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Step 1
Get a giggle out of Peter Griffin--one of the most immature guys around. The bizarre situations in which Peter finds himself aren't just funny because of how outrageous they are--for example, he has an ongoing feud and frequent battles with a giant chicken--but because he's really too dumb to see them coming. Despite his idiocy (and documented low I.Q), Peter somehow manages to stay married to a beautiful, intelligent woman and support a family. Some of his funniest moments are when he says something extremely savvy and smart, then glazes over and says "What?" as if he has no idea where the idea came from.
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Step 2
Chuckle over Lois Griffin's inconsistencies. At first glance she seems to be a typical housewife with a husband, dog, and a few kids. However, once you get to know Lois a little better you'll find she has some subtle traits that are very funny. Though Peter annoys the daylights out of her, it's always amusing to see how much Lois loves him and the joy she gets from his lowbrow humor. You'll also find yourself in stitches when you realize this sweet woman has a dark side--she's into S&M, has a significant history of drug use and loses it when the house runs out of paper towels.
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Step 3
Find humor in the absolutely one-dimensional character, Chris Griffin. He's funny because he's dumb. Chris has no depth, no hidden sides and is sort of an amalgam of all the weird traits of teenagers everywhere. The poor guy knows he's dumb and doesn't hesitate to say stupid things. ("I'm so hungry I could ride a horse.")
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Step 4
Laugh at how Meg Griffin's character represents the social hierarchy in our world and, in particular, the halls of high schools. Also a fairly one-dimensional character, Meg's claim to fame is her role as the loser of whom everyone makes fun. However, in homage to clique behavior and social structure everywhere, even the loser has someone who's beneath her. Though all the "Family Guy" charcters pretty much regard Meg as scenery, she still has enough status to be disgusted by the attention of the nerdy Neal Goldman.
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Step 5
Enjoy the complexities of a baby. Stewie Griffin is a highbrow, vengeful 1-year-old who speaks as though he's been Oxford-educated. Unfortunately (and amusingly) it seems as though only the dog can hear him talk--everyone else clearly hears his ranting and raving as the typical fussing and crying of a baby. Stewie's funniest moments are those when he succumbs to typical infant behavior: instantly falling asleep in the car, being soothed by a pacifier, believing Peter really disappears during Peek-a-Boo and calling for his mommy when he falls down and hurts his arm. The irony? He's killed her, just moments before!
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Step 6
Find wry humor in the fact that the most complicated "Family Guy" character is the family dog, Brian. Brian's subtle moments are hilarious because they are the times when we are reminded that this suave, womanizing, intelligent, anthropomorphic being is actually a dog. He can sing with Frank Sinatra, Jr. but he's afraid of the vacuum cleaner and sleeps on the foot of Peter and Lois' bed. He can engineer an escape from a precarious situation, but is unable to stand up in the getaway vehicle. He's accepted to Brown University, but in the future will meet his demise because he ate chocolate out of the garbage can.
Comments
psaysofavril said
on 4/25/2008 I try to never miss an episode. What is wrong with me?
GreenGardenChic said
on 3/31/2008 I love family guy, but Quagmire is my favorite.
Walkaboutangel said
on 3/24/2008 Thanks for sharing...+++
Angel
FabHelper said
on 3/16/2008 Ha! We need more articles like this. You should write some now about how...wait, nevermind. I'm writing that one myself! Uber funny article.