No, we’re not following the SyFy channel’s lead. We have no plans for future tv wrestling reviews. However, Family Guy convinced the entire cast of Star Trek: The Next Generation to do guest voices this week.
How did that work out?
I shall be brutally honest. I have seen episodes of Family Guy, usually ones someone identified as being “good” episodes, that I have liked. But generally, I find the show derivative, repetitive, and stupid. The writers understand that crudeness, shock, and pop-culture allusion sometimes can be funny, but don’t grasp why these things sometimes can be funny. As a result, the show is frequently merely crude, faux/forced-shocking, and allusion-heavy. YMMV.
I tuned out of this Trek ep halfway through. Maybe it got better when the cast returned.
Did anyone out there watch it? What did you think?
"Meh"
The bit at the drive-through was good, but the rest of the episode was weak. The Trek side-plot completely outshone the main plot of the episode as well.
Judge for Yourself
http://www.hulu.com/watch/64995/family-guy-not-all-dogs-go-to-heaven
Wasted opportunity
If you’re going to something as momentous as getting the whole TNG cast together, at least dedicate a show to it, and don’t just relegate it to the side jokes for an otherwise forgettable "Seth on his Soapbox" episode. I get that maybe scheduling this was probably tough, maybe they didn’t have some of the cast for very long or whatever, but still, Gates McFadden had what, one line? Marina Sirtis and Frakes didn’t have many more than that.
They could have had an entire episode just tearing apart Star Trek fans/culture/etc, but instead it was just a side joke. The whole "We’re acting like little kids" thing was funny, but not enough to base their whole appearance on. Very disappointing.
Meh (yeah me too)
My "Meh" goes to EVERYTHING Seth McWhatever HAS DONE SINCE FAMILY GUY GOT CANCELLED.
The first few seasons of Family Guy were reasonably funny. Not "Futurama" funny, but pretty funny (and speaking of Futurama, compare this episode to Futurama’s "Where No Fan Has Gone Before"!)
Once they brought it back, they seem to focus on the show’s weaknesses – being repetitive and basically copying scenes from other shows/movies verbatim with the cast of FG instead.
So yeah, kind of a waste of the entire TNG cast there.
Also they made Marina use her show-accent instead of her real-life accent /nerd
"Whil Wheeaton" "Wil Wheaton"
Would that be the point where Peter said "Yes folks, it’s a Meg episode"? That was where I started to blank it out. Honestly the convention scene was funny, as was the initial transporter scene – Denise Crosby’s death was well done, as was the "Wil/Whil Wheaton" bit – but it was an otherwise forgettable episode (with the exception of God as Flash Gordon).
What a waste – 15 years since they were all together, and this is what we get?
I can summarize my feelings with a comic…
from Real Life Comics: http://www.reallifecomics.com/archive/090330.html
A side thought that occurred to me was I wonder if the amount of lines was tied to the amount of work/exposure they’ve gotten since TNG ended.
But this was another weak episode in a growing string of weak episodes filled with recycled gags. The Wil/Whil bit was recycled from a bit involving cool whip.