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Family Guy Episodes Fans Want To See Less Of

Given its lofty place in the history of adult animation, it's easy to forget that Seth MacFarlane's "Family Guy" got off to a rather rocky start back in the day. When it premiered in 1999, it didn't exactly catch on with viewers, amounting to an initial small screen run that wrapped up in 2003 after a mere three seasons. However, the once small fanbase grew throughout the year and became increasingly vocal, prompting those at Fox to revive the series, so "Family Guy" returned in 2005 with Season 4 and hasn't looked back since.

When speaking to "Family Guy" fans, you're likely to hear a few reasons why they've stuck by the show through thick and thin. For some, it's the comedy, which is often delivered through somewhat contrived cutaway gags that carry no weight in the story. Others point to the character roster that's comprised of animation icons like Peter Griffin (MacFarlane) and even celebrities such as the divisive James Woods. At the same time, though, most have their gripes with the program, and they're typically not afraid to discuss them.

For instance, one chunk of the "Family Guy" fandom believes that it would be better off minimizing the number of these kinds of episodes. Here's why.

Family Guy fans don't want so many serious episodes

At its core, "Family Guy" is and always has been a comedy series. How successful it is at being one is up for individual interpretation, but it wears the genre on its sleeve all the same. On a few occasions, the show has dialed back the jokes to attempt more somber, serious stories that cover topics like death, disease, and more. Despite its best efforts, though, "Family Guy" isn't the greatest at shifting to a dramatic tone, as evidenced by Redditor u/MetalShina and others in their thread complaining about such episodes. In their eyes, they bring the show down just about every time and shouldn't be nearly as frequent for that reason.

As it turns out, fans aren't the only ones aware of the missteps of "Family Guy" — the serious episodes included. Those who work on the show, namely showrunner Alec Sulkin, have known that it needs improvement for some time now. "I still think the show is good overall, but I acknowledge that the show has had challenges trying to keep things fresh. There is kind of a burnout factor," he admitted to Vulture in a 2016 interview, adding that he and the team are committed to making positive changes. After all, not only do they want to retain their audience, but they'd like to get back some of the folks they've lost over the years, too.

There's no harm in tossing in some drama to spice up a comedic show like "Family Guy," but the blend has to be just right. Many feel it's not, but hopefully, that will change sooner rather than later.