of Family Guy
 
We`re playing peekaboo :)
In fact, Family Guy is a typical American TV-sitcom who pretty much shares many of the stock components and archetypes of such similar sitcoms: A dimwitted, overweight patriarchal figure. A practical matriarchal character. A daughter who`s an outcast and a goofy older brother who`s also dimwitted and a baby (Stewie, who`s the most popular character). What differentiates Family Guy from it`s other counterparts (at least those who were not made by MacFarlane) is how the anthropomorphic pet dog, Brian, is given some dialogue. And also how the baby is given a voice, but an adult one (and sure, in true cartoon fashion, it`s characters doesn`t mature at all). But of course Family Guy is mostly known for it`s non-PC content, but also for parodying celebrities and events (and sometimes having the actual voice actors to voice them, like Patrick Swayze, Johnny Depp, Frank Sinatra Jr., Carrie Fisher, James Woods, Jon Favreau, Kiefer Sutherland and Adam West). 
Don`t get used to it. This is
only one occasion :)
Most of the humor are metafictional cutaway gags that is often in American culture. The most common jokes about the Fox network, and occasions where the characters break the fourth wall by addressing the audience. However, familiar subplots involves Stewie`s hatred for Louis and the constant picking on Meg (MacFarlane admitted that the abuse of Meg is a result of a bunch of male writers not knowing how to write for a teenage girl). Still, comparing Family Guy to The Simpsons, it went far beyond Simpsons or any other prime time cartoon of its era in the bizarre and the grotesque. And also showed more culture-shock gags, in jokes, and obscure movie and literature references than any other series.  
Yes, we`ve listened to Kung
Fu Fighting too many times :)
And sure, Family Guy is known for it`s iconic moments, as when Stewie calls for his mother, Peter`s Surfin Bird and his battle with the chicken. It uses catchphrases like Quagmire's "Giggity giggity goo", Peter's "Freakin' sweet", Cleveland's "Oh, that's nasty", and Joe's "Bring it on!" And sure, since Family Guy has been around for many years, it`s of course changed and evolved (especially Stewie`s personality, so they wrote him differently).















Behind the Scenes Information

While Seth
Since I`m conceited,
I`m glad that I got my
very own painting :)
MacFarlane is a household name in animation, the truth is that his contibrution to the genre started before Family Guy. He started as an animator and writer for Hanna-Barbera, like Johnny Bravo, Cow and Chicken, Dexter's Laboratory, and the short Larry & Steve for What A Cartoon! Still he felt his true calling was for prime-time animation, for the edge. MacFarlane planned Family Guy in 1995 while studying animation at the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD). However, Larry was the sequel to The Life of Larry. Made in 1996, it featured a middle-aged man, Larry, and an intellectual dog, Steve. Fox saw the shorts and approached MacFarlane to make a series based on the characters, which became Family Guy. Premises were from 1980s Saturday-morning cartoons MacFarlane saw as a kid, as The Fonz and the Happy Days Gang and Rubik, the Amazing Cube.  
And no, I don`t mean
just today :)
Family Guy was planned to start as short movies for Mad TV. But it changed, cause the budget wasn`t large enough to support animation. MacFarlane pitched it to Fox, as he thought it was the perfect place to it. And MacFarlane impressed executives with a 14-minute pilot. The show's first writers had never written for animation, as they came from live-action sitcoms. Many of them left the show to create other successful series, as Neil Goldman and Garrett Donovan worked for Scrubs. While Mike Barker and Matt Weitzman went on to create American Dad! Normally it takes 10 months to make an episode because of hand-drawn animation and $2 million to produce. During the 2007–08 Writers Guild of America strike, production of the show halted for many periods. Fox continued making episodes without MacFarlane's final approval. While MacFarlane refused to work on the show, his contract under Fox required him to contribute to it. Production resumed after the end of the strike. However, MacFarlane left writing for the show in 2010, focusing on production and voice acting.
I`m Clark Kent`s
distant relative :)
Since MacFarlane had a strong vision for the characters, he chose to voice them himself. He based the voice of Peter on a security guard he knew. Brian's voice is MacFarlane speaking normally. Many of his personal beliefs were from MacFarlane. Angela, Peter's boss, is based on Joanna, Rachel's boss on Friends. Stewie's voice is based on Sir Rex Harrison. Glenn Quagmire's facial features are modelled after Bob Hope. Lois was originally blonde, but after much debate, the creators made her hair red. Many people thought Stewie's lyrics were "Effin' cry" in the opening song when he was actually sang "laugh and cry", so it was re-recorded. Lacey Chabert left the show at the second season to focus on school. After twenty years of voicing Cleveland, Mike Henry stepped down from the part, due to racial inaccuracy (and we all know that Cleveland had his own spinoff show).
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 The Reception & Controversy of Family Guy

Yes, I wanted to be just like
the donut :)
Overall, Family Guy has received mostly positive reviews. It was voted No. 5 in a British TV poll of "100 Greatest Cartoons". In 2009, it was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Comedy Series (the first animated show since The Flintstones). In 2013, TV Guide ranked it as the ninth-greatest TV cartoon. In 2008, it generated $1 billion in total revenue, including $400 million from TV, $400 million from DVD sales, and $200 million from merchandise. However, the reception of Family Guy is still interesting. It once had a cult-staple and it`s loyal fans. but never did well in ratings afterwards. As Fox network removed the show from many failed slots in both 2000 and 2001 (against Frasier and Friends), it was canceled in 2002. It was not until Fox canceled the show and it was picked up for rerun on Cartoon Network`s late TV channel, Adult Swim, that Family Guy truly built an audience. One so large that it out-rated late night shows like Jay Leno and David Letterman (finding networks that were interested was hard, so Network bought the rights "for free"). Even more successful was the show's DVD release in 2003. Which made Fox restore it to its prime time schedule with new episodes. Which was first time where a show made a network comeback just based of home-video popularity.
Don`t ask us who drew this
picture :) It wasn`t Picasso :)
However, Family Guy  has also been known for controversy. From storylines and character stereotypes. And for racism, homophobia and sexism. The Parents Television Council (PTC), a conservative non-profit watchdog, attacked the show and branded many episodes as "Worst TV Show of the Week". And they`ve written to Fox Network to urge them to cancel the show. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has received many requests for the same purpose. And some advertisers have canceled their contracts after reviewing the content of the episodes.  
This is what happens when
you mess up your lipstick :)
In 420 (season seven, 2009), Brian tries to legalize cannabis in Quahog. The Venezuelan government banned Family Guy from their local networks. In Extra Large Medium (season eight, 2010), Sarah Palin, the mother of a child with Down syndrome, criticized the episode in an appearance on The O'Reilly Factor for mocking her daughter.  Ken Tucker from Entertainment Weekly called Family Guy "The Simpsons as conceived by a singularly sophomoric mind that lacks any reference point beyond other TV shows". In 2007, Bourne Co. Music Publishers filed a lawsuit for using When You Wish Upon a Star on a parody song entitled I Need a Jew in When You Wish Upon a Weinstein-episode. 















Epilogue

We`re doing the gruff and
happy guy pose :)
At the end, Family Guy remains one of the most popular and iconic animated TV Shows. And yes, it`s among the trend of animated sitcoms made for adults who continues to this day. However, since I normally conclude my entries by citing my own personal opinion about the movies, series or properties that I`m writing about, I could give my personal opinion about Family Guy. Yes, I did watch it regularly when I was in my early 20`s. And while I was never gaga for it, I still liked it and thought it was fun and entertaining. However, it`s never been flawless, as I`ve usually felt the cutaway jokes were too random and never executed in a cohesive way. 
Yes, we will buy a new couch
soon :) But we couldn`t afford
it :)
The comedy was also somewhat juvenile, despite how it there were parts who were funny. Frankly, I find American Dad to be a superior show as a whole, as it`s more consistent, has better characterizations and doesn`t come across as grating. But at the end, I don`t hate Family Guy, but frankly I find it inferior to many of it`s similar counterparts. But since this entry was meant to synergize with it`s 25th Anniversary (yes, it`s hard to believe that it`s that old, already), there`s nothing left to wish Family Guy Happy 25th Anniversary and may you continue to have many more.




At least we (Meg and Brian) were instructed to look serious. To make somebody in our family look normal :)




 
 
References:
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onsdag 27. desember 2023

Disney 100 Years of Wonder: A Summary of All the Events of the Centennial Celebration of The House of Mouse

Hi folks! Welcome to my My Own Personal Nerdy Disney and Animation Scrutinizing Analysis blog. A blog where I'm analyzing several Disney films, Disney or Animation in general! These entries are just meant to be my analyses. Not reviews or statements. Just fun analyses! Though I'll make some personal remarks now and then, the content of these entries are meant to be depicted objectively. They're made for entertainment purpose only and the pictures/clips are copyright Disney or other companies. 

Make sure to leave a comment if you like this site! And if there's something you think could be improved, please let me know. But in a constructive way, please. And just a note; I'm not a Native English writer, so my incorrect grammar may be notable.

And finally; If you haven't seen the films, beware of spoilers! And the funny lines aren't meant to be nothing than funny. So I hope you won't find them offensive. If so, I apologize

 
 
 
We`re celebrating that we still look young after 100 years :) Can you imagine? :)


 
 
 
We`re the Mouse-versions of
The Steadfast Tin Soldier :)
Last year, 2023, has marked a significant year for Disney. It`s been the year where the Company has celebrated it`s 100th Anniversary. Which technically means that Disney has been around before most of us were born. It`s incredible to think that the company has lasted so long. Regardless of what could`ve been ever said about Disney: All their criticisms, scrutinies and corporation, there`s no denial that Disney has been a part of most peoples lives in one way or another. Regardless of my own personal bias and affection of Disney, there`s no denial that Disney has gained a huge fanbase all around the World. From children to adults, who still loves the company for their TV shorts and movies. Of course Disney has evolved as a company throughout the years. 
This is from the White
Chocolate Factory :)
And sure, there`s a clear difference between the timelines from Disney, especially from Walt`s period to his post-death period. And of course there are some purists who always has their personal bias of which Disney period is the best one. But there`s no doubt that Disney has reached many people through many generations and will continue to do so through many generations more. And despite how Disney is after all a corporate company, there`s no denial that the company is overall a wonderful one. They`ve been labeled for their sheer magic, but also for delivering many wonderful moments through movies, shorts and cartoon series that will last for many years to come. Which is why the term classic has applied to Disney due to how their movies have lived on forever through various generations. 














The Purpose of This Entry

Come, come, Come Into My
World... Right, Kylie? :)
However, since Disney has reached it`s 100th Anniversary, it would`ve been awfully tempting to make this entry about Disney`s long and rich history. But that would`ve taken many entries on their own rights. But since Disney has decided to celebrate the Centennial Anniversary through many forms, I`ve decided to rather have this entry being about all the different events Disney has made this year. And yes, this entry will be about the new exhibitions and exhibits the company has released. And not the events at the Disney Parks.














Disney 100: The Exhibition

I wanted to show that Mickey
is not the only one who has
four fingers! :)
The first and most well-known event is Disney 100: The Exhbition. This vast exhibition shows various elements of the Walt Disney Archives for over 100 years. Of various objects from jewelry to rarely-seen artworks, artifacts, costumes, props, and other merchandise. It also features behind-the-scene glimpses of the creation of characters, films, TV shows, and attractions from Disneyland to the Walt Disney World Resort, along with some Disney Parks attraction vehicles, as from Matterhorn Bobsleds and Peter Pan`s Flight. And it shows most movies from the Disney Pantheon, from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs to Strange World, as well as Pixar, Star Wars, Marvel, and National Geographic.
I wanted to upstage the
screens :) This is what stardom
does to ya :)
Composed of 10 themed galleries, 4 interactive installations and over 250 pieces of art, props and costumes. And also it`s spotlight audio-animatronics technology developed by the Imagineers. Alongside with many video stations where you could see behind the scenes or informative videos of some characters or movies. Made by the Walt Disney Archives with Semmel Exhibitions and StudioTK Berlin, it`s the largest exhibtion the Disney Archives has ever done. However, it was a deliberate choice to not show the whole history of Disney chronologically (with the exception of the first part of the gallery), for the sake of the kids. The Exhibition first opened in The Franklin Institute in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in February 18. And was also in Chicago (since Walt was born there). But has also been two places in Europe (both in Munich, Germany and London, U.K.). 
Parents would`ve loved to be
here :)
When Disney archivist Becky Cline planned the exhibition five years ago, she knew exactly where to start: By resurrecting Walt, as she wanted him to host the exhibition. Cline worked with Industrial Light & Magic to create something that hadn`t been done before: Disney MagicStage. Half-hologram, half a strange sort of layered cinema screen, Walt appears lifesize before exhibition-goers in a cloud of fairy dust. His speech is a combination of two historical recordings and his body is made from AI-enhanced footage from the 1960s. There are also merchandise available at the end of the exhibition. The exhibit has received rave reviews for its ambition and its scale. And having personally had the privilege to visit it earlier this year, it was nothing but wonderful and specatcular. And apparently it will continue to tour around the world until 2028.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 




 
Immersive Disney Animation Experience
 
This is how you narrate
without a Princess :)
Another similar event has been Immersive Disney Animation Experience. Produced by Lighthouse Immersive (who also made Immersive Van Gogh Exhibition) with Walt Disney Animation Studios. A combination of art exhibit and movie theater, it includes various Disney titles from Snow White to Encanto, while using projection mapping to create a 360-degree experience. 
I know that I`m not an
ornament, but I wanted to be
one :) Don`t ask me how :)
The exhibit has 50 digital projectors to make some Disney moments large via projection mapping on the walls, floors and ceiling of the 500,000-cubic-foot gallery in the Heights. The colorfully lit room is lined with floor-to-ceiling screens capturing every detail in the clips shown, while Disney songs play overhead. Upon entering, the room is set in a castle entrance, with a storybook on a podium. The book opens to tell the story of classic Disney movies. The floor changes color, pattern and themes. And bubbles are blown over your head at times. The experience is bookended with interactive exhibits and other material in an extensive preview space that highlights Disney’s famed artists and the process of creating animated films. Before entering, visitors can learn how to sketch a Disney character, grab refreshments or shop at the store with Disney merchandise.
For once it`s all about me, The
Queen. And not Snow White ;)
The combined experience will last between 60 and 90 minutes. Disney
Animation has also created some new animation for the Experience. Audiences will don a wristband by entering, similar to those used in Disney theme parks, that will trigger many interactive experiences. The Experience has been met with overwhelming acclaim in the cities it`s been so far. Opening in Toronto in December 2022, the Experience has toured in the United States and Canada, but also in Japan, Mexico and Singapore. Whether it will be in new places, time will tell.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Disney Wonder of Friendship
 
We`re lighted by a rainbow :)
A third and more exclusive event has been Disney`s Wonder of Friendship. While not being an exact same exhibition as the previous two experiences, this 1000m2 exhibit was somewhat an interactive experience of stepping into the worlds of The Lion King, Alice in Wonderland, Lilo & Stitch and Mickey Mouse and friends. Despite how the audience could never meet  the characters, at least it showed clips of their movies through TV screens. However, the worlds were not without their perks, as Alice had it`s own smokey room, Stitch had it`s surfing and Lion King had it`s semi-playground. 
This is a store for Disney TV`s
only :) By Disney Channel :)
The only world who was somewhat an exhibition are the world of Mickey, as there were some information and pictures around his history, as well as with his gang. And a lightning-like finale at the end. As the title said, the theme of the experience is friendship. And unlike the 100th Exhibition, there were guides who guided through the whole exhibit. But unlike the Exhibition, Friendship only lasted for a limited time and you couldn`t stay a whole day. And scanning some icons on snapchat could lead into fun surprises. However, the experience was only been present in Europe, The experience opened in London in May 2023, before moving on to Berlin, Paris and Madrid (in September 2023). But unlike 100th Exhibition, it was just for a couple of weeks on each location. And having the pleasure to experience this exhibit, I must say that I enjoyed it, despite how it was unfortunately more rushed than the Exhibtion.
















Disney 100 in Concert

Another event who`s not been a particular departure from it`s counterparts, but distinctive on it`s own right, was Disney 100 in Concert. This two and a half hour show from the Hollywood Sound Orchestra was set to movie clips on a giant screen. The concert was not only orchestral, but also with many singers performing and a local host in each country. By conductor Willhelm Keitel and singers with considerable experience on Broadway and the West End: Bessy Ewa, Charlie Burn, Earl Carpenter, Cleve September, Roberta Valentini, Georgina Hagen, Richard-Salvador Wolff, Tobias Joch and Masengu Kanyinda. Of course the concer included both Star Wars and Marvel (but surprisingly enough not so much Pixar). However, while showing a brief medley of Walt`s history and his early catalog, songs mostly from the Renaissance were performed. And also from the Revival. And to give some magic to the experience, balloons and lightnings were also shown.
The concert also had a friendship segment towards the end of the second half, with a camera on the stage zooming on the audience members, to Toy Story`s You’ve Got a Friend In Me. While Frozen has of course been a part of this show, unsurprisingly, The Lion King ended the whole concert (with a little part of Mary Poppins). The tour began in Germany in April 13, 2023 and it continues to tour Europe throughout 2023. And while it`s not been the only official Disney concert this year, it`s certainly been the most announced. And unlike the two former events which I`ve attented, the concert was something that I had the privilege to experience in my Native Norway.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 



 
 
 
 
 
 
Once Upon a Studio

This exhibition should`ve been
larger. But we could only
afford a certain amount of
characters. For salary :)
But perhaps a true celebration of the Legacy of the Disney Company has been Once Upon a Studio. It`s been a deliberate mashup of most of the Disney characters from the Disney Universe. While compilations of characters has been done before at Disney, it`s never been done in such a way as a short. This eight minute short is a gathering of all the Disney characters, taking a huge photo in front of the Disney studio. Of course the whole assemble is led by Mickey and his gang. And remarkably enough, it is a showcase of the two animated mediums, Hand Drawn Animation and CGI. Directors Trent Correy and Dan Abraham, who also made Frozen`s Once Upon a Snowman, were brainstorming for eight months for the narrative (which was initially about Disneyland rides coming to life). Yvett Merino (Encanto) is the producer.  The score is by Dave Metzger (Wish).
Yes, my belly is able to break
ya :)
Dedicated to the late Burny Mattinson (who also appears in the short). 40 voice actors were brought back to record. Eric Goldberg (Pocahontas, Genie in Aladdin) animated the Hand Drawn segments, alongside with Mark Henn, Randy Haycock, Alex Kuperschmidt, James Baxter, Ruben Aquino, Tony Bancroft, Nik Ranieri and Will Finn. And the animation was original and nothing recycled. Disney got permission from the Robin Williams estate to use unused audio of Genie. There's more than 543 characters in Studio, as the crew wanted everybody, but it wasn`t possible. Even characters from two of the most underrated of the Renaissance, Pocahontas and Quasimodo from The Hunchback of Notre Dame, are allowed to sing in Studio. But remarkably enough, no Pixar characters were featured in the short. The Hand Drawn style was done in a way that looked like the universe from the characters. And Richard Sherman performed Feed the Birds and suggested it to be recorded at Walt`s office. 
I got so tired of playing all day
long, so I had to rest :)
The production began in 2021. The studio handled a budget unlike anything for a short. Which was a daunting task for the directors, who honestly thought it was never going to be made. It was challenging to integrate the animation with the live-action background plates. They scanned the room and environment to collect digital data, so they could rebuild the room virtually. The directors met in secret. Studio was meant to be released with Wish, but it was shelved following its broadcast on ABC and on Disney+. Studio premiered in Annecy in June 2023. It received 2.57 million total viewers in 1.736 million households. Its premiere on Disney Channel on received 0.349 million viewers. And of course the short is nothing but enchanting and delightful.















Epilogue

They made the number zero
like the letter o. So we could
fit in :)
At the end, it`s amazing and astonishing to think that Disney has lasted so long as 100 years. And it`s remarkable to think that Disney existed long before most of us were born. But at the end, it`s nice that Disney has even had all these events and celebrations to celebrate their Centennial Anniversary. And it`s nice that they`ve given their audience and long time Disney fans (like myself) a chance to be a part of these activities.
And since it`s so old, the
color chosen for this was
grey :)
Despite how it`s somewhat an irony that this Centennial celebration has happened in a year where most of the movies Disney has released theatrically have underperformed this date. While it`s a pity that these activities are only for a limited time to celebrate their Centennial Anniversary, there`s no doubt that Disney will live on forever and be a part of many children and people`s lives for the years to come. And yes, it means that Disney will hopefully be around 100 more years to come and even more, no matter what people say about Disney and what Legacy is going to bring,. Still, considering that this year has been the Centennial Anniversary after all, there`s nothing left to wish Disney Happy 100th Anniversary and may you continue to have many more.





At least it`s not a portal to the world of Narnia :)





References:
Disney 100 The Exhibition Book
Disney Celebrates 100 (Hollywood Spotlight Collector`s Issue Magazine)
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