Family Guy continues without writers

[number8]

Hilarious:


LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - Fox is producing fresh episodes of its animated comedy "Family Guy" without the participation of its striking creator Seth MacFarlane, who does many of the main voices, sources said.

The last episode completed before the Writers Guild of America strike began November 5 aired Sunday. Fox and sibling studio 20th Century Fox TV had the choice of going into reruns or continuing the show without MacFarlane, whose outspoken defiance of his employers has made him a cause celebre for striking writers.

After a large writers rally outside the Fox lot on Friday, where he was one of the speakers, MacFarlane said the studio could proceed without him, though he hoped it would not.

20th TV had no comment on the matter Tuesday but confirmed that it remains in production on new episodes. The first episode finished without MacFarlane's blessing has been delivered to Fox. Sources said it is one of three very close to completion, with others in various stages of production.

In addition to executive-producing the show, MacFarlane voices the characters of Peter, Brian and Stewis Griffin, the male members of the hapless Rhode Island family at the core of the domestic satire.

Reuters/Hollywood Reporter

Those crazy non-WGA dolphins!

[MadMan]

Yeah sadly we all know that FOX is run by douchebags. Does this explain why Louis got shot by Stewie? Or is that just the show jumping the shark? I haven't really watched the show since it was revived by FOX.

[Mysterious Dude]

I guess the manatees aren't guild members.

[number8]

Manatees! Not dolphins, duh.

[rocus]

Yeah sadly we all know that FOX is run by douchebags. Does this explain why Louis got shot by Stewie? Or is that just the show jumping the shark? I haven't really watched the show since it was revived by FOX.
I actually thought that episode was one of the funniest in a while. I'll be interested to see what FOX does with this. It would be incredibly funny if they didn't try to match the voices at all. If they try to impersonate them it will be lame.

[Raiders]

I don't think the show could get much less funny as it is anyway.

[Kurosawa Fan]

I don't think the show could get much less funny as it is anyway.

Yes. Thank you.

[Sycophant]

So, I'm a bit confused as to the meaning of this news. Are they actually just pushing completed (or producer-finished) scripts into production? MacFarlane is also both a producer and lead actor, right? If they actually move new eps without his role in each of his main three capacities into production, would he ever, ever return to his show?

Not that the show's funny, like in the slightest anymore. I gave up over a year ago.

[MadMan]

I actually thought that episode was one of the funniest in a while. I'll be interested to see what FOX does with this. It would be incredibly funny if they didn't try to match the voices at all. If they try to impersonate them it will be lame.Really? Huh. I think where they might go with it sounds interesting. After all Stewie has been trying to kill Louis for years. And apparently last Sunday she went out hunting after him. I don't even watch the show anymore, but I may consider renting some of the latest seasons on DVD just to see how much being revived affected the show.

[Sycophant]

I don't even watch the show anymore, but I may consider renting some of the latest seasons on DVD just to see how much being revived affected the show.It took what made the show funny in the first three seasons, amplified it, and then inverted it, making it suck even harder than it ever was good.

[MadMan]

It took what made the show funny in the first three seasons, amplified it, and then inverted it, making it suck even harder than it ever was good.Bummer. This makes me sad. I'm a bit worried about the new Futurama episodes that will be coming out in the next couple of years but its in the hands of Comedy Central instead of FOX.

[Henry Gale]

Yeah... the episodes since it was resurrected definately have been nowhere as good as the pre-cancellation ones (which I still enjoy immensely whenever I come across them despite having seen them so many times).

The newest "Stewie Kills Lois"/"Lois Kills Stewie" two-parter was basically everything that has become terrible about the show for me. Too many self-aware gags, a ridiculous overuse of quirky side characters from the earlier seasons (like the old pervert and Ollie the weather guy) and jokes that now never seem to derive from the actual story. I never remember what jokes are from which episode any more, I just remember the long unfunny time-fillers that the writers cut away to and seem to love so much (just look at their recent "Best Of" clip show).

I can't see them actually trying to make the show without MacFarlane. Don't they realize that after an episode is written without him they still need him to voice half the characters in it?

[Ezee E]

It's a stupid show, but it makes me laugh. I don't follow up with it though because there's no story to it. As mentioned, I just remember gags.

[number8]

The best way to watch Family Guy is to watch 2 minute skits on YouTube.

[DSNT]

Southpark pretty much nailed their formula. They don't need writers.