SPOILERS
Brian! Good, I agree with Quagmire on the Brian issue. :angry:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n44L0EqNz5Y
http://metro.co.uk/2013/11/25/family-guy-was-killing-off-brian-griffin-an-act-of-sabotage-4200475/
QuoteFamily Guy: Was killing off Brian Griffin an act of sabotage?
Monday 25 Nov 2013 10:45 am
Major Family Guy character Brian Griffin died in last night's episode, in either a desperate bid to spice up the show or simply a middle finger to fans.
Despite having appeared in almost every episode and been the central character in many, Brian was killed off in pretty blunt fashion under the wheels of a car, disposed of in an almost trivial way like an extra in one of the show's numerous throwaway flashbacks.
Executive producer Steve Callaghan described it as 'a fun way to shake things up,' but 11 seasons and 216 episodes in it seems like an act of desperation.
Creator Seth MacFarlane has previously suggested that he wants the show to end and fears it may have passed its sell-by date.
'Part of me thinks that Family Guy should have already ended. I think seven seasons is about the right lifespan for a TV series,' he told The Hollywood Reporter.
'I talk to the fans and in a way I'm kind of secretly hoping for them to say we're done with it. There are plenty of people who say the show is kind of over the hill... but still the vast majority go pale in the face when I mention the possibility.'
It's clear MacFarlane feels creatively-frustrated having to continue to churn out the cartoon, but can't say no when the audience is still so large. As such, killing off Brian was a bit like saying 'There, are you still going to watch now?'. It was almost an act of sabotage, seeking to undermine the basis of the show, because at this stage, why not?
If this is the case it's unlikely to have the desired effect, if anything Family Guy's enduring popularity is precisely because of its disregard for character and plot arcs, instead taking unconnected fragments of jokes and firing them in an ADHD burst at the viewer. It's stand-up masquerading as fiction, and as long as the tangential pop culture references continue to amuse the fans, they could quite easily murder every last Griffin.
Well it was the most annoying character in an annoying show.
He had it coming.
:Embarrass:
rip
He was the best character. He and Stewie made an epic team.
Quote from: Tamas on November 26, 2013, 08:51:27 AM
He was the best character. He and Stewie made an epic team.
ya. The only reason to watch was him and Stewie, and even then there is little reason to watch family guy
They could easily bring him back at any point with a half-assed explanation. It's not like there's much that carries over from one episode to the next anyway.
Bring home a new dog named Ryan who looks and sounds just like brian
Quote from: Tamas on November 26, 2013, 08:51:27 AM
He was the best character. He and Stewie made an epic team.
They had good episodes, but c'mon: Stewie once shot him in both kneecaps over $50.
But he will need a new buddy. Maybe somebody not as much straight man as Brian.
Quote from: derspiess on November 26, 2013, 09:10:02 AM
They could easily bring him back at any point with a half-assed explanation. It's not like there's much that carries over from one episode to the next anyway.
I could see them using this as a launching point for
Star Trek rips. The Search for Brian.
Quote from: Tamas on November 26, 2013, 08:51:27 AM
He was the best character. He and Stewie made an epic team.
I concur.
I think they'll find it was a mistake killing him off.
Quote from: Agelastus on November 26, 2013, 09:40:56 AM
Quote from: Tamas on November 26, 2013, 08:51:27 AM
He was the best character. He and Stewie made an epic team.
I concur.
I think they'll find it was a mistake killing him off.
McFarlane wants to end the show. I don't think he'll find it a mistake at all.
Quote from: CountDeMoney on November 26, 2013, 09:11:32 AM
Quote from: Tamas on November 26, 2013, 08:51:27 AM
He was the best character. He and Stewie made an epic team.
They had good episodes, but c'mon: Stewie once shot him in both kneecaps over $50.
But he will need a new buddy. Maybe somebody not as much straight man as Brian.
He went out and got an Italian-American dog named Vinny.
I have never intentionally watched one minute of Family Guy.
Huh - I turned it on for 60 seconds last night, saw they were in the midst of a funeral for Brian. Never for a moment thought that he'd actually be dead.
I like Seth MacFarlane and enjoyed (at times) Family Guy, The Cleveland Show, and American Dad but none of them remained watchable to me for more than 3-4 seasons. Family Guy in particular, after the long campaign to resurrect it, was never as funny in its new run as it was in those first three seasons. There are I think two problems with the MacFarlane shows over time:
1. He's almost every character. There's too much Seth, he's a funny guy but he's not funny enough to carry 80% of three shows or more (I can't even keep track of all the ones he has now, I know the Cleveland Show came to an end though.)
2. Absurdist shock humor makes you numb to the same over time, and when that is too much of the show it makes you numb to the entire show. I feel that's the problem across all of his shows. They're hilarious on first viewing, but have no repeat viewing quality. Classic comedies like the good years of the Simpson's, Cheers, Seinfeld and even contemporary show Futurama are all much more rewatchable because they don't rely on "surprising you" with some insane absurdist aside every 10-25 seconds.
Quote from: sbr on November 26, 2013, 11:40:27 AM
I have never intentionally watched one minute of Family Guy.
Nor have I. The times I've accidentally watched or been forced to watch a bit of it have never made me wish to do so on purpose. Quite the opposite, actually.
I've watched one entire episode. I think they inherited a mansion or something.
Stupid way to kill Brian off.
At least let him have sex with Lois to provide some closure.
Quote from: Phillip V on November 26, 2013, 09:12:56 PM
At least let him have sex with Lois to provide some closure.
No kidding.