Family Comedy TV Show

Peter Griffin, from the hit Television show Family Guy, once stated in an episode, “I do not know who you are. I do not know what you want, but I have a very particular lack of skills. I will never be able to find you, but what I do have is two dollars and a Casio wristwatch. You can have one of them.” When Peter states that he has a “lack of skills” he is adding humor to the show. The show, Family Guy, is full of comical humor from jokes to reenacting scenes.

Family Guy was created by Seth MacFarlane and is an adult sitcom on FOX, also known as Fox Broadcasting Company.

It focuses on a modern American family of five with their pet dog. However, when it comes to Family Guy, there is no idea what will happen on any typical day and is always showing different twists and turns. The show involves the lives and misfortunes with their friends and with each other.

However, by the end of the show, all problems are solved and the family goes on being happy. Family Guy uses intertextuality to relate to an audience by using stereotypical characters and reenacting scenes from past shows or events.

The show, Family Guy, has a targeted and certain appeal to its audience while also persuading an audience’s interpretation of the “text.” Demographics target specific groups of people and for the show, the demographics are unique. A lot of their references are tended towards people from the 1970s and 1980s so only generations from before would really understand all the references.

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However, with the humor behind the show, the show is able to appeal to teens and young adults. Some targeted viewers were the rebels and rule breakers because of their characteristics like not following the rules, lack of respect towards authority, and their use of sarcasm.

The show is able to show different senses of humor throughout different generations. More younger people are able to find the show more humorous whereas more older adults will find the show offensive and stupid. One possible reason the humor changes as one grows older is an individual gains life experience which can change one’s views for different things. The show is rated M for a mature audience.

This means that it is intended for an appropriate aged audience, which leans towards anyone over 18 years old to watch the show. In Season 5 Episode 15, Peter made a valid point towards parenting in which he stated, “Maybe you should not be letting your kids watch certain shows in the first place if you have such a big problem with them instead of blaming the shows themselves.” This can also speak about the show because since it is rated M for mature, that means it is intended for a certain audience and is not really appropriate for younger viewers. Some younger viewers that watch the show may not get all of the references made throughout the show.

Family Guy is able to make different references to almost every subject possible and also creates multiple scenarios where an inside joke or humorous scene can be produced. The meaning behind the intertextuality throughout the show will apply to different sections of the audiences at times. Different characters from Family Guy have evolved for the show. The show can resemble another show called The Simpson’s; it resembles a modern American family. The show is extreme similar to “The Simpsons”, but also has its own twists. Peter Griffin is the comical, idiotic father of the family. He is always making jokes and causing mischief, but is extremely lazy and clumsy. Peter’s wife, Lois Griffin, is a stay at home mom and the main caretaker of Peter and her children.

The first child is Megan Griffin and she is the punchline to the joke. For being the “black sheep of the family”, she tries to be a part of the “cool crowd” in school. One example, which happens often in the show, is when her father will fart in her face and her entire family laughs at her. The second child is Chris Griffin and he is known as representing the millennial generation. Past generations consider people born from the millennial generation to be spoiled and receive things that they did not even work for. Stewie is the youngest child of the three and resembles a character off of “Jimmy Corrigan: The Smartest Kid on Earth.” Both characters have a head shaped like a football, extremely intelligent, and are not fond of their mothers.

The last character from the Griffin family is the family down, Brian Griffin. He looks just like the dog Snoopy with his black nose, white coat of fur, and how he is able to interact with humans even though he is just a dog. The family represents a modern family and each character has a separate, but important role in the family. With the show always making jokes, some can be deemed offensive, but are always meant to be taken for humor. Some characters have similarities to characters from other shows and follow a stereotypical group. Family guy has intertextual references in every show and the entire show is based on intertextuality.

Family Guy has also done a few parodies, which is defined as “an imitation of the style of a particular writer, artist, or genre with deliberate exaggeration for comic effect.” The show has done paradies from Star Wars with examples being “Something, Something, Something, Dark Side” and “It’s a Trap.” It takes the movies and adds a few twists and turns with the characters and also adds humor to it. In the theme song it states, “It seems today / That all you see / Is violence in movies / And sex on T.V. / But where are those good old-fashioned values…” In the show, it is the complete opposite of the theme song. The theme song creates humor right from the beginning.

The shows does not instill any true family values during it. An example of intertextuality being seen is in Family Guy Season 1 Episode 2. The episode has places where it is just like certain scenes from The Wizard of Oz. Peter is portraying Dorothy in the scene.

Another example is in Season 2 Episode 1. It is using a reference from “Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me” where Peter brings his pinky up to the corner of his mouth and does a mischievous smile.

A third example is from Family Guy Season 2 Episode 13. Brian and Stewie are reenacting a part from Road to Morocco where they are singing on a train.

One last final example is from Family Guy Season 3 Episode 14. A cheerleading routine is being performed and Peter is focusing on a blonde cheerleader. The same scene first happened in American Beauty.

If it is not reenacting a scene, it is quoting a famous quote from another show. Peter in Season 10 Episode 8 states a quote from Risky Business which is, “Sometimes in life you have to say, ‘What the hell,’ and just go for it.” Life is worth about taking risks every once in a while. Although the show is mostly comedy, it also have some truth to it. This is just a few examples of intertextuality in the show. Almost every single episode has some form of intertextual reference to something else.

The show, Family Guy, is an American sitcom that includes intertextuality to create humor in each episode whether it be jokes, reenacting scenes, or making fun of themselves whenever possible. The show involves a family of five with their pet dog. Are they a normal, modern family? Not even close. Family Guy is able to target audience members and captivate them with an appeal from the “text.” With the demographics being very unique, teens and some adults take a liking to the show.

The television series on FOX is rated M for mature. Some adults find the humor in the show, whereas others find it offensive or ridiculous. The intertextuality in the show is able to apply meaning to the show. Another way intertextuality is used in the television series is through the characters.

Considered a “modern” family, each member is able to take on a stereotypical role. A few characters even resemble or act like a different character from a previous show. Each character plays an important role in the family, while also causing mischief when possible. Whether it be a talking dog or child with a football shaped head, each character is able to portray a part of the ideal American family.

The popular show uses intertextual references in each and every episode produced. The show’s theme song talked about old-fashioned values, but each episode did just the opposite. With the show being such a hit, a few parodies were made. Some include the family reenacting from the Star Wars franchise with examples including, “Something, Something, Something, Dark Side” and “It’s a Trap.” Each episode involves intertextuality in some way, shape, or form. Having some in each episode will create humor for the audience watching. Seth MacFarlane, creator of Family Guy, was able to captivate the audience using intertextuality.

Family Guy uses intertextuality to relate to an audience by using stereotypical characters and reenacting scenes from past shows or events.