I'm looking for a clip online from the 'Viewer Mail' episode where Peter gets his own Theme Music. Anyone have a link? Looked on You Tube and Google Video with no luck.

That was a great scene.

Speaking of Family Guy, I've always wanted to bring this up on the BBS:

When I first saw Family Guy, I didn't like it. I thought they tried too hard to make their jokes, I thought they were being deliberately crass just for the shock effect. It rubbed me the wrong way. Now I'm addicted and I think it's one of the most clever shows on TV. I often re-watch episodes on the Tivo just because I haven't seen them in a while.

What happened? Did I change, did my perceptions change, did the show change, or did I just get used to their style?

I think I'm at the first stage of that Family Guy thing. I've seen one or maybe two episodes and I don't think I get it. It just isn't funny to me, and like you said they try too hard.

But then, my sister loves it. I normally like what she likes... maybe I just need to watch a bit more?

Made one myself

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-1030481291986127693

(viewed best as original size)

Edit: Bugger - seems I infringed copyright

I LOVE Family Guy. I can't explain why because I don't see any huge gags. I don't think I ever thought them crass or shocking though, even early one. The humour has changed of late though - its a lot more subltle and clever. I dunno - not as 'in your face' would be the best way to describe the change.

I continue to dislike Family Guy. I suppose it's vaguely possible that if I watched a lot of it, I'd get used to it, but that seems rather like getting salt rubbed into your wounds until all your nerve endings die.

My main problem with it, the few episodes that I've seen (maybe five total), is that it's a vague framework to hang one-liners off of. There's no reason for the jokes to exist. It's like a 5-year-old just reading jokes out of a joke book one after the other. (Did you see the South Park episode where they made fun of Family Guy? I agreed 100%. Not that South Park can't be just as bad at times, and preachy in addition.)

Add onto that that the jokes are usually not funny and I can usually see the punchline as soon as they start the joke and you can see why I don't enjoy it in the least.

Every once in a while, I'll watch an episode just to make sure nothing has changed, and, so far, at least, my opinion has not.

Honestly, if the jokes were funny, none of that would make much difference. But they're obvious, terrible, and poorly delivered.

I think the obvious nature of the humour is what makes me like it so much. The Simpsons lately has tried too hard and its suffering badly, Family Guy is to me what The Simpsons was in season 7/8 (although Simpsons wins hands down in that comparison).

If FG was purely Peter I wouldn't like it so much, but Stewie makes it worthwhile.

Yeah, I'm unsure if the South Park guys were being mean or just poking good-natured fun at Family Guy. Regardless, I agree with what was actually said about Family Guy, regardless of the sentiment behind it.

And they often use Cartman as a device to show that it's possible to do the right thing for the wrong reasons to point out the subtleties in many issues. They certainly weren't doing that here (as I don't think they were promoting not-depicting-Muhammad as the right thing to do), but there's more to their use of Cartman than there is to the character himself.