It may surprise some, but cartoons are currently some of the longest-running, most-love primetime shows on TV. The Simpsons, South Park and Family Guy are all current and widely popular hit shows that have outlasted live-action counterparts, such as Friends or Scrubs. The secret to their success is simple: The characters don't age. For this reason, an animated show has the potential to outlast any of its live-action peers. Nevertheless, the distinguishing factor, for any show is whether the writers can come up with fresh, original material, and writers on these shows certainly do. On competitive prime-time television, lasting 10 seasons is the hallmark of a great show. Family Guy has now begun its ninth season, South Park is in its 14th season and The Simpsons has started its 22nd. You would think that The Simpsons would have become stale by now, but far from it - Homer and the rest of the cast still manage to make audiences laugh week in and week out. The same can be said for South Park, which, unlike The Simpsons, has carved its niche in the cartoon world by offering a greater sense of edginess. Therefore, although South Park still can make me laugh, I prefer another long-running show: Family Guy.
Family Guy is closer to The Simpsons than to South Park, but it has separated itself from the pack with its own distinctive approach. For one, it offers a unique, creative plotline every episode, albeit with recurring themes. For example, the first episode of the ninth season was a classic murder mystery with a twist, while the second episode was a double-edged attack against both Republicans and Democrats, focusing on Brian's newfound admiration of Rush Limbaugh. Each episode thus far has been funny in its own right, but what Family Guy does best is its usually random, but always hilarious, flashback cut scenes. These one-liner cut scenes further exemplify the comic genius of Seth MacFarlane, the show's creator, who also does the voices for more than a dozen characters.
Family Guy's humor is more varied than that of The Simpsons, whose humor is primarily character driven, or South Park, whose humor comes mostly from shock value. And because Family Guy combines elements of both, it is a strong contender for my primetime choice. Perhaps this is because it has not aired for as long as the other shows and thus still has a spark of newness. Regardless, the creative output of MacFarlane and his team helps Family Guy remain one of the freshest series on television.
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