TV Characters that went from kind of dumb

[Nighthawk]

Call me crazy, but I much prefer Family Guy now. It's always been a show of extremes that makes no sense, might as well take it to the natural conclusion.

[PUT THAT DICK IN MY MOUTH!]

Yeah but "random non sequitur" humor really works best when it's operating within/against some kind of structural framework. At this point Family Guy is the like the TV show equivalent of people like this:

 

 

So rand0m and zany/ loll

[Nighthawk]

Well, it does have some structural framework.

 

Family Guy sees the line and crosses it sometimes. You want a show that completely ignores the line: Robot Chicken.

[Slayer]

Robot Chicken is just Seth Green compiling all the potential FG cutaway jokes that MacFarlane rejected

[Nightwing]

I don't watch Family Guy near enough to even begin to understand it's characters, but I always thought Meg was not meant to be seen as flat out ugly and unwanted but more like that chunky girl that's just cute enough to throw one in, but not cute enough that you'd want your boys to see you hanging out with?

 

Initially that was likely the character, but now she's like a walking leper, even to the point that when she asked a random character out he shot himself in the stomach with a nailgun to avoid the date.

I think the problem really is lazy writing. When "Family Guy" came back, most of the old writers had moved on, so Alex Borstein brought in some MadTV writers as replacements-hence one of the reasons I can't stand the show anymore. It's almost like Seth is going on autopilot with the show and giving more attention to "American Dad", which I think has become the superior product.

 

Holy Christ, not only does that make complete sense, but I totally agree with you on American Dad.

 

Robot Chicken is just Seth Green compiling all the potential FG cutaway jokes that MacFarlane rejected

 

At least Robot Chicken makes no illusions about being just a clip-skit show.

[SuperJerk]

It's not just stupidity. Any trait a character may have, can be exaggerated as a work progresses. The factors include a change in writers, and underestimating audience comprehension. Here is a list of examples.

That's a good read...except for the minute detail given to examples from video games and Japanese shows.

[luke-o]

Since I mentioned him in the other thread - Kelso from That 70's Show. He was dumb in the first couple of seasons but was beyond retarded towards the end.

 

And I'll second the Joey shout.

[Nighthawk]

Oh yeah... and ditto Kimmy Gibbler.

[Slayer]

Robot Chicken is just Seth Green compiling all the potential FG cutaway jokes that MacFarlane rejected

At least Robot Chicken makes no illusions about being just a clip-skit show.

True, I actually enjoy RC (at least the earlier episodes, haven't seen much of it in the last year), though it's mildly marred by the fact that for most of the sketches I could in my head easily see them preceded by a "This is worse than/better than/just like when ________"

[Gary Floyd]

I don't watch Family Guy near enough to even begin to understand it's characters, but I always thought Meg was not meant to be seen as flat out ugly and unwanted but more like that chunky girl that's just cute enough to throw one in, but not cute enough that you'd want your boys to see you hanging out with?

 

Initially that was likely the character, but now she's like a walking leper, even to the point that when she asked a random character out he shot himself in the stomach with a nailgun to avoid the date.

I think the problem really is lazy writing. When "Family Guy" came back, most of the old writers had moved on, so Alex Borstein brought in some MadTV writers as replacements-hence one of the reasons I can't stand the show anymore. It's almost like Seth is going on autopilot with the show and giving more attention to "American Dad", which I think has become the superior product.

 

Holy Christ, not only does that make complete sense, but I totally agree with you on American Dad.

 

Robot Chicken is just Seth Green compiling all the potential FG cutaway jokes that MacFarlane rejected

 

At least Robot Chicken makes no illusions about being just a clip-skit show.

 

"Robot Chicken" is one of those shows I liked the first season, then got tired of quickly. "American Dad" is what happens when Seth McFarlene discovers the importance of characters and plot, and does away with terrible cut away gags. In short, I've grown to love it. "Family Guy" is just painful to watch now-you can tell they aren't even trying anymore, and they've amplified what was annoying about the show in the start ("Bird is the Word" anyone?) It's become one of my least favorite shows on TV right now.

 

 

Oh yeah... and ditto Kimmy Gibbler.

Remember her idiot boyfriend who only said "whatever?" Even he seemed smarter than her.

[bob_barron]

Duane was shown to be smarter than her in the finale, as it was revealed he was a big Shakespeare fan who could quote lines on cue.

 

Whatever.

[TheFranchise]

Homer Simpson without a doubt.

 

In a way.. you could be talking about Simpson.

 

Detective Homer Simpson.

 

But he wasn't that dumb at first. He was cool, but THEN he became ultra stupid.

 

It did, of course, give the world..

 

MAX POWER

[muzz]

Randy's stupidity usually coincides with an equally big and stupid event going on around him.

 

I love him either way.

[Nightwing]

I'm not sure Randy's retarded insomuch as he's become a trendwhore in recent seasons.

[MarvinisaLunatic]

Cody from Step By Step

[RepoMan]

I'm not sure Randy's retarded insomuch as he's become a trendwhore in recent seasons.

 

Pretty much. Plus he went from a global warming skeptic in the Earth Day episode to a liberal strawman.

 

[Darthtiki]

add in most of the kids from Step By Step

[DrVenkman PhD]

Bibleman

[Black Lushus]

Paula Abdul

[BifEverchad]

Has nobody mentioned Chrissy Snow (Suzanne Somers) from Three's Company?

 

She was always a dumbass, but they really milked the cow on that one..

[Boner Kawanger]

It was the 70s. Everyone was milking Suzanne Somers.

[Psycho Penguin]

Eric Matthews is definitely the first thing that came to mind. He went from a normal teen obsessed with girls and his looks, to a real idiot. He was shown to be smart in the earlier episodes. Then again, continuity is not that show's strong suit.

[DrVenkman PhD]

True, but the best joke in the series was the explanation of where Minkus and Mr. Turner went.

[Psycho Penguin]

"Oh... THE OTHER HALLWAY"

 

How about the season where the girl was gone, replaced with a new actress, and they explained it with "I was in the closet for a long time."

 

And Shawn having a sister for one episode.

 

Man, I love that show.

[Jingus]

Hey, just curious, are you the same Psycho Penguin from the Gamefaqs boards?

 

One I've noticed: the whole gang on Aqua Teen Hunger Force. Okay, part of that isn't growing character stupidity, it's the entire show's nature getting more and more aggressively bizarre and non-sequiter as time goes on. But still, many of the guys on there are WAY dumber now than they were at the beginning.

 

An interesting example of a countertrend: the main characters on Venture Bros. Most of them actually seem to have gotten a little smarter since the show started.

[Nightwing]

One I've noticed: the whole gang on Aqua Teen Hunger Force. Okay, part of that isn't growing character stupidity, it's the entire show's nature getting more and more aggressively bizarre and non-sequiter as time goes on. But still, many of the guys on there are WAY dumber now than they were at the beginning.

 

It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia is similar, which shouldn't be much of a surprise; the best description I've heard given to it was that it's "A Live Action ATHF... with 5 Master Shakes."