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| Dr Baghead 3369th Post
 
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|  "Re(2):Simpsons half time show + American Dad" , posted Tue 8 Feb 06:01:
quote:
i saw most of American Dad. it's just Family Guy, but not
Dad = Dad
Mom = Mom
Girl = Girl
Boy = Boy
with different personalities and physiques, of course. then there's
Baby = Fish
Dog = Alien
something like that. Bizarro World Family Guy
As much as I hate Family Guy, this isn't really a fair comparasion. Let's like saying, Look Family Guy is the Incredibles!
Peter=Mr.Incredible
Lois=Elsta-Girl
Peter=Dash
Meg=Violet
Brain=Fro-Zone
of course none of the characters act the same though. It's the same logic used to say Family Guy is a Simpson's rip-off.
Let's break it down!(- will represent a difference, = will represent a similarity)
Peter Vs Stanley:
=Both are self absored assholes who put themsevles before their families
=Both are absuive, but it's glossed over as 'humor'
-Peter is a fat slob, Stanley is implied to be in good shape (I can't tell from the designs if he actually is or if it's just a joke he thinks he is and is really out of supposed to be chubby)
-Stanley, at least so far, seems to be rather competitant, Peter is mentally retarded, and not "Homer-esque acts like an idiot all the time" retarded, I mean if he was a real person he'd be legally handicapped.
Lois Vs Francine:
=Both for some reason put up with husbands with no redeeming factors
=I've seen them both get violently hit by their husbands, and neither seemed to really object to such.
-Francine didn't do shit, at least Lois has a had a good deal of screentime in most of the episodes I've seen
-Lois goes againist what Peter does most of the time, providing an important counterpoint to Peter's 'wackiness', But unless Francine drastically changes in future episodes she's just second fiddle to Stanley at best.
Chris Vs Steve:
=Both are different from what their father's expect them to be
-Steve isn't what his father expects because he's a super dork, Chris isn't what his father expects because he just wants to draw.
-Steve is in High School, Chris is in Middle School.
.... also off topic but if Steve is such a dork he would have known his shirt is actually a "Captain Marvel" shirt, NOT a "SHAZAM!" shirt, that's as silly as calling Vash 'Trigun' or Spider-man "Amazing Fantasies"
Meg Vs Haley:
=Both are supposed to be like typical teenage girls
=Both are embarassed by their families
-Ideaologically though Haley is a much stronger counterpoint to her father then Meg is, it seems like she's going to have carry both the "you're so embarrassing!" role of Meg and the "that's a stupid idea! what are you thinking!" role of Lois since her mother doesn't seem to do anything.
Stewie Vs Klaus the Fish
=It makes no sense either should talk
=Both talk with WACKY foreign accents
-Stewie hates Lois, Klaus is in love with, or at least just wants to fuck, Francine
-Stewie, with major assistance from Brian, carries the show, Klaus doesn't do shit but yell from a bowl every now and then.
... also wasn't the Fish supposed to be French? Why the change?
Brian vs Roger the Alien
=Neither should exist in a world that's supposed to be a 'typical family sitom'
=Both share names with Tekken characters
=Both could have been replaced with humans like 'Playboy lifestyle living Brother of the Father' for Brian or 'Gay Creepy Uncle' for Roger and lost nothing but a few worthless jokes.
-Brain is the only likeable character/character with depth on Family Guy, Roger is a worthless joke.
-Brain has lead to some of the only touching mouments on Family Guy, I doubt Roger will amount to anything more then "oh! oh! look at me I'm a gay sounding lazy alien :alien bodily function: oh no! I soiled the sofa!"
But that aside, the show is a lot like Family Guy... isn't not funny at all... only they made the mistake of taking out the references (read: direct quoting) of pop culture that past as 'humor' in Family Guy so it's got nothing.... it's also interesting how close this show came to being completely outdated, if Ohio had voted differently we'd have Kerry as President, so the whole "God calls Bush" joke is worthless, and Stanley really does represent the ideals Bush Presidency while Haley represents the liberal population made outcast by him, assuming Kerry didn't pull a HUGE fuck you to the voters and keep acting like Bush, Stanley and Haley's mindsets would have needed to switch for the show to continue making sense... that's REALLY poor planning for an animated show, to set itself in our world and rely on current events at the time of writing to remain 'current' by the time the episode airs.
But enough about American Dad... MAN, the Simpsons sucks this Season. As late as last season I was all like "this shows not as bad as people say! it's still got some laughs!"
This Season has been HORRIBLE, I was especially pissed at the "Homer throws barrels at Mario" scene... HA! Donkey Kong... I liked it better when it seemed like Family Guy was stealing the Simpson's ideas, that was like a joke they would have rejected for being too stupid.
I mean, it's been 16 seasons, maybe they should call it quits... what with TV execs being so quick to cancel shows worth watching these days and season 9 being when most call it quits so they can go into movies, their records seems pretty safe... they can quit anytime now.
at least we learned ComicBook Guy's real name is "Jeff Alertson" (which isn't as funny as "Louis Lane" as they originally jokingly said they were going to call him)
yeah it's not funny
[this message was edited by Dr Baghead on Tue 8 Feb 06:06] |
| Undead Fred 2100th Post
Platinum Carpet V.I.P- Board Master
| "Re(3):Simpsons half time show + American Dad" , posted Tue 8 Feb 08:27
quote:
He sounds like Brian's imitation of Donald Trump.
I don't quite remember where I'd heard the voice off the top of my head, but I remember a very similar voice from old cartoons in from the 50's or 60's... Or an old TV show... anyway, the point is that it's another "old school voice" that McFarlane's pulling up.
quote:
Brain
Heh heh. Every time I read this, I kept hearing Chris' voice saying "YAAAAAAAY, BRAIN!"
quote:
But enough about American Dad... MAN, the Simpsons sucks this Season. As late as last season I was all like "this shows not as bad as people say! it's still got some laughs!"
This Season has been HORRIBLE, I was especially pissed at the "Homer throws barrels at Mario" scene... HA! Donkey Kong... I liked it better when it seemed like Family Guy was stealing the Simpson's ideas, that was like a joke they would have rejected for being too stupid.
I'm not really sure what ideas Family Guy had stolen from the Simpsons or why you hate the show so much, but I actually liked Family Guy much more than the Simpsons and Futurama combined (I did like Futurama more than the Simpsons just because it wasn't worn out and it felt fairly unique). Heh heh. And I love how Family Guy will never allow an eye-rolling warm, fuzzy scene to play out without throwing a joke in to purposefully ruin it. Like after the old lady Brian was caring for dies, and he just spent her last moment with her and all that, and quietly walks away... then the doctor runs up and points into the room and yells "who wants to see a dead body!!" Heh heh heh.
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| Baines
21th Post
New Customer
| "Re(3):Simpsons half time show + American Dad" , posted Tue 8 Feb 10:59
quote:
-Stewie hates Lois, Klaus is in love with, or at least just wants to fuck, Francine
That is lifted from Brian, not Stewie. Brian is in love with Lois.
American Dad's characters were made to be different from Family Guy without actually being "different". Traits are either identical, or nearly exact opposites. It is Bizarro Family Guy rather than Futurama to Simpsons.
And the differences just aren't funny. The best jokes of the show were the things that would have fit into Family Guy, like the flashback of the German with the goldfish brain in the Olympics, or a shorter version of the Bush/God joke. And the latter part of Francine's story at the school (where she framed her first crush).
Klaus isn't funny. The alien is just annoying, and his discharge running joke was old before the episode even ended. The son is annoying. The dad is annoying.
The political jokes don't work. Family Guy was fairly equal opportunity in its political jokes. American Dad draws a straight divide been nutjob conservative dad and sane liberal daughter. Swallowing the bottle of pills wasn't offensive, but it wasn't funny either. It just felt like a sad attempt at a failed joke.
Maybe future episodes will pick up, particularly if the characters start to develop identities that aren't defined (either by being identical or opposite) by the cast of Family Guy, and they look in a slightly different direction for humor from the dad. And maybe write out the alien, though the fish might be salvagable.
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| Dr Baghead 3370th Post
Platinum Carpet V.I.P- Board Master
| "Re(4):Simpsons half time show + American Dad" , posted Tue 8 Feb 16:35
quote:
I don't quite remember where I'd heard the voice off the top of my head, but I remember a very similar voice from old cartoons in from the 50's or 60's... Or an old TV show... anyway, the point is that it's another "old school voice" that McFarlane's pulling up.
'ccording to the IMDb he's suppposed to sound like Paul Lynde
quote:
Heh heh. Every time I read this, I kept hearing Chris' voice saying "YAAAAAAAY, BRAIN!"
D'oh! I always spell Brian as "Brain" and I was trying so hard not to, but knew I would. (hehe, I remember that line, and it was one of the few Family Guy scenes I thought was funny)
quote:
I'm not really sure what ideas Family Guy had stolen from the Simpsons
'stole' I'll admit was too strong a word, read "stole" as "used an event similar to one from a past episode of the Simpsons"
Examples are Peter and Chris buliding a Father/Son SoapBox racer only for the Father to learn he knows nothing of his son or the family going to the race tracks only to have the family dog get onto the tracks and hump the lead dog possibly leading to puppies.
Back when these first aired I was really annoyed they *stole* from the Simpsons... but since I now know Seth MacFarlane greatly respects them, those seem like they were at worst meant as homages that came across wrong and at best the same ideas they didn't care the Simpsons did, not "HEY! WASN'T IT FUNNY WHEN THE SIMPSONS DID _____ LET'S DO THAT!!!"
However the Simpsons having Family Guy type material (ie-the Mario style joke is stylistically identical to some Family Guy joke, and a lot of new episodes have random flash backs... and one could argue the Halloween episode in which Homer becomes Death is an attempt to 'redo' the Family Guy episode "Death's A Bitch") is far more objectionable to me now, since they've made it clear they don't like Family Guy so having stylisticaly similar humor is either them being lazy or hypocritical.
quote:
or why you hate the show so much,
I don't understand why people like it
although I don't hate it as much as I lead on, I do like the Brain and/or Stewie heavy episodes, it mainly doesn't appeal to me because Peter is such an asshole... where in the Simpsons Homer (I know Peter is not a Homer *rip-off* but since Peter is 'big dumb oaf' might as well compare him to other big dumb oaf in his class, they're the same archtype and nothing more) is always messing up, he does geniunely love his family (yeah, he was taunting Bart at the fair in the last episode, but it wasn't anywhere near as malicious as what Peter probably would have done) so the happy ending always comes from him realizing he's made a mistake then trying really hard to fix it
but Peter seems to think he's the center of the world, if his family or friends get a break in life he'll try and steal it for himself, he's both emotional and pyshically abusive to his family unless the story needs him to show love for them (ie- the very out of character line "the best thing I ever did with my life was be a dad") he never does, he acts like a two year old child crying at the mother figure or fighting with the children instead of a father figure in all of the episodes. resolution comes by just a few lines of dialog that don't really make any sense. I realize this probably a joke on how most live-action sitcoms dissolve real problems with the stupidest of solutions, but it comes accross as bad writing, actions speak much louder then words and after sending 20 minutes bad mouthing and betraying his friends and family 10 seconds of nice things wouldn't clean the slate so Joe would forgive him for slipping him steroids, Lois would forgive him for making her stay in the house with no social life, etc. is unrealstic not just by real life standards but by sitcom standards as well.
quote:
but I actually liked Family Guy much more than the Simpsons and Futurama combined (I did like Futurama more than the Simpsons just because it wasn't worn out and it felt fairly unique).
You know, this season of the Simpsons has been so bad I'd be inclined to agree Family Guy is better.
I however think Futurama was better then Family Guy, it understands to make a good pop culture reference you need to make a subtle joke related to the subject NOT directly copy it note for note. (a rule of parody is never do a straight up copy, which is the only kind of parody I've ever seen on Family Guy)
quote:
Heh heh. And I love how Family Guy will never allow an eye-rolling warm, fuzzy scene to play out without throwing a joke in to purposefully ruin it. Like after the old lady Brian was caring for dies, and he just spent her last moment with her and all that, and quietly walks away... then the doctor runs up and points into the room and yells "who wants to see a dead body!!" Heh heh heh.
Actually that doesn't ruin the heart felt moument. The audience is give time to absorb what happened as Brian removes the goggles, kiss her, says good bye, then leaves the room... by the time the doctor runs in we've had time let it sink in Brian has lost someone he truely loves and doctor's line just ends the scene with a laugh instead of a downer, that scene really worked well.
It would have ruined itself if right as the VR program ended, the doctor was standing next to Brian yelling "HEY! WHO WANTS TO SEE A DEAD BODY!!!" so we have no time to react sadly.
yeah it's not funny
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| Undead Fred 2102th Post
Platinum Carpet V.I.P- Board Master
| "Re(5):Simpsons half time show + American Dad" , posted Tue 8 Feb 17:32
quote:
I don't understand why people like it
although I don't hate it as much as I lead on, I do like the Brain and/or Stewie heavy episodes, it mainly doesn't appeal to me because Peter is such an asshole... where in the Simpsons Homer (I know Peter is not a Homer *rip-off* but since Peter is 'big dumb oaf' might as well compare him to other big dumb oaf in his class, they're the same archtype and nothing more) is always messing up, he does geniunely love his family (yeah, he was taunting Bart at the fair in the last episode, but it wasn't anywhere near as malicious as what Peter probably would have done) so the happy ending always comes from him realizing he's made a mistake then trying really hard to fix it
but Peter seems to think he's the center of the world, if his family or friends get a break in life he'll try and steal it for himself, he's both emotional and pyshically abusive to his family unless the story needs him to show love for them (ie- the very out of character line "the best thing I ever did with my life was be a dad") he never does, he acts like a two year old child crying at the mother figure or fighting with the children instead of a father figure in all of the episodes. resolution comes by just a few lines of dialog that don't really make any sense. I realize this probably a joke on how most live-action sitcoms dissolve real problems with the stupidest of solutions, but it comes accross as bad writing, actions speak much louder then words and after sending 20 minutes bad mouthing and betraying his friends and family 10 seconds of nice things wouldn't clean the slate so Joe would forgive him for slipping him steroids, Lois would forgive him for making her stay in the house with no social life, etc. is unrealstic not just by real life standards but by sitcom standards as well.
That's what's so great about Peter- he's the complete opposite of sitcom dads, and even the dysfunctional sitcom dads like Homer Simpson. He's got very little redeeming qualities, if any, and he THINKS he's a good dad when he's really not. The whole cast has pretty serious character flaws, but I like it that way. It's the same sort of reason why I like Strangers With Candy- the people in the show say the most horrible things to each other and treat each other really badly, but that's just how they act. It's normal for them to be like that.
quote:
Actually that doesn't ruin the heart felt moument. The audience is give time to absorb what happened as Brian removes the goggles, kiss her, says good bye, then leaves the room... by the time the doctor runs in we've had time let it sink in Brian has lost someone he truely loves and doctor's line just ends the scene with a laugh instead of a downer, that scene really worked well.
It would have ruined itself if right as the VR program ended, the doctor was standing next to Brian yelling "HEY! WHO WANTS TO SEE A DEAD BODY!!!" so we have no time to react sadly.
Well, that's the point. They let the little "aaaaaawwwwwwwwwwww" moment play out, and then smash it to pieces with lines like that doctor's. I love it, since most of the time, those little heartfelt moments are cheesy as hell and I'm sure many people are tired of them... some shows can pull them off, but for this post, think of stuff like the end of EVERY Full House episode and you'll see what I mean. I like how Family Guy doesn't really go to that level without redeeming themselves by throwing in something funny to totally ruin the moment.
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| Iggy 5757th Post
Platinum Carpet V.I.P- Board Master
| "Re(5):Simpsons half time show + American Dad" , posted Tue 8 Feb 19:19
quote:
since they've made it clear they don't like Family Guy so having stylisticaly similar humor is either them being lazy or hypocritical.
Are you talking about that Halloween episode where Homer gets cloned and one of the clones is Peter? I think it's the moment when I lost my last hopes in the Simpsons.
quote:
because Peter is such an asshole... where in the Simpsons Homer is always messing up, he does geniunely love his family
I strongly disagree. I like Peter far more than Homer, but less because of the characters but because of the entire writing of the show. See, Peter is never shown as a normal character. Except for the few lines like the one you quote, he's a horrible monster as realistic as the most bizarre South Park characters, so hating him because he is the worst person ever is like hating Will E. Coyote because he wants to kill that cute bird. There are very few (I would say 'none', but it's been a while since I've seen the series) episodes where you sympathize with the family and the Peter-Lois couple, while in the Simpsons, it happens all the time.
And while you rarely really care for what will happen to the Griffins family (you rather wonder what even more stupid thing they will do next) many episodes show the Simpsons family in crisis, and there, the crisis is really solved in a few lines. In Family Guy, it really feels like an exaggeration of the usual "who cares, you know the family will have forgotten everything next week, so let's say it's over" while in the Simpsons, it's really just that.
In some episodes Homer cares about his family, when in others, he's as awful as Peter. The problem is Peter as a character is somehow constant, when Homer can be a good father and husband, then next week as horrible as Peter. And both types of episodes end up the same way: Marge forgiving him for absolutely no reason beside "it's what she is supposed to do". There are episodes when I really, really hate Homer because sometimes, his horrible actions are actions from the real world, and they are absolved in a few sentences, when Peter's actions are so out of scale you can never think "what if that happened in my couple".
And while it could be a good thing, the problem is I always end up thinking "if I were Marge, I would kick that asshole in the nuts and leave the home for good". There are many episodes where you don't sympathize with Homer, but also can't understand why Marge forgives him.
And the writing around Marge is absolutely horrible. There was a few weeks ago an episode where she remember she COULD have had a rewarding life, with a real job and all, and how she lost everything because she preferred love. But love didn't turn as she planned, and she remembers how life was supposed to be then and how it turned out. In the end, she decides a horrible husband who loves her in his twisted way is better than having a real life, and it's over. This kind of situations would never happen in Family Guy, because there is no attempt in any emotional scenes inside the family. Lois is in the same situation as Marge: she could have had a much better life, but she left it for her husband. But she never doubts of her marriage the way Marge does: she's as crazy as Peter in some points, and she defends her choice of being a housewife because she chose it (see the episode where she even begins to fight the bitch who criticizes her for that). For Marge, on the other hand, feels like she never really chose what happened to her, she just wakes up during the course of an episode and asks "was it the life I wanted?" and fails to answer yes, when Lois would answer "yes" without even thinking. That’s why the resolutions of some problems in Family Guy can be so quick: Lois character is radically different from Marge, partly because she is also a cartoon freak like her husband, and partly because the show is better written.
Marge is by far the most questionable character of her series, because nearly everything Homer does hurts her. There are other episodes when she begins a new carrier of her own, but it bombs or she has to let the opportunity go, because it would endanger her family. In Lois's case, she's a housewife because she chose to be one, but it's clear she could have been anything else had she made a different choice. Lois is a strong character. Marge, on the other hand, lives in a world where there is an unwritten rule that reads "the place of a woman is in the kitchen, raising kids". There is never any real opportunity for her to have a life out of her house, and it's less a choice then a burden that fells upon her. She's really pathetic sometimes, and when the show solves the problem with a few sentences, there it feels like "it's solved because it has to be, because that's how family ought to be".
The Simpsons really scares me as a show.
「とにかく、それは愛のムチよ。
愛しいXXX先生は君を愛弟子として愛するがゆえの厳しさよ」だって。
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"Re(1):Simpsons half time show + American Dad " , posted Mon 7 Feb 14:44
"Re(1):Simpsons half time show + American Dad" , posted Mon 7 Feb 22:55
your forums are broke. A lot of us are hiding out in Largeprimenumbers. Ok thanks.
