Seth MacFarlane Has no Boundaries!

If you haven’t heard the name Seth MacFarlane, you are not on planet earth or you simply live in the dark ages without a television. Seth MacFarlane has made his mark in the television industry, and now currently is the highest paid television writer/producer in the world. But what makes him so great? What makes him have a cult following that made his show re-air after being canceled twice? Is it that he is the only one to dare to make crude and racist jokes on national television? I think it’s because he’s one of a kind. He is a quadruple threat; he can write comedy, score music, animate characters, and provide voices. The “Family Guy” and “American Dad” creator was born on October 26th 1973 in Kent, Connecticut. At a young age Seth developed a passion for illustrations. Throughout his childhood, he drew such characters as Fred Flintstone and Woody the Woodpecker. MacFarlane was so talented at a young age that when he was eight he drew a comic strip called “Walter Crouton” for the The Kent Good Times Dispatch.[8] MacFarlane attended the prestigious Rhode Island School of Design, where he made a mark for himself among his professors. MacFarlane is most famous for creating “Family Guy”, “American Dad”, and most recently “The Cleveland Show”. As well as being a creator, Seth has also written and directed these shows as well as many others. MacFarlane claims that he is a “science fiction” type of guy. He has a deep passion for such shows as “Star Wars” and “Star Trek”. This should come as no shock because today we see a science fiction influence in his works. For example, he created a whole episode for “Family Guy” around “Star Wars”. In addition, he also created a “Family Guy” movie called “Something Something Darkside”. MacFarlane has a unique signature. It is very easy to recognize a Seth MacFarlane creation due to the similarities in the characters, and the no boundaries humor that MacFarlane is known for and the story line of dysfunctional families.

Seth is a very talented drawer and writer. His characters in “Family Guy” and “American Dad” are very similar. They both revolve around very dysfunctional families. In“ American Dad”, Stanly Smith is a CIA operative and a die hard American who is loyal to his country before anything else. His wife, Francine, is a clueless airhead. They have two children; Hailey, a rebellious daughter and Steve, the odd “gifted” son. The crew also lives with Helmut, a German talking fish, and a hermaphrodite alien from space called Roger.

Yes, this does sound a lot like the Griffins from “Family Guy”. “Family Guy” also has a small brained father, Peter. He is married to Lois, who holds the family together. They have three children; Meg, the outcast of a daughter and the fat son, Chris, who is a moron and, yes of course, there is the homicidal infant child, Stewie. As in “ American Dad”, MacFarlane also wrote in a talking pet; Brian, the alcoholic family dog.

MacFarlane is known for his over the top humor. Both “Family Guy” and “American Dad” are full of sex, violence, foul language and racist remarks. For example, in one episode, Peter sings a song about having aids. In another, Brian, the talking dog, is addicted to cocaine. In one episode, Peter and Lois have a fist fight, and Stewie beats up Brian, the pet dog. “American Dad “shares the same type of humor. Steve, the son, finds a kitten (ran over by a car) on the street and tries to rescue it. Instead, the cat tears him to shreds. Both shows have been the target of many critics, saying that the show should have regulations and just because it’s an animated series doesn't mean it can get away with its antics.

MacFarlane’s creations are either loved or hated. He is known for his large headed illustrations and his crude and, at times, shocking humor. He is not afraid to poke fun of celebrities or political figures. He is an amazing writer, director, and producer. There really is nothing he cannot do and I have a feeling we will see much more of him in the years to come. So if you are watching an animated show and you can't believe what you just heard or saw.....There's a good chance it's either written, Produced or directed by SIR SETH MACFARLANE

"Ebert & Roeper Move Over"

I recently had the opportunity to research the number of television shows that have been produced and found it to be outstanding. According to epguides, there are currently over, 4800 television shows. This number is mind-boggling. These shows are broken down into different genres, and all have a different viewer base. Now, from my personal experience, I can account for only tuning in to maybe 100 of these shows, give or take a few. I am known to watch my favorite series like everyone else, but by no means am I a couch potato. In this first blog, I hope to catch your attention and convince you that my view will further help you understand television. Additionally, I will state my goals for doing TV Criticism, as well as my view of television as an object of study and I will finish by asking you for your participation-- for your own opinion on some of these 4800 shows that have been aired over the years.

I am one of those people who wait for that certain day of the week when my favorite episode is on. I’m anxious to see what happens next…..who dies….who doesn’t…etc. I am also known to get a little heated in the middle of my favorite shows. My goals for starting this blog on television are not to rip apart certain shows, but quite the opposite. My view, like O’Donnell’s, is to have a deeper understanding and go beyond face value to understand culture and society. Gronbeck and Sillars do the best to sum up the job of a “critic” when they state, “ A critic makes an argument that describes, interprets or evaluates the messages to which people are exposed in public or collective ways.” My main goal for “Tuned In” is to engage you, as a reader, and to help both yourself and I to have a better understand of the shows we watch and how they relate to our culture and society.

I have never realized the power of television until now. My relationship to television in the past was purely for entertainment. After reading a chapter by Corner, I realized that television must be an object of study. Millions of People across the world tune in every night to either evening news or local shows. They absorb what they watch. A great example of this would be the topic of politics. Corner states. “ This is often television seen as a poor substitute, as eroding an achieved level of democratic practice by the offering of a flawed, partial, strategically managed rendering of reality which nevertheless claims high evidential status and receives good levels of credibility from the popular audience.”(4) What he means here is that the news is biased on how they portray politics, especially during elections.

As the weeks go on, I urge you, as a reader, to stop by and talk about your favorite shows on television right now, or to simply respond to my posting. Currently, these last couple weeks I have been addicted to the series, Lost. My sister sent me seasons 1-3, telling me “It’s the best show ever “ and that I have to watch it. Well, she was right, and now I’m hooked.! Also, If there’s any “Sons of Anarchy Fans”, or “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia” fans out there, please stop by because I am so excited that the new season just started! Again, I urge you to share your thoughts with me, even if you have to trash what I say! Good Viewing!

References

Corner, J. (1999). Critical Ideas in Television Studies. New York: Oxford University Press.

O’Donnell, V. (2007). Television Criticism. New York: Sage.

Sillars, M. O. and Gronbeck, B. E. (2001). Communication Criticism: Rhetoric, Social Codes, Cultural Studies. Prospect Heights, IL: Waveland Press.