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"Family Guy" Amish episode


MamaJunebug

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I look at FG about once every 2 years, but happened to catch it tonite -- the Griffins visit Amish country!

 

Did anybody else view? It was excellent. It may have been a rerun. I TiVo'ed it but haven't looked at the date.

 

They poked lowkey fun at patriarchy, even called it that -"a patriarchal society" where women don't count, or words to that effect.

 

Hail, FG!

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haha, i always love fg's take on things. they always just have that special way of putting it. them and south park.

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I look at FG about once every 2 years, but happened to catch it tonite -- the Griffins visit Amish country!

Did anybody else view? It was excellent. It may have been a rerun. I TiVo'ed it but haven't looked at the date.

They poked lowkey fun at patriarchy, even called it that -"a patriarchal society" where women don't count, or words to that effect.

Hail, FG!

I saw half of it before my dog decided to change the channel and i lost the buffer. I love FG!

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ACK, I missed it again!! Family Guy is the only TV show I watch,but I have a boy sleepover going on so I am holed up in my bedroom and I watch a documentary about identifying a medieval skeleton and I had to see the whole thing.

Hulu now makes you wait a week for the newest episode of FG so I guess I will watch last weeks which I also missed.

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That show disgusts me. It is perhaps the most misogynist claptrap on television. They did a really funny episode recently on domestic violence, complete with a woman with a black eye. Loads of fun! :roll:

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That show disgusts me. It is perhaps the most misogynist claptrap on television. They did a really funny episode recently on domestic violence, complete with a woman with a black eye. Loads of fun! :roll:

only if you take it seriously. which, you shouldn't. it's sarcasm and satire.

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Yeah, it's a new one. I haven't seen it yet, but I am about to watch, usually I go for the Simpsons first but the OP has encouraged be to watch Family Guy first this week.

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That show disgusts me. It is perhaps the most misogynist claptrap on television. They did a really funny episode recently on domestic violence, complete with a woman with a black eye. Loads of fun! :roll:

Agree totally, and I can't stand it when people defend it by saying it's just satire. There's a difference between making fun of misogyny and using misogyny to be funny. Family Guy absolutely does the latter, and that's just part of what disgusts me about the show. In addition to being offensive, I also just think it's a terrible show.

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The misogyny would irritate me if it was the show's only target, but it's not. No one gets out alive in Family Guy. And if you actually watched the domestic violence episode, it was pretty clear that underneath the usual FG jerkassness, it was actually quite serious about the anti-abuse message and almost Lifetime-y.

There's also the teeny tiny little fact that the show's creator is staunchly liberal, atheist, a vocal GLBT activist, and pro-feminist, to speak to the idea that it all really is played for laughs, and is not meant to be taken seriously.

I missed the Amish episode :( I'll have to find it on Hulu next week!

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Guest Anonymous

I don't like to watch it. It's pretty much - rape joke, fat joke, Meg is ugly joke, pedophilia joke, rape joke. It's not funny to me, and when people have it on I sit there being uncomfortable or leave.

My feelings are that something has to be actually skewering corruption/patriarchy/sexism/etc. to qualify as satire. Family Guy comes across as straight up playing those things for laughs.

I know that I consume media that's problematic, (or I would consume none at all, IBTP) but FG is one show I can easily do without.

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The misogyny would irritate me if it was the show's only target, but it's not. No one gets out alive in Family Guy. And if you actually watched the domestic violence episode, it was pretty clear that underneath the usual FG jerkassness, it was actually quite serious about the anti-abuse message and almost Lifetime-y.

There's also the teeny tiny little fact that the show's creator is staunchly liberal, atheist, a vocal GLBT activist, and pro-feminist, to speak to the idea that it all really is played for laughs, and is not meant to be taken seriously.

yes, THANK YOU. SOMEONE WHO GETS IT. if you really take this series that seriously, you really need to rethink that. it is VERY un-pc, but that's what i love about it.

also, if you don't like it and find it offensive, the solution is simple...DON'T FUCKING WATCH IT. but please don't try to get down on me because i happen to like it.

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Guest Anonymous
yes, THANK YOU. SOMEONE WHO GETS IT. if you really take this series that seriously, you really need to rethink that. it is VERY un-pc, but that's what i love about it.

also, if you don't like it and find it offensive, the solution is simple...DON'T FUCKING WATCH IT. but please don't try to get down on me because i happen to like it.

I don't like to watch it, so I don't when I can avoid it. You do like to watch it, go on with your bad self. But nothing is immune to criticism. I think you're interpreting critique of the show as critique of you personally. I like stuff that isn't feminist, or even good for me. I still like it, but I don't try to fool myself or others that it's unproblematic. Obviously people disagree on whether or not Family Guy is satire, and whether it's funny or heinous. I don't really get breaking out the capital letters all over the place. It's not like it's ZOMG peanut butter.

I have seen more of it than I would care to because my old roommate enjoyed it and when you share space with people sometimes you compromise.

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I don't like to watch it, so I don't when I can avoid it. You do like to watch it, go on with your bad self. But nothing is immune to criticism. I think you're interpreting critique of the show as critique of you personally. I like stuff that isn't feminist, or even good for me. I still like it, but I don't try to fool myself or others that it's unproblematic. Obviously people disagree on whether or not Family Guy is satire, and whether it's funny or heinous. I don't really get breaking out the capital letters all over the place. It's not like it's ZOMG peanut butter.

a critique of me personally? lol i'm just pointing out that i think people take it way too seriously. i'm not saying that it's unproblematic...i said myself that it was very un-pc. i even capitalized the "very" just for extra emphasis. ;)

and...peanut butter? OMG do you have crunchy? i LOVE crunchy peanut butter :D it makes meh happeh.

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Agree totally, and I can't stand it when people defend it by saying it's just satire. There's a difference between making fun of misogyny and using misogyny to be funny. Family Guy absolutely does the latter, and that's just part of what disgusts me about the show. In addition to being offensive, I also just think it's a terrible show.

Agreed. I think part of it is satire, but they sure cash in on the people who don't 'get' the satire. (And that's not accidental. LOL, Meg's hideous and everyone hates her! HAHA ironically HAHA! Okay, guys, sure.)

From the sounds of it the domestic violence episode honestly didn't make light of the issue, but that doesn't give the show a free pass for stuff it's pulled in the past. Not all of it is ironic and mocking the perpetrators.

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I used to live with two people who adored FG and had every box set. Pretty much every night they would watch some after dinner, so I saw a lot of it.

Initially I found it pretty funny, but there was something about it I couldn't put my finger on that made me uncomfortable. The more I watched the more obvious the misogyny became, until eventually I couldn't watch because it really is (as someone said) rape joke, Meg is fat and worthless, rape joke, shut up Meg, aw those bitches, rape joke. It is creepy as fuck. And don't start telling me about satire. I know what satire is and I watch a lot of it. If that's what they're trying to do, they're doing it badly (as proven by the fact that their primary deomographic are the exact sexist guys they're supposed to be satirising. Making them think about their worldview, you are doin it rong.)

but please don't try to get down on me because i happen to like it.

This is a pretty clear indication you took criticism of the show as criticism of you for watching it. They are different things. Relax.

ETA: I think FG's 'ironic misogyny' is similar to 'ironic hipster racism'. Thing is, it's still racism.

Edited again (!!!!!!!!) for clarification.

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This is a pretty clear indication you took criticism of the show as criticism of you for watching it. They are different things. Relax.

um, that's not how i meant that. when i wrote it i thought it as more of a preventative statement so that it WOULDN'T happen. not that i think most of the people here would, but then again i don't know everyone.

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I used to live with two people who adored FG and had every box set. Pretty much every night they would watch some after dinner, so I saw a lot of it.

Initially I found it pretty funny, but there was something about it I couldn't put my finger on that made me uncomfortable. The more I watched the more obvious the misogyny became, until eventually I couldn't watch because it really is (as someone said) rape joke, Meg is fat and worthless, rape joke, shut up Meg, aw those bitches, rape joke. It is creepy as fuck. And don't start telling me about satire. I know what satire is and I watch a lot of it. If that's what they're trying to do, they're doing it badly (as proven by the fact that their primary deomographic are the exact sexist guys they're supposed to be satirising. Making them think about their worldview, you are doin it rong.)

This is a pretty clear indication you took criticism of the show as criticism of you for watching it. They are different things. Relax.

ETA: I think FG's 'ironic misogyny' is similar to 'ironic hipster racism'. Thing is, it's still racism.

Edited again (!!!!!!!!) for clarification.

Not really. It's not women, fat women, rape and racism. It's women, fat women, rape, racism, men, fat men, cripples, retarded people (fuck, the show's "protagonist" is retarded and he's the one who is shown in the most consistently negative light, precisely for being a retarded, racist, misogynist moron), celebrities, deaf and blind people, Jews, Muslims, Christians, atheists, gays, British people, lesbians, bisexuals, republicans, democrats, children, old people, rich people, poor people, victims of all kinds of horrible things natural and manmade, and talking dogs. And anything else you can think of.

You can't really pick and choose what to be offended by when the expressed aim of the show is to offend everyone at some point or another. I mean, like the show or don't, but if you object to it for being offensive, at least don't cherry pick what to be offended about, not just your pet causes ;)

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In my experience, when they're mocking Christians, atheists, and the like, it's usually for certain behaviours. They might be perceived by the writers as being more prevalent than they actually are, but they're mocking genuine idiocy and inconsistency they see. That's a far cry from 'THAT MEG CHICK IS SO UGLY, RAPE JOKE RAPE JOKE'.

My 'I'm done with the show' moment was

an episode that ends with Quagmire walking into a room where a cheerleader is gagged and bound (I think after Lois said Peter couldn't keep her), and gleefully shouting "Giggety giggety!" while advancing to her as her eyes widen and she starts to scream under the gag

Fucking hilarious, how they were satiring rape culture! I think I have a similar standard to Constance Vigilance: if the bigots who are going to find joy in that scene number more than the anti-bigots who'll get some subtle joke, then guess which audience you're playing to?

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Not really. It's not women, fat women, rape and racism. It's women, fat women, rape, racism, men, fat men, cripples, retarded people (fuck, the show's "protagonist" is retarded and he's the one who is shown in the most consistently negative light, precisely for being a retarded, racist, misogynist moron), celebrities, deaf and blind people, Jews, Muslims, Christians, atheists, gays, British people, lesbians, bisexuals, republicans, democrats, children, old people, rich people, poor people, victims of all kinds of horrible things natural and manmade, and talking dogs. And anything else you can think of.

You can't really pick and choose what to be offended by when the expressed aim of the show is to offend everyone at some point or another. I mean, like the show or don't, but if you object to it for being offensive, at least don't cherry pick what to be offended about, not just your pet causes ;)

Actually I can feel however I like about it. Surprising, isn't it?

Given that I am gay, that's one of my 'pet causes' too, but the gay jokes in FG don't bother me. They pop up occasionally, eh, whatever. It's the misogyny that bothers me because it is all-pervading. Other groups come and go as mockery targets, but the anti-women drumbeat is constant and unquestioned. So unquestioned that fans of the show get up in arms when you do question it. (Like, say, this thread.) It gets to the point where it isn't funny, I just find it depressing.

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Hmmm. It seems like you go to great lengths to ferret out and shout about things that do offend you personally, and to criticise the show for it, yet completely ignore and/or dismiss things offensive to other groups of people.

Alright, whatever makes you happy.

May I make a suggestion, though? If the show offends you that much, perhaps instead of watching it enough to find evidence of its despicable nature to the point that you can quote it offhand, you should -- wait fooorrrr iiiiiittt -- change the channel to something more compatible with your philosophies that won't offend you so gravely with its mere existence. I suggest Lifetime.

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Nice try, Lily, but I spotted those moving goalposts. One minute I should be offended on behalf of everyone, not just my 'pet causes'. Then I point out that my 'pet causes' have nothing to do with it, so we move on to how I'm not offended on behalf of every group mentioned on the show (with the implication that therefore my opinion doesn't count).

I feel like I explained really clearly why the anti-woman jokes bother me more than the others. But you can't accuse me of hypocrisy if you read what I say, so carry on. :D

[Edited to make sense. Ah, distant dream.]

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I didn't say you should be offended on behalf of everyone. I just said that you're intentionally ignoring/dismissing everything else it pokes fun of and making it all about your own personal hot-button issue, like it's personally out to get you or something.

I also never mentioned hypocrisy. That's your word, not mine. I said it's a poor argument and that if it's so horrendously offensive to you, watch something else instead of just going looking for things to be outraged by.

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..... Okay, then!

One of things I appreciated about the episode involving the Amish was showing that they *do* have violent tendencies, like any group of people, and that pushed far enough, they will act on those tendencies. The episode doesn't cover family abuse, but whereas 10 years ago I would *never* have thought that Amish were abusive -- and worse, covered it up and allowed it perpetuate -- the fact that a satirical show includes violence by Amish characters is important. It shows me that the word has gotten out that the Amish are not quaint eccentrics, but flawed people like the rest of us.

Another was that there was no mention of Meg being unattractive. Eli, the Amish boy who falls in love with her (as she does with him), isn't shown to be particularly handsome nor ugly, he just "is," and so is she.

I've already mentioned that they say aloud that the Amish are a patriarchal society in which women aren't treated as equals. 10 years ago, i didn't know that! It made a great difference to me in my admiration for the way of life they live.

Before a barn-raising, Ezekial - Eli's intolerant father - speaks a prayer that's not only funny ("Save us from moustaches") but that reflects the unfortunate Amish emphasis on sin at the expense of grace. Or said another way, emphasis on Law instead of Gospel. Another thing I only learned post-internet. Somebody watching will now know that, whether they've researched the group or not.

Of course, too many people think all of Christendom emphasizes sin over grace, so that may be a wash in a lot of cases.

In the end,

Eli decides that while he loves Meg, he belongs in the Amish community. Meg is sorrowful but doesn't try to change his mind, and says she'll always love him. Very mature, very selfless, very admirable.

There are sight gags a-plenty, I'll leave them to the fans to find them out.

I did groan when the Griffin father says he's calling the guy with the Bob Hope face. But that character's part in this episode was very small -

and he is on the receiving end of some Amish-quilt violence! Ha!

I'm going to stay out of the other FG discussion that's here. As I said, I look at an episode about every 24 months, and that's partly because generally, I just don't care for the show; partly, it's because there's something else I'd rather watch. I simply appreciated the way this episode spoke plainly (no pun intended) about Amish and as well, how it showed the women of the Griffin family in such positive lights (Meg and the mother).

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ACK, I missed it again!! Family Guy is the only TV show I watch,but I have a boy sleepover going on so I am holed up in my bedroom and I watch a documentary about identifying a medieval skeleton and I had to see the whole thing.

Hulu now makes you wait a week for the newest episode of FG so I guess I will watch last weeks which I also missed.

yep fox is a bitch this year all their shows are available only a week after...

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