Why did I decide to do my topic on Religion in Family Guy?
One of the primary reasons that I decided to do my project on Family Guy and Religion is that I used to watch this show as a young adolescent. Many young people went into their rooms just to sneak a few episodes of this controversial television show, I was one of this people. What interested me to do my website project on this show was the religious jokes that are willing to cross boundaries in society and how they are used to make religious groups and parents upset as they see a joke about god being a chick magnet or Jesus as a "2,000-Year-old virgin". Many criticisms of the show have revolved around the offensive humor towards Christianity and other religious groups, racial humor, and dark and brooding content being a main target for the Parents Television Council. For this major project, I will be exploring many points that family guy has with religion.
First, I will talk about the depictions of God and Jesus Christ as your typical "Average Joe", whether they would be playing golf, hanging out at a bar, or working at a record shop. Second, I will dig deeper into the depiction of Jesus and God, particularly Jesus Christ. To debate this, I will be using two episodes in which Jesus is the antagonist or the central point of that episode. Those episodes are "I Dream of Jesus" and "The 2,000-Year-Old Virgin", two episode which got a lot of flack for the jokes and the depiction of Jesus in these episodes.I will talk about the creator of the show, Seth MacFarlane and how he is viewed as an atheist and if the show is too anti-semitic by using the episode that did not make the airwaves on FOX network, "When You Wish Upon a Weinstein". Lastly, I will be talking about the various religious stereotypes and treatments of women in the show.. This show is know to me as a hub for critical thinkers to analyze the humour and how much these jokes can relate to happenings in our society.
Brief History of Family Guy
Family Guy premiered on the FOX Network on January 31, 1999 after Super Bowl XXXIII with the episode "Death Has a Shadow" which was viewed by 22 million viewers at the time of its original airing. The original concept of the show was off a thesis' done by the creator of the show, Seth MacFarlane called The Life of Larry which follows the same concept of Family Guy. He did the thesis as part of the Rhode Island School of Design, which ties into the Rhode Island references and spawned the song "Road to Rhode Island". What eventually became the show "Family Guy" centers around the Griffin family living in the fictional city of Quahog, Rhode Island. It is currently in its sixteenth season with over 300 episodes broadcast. It has been nominated for twelve primetime emmy awards and has taken home three.
The Griffin Family
Peter Griffin is one of the main protagonists of the show. He is an employee of Pawtucket Brewery and is known as the "head of the family" but is the catalyst for many of the show's jokes and cutaways. He is known for liking the song "Surfin Bird" by the Trashmen and proving his masculinity to his wife. He is voiced by the show creator, Seth MacFarlane, who also voices Brian and Stewie.
Lois Griffin is the Ying to Peter's Yang. While Peter is the more juvenile half, Lois is the person in the family who is the voice of reason. She is a stay-at-home mother who is responsible for maintaining the state of the house and the shenanigans of the rest of her family. She is also not shy about showcasing her sexual side to her husband and even the other characters like Joe or Quagmire. She is voiced by Alex Borstein.
Stewie Griffin is a intellectual and flamboyant one-year-old infant who has a motive of killing his mother, Lois in plans of total world domination. He has a steep encyclopedia and is technologically advanced by making lasers and time machines used for travelling back in time with the dog, Brian creating for some of the show's most memorable moments and episodes. He is voiced by show creator, Seth MacFarlane.
Chris Griffin is a teenager most known for causing a lot of shenanigans with his father, Peter. Just like his father, he is not the smartest person in the family, but can be intelligent at the most poignant time. His most known scenes are the one with the evil monkey in his closet in the earlier seasons. He is voiced by the creator of the Robot Chicken series, Seth Green.
Meg Griffin or as it says on her birth certificate "Megatron" is the oldest child of the Griffin family. She is seen at her school as an outcast and a loser by the popular crowd. She is also a subject of Peter's abuse and juvenile humor such as smelling his farts, the "Shut Up, Meg" phrase, and overall harassment. She was voiced by Lacey Chabert during the first season and is now voiced by Mila Kunis since the second season.
Brian Griffin is an eight-year-old dog that walks bipedally and speaks English. He is culturally sophisticated and enjoys drinking wine and watching opera, while still having dog behaviors. He is also Stewie's partner-in-crime when it comes to adventures and discoveries. He is also an atheist. He is voiced by show creator, Seth MacFarlane.