Family Guy: Season 1

METASCORE

Mixed or average reviews based on 23 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 405 Ratings

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7.4

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7.4	Your Score
7.4	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 405 Ratings

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Family Guy

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Season Details & Credits

FOX | Season Premiere Date: January 31, 1999

Starring: Seth Green, Seth Green, Patrick Warburton

Summary: Sick, twisted, politically incorrect and freakin' sweet. The animated series features the adventures of the Griffin family. Peter and Lois have three kids - the youngest is a brilliant, sadistic baby bent on killing his mother and world domination. Chris, like his father, is obese, has a low IQ and no common sense. Meg desperately tries toSick, twisted, politically incorrect and freakin' sweet. The animated series features the adventures of the Griffin family. Peter and Lois have three kids - the youngest is a brilliant, sadistic baby bent on killing his mother and world domination. Chris, like his father, is obese, has a low IQ and no common sense. Meg desperately tries to be part of the popular crowd, and is coldly rebuffed. Their talking dog Brian keeps baby Stewie in check while sipping martinis and sorting out his own life issues. After being canceled in 2002, having an outstanding performance in DVD sales and syndication ratings that beat late-night talk shows, its cult status reached great heights. As a result, the series was added back to the FOX Summer 2005 line-up. Family Guy returned to the small screen with new episodes on Sunday, May 1st, 2005. A DVD Movie was released in September of 2005. Family Guy has won 3 Emmy awards and 3 Annie awards. … Expand

Creator: Seth MacFarlane

Genre(s): Comedy, Animation

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Season 1 Episodes

tbd
S1:E7. Brian: Portrait of a Dog
Air Date: May 16, 1999
tbd
S1:E6. The Son Also Draws
Air Date: May 9, 1999
tbd
S1:E5. A Hero Sits Next Door
Air Date: May 2, 1999

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Metascore

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Critic Reviews

Caryn James

Jul 10, 2013

"Family Guy" stands to become the best satire of all-American dysfunction next to "The Simpsons." [29 Jan 1999]

John Levesque

Jul 10, 2013

It's all raucous nonsense, but the debate will rage as to whether "Family Guy" contributes to, or merely reflects, the demise of civility. As with most TV fare, it's doing a little of both, and it's doing it with a sharp eye for detail. [9 Apr 1999]

Eric Mink

Jul 10, 2013

If such quickie pop-culture jokes are the show's strength, its current weakness is the stories that revolve around the Griffins themselves and characters that, even when they're amusing, aren't very interesting. They certainly don't suggest the kind of richness that the characters of "The Simpsons" do. [9 Apr 1999]

Robert Bianco

Jul 10, 2013

Even if you find the show odd, awful or freakish, at least it won't bore you. [29 Jan 1999]

Phil Rosenthal

Jul 10, 2013

We fear [Family Guy] already may be out of material. [9 Apr 1999]

Alan Sepinwall

Jul 10, 2013

"Family Guy" ... consists of almost nothing but pop culture references. ... Now, some of these gags are side-splittingly funny ... but there are way too many of them. [9 Apr 1999]

Tom Shales

Jul 10, 2013

Utterly excremental. ... May the room in which "Family Guy" is drawn be sacked, emptied, disinfected and burned to a cinder. Anything to keep them from making any more episodes of this smug and amateurish tripe. [30 Jan 1999]

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User Score

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7.4

User Reviews

loricritic845

Jun 23, 2018

This is a great show. The animation is good, the humor is fine and it has a great cast of voices.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

robertoiglesias

Oct 2, 2017

Family Guy is a very very great show ever. It is very hilarious and interesting to watch. I can't find a possible way to hate this comedy show. Luckily there's a family guy.

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

spazzinmekon

Nov 17, 2010

Honestly, this has to be one of the easiest reviews ever. The show is hilarious almost every single episode. The newer episodes I like more of course since the drawing and coloring of the characters and scenes has gotten better, but i still watch season 1 up till the present episodes. Love the show.

10 of 16 users found this helpful106

khristian94

Nov 3, 2010

Rating this at the peak of Family Guy which I think personally was Series 4 and 5 (English versions). The first seasons were sort of more dry, with their humour, then I'd say Seasons 4 and 5 introduced a bit more random slapstick for value. Basically anyone is a target, no race, type ofRating this at the peak of Family Guy which I think personally was Series 4 and 5 (English versions). The first seasons were sort of more dry, with their humour, then I'd say Seasons 4 and 5 introduced a bit more random slapstick for value. Basically anyone is a target, no race, type of person, genre or anything untouched, equal opportunities offense lol.

I can't help but feel though, its turned into a parody of itself and its insisting on itself. A bit like the Simpsons really in that respect.

Seasons 1-3 I'd give 7 or 8 out of 10
4 and 5 8 for some episodes 8.5 out of 10
6 I'd give 7
then after that its just gotten weaker sadly.… Expand

2 of 4 users found this helpful22

Longbottom94

Apr 25, 2013

If the the rest of MacFarlane's TV show was as funny and ingenious as the first 3 seasons, I would have rated this programme a 10, but I feel that the current seasons have been a serious disappointment, lacking the humorous stupidity or the subtle wry wit that drew me to the show. I haveIf the the rest of MacFarlane's TV show was as funny and ingenious as the first 3 seasons, I would have rated this programme a 10, but I feel that the current seasons have been a serious disappointment, lacking the humorous stupidity or the subtle wry wit that drew me to the show. I have found that the current episodes have been relying to much on random jokes and shock value to engage their audience. Hopefully the creators can bring back that initial spark that captured me in the first place and if not atleast I'll still be able to enjoy those first 3 brilliant seasons.… Expand

3 of 4 users found this helpful31

baole58

Jul 30, 2013

A mediocre spin on The Simpsons! What makes The Simpsons one of the greatest shows ever made is that it's the most irreverent and unapologetic show on the air. It has wit, biting satire and intelligence that makes the show innocently funny. Despite some of Homer's many zany antics, the showA mediocre spin on The Simpsons! What makes The Simpsons one of the greatest shows ever made is that it's the most irreverent and unapologetic show on the air. It has wit, biting satire and intelligence that makes the show innocently funny. Despite some of Homer's many zany antics, the show is an honest and realistic portrayal of an average American family.

That being said, Family steals this formula but instead of having character-driven plot it's full of pop culture in-jokes which are mostly unfunny. Everything about the show is too similar to The Simpsons, from the concept to characters especially Peter Griffin who resembles heavily to Homer. Lois is obviously Marge, Brain is Santa's Little Helper except he's anthropomorphic, Stewie is Maggie except he can talk, Meg is Lisa and Chris is Bart although they don't exactly have the same attributes to each other.

Family Guy does have it's moments that makes the show a 5 however. Episode 5 introduces Joe Swanson, a paraplegic who's portrayed as a hero. Although paraplegics can't do what he does like play baseball or become a police officer, obviously the show is unrealistic, he's a good role model for them as he's positive in life despite his disability, a character we could all look up to.

It's a memorable introduction and his Christmas backstory as to how he got crippled, his fight with The Grinch on the rooftop, was hilariously entertaining. But the fact that Joe is paraplegic has been made into a plot twist, which is very odd and counter-intuitive. Peter Griffin didn't know that Joe is a paraplegic until after he invites him to a baseball game which, with common sense, he should have. But anyway, that and the second episode was the most memorable of the season, the rest of the characters are mostly racial stereotypes.

In conclusion, despite a few jokes Family Guy copied almost everything from The Simpsons. Don't believe anyone who says otherwise and if you're a huge fan of The Simpsons don't watch this rip-off, it's not an alternative. An alternative is a similar show but it has distinctive qualities that makes it it's own show, Family Guy does not have that. Is it funnier because the humor is more adult themed? Not necessarily!… Expand

0 of 2 users found this helpful02

sgtgrizzlybear

Aug 13, 2018

Come on, I already know coming in what I consider the worst animated sitcom I've ever watched. Although this show received praise, this one was so universally hated ever since it premiered back in 1999 that I can guarantee you that it's no longer an opinion that "Family Guy" is bad; it's aCome on, I already know coming in what I consider the worst animated sitcom I've ever watched. Although this show received praise, this one was so universally hated ever since it premiered back in 1999 that I can guarantee you that it's no longer an opinion that "Family Guy" is bad; it's a fact. And when the show was brought back from cancellation in 2005, it turned out to be far worse than anyone could ever imagine. This would have to be some of the worst writing used in an animated sitcom: a premise and animation style that blatantly rip off shows like Matt Groening's "The Simpsons" with no originality, a highly mean-spirited tone, a message coming from the show that feels so hypocritical, soulless pop culture and celebrity references placed everywhere like "Toy Story", Joe Pesci, Dr. Seuss and a whole lot more, an utterly despicable attempt to be cool with the entire family, a cast of such unlikable characters (including Brian Griffin), annoying voice acting, and, to top it all off, humour that is conceptually so bad that no professional TV studio would ever allow it on the air! On top of all this, it also emphasizes the worst elements of Seth MacFarlane to prove how he is one of the worst cartoonists in the business — the unwatchable violence and terrible humour of “American Dad!”, the shameless advertising of “Seth MacFarlane’s Cavalcade of Cartoon Comedy”, and the desperate attempt to be cool and hip with the family of “The Cleveland Show”, presenting all these elements in this one disastrous cartoon that started his work! If Peter Griffin were this neglectful and cruel to his family and friends, I think he would be the true Satan. In fact, this show really is the prime example of everything wrong with Seth MacFarlane. No matter what he does to entertain people, he killed the little reputation he had left. It can even show on newer videos of this show and his other cartoon works. In fact, go on YouTube, and you'll see that some of these videos have a very unfavourable ratio of likes and dislikes in general! It's sad, but there are now more points than ever that show that 20th Century Fox and the well-being of the staff there are better off if Seth would close down his studio, Fuzzy Door Productions. In his current state, he is a worthless personality and a worthless cartoonist who will forever be known to make one of the worst cartoons of all time, but more specifically, the worst animated sitcom! "Family Guy" is just abysmal in every sense of the word! I'll take the bland performance of "Phineas and Ferb" over this any day! This should have stayed cancelled long ago! Abysmal characters, terrible jokes, and preachiness from the most abominably cruel performance of Seth MacFarlane in cartoon history! I don't like this cartoon! It's bad! Don't watch it!… Expand

Family Guy: Season 1

Season 1 Episodes

Seasons & Episodes