I'm at a loss at how utterly WRETCHED this episode was. Unless they can somehow top themselves (oh PLEASE, no!), then this is easily the worst episode of the season.
They could have had something great with "Evil Stewie", but it just went SO over-the-top and it just wasn't funny. Evil Stewie slicing off Brian's tail and shoving it in Stewie's mouth was NOT funny. Evil Stewie slicing a woman in half was NOT funny. Evil Stewie killing the Kool-Aid Man...well, ok, that was pretty good. But the ending...I mean, come on, even BRIAN was talking about how overused that plot device was. Hell, they just did it LAST WEEK!
Speaking of overused plot devices, we had Meg falling for Joe. Even Joe was pointing out that this has been done before (and to much funnier effect) when Meg fell for Brian.
I remember seeing previews for this episode back in December before it was suddenly moved back without anyone making a peep. I wondered why, but it all makes sense now.
Just utter garbage, outside of the Kool-Aid gags and the random Patrick Stewart voice-overs. If you missed it, stay far away from this one.
I feel like they've done worse this season, but I can't quickly come up with examples. Slicing the woman in half definitely looked like one of those things I've suspected they have recently been so bored as to see how far they could push the envelope, to the detriment of the show's entertainment value.
I almost wish they hadn't put the Kool-Aid Man bit in there, cause that gives the episode one redeeming moment. I want to be able to hate the whole thing. That bit was awesome, though.
Evil Stewie's actions went a whole lot further than I thought they'd go, and I don't think it was necessary, or funny. Agreed that the episode was pretty much a total dud.
And they've even done the "Stewie clone they have to get rid of" before, with Bitch Stewie.
I don't watch Family Guy for the classiness of the show, so I had no problem with Evil Stewie's actions. The first thing I thought of, though, was Bitch Stewie and how they've already done the clone before. But I can understand everyone feeling like they've seen this episode before, as neither A nor B plots were original.
I was actually okay with Meg and Joe's storyline as well. Yeah, they did it with Brian, but it was just different enough to feel like it wasn't completely a clone. Plus, getting with Joe makes sense given her history with Brian (i.e. taking a relationship too far).
Meg episodes are almost never that good, but I was thinking about halfway through that they were out of new ideas or they were just seeing how repetitive they can get until people really start griping.
Maybe more of the focus has gone into the Cleveland Show, which I have found to be more entertaining week to week this season.
I have to say, I'm a little bit surprised by how everyone is reacting to this episode. I get that the 'evil Stewie' violent spree was a bit much, but really not much more than what we've seen from FG at times over the last season or two. If anything, I still find myself more troubled by 'Friends of Peter G'. Maybe I'm desensitized to the violence and in turn making too big a deal about other stuff, but I found myself more offended by FG basically saying that Alcohol Antonymous was a religious cult and that those who don't drink alcohol are losers. To me, that sends the wrong message.
As for the Meg story, yeah it feel the same as her 'relationship' one with Brian. Not the best episode but I thought I have seen far worse. I did like the random Patrick Stewart voice overs, the Kool-aid bit, Lois comparing Meg to Rachel Maddow, and Bonnie all together. Her cocaine/gun bit at the airport and the 'gambling' joke at the end probably got the biggest laughs from me for the night. Hopefully, this means they'll use Jennifer Tilly and her character a little more. I think Bonnie is one of the more underrated and underused characters on the show.
Originally posted by supersalvadoranI have to say, I'm a little bit surprised by how everyone is reacting to this episode. I get that the 'evil Stewie' violent spree was a bit much, but really not much more than what we've seen from FG at times over the last season or two.
You're absolutely right and I think this episode is more of an indication of the frustration starting to boil over. Since the show went HD (or more coincidentally, since the show lost Cleveland), the writing has gotten a lot lazier, like CRZ noted. It's more about trying to get a shock value reaction and less about trying to be funny.
And sure, one could argue that the show's ALWAYS had this violence level in them. But they've always tried to be FUNNY about it. Yes, Stewie nearly killing Brian over a gambling debt was as violent as the show gets, but they were at least trying to be funny about it with some witty barbs about "You can afford to buy fake mustaches!" and the like. Compared to that, Evil Stewie's killing spree (where they didn't even TRY and sprinkle in any humor, aside from the Kool-Aid Man joke) comes across as violence for the sake of violence.
I've been a huge fan of the show for many years and I hate to think that's it's time to bail, but if the rest of the season doesn't show any improvement (or even any potential for improvement), I may be out. And it really hurts to say that.
Nous ne nous pouvons pas sortir. The best joke ("Oh yeah!") of the season in the worst episode of the season. Sad that Jennifer Tilly's best lines came here too.
Originally posted by It's FalseI've been a huge fan of the show for many years and I hate to think that's it's time to bail, but if the rest of the season doesn't show any improvement (or even any potential for improvement), I may be out. And it really hurts to say that.
The back 9 of the season have been mostly crap since it came back in 2005, just check in again in November or wait until one of these threads has positive feedback. It's what I used to do.
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