American Dad - :\

[SirTMagus]

One minute in.
:\

At least it had a Memento joke. Sort of.

[RPGD]

What is mean "American Dad"?

[Goyle]

So far, it's not even close to Family Guy's humor. There's still the better portion of a show left, so we'll see.

[Loki]

It's made me chortle a cuppla times.

[MasterSlowPoke]

It's slightly improved from the pilot, but not THAT much.

[Loki]

"Rigging elections is my bread and butter"

:lol

[highwind]

That show is insulting.

INSULTING.

[SirTMagus]

Simpsons had a Mario AND Pac-Man (AND Ms. Pac-Man!) gag. Hmmm....WHO are they TRYING to IMPRESS?

As for American Dad, it seems to be about as mediocre as Family Guy. I'd watch it if there was nothing else on.

But MAN, political satire sure is a dime a dozen today (read: getting BORING). Too bad Comedy Central has that market all but cornered what with their superior South Park and Daily Show and all.

[Nixon]

Dave watched the American Dad episode... said it was meh.

I didn't watch the newest simpsons episode either. It's tough to watch that show these days and see just how bad they've screwed with it. I'll stick with my precious DVDs...

[Sejon]

I watched this.

It was like Family Guy, except with 100% forced humour instead of 50%.

[John Mora]

EVERYTHING NEW IS BAD

EVERYTHING OLD IS GOOD

[Kire]

I missed a bit of it. Is it going to be on again?

And for the record I liked it.

[highwind]

EVERYTHING NEW IS BAD

EVERYTHING OLD IS GOOD

whatever. no one is saying that.


EDIT: I'll actually make a thoughtful post detailing why I disliked American Dad when I get the chance tomorrow.

[Czechs Mex]

EVERYTHING NEW IS BAD

EVERYTHING OLD IS GOOD

Actually, I totally agree.

[Funk]

I also totally agree.

Oh, wait, except 24.

And I didn't watch the American Dad episode: I figured it probably didn't improve much from the pilot, and I was tired anyways.

[IRC]

I thought it was okay. It was just Family guy if Joe could walk. And the daugther is just Meg four years later. But some of the jokes were okay.

[Kefka Jr.]

Yeah, I just kept getting this feeling that American Dad pretty much WAS Family Guy. Really. I thought the cutaway jokes would be unique to Family Guy (they are actually the best part of Family Guy), but American Dad used THOSE, too, and not that well.

Not bad as balls, but Aqua Teen was on at the same time, so I watched that more.

[Loki]

There were only a few cut away jokes, compared to Family Guy using a million per episode.

And the characters arn't the same as Family Guy at all.

[IRC]

I disagree partly. I'm not going to say that the talking fish equals Brian or that the alien is Stewie and Brian mixed, but I do think that the dad is Joe with working legs and the girl is an older Meg who discovered Goth and got into liberalism. And I think that judging by the formula and how both the shows are put together there are a lot of simularities between the two shows. Of course in my opinion, it's not much of a difference between the simularities of the two shows and any other standard formula family sitcom.

Edit: I do however think that it could be fair to say that when Family Guy was cancelled Seth MacFarlane just said screw that and just dropped Family Guy into a different situation.

[Loki]

I disagree with that. Stan is claearly not Joe. Just because he has a big chin doesn't make them the same. His personaility is compleatly different. And the daughter is way more confidant than Meg ever was. The characters might have simularities but that doesn't make it "Family Guy into a different situation."

[Kefka Jr.]

Still, I'm getting sick of familial units.

[highwind]

Loki, you're looking at this too literally. American Dad and Family Guy are SPIRITUALLY the same exact thing.

This show, to me (as an amateur comedy writer), proves that Seth Macfarlane is a hack.

If you are given the opportunity to create a brand new show and all you do is tweak some characters and plop out the same show all over again then you are seriouly lacking in the creative department. You can make a damn cartoon about anything. ANYTHING. But to make another show like this would only make sense if Family Guy wasn't coming back. But it IS. Therefore, this show is just annoying and above all, unnecessary.

Let's start with the title of the damn show. Family-Guy. American-Dad. We're off to a good start!The creative juices are a flowin', eh? Both opening themes are sweeping show tunes. Even the scene transitions on American Dad were exactly the same as Family Guy.

This would be like if Matt Groening made a show instead of Futurama (which was very creative) called "The Thompson Family". Starring Mr. Thompson, a buff, absent minded office worker. His intelligent wife with a big red afro and their two kids, a female bully and a bookworm son. Hijinks ensue!

As Magus said, the political humor is really boring. It's being done infinitely better on South Park and Daily Show so the liberal/conservative crap on American Dad always falls short in comparison. "The neo-con dad doesn't trust his hippie daughter!" How funny!

The characters really do suck. The Dad's irrational paranoia and unwavering patriotism are trite and predictable. His mysogynism is also eerily reminescent of Peter Griffin's.

The wife's personality is non-existant all together. She might as well be a chair with a wig. In fact, I wish she were a chair with a wig. That would actually be pretty funny. See what I'm saying? You can make a cartoon about ANYTHING. So why don't you, Macfarlane?

The son is the same annoying nerd character that bugged Meg all the time on Family Guy. I hated that character on that show and I hate that he's a main character on this one.

The daughter is probably even more cliche than the dad. Her peace symbol necklace and liberal babble couldn't be more predictable. Predictable is not funny.

What's with the alien? His personality entirely derives from over-eating? Ok...

The gold fish loves the mom. Wow. They didn't explore a pet/mother infatuation relationship on Family Guy. Did they? I forget. Because I'm a big giant moron.

Another problem with the show is that Seth Macfarlane is a LOUSY voice actor. You can tell that it's him no matter which one of his "voices" that he's doing. This wasn't a problem on Family Guy because it was the only time we heard his voice so we associated it with those unique characters. But now that he's bringing his voice to a completely different show it just reeks of unprofessionalism. Hire new voice actors, Seth.

And while we're on the topic: I wish Macfarlane would just paste "Everything I know I learned from the Simpsons" at the end of every episode.

Mora, the reason your sarcastic comment annoyed me is because I feel the exact opposite to be true. American Dad is old. Not new. New is good. I'd like to see something new. The fact that this show is re-treading territory that was already much better the first time around is what kills it for me.

It seems to me that this show is only for Seth Macfarlane worshippers and possibly "Blue Collar Comedy" audiences.

That's how I feel on the matter.

Feel free to love the show with all your might and have an elaborate American Dad wallpaper adorning your desktop.

But I sure as hell won't.

...Except maybe as a joke.

[Redneck 2000]

Yeah, you just completely articultated my feelings on the show. However, that isn't gonna stop a million people from watching it just because they like family guy.

[Nixon]

Highwind...

I love you...

Seriously...

If I had more reputation points to give, I'd give them to you for that post. I know you like Family Guy, and it's nice to hear some real issues/complaints brought up by an fan of the show.

Another problem with the show is that Seth Macfarlane is a LOUSY voice actor.

TESTIFY.

*claps hands over head and sways them back and forth*

I never understood why he felt compelled to do the voices himself. He's not John K.

[Czechs Mex]

This would be like if Matt Groening made a show instead of Futurama (which was very creative) called "The Thompson Family". Starring Mr. Thompson, a buff, absent minded office worker. His intelligent wife with a big red afro and their two kids, a female bully and a bookworm son. Hijinks ensue!
:lol This is a great post on all levels. Well said.

[Redneck 2000]

Seth MacFarlane isn't a horrible voice actor. He's decent at the 2 voices he can do. Other than that, he completely sucks.

[SirTMagus]

If you are given the opportunity to create a brand new show and all you do is tweak some characters and plop out the same show all over again then you are seriouly lacking in the creative department.
My God. Excellent point. This guy seriously missed a chance to do something different. He had a chance to make a new cartoon!!!!! And he squandered it all for Seth MacFarlane's Modifier Noun.

Excellent - one might say magnificent - post, Highwind. I pretty much agree 100%. The same annoying characters over and over... Bleh.

Still, I don't hate it. It's just pretty standard, mediocre stuff. I did like that buffalo mascot gag...

[Loki]

I didn't really like it but I thought it wasn't fair just to say "OMG it's Family Guy just with different names!" But you make excellent points Highwind. It's true what you say, Seth McFarline should have tryed a new type of show rather than the family sitcom.

[John Mora]

whatever. no one is saying that.

Apparently, I was.

[IRC]

I liked the joke with God and George W. Bush. That was this show right?

[gray]

zing! shows you highwind!

[Valkysas]

I love family guy. but this show was absolute garbage. I said it when I saw the pilot when kire posted it, I'm saying it again now.

AWFUL.

[Patryn]

Sucked. Bad Family Guy Clone. Unfunny.



Did like Jack in the Box.

[IRC]

That pretty much sums up my opinion. Bad Family Guy clone but it did have some moments where I laughed.

[Dallas Alvis]

Adult Swim said if I love Family Guy, I'd love American Dad. Pretty much everything Highwind said about the "Family-Guy : American-Dad" transition (as the there wasn't really any transition at all) was right on. The only thing he said that could be any more right was the comparison with Seth McFarlane's "Simpsons derivity", that was a bullseye. I love Family Guy, but when I watched American Dad, I was like "Eeh..." I get the political humor, but there was something about how it was presented that I didn't like...it was a bit predictable and even lame sometimes. I may watch a few more episodes to see if it gets better, but I don't see it getting any better from what I've seen.

[MasterSlowPoke]

Better than the pilot but not by much.

[Dallas Alvis]

Well, I laughed a few times...whereas I didn't laugh once during the pilot.

[Ezalb]

I thought every minute sucked. Didn't laugh once.

[archerarmored]

i didn't laugh, and i never plan to while watching that crap