Since 1999, Seth McFarlane has led one of the most iconic cartoons in television history. Family Guy takes place in the fictional town of Quahog, Rhode Island. The main cast includes a stereotypical American family with an idiotic dad, a rich high-pitched mom, a neglected daughter, a self-conscious son, and a talking baby and dog. From the outside, the show already seems to have a lot going on. Still, every episode feels original with different jokes and lessons, and while the show misses sometimes, it has a very strong legacy in the entertainment industry.

What makes Family Guy so special is the absurdity and randomness of its content. The show is known best for using cutaways that extend metaphors or jokes. The cutaways typically occur after one of the characters says, “This is just like/even worse/even better than that time..” A joke featuring a historical character/event, celebrity, or pop culture is shown on the screen. Family Guy’s cutaways are by far the most popular aspect of the show, with thousands of cutaway compilations all around the internet. The jokes can feel random to many, but the product of Family Guy has always attracted a specific audience.

Still, the jokes can be taken the wrong way at times. Family Guy has had a history of making racial, gender, sexual, and religious jokes, and the results have not always been the prettiest. As society continues to get softer, Family Guy is canceled much more often. Sometimes, people just find the jokes not funny, claiming they’re “cheap and low effort” and “appealing to 14-year-olds.” The jokes sometimes don’t age very well, and some question, “Is this even comedy, or is it just a slew of offensive marks?”

Despite all the negativity and controversy surrounding Family Guy’s products, the comedy has, in a way, saved the show. The rise of YouTube in the last 15 years and TikTok in the last 5 years has shone a light on Family Guy. Family Guy has reached quite literally every corner of the internet. “Family Guy Racist Moments”, “Family Guy Offensive Moments”, and “Family Guy Funny Asian Jokes.” The internet has feasted on every second of Family Guy’s content, and the show’s popularity has risen to levels it previously had never been at.

Overall, Family Guy has remained one of the most popular shows in entertainment, and whatever jokes they end up making will reach a certain audience. From Donald Trump’s animated baby hands to Tiny Tom Cruise, the use of satire and offense has brought Family Guy to a genre of its own.