A Quick Introduction to The Family Guy
Family Guy originally appeared on Fox network, more recently Cartoon Network has taken over the show. It follows the lives of the Griffin family of Rhode Island. The patriarch is Peter Griffin- a dim-witted (to say the least), overweight, beer-guzzling former toy factory worker. Peter’s has a melodious laugh that is as irritating as it is grating. Some of his antics include turning their house into an independent country in order to build a swimming pool, re-routing a parade to bring the Pope to see his strict Catholic father, kidnapping an elephant for his son’s birthday, going back to high school for an anti-drug campaign and many other hijinks.
Peter’s wife is named Lois Griffin. She’s a housewife who gives piano lessons. Lois has also moonlit as a bar singer, a flight attendant and other jobs. She’s a sweet, somewhat dirty, mother and wife who acts as the straight guy for the rest of the family. His older son, Chris Griffin (voiced by Seth Green) is not the sharpest knife in the drawer, but a brilliant artist who at a time has a gallery in New York City. He spends a lot of the show growing through his awkward stage. He delivers what I consider to be the best line in the show, when he tells his sister, “Yeah? Well you’re hogging all the ugly!” Meg Griffin is the sister in the show. She’s a high school student who’s desperate to fit in and be popular. She tries the cheerleading squad, collagen lip injections and a cult among other things in her quest for popularity. Poor Meg always seems to be the unlucky one. Even when the entire Griffin family got super powers because a truck of nuclear waste spilled in front of their house, she got stuck with lame fast-growing fingernails.
One of the most colorful characters is Stewie Griffin, the infant son bent on world domination and the destruction of his parents, especially Lois. Stewie does not have hair, nor is he potty-trained, but he can speak English perfectly, with a British accent no less. The question of whether or not the family can understand Baby Stewie is ongoing. He’s a bit like a Bond villain with his weapons and elaborate schemes. The dog Brian, can understand him. Brian is the family pet, an alcoholic who is in love with Lois. He is often the one to accompany Stewie and put him in his place.
It is often joked and speculated about as to whether or not the Griffins can understand Stewie. Brian can, that we know. Occasionally Lois will seemingly respond to what Stewie says, but for the most part the family seems oblivious to his ravings. Another recurrent story line deals with the neighbor, Quagmire. Quagmire is a bachelor airline pilot and a stereotypical sleaze. He has a tremendous crush on Lois that materializes in different ways throughout the show. The show is often called offensive. However, when people try to point out a specific offensive (racism, misogyny, etc.) is it quickly pointed out that the show doesn’t single out, it just offends everyone. It’s important to remember that it’s comedy, envelope-pushing, definitely, but comedy. It’s not meant to be commentary, just meant to make people laugh.
The show uses a lot of flashbacks and pop culture references to tell their stories. It began as a cult classic mostly among college-aged students. After it was taken off the air the DVDs were released. The DVD sales were phenomenal and as a result Cartoon Network began showing reruns on Adult Swim, their nightly programming that’s geared more toward college students and older kids. In 2006 the Griffin family returned to Fox for their fourth season.
