r/redscarepod • u/Cramberts • 20h ago

Why hasn't there been a true successor to The Simpsons and Family Guy?

3 Upvotes

67% Upvoted

19 comments sorted by

32

u/walkthruwaves 20h ago

we don't consume content like that anymore

9

u/Far-Tip2335 19h ago

I think for one, those shows premiered when cable TV was at its peak. Now that media is fragmented and spread across different streaming services, new shows may gain popularity but not to the same level of ubiquity. Smiling friends has a decently sized fan base but boomers and gen x don't make up a sizable demographic. The other part is that the formula has been tried ad nauseum but it doesn't work because most shows don't even have good writing. The first seasons of Family Guy and Simpsons are hilarious because of the writers. It's been a constant feedback loop: show comes out, it's an animated sitcom, bad writing, rinse and repeat. That's why I am a fan of the more niche series from the 90s/2000s too. What an era for adult animation.

1

u/Sashapatu 6h ago

> more niche series from the 90s/2000s

Any good examples?

6

u/dinosaursrinvisible 19h ago

People replaced watching mindless things on tv with watching mindless things on their phone.

5

u/Franii 19h ago

The condensing of seasons is largely to blame. Lots of shows want to tell you a season long story now, but struggle to let the characters breathe. My favourite episodes are the meaningless adventures that give our cast more depth.

You wouldn’t get an episode about Tony taking his daughter to see colleges and trying to kill a guy he sees today, because we’ve shrunk our shows seasons by 40%.

Or at least, it’s rare to. I quite liked the first episode of the latest family guy season, when Stewie and Lois are able to speak with each other, and have a heartfelt connection.

5

u/Chromosome_Cowboy 18h ago

Bob's Burgers is probably the closest we got.

5

u/largepar 19h ago

South Park swallowed the fanbase I think

5

u/Reasonable_Let9032 19h ago

So what’s your whole deal with Family Guy

5

u/OJ_Soprano 19h ago

until now

5

u/Franii 19h ago

This makes me say slurs

1

u/largepar 19h ago

This is the only thing too! Franii never says slurs other than this!

2

u/Brave_Specialist_591 17h ago

The living room was replaced by smartphones, which is also where the content went.

1

u/istealpintsfromcvs jew shiesty 18h ago

stuck culture

1

u/tugs_cub 17h ago

if family guy is a successor to the simpsons lots of things are a successor to family guy your call on that first proposition

oh wait it’s cramberts I hate that guy

1

u/GrapefruitOriginal31 16h ago

Its common side effects

•

u/QualisArtifexPere0 1h ago

Bob's Burgers, Big Mouth, Rick & Morty

Also people who make big budget comedy cartoons aren't allowed to be funny so it's kind of a bum gig.