The Griffin household is comprised of two awkward teenagers, Chris and Meg, a smooth-talking yet cynical dog named Brian, parents Peter and Lois and a malformed baby called Stewie, who craves for world domination and the death of his family. Father Peter Griffin attempts to provide his family with the best but ends up in all types of sticky situations that are absurdly unthinkable. He often resembles Homer Simpson, whereas Homer is a clumsy oaf and yet loveable, it’s hard to find Peter Griffin adorable. Lois Griffin puts up with the tribulations that come with marrying Peter and rejected her parents’ millions to marry her love, much to the anger of them. Their strange children, Chris and Meg, both attend high school and often get trapped in Peter’s wacky and irreverent misadventures. Brian is the family dog who's more sophisticated than his owners. He has an eye for cocktails, spirits and fine wine. Out of all these unique characters, Stewie has emerged as my favourite after watching every episode at least three times. No matter who you are, two year-old Stewie’s witty remarks and his ultimate plan for world domination makes you think. Despite being raised from an American family from Rhode Island, Stewie talks with a posh, English accent with clarity and poise that pleasantly bemuses viewers.
The programme’s sheer disregard for political correctness can be a bit surprising at times, so surprising I find it difficult to believe certain jokes make the final edit. What impresses me the most about Family Guy is the use of ludicrous flashbacks, whether they’ve actually happened to the family or not. This is what I think sets Family Guy apart from any other programme of its genre. The programme is also crammed with many subplots from the neighbourhood, following characters such as the womanising Glenn Quagmire and the Evil Monkey who lives in Chris Griffin’s wardrobe.
The title of the show “Family Guy” is also interestingly named, as they’re referring to the father, Peter. It’s slightly ironic as sometimes he brainlessly puts himself ahead of his family. You would expect a programme about a man who is family-orientated, but he certainly isn’t!
Overall, Family Guy is far and away one of the most audacious but clever television programmes I've seen.