Thoughtnami Classics | Why Did Fox Bring Back Family Guy Again?

Originally Posted 08/19/04 by Jeff Harris

After looking at the two hour block of Family Guy episodes last night, I decided to wait a while before commenting on it. After all, you're not supposed to write anything when you're angry because you might regret it later on.

A little under a day has passed. I've calmed down a lot since last night, and I feel I could go about this post with a rational perspective.

*cough*

Why in the hell did Fox bring back Family Guy again? You know, I hear a lot of [mute] about Cartoon Network's editing standards. I've heard rabid otakus call them numerous names liks [mute], punks, and idiots. After witnessing the first Fox broadcasts of Family Guy in almost four years, I feel that everybody who has ever criticized the standards department of CN should apologize . . . now.

Last night saw numerous edits on all four of the episodes shown. Words like "crap," "bastard," and "dump" were muted sporadically. When I mean sporadically, I mean some incidents it was heard and others, it wasn't. Rear butt ends were blurred out in the "European Road Show" episode . . . well most of them; apparently it's safe to show a baby's butt but not an adult's.

The one edit I didn't quite get but understood because it was Fox was in Brian's song about the world today. He had possible scenarios for how the world could end. The first two cards remained the same, but the third card was a riot scene from The Jerry Springer Show. Of course when the card was revealed on Cartoon Network, it was George W. Bush holding a beer bong. Perhaps Fox didn't want to make fun of the sitting president. Of course back when the episodes originally aired, Family Guy (and The Simpsons) made fun of Bill Clinton, and he was the sitting president then. So, instead of showing Bush in an embarrassing light, they decided to show Jerry Springer instead. Of course Springer's not a big as he was way back then, but people are familar with the series. The humor is a bit stunted as a result, unfortunately.

Is Fox's political stripes showing? Dunno. I don't like to talk about politics here because this isn't the right forum (for you people still thinking in an archaic political mentality, this isn't the "left" forum either). Still, you have to wonder why Fox edited the four episodes again, especially in this paranoid day and age.

And especially that they passed the network standards when it originally aired. Censoring shows that had previously been seen on television always struck me as sickening.

Which leads to the question I began my rant with. Why in the hell did Fox bring back Family Guy again? I did see the advertisement for the DVDs of the series during the last half-hour for the audience that were bored with the Olympics that have never heard of the series. Most likely the ones watching the marathon were people already familiar with the show and knew weeks in advance about the marathons online. I still find it funny that they could find space to air a commercial for the DVDs, but not space for Turner Broadcasting's two showcases for Family Guy episodes, TBS (which had to displace its Wednesday night airings to Tuesdays to supplement the Fox marathons) and Cartoon Network's Adult Swim, where it still airs uncut and with limited commercial interruptions and still drawing in record numbers.

In the original press release bringing back the series, the words "Adult Swim" and "Cartoon Network" were missing when talking about the factors that lead to the resurrection. After looking at the four episodes last night, I could see why Fox refused to talk about CN . . . Adult Swim actually gives Family Guy respect.