Posted on 02/06/2005 11:58:18 AM PST by raccoonradio
This year's Super Bowl halftime show may have been crafted to avoid scandal, but the programming Fox is airing after the big game might raise a few hackles. And this time, Tom Brady is actually involved.
Mel Gibson might want to change the channel after the Patriots-Eagles showdown tonight, because Fox has awarded the plum post-Super Bowl slot to an episode of ``The Simpsons'' that spoofs his ``The Passion of the Christ.'' If that's not enough to steam Gibson and the religious right, the network follows up with a sneak preview of the left-leaning animated satire ``American Dad.''
Unfortunately, both shows manage several comic first downs, but neither scores a touchdown.
``Homer and Ned's Hail Mary Pass,'' for example, somehow manages to skewer religious fundamentalists, liberal ``secular humanists,'' grandstanding athletes, ESPN and sports fans without ever being laugh-out-loud funny.
After video of Homer taunting Bart at a carnival makes its way onto the Internet, he opens ``Homer Simpson's Showboating Academy.'' In his back yard, he teaches normally humble sports pros such as Yao Ming, Michelle Kwan and Tom Brady - all supplying their own voices, although Brady's sounds oddly high-pitched - how to mock their opponents.
This leads to his recruitment as producer of the Super Bowl halftime show. Bereft of ideas, Homer turns to his good Christian neighbor Ned Flanders for help. Flanders has become a biblical snuff film auteur, with the recent purchase of a video camera. The pair cook up an Old Testament extravaganza that falls as flat as a Keanu Reeves line-reading because America is outraged at the sheer decency of it all.
What will the Parents Television Council think?
``Simpsons'' fans probably will just be peeved that the show isn't funnier - the best jokes are throwaways, such as an ad for ``Jammitin,'' an erectile-dysfunction treatment.
``American Dad,'' from the frantic, politically incorrect mind of ``Family Guy'' creator Seth MacFarlane, is also hit-and-miss. Unlike the ``Simpsons'' episode, however, ``Dad'' features a few more guffaws and makes you hopeful MacFarlane can fine-tune the show as it progresses.
``Dad'' chronicles the bizarre family life of lantern-jawed, uber-patriot CIA agent Stan Smith (voiced by MacFarlane). Stan sees danger lurking in every corner, from the suspect toaster in the kitchen to the pockets of his bleeding-heart-liberal daughter, Hayley. His clueless wife, Francine, cares for Hayley and her geeky teen brother, Steve, while fending off the sexual advances of a talking German goldfish named Klaus and watching the caloric intake of Roger, an alien from Area 51 who once saved Stan's life. Really.
The show is wacky, rude and, like ``Family Guy'' before it, destined to annoy some viewers while making cultlike converts of others.
``American Dad'' begins its run May 1 following the relaunch of ``Guy.''
( ``The Simpsons,'' tonight after the Super Bowl on Fox. (2.5 out of four); ``American Dad,'' tonight after ``The Simpsons'' on Fox. )
Everybody can deal with the Simpsons but if American Dad sucks we just change the channel.
There's an "American Dad" short pilot floating around the internet. Just google for "American Dad Pilot", it's about ten minutes long and fairly funny.
Then why chime in with your announcement that you DONT watch network TV on a thread ABOUT 2 shows on NETWORK TV? Yes...yes..good for you...you are too good for shows like Simpsons and American Dad....thats nice. Now go back to watching the Discovery Channel.
Try and escape commentary about the superbowl by watching FNC.
True, but then again the make fun of everyone. I love the very early episode where the city of Springfield erects a statue of Jimmy Carter and then the crowd is stunned and someones yells out something to the effect of "That monster was the worst leader we ever had!!!!!" and then the crowd burns down the statue.
Yet another informative post by someone who cant help by butting in with their "I dont watch this crap" type reply. Do you chime in with this mantra on every thread that deals with a show you dont like? Next time, why dont you show us how much you really dont like it by not replying to it in the first place.
I never "got" The Family Guy when it originally played on Fox, but started watching it a few months ago on the Cartoon Network. The show is truly inspired and moves so quickly that one has to pay close attention to appreciate all the references and bizarre gags. It just makes me laugh.
One of my favorite episodes is "Road to Rhode Island", a show that pairs Stewie and Brian on a cross country journey to get back home. Lots of funny stuff there - Stewie's teddy bear "Rupert" gets the blame for not watching the luggage, Stewie's eulogy for Brian's mother ("I didn't know her as a dog, but I knew her as a table"), and the show-stopping musical parody of Bing Crosby and Bob Hope's "Road to Morocco".
What a fun show.
apparently'American Dad' is very leftist politically tilted
Cearially, you didn't laugh at the last episode- Midnight Rx- When Ned and Apu were having a theological discussion. Homer's driving caused Apu to pray to Shiva for help, Ned said why don't you just call on Hawkman. Or Apu's tongue trilling at hot coffee, and the cannuck response of "Stop him, he's expressing his faith"
Youze needs to laugh more often. It makes life worth living.
Glad to see FG coming back, wish Faux would bring back Futurama and the Pj's while they are at it!
Shut down the Alphabet Channels (ABJazerra & Her Sister Stations, AB CB NB CN its all the same propaganda)!
Vote with your Remote! Show them just how much Gravitas Hugh Bris has!!!
Christmas Heart
But, I Have A Plan
Zippo Hero
Seven Dead Monkeys Page O Tunes
" Youze needs to laugh more often. It makes life worth living."
I do laugh, just not at forced, unfunny crap like the simpsons has been for years. It's about as funny as 'canadian bacon' was. Which means it isn't funny at all.
Actually "He's history's greatest monster!"
Malaise Forever!
Equal opportunity in the comical jabs is what makes the Simpsons so dang funny. If your ox gets gored, just wait a couple minutes and the other guys' gets skewered, too.
I am a Family Guy fan but Seth Macfarlane is clearly an illiberal bozo.
Here is why - from Wikepedia:
American Dad is MacFarlane's latest undertaking and will air in early 2005. It will focus on Stan Smith, a CIA agent convinced that terrorists are everywhere, even in his own household. He has a loving wife and two children, along with two unusual houseguests. Roger, the Alien who Stan rescued from Area 51, and Klaus the goldfish with the brain of a German man implanted into him.
MacFarlane has said that his discontent towards George W. Bush's presidency was a motivating factor in the development and plot of the show.
September 11, 2001 experience
On September 11, 2001 MacFarlane was scheduled to return to Los Angeles on American Airlines Flight 11 after being a keynote speaker at his alma-mater in Rhode Island. His travel agent gave him the wrong flight time, and he arrived at Boston Logan Airport a few minutes after boarding was finished. He was told he would have to wait for the next flight. At 8:45am one hour after the departure of American Airlines Flight 11, it was hijacked by terrorists and crashed into the North Tower of the World Trade Center in New York City.
In an interview in USA Today a few days after the attacks he said that he was unable to get in touch with his office or his family in Los Angeles. He ended up driving half way across the country before he finally was able to get his office and his parents to tell them that he was all right.
I was going through the radio dial a few months ago (before the election) and Air Frankenfraud had MacFarlane on. You could tell he was a big lib (like we didn't know already)? Family Guy, funny show; American Dad might be funny too (I'm in Boston and they're delaying Simpsons and American Dad till after the "Pats Win!" coverage, so it's not on yet)...but MacFarlane, definitely a big lefty.
>>Equal opportunity in the comical jabs is what makes the Simpsons so dang funny.
True. I saw an episode recently which showed a Fox News truck pulling up to an event and they were playing "We Are the Champions" from the truck (showing that "biased Fox News favors the GOP"), and I heard people at Fox News were not pleased. Guess what--I'm a conservative and Fox News
watcher, and it made ME laugh. Yes, we ARE the champions!
>>One of my favorite episodes is "Road to Rhode Island", a show that pairs Stewie and Brian on a cross country journey to get back home
Same here...that song kept going through my head when I visited Newport, RI a couple times recently (that, and "This House is Freaking Sweet" from the episode where they inherit a Newport mansion).
http://briansbar.com/RoadtoRI.wav
>>considering the crude nature of the jokes on that show
The horny Glenn Quagmire reminds me of Bill Clinton.
So far American Dad is awful.
RE: "So far American Dad is awful."
Well, the pilot on the whole WAS pretty ho-hum, but I nearly burst when the dad brought that dessicated, older-than-God dog in to be his son's pet. He excused the poor choice with something like "He's 19 years old. He was around when Reagan was President and things were as they should be!"
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