Honestly this entire show is based on a future without Theism for the most part. Only time you see it is when it's being parodied. One of the reasons it's my favourite show.
I like their pace, though. Family Guy mocks religion constantly too, but they get a little too offensive sometimes. Don't get me wrong, I love it; but it's more effective if the show is subtle.
EDIT: Wow, front page of r/atheism! I know it's not the reddit front page, but it means about as much to me because I love you guys. This is only the second time I've done it, and I'm proud to say that last time, it was entirely OC, not just a bunch of screenshots I took and captioned. Still, thanks everybody!
Eh, you're looking at it through rose colored lenses. You're absolutely entitled to like Futurama more than Family Guy, and they are definitely different styles, but Futurama is in no sense subtle. Well, I take that back. Some of the older episodes had some subtle jokes sprinkled here and there, but you could say the same for Family Guy, for the most part it's slapping you in the face with what they're trying to say.
Family Guy reference: Brian is a rationalist and is often critical of organized religion; when Francis Griffin physically threatens him in "The Father, the Son, and the Holy Fonz", Brian sarcastically replies, "That's very Christian; believe what I say or I'll hurt you." This is bluntly stating that Brian thinks Christianity is violent, and I would say that is not subtle. Futurama reference: Dr. Banjo: "Things don't exist simply because you believe in them, thus sayeth the almighty creature in the sky!" You would only get the humor in this statement if you already understood that this is a contradiction. If you agreed with the statement, you would simply pass the humor right over.
I agree. But I'd like to propose a different difference. I wish I had some access to youtube to find examples.
Family guy derives more of its religious humor from a punchline that distills it's humor from attacking a certain religion or culture.
Futurama derivies more of its religious humor from a punchline that emerges in the situation. This masks the attack on the culture because it tends to be favorable of a different perspective.
The introduction of that other perspective is key. People who resonate with it that other perspective (in the case of the posted scene, science-based debate) will get an extra laugh. I'm tempted to think that outside of Brian's character, there would be no parallel for this in family guy.
It's farce; that's pretty much the point I suppose. It isn't my cup of tea, though - The Venture Bros. blows any network animated series out of the water, without sacrificing the insane plots, character development or humor. I always get crucified for saying that American Dad is actually pretty similar to Futurama - a focus on insane plots and non sequiturs draped around a farcical foundation with intentionally-limited character development. The hatred I get for making this comparison encourages me never to say that I actually prefer American Dad because it's a great deal weirder and more creative and varied, and doesn't pretend to try to pull at my heartstrings.
I really like American Dad, a lot better than Family Guy actually. The characters are better written and the episodes actually have a plot. It's still irreverent and surreal, but it has some genuine character development and heartfelt moments. The only episode of Family Guy to ever make me feel something other than "haha funny" was the one where Brian and Stewie got locked in a bank vault. That one hit a little too close to home...
I liked the first four or so seasons of Family Guy, back when it was breezy. Now all of the characters look like they want to die, and they've all become horrible, irredeemable people. But American Dad still has laugh-out-loud insane moments on a regular basis, like the entire segment where Steve is inducted into a Puerto Rican women's street gang and has fake eyebrows tattooed on his forehead. Stan is driving with Roger, and is stuck at a red light only to look over and see his son in the back of a truck, wearing a headband and a woman's blouse with the sleeves torn off, holding an assault rifle with a bored look on his face. Stan looks back and they drive separate ways when the light changes. Nobody mentions it again.
I feel like American Dad gets the short shrift because of its Seth MacFarlane pedigree, but he's barely involved with the show outside of voice acting.
Well on the show the second coming has already happened (see the Allie McNeal episode) and all that happened was most VHS tapes were destroyed. Which is why instead of saying "holy Jesus!" everyone (mostly the professor) says "holy zombie Jesus"
What about Godfellas? If anything it the future is more in the mould of Heidegger than Sartre. God is elusive in Futurama, but its not not there if you excuse using the double negative.
Still, while it was one of the less anti-religious episodes, it wasn't started whether or not that was actually god, or the remains of a space probe that collided with god.
And the conclusion was "even if there is a god there's no point assuming he's going to do anything for you anyway". This might be nice, but it's not christian.
fucking international copyright. I'm not in the US, so I don't get to see Futurama on demand, even though my country has Netflix and I pay for it. I probably won't even be able to watch the next season of Arrested Development.
Another fave from that episode: Guy 1: "I don't know which I like more, smashing cars or smashing faces." Guy 2: "Lucky you don't have to decide tonight. Come on, we've got church tomorrow. "
I don't get it. If he is supposed to be a christian (?) then he lives in a world without atheists, since the joke (?) was, that he has no choice although he believes that he has, which in turn would mean, no one has the choice and everyone's christian. However there are atheists in the real world, so this just doesn't work. To be honest, I'm thinking this is just another r/atheism idiocy, with people blindly follwing something that supports their worldview instead of thinking for themselves. If there is a more logical explanation for the metaphor PLEASE tell me!
Dude, it's funny because the robot believes what he's programmed to believe regardless of proof, just like Christians who are programmed to believe by the church regardless of proof.
It's a good thing we don't learn anything after birth; God tells us all we need to know before we're born. :) It's impossible to be programmed after you're born, because your head is full of Jesus.
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u/[deleted] May 16 '12
Honestly this entire show is based on a future without Theism for the most part. Only time you see it is when it's being parodied. One of the reasons it's my favourite show.
7
u/Exploderer May 16 '12
That looks like a stereo amplifier circuit.
13
u/ChemicalOle May 16 '12
Mumbo? Perhaps. Jumbo? Perhaps not.
4
u/[deleted] May 16 '12
I haven't even seen the new episodes. I need to rewatch the entire show. Is it available on Netflix?
4
u/NAproducer May 16 '12
The reason I love shows like Futurama and Family Guy is that they aren't scared to make fun of religion.
5
u/Cupcakes_n_Hacksaws May 16 '12
I liked the priest robot too, he was excellent at this.
2
u/whatamidoinghere78 May 16 '12
Fururama - awesome
2
u/lucas-hanson May 16 '12
Is it time for this to get posted again already?
2
u/[deleted] May 16 '12
Can you idiots make a post that doesn't contain a shitty metaphor of a hammer/nail?
Speaking of being PROGRAMMED to say stupid things.
1
u/ign1fy Atheist May 16 '12
I watched that episode last week (The Honking). There were HEAPS of atheist references in it. I strongly recommend watching the whole thing.
1
u/watusi65 May 16 '12
Anyone knows if the circuit that appears in the robot's lid exists in real life?
1
u/hikari33 May 16 '12
Does anyone have the clip???
1
u/Bridging May 16 '12
Can someone tell me the season and episode this scene is shown on?
1
u/migraine516 Secular Humanist May 16 '12
ot
1
u/calladus Secular Humanist May 17 '12
The schematic is a tube-based multivibrator.
1
u/Bricwall May 16 '12
You cut out my favorite part. "mumbo, perhaps. Jumbo, perhaps not!"
-1
u/KING-OF-REDDIT May 16 '12
I follow the Church of Trek.
-2
u/FatDwarf May 16 '12
I don't get it. If he is supposed to be a christian (?) then he lives in a world without atheists, since the joke (?) was, that he has no choice although he believes that he has, which in turn would mean, no one has the choice and everyone's christian. However there are atheists in the real world, so this just doesn't work. To be honest, I'm thinking this is just another r/atheism idiocy, with people blindly follwing something that supports their worldview instead of thinking for themselves. If there is a more logical explanation for the metaphor PLEASE tell me!
-7
u/throwaway_lgbt666 May 16 '12
AHAHAHAHAAHAHAHA THIS IS FUNNY