'Family Guy' On 9/11: Let It Happen

Always willing to put out a contrarian point of view, "Family Guy" on Sunday addressed perhaps the most sensitive subject in modern America: the attacks of September 11th, 2001.

The episode saw baby Stewie and dog Brian going back in time, at one point intervening to prevent the terrorist attacks of 9/11. But when things go awry, including the outbreak of a civil war and subsequent secession of southern states, they have to make a decision: should they keep history changed, or just let 9/11 stay on the record books and keep 2011's true reality?

The decision? Make sure 9/11 happens. And so they do, ensuring the chaos and destruction.

Seth MacFarlane's flagship cartoon has become both one of television's top comedies and sources of social commentary through a willingness to tackle any subject without fear of potential criticism and blowback. And this episode is sure to generate some discussion as to just how far they should go in the pursuit of pointed laughs. The show often mentions 9/11 in a satirical way, and Stewie acknowledged that their decision “didn’t look good out of context,” but will people be more offended this time than ever?

To be fair, the choice was made to prevent a civil war and an apocalyptic future. Then again, that future was created by the writing team. The larger question to ask is whether 9/11 can be part of humor, or, ten years after the attacks, is it entirely off-limits for jokes?

One interesting note: MacFarlane has told interviewers that he was scheduled to fly on one of the planes that crashed into the World Trade Center on September 11th, and only a hangover and fate kept him from boarding.

Comments

[dbrett480]

07:20 PM on 11/17/2011

This is a funny topic. And I don't see what is remotely controversial about a hypothetical debate over traveling in time to change 9/11.

[Albertmum]

03:09 PM on 11/16/2011

My husband and I used to love Family Guy. The Church of the Fonz is a great one. But they just aren't funny anymore. Not just this topic. We laugh maybe once an episode now. And I've got Brian pajama bottoms and my hubby went as Stewie for Halloween last year.

[MarkInTexas]

09:26 AM on 11/16/2011

People create conspiracies to explain things they cannot comprehend.

[the grange gorman]

04:21 PM on 11/16/2011

that implies that there are no conspiracies when in fact many have been proven...

[Tim Moore]

10:23 PM on 11/15/2011

It's a cartoon, so, I'm not offended. Plus, they didn't really go too far. What's really offensive is that, ten years after 9/11, there are political candidates talking about secession, police brutalizing peaceful protesters, two wars still going on, and miltary tribunals still happening. We didn't learn a GD thing from 9/11.

[MarkInTexas]

09:27 AM on 11/16/2011

It appears the bad guys won.

[Michael J Kane]

10:09 PM on 11/15/2011

I remember when my christian pre-school teacher was going to put on Veggie Tales when she turned on CNN at the moment the plane hit the South Tower; she fainted of course from shock. Looking back I remember the teachers saying "We should nuke those sand-monkeys"; these are probably the same people who get offended by this.

I thought the Pat Tillman joke would get more coverage than the episode itself. It's a cartoon! It's a joke! The only thing we should do is laugh or just forget about it. There is no need to get into a debate over what really happen that day or get all high and mighty about it and say that it's wrong and that you will never watch Family Guy.

[bigdaveh]

05:16 PM on 11/15/2011

How can any episode that have Stewie and Brian time traveling to save the world be bad? Or controversial? IT'S A CARTOON, PEOPLE!!!!

[sextonfan]

02:43 PM on 11/15/2011

I watched the episode and I don't think it made light of 9/11 at all. If anything, it references it as a defining and tragic moment of our history. In order to come up with something worse, the writers had to invent a civil war in which 3 million died.

It's disgusting how the media is working hard to get the rest of us to think in absolutes. Soon we'll all be talking-head zombies.

[Eric Shin]

12:00 PM on 11/15/2011

This episode is as dumb as those that think Nostradamus predicted 9/11. Nostradamus can't even pick the 5th at Churchill much less a terrorist attack.

[ScottishScript]

11:12 AM on 11/15/2011

Stand out moment for me in the alternate reality with 911, was the throwaway gag about Pat Tillman still playing football but being 'tackled by his own team.'

Now that was bold, sad but clever.

[SkyhawkIIAimer]

02:23 PM on 11/15/2011

YouTube had a deleted/censored scene about Pat Tillman from an episode a few years back.

The "McCain/Palin" button under the lapel of the SS uniform in one time-travel episode was deleted in the syndicated version, too.

[Studebaker Hawk]

10:22 AM on 11/15/2011

Too soon?

[Rockwell]

10:16 AM on 11/15/2011

Family Guy is like All In The Family was back in the 70's. A fearless, in your face commentary on current culture. These shows don't just point to the 800 lb gorilla in the room that everyone is ignoring, they dig into the couch cushions and closets for the hidden nastiness.

Truth is best spoken with humor.

[John Stein]

09:37 AM on 11/15/2011

The fact that the episode made it to air is a miracle. Even Fox has their Standards and Practices going through the lines in the script with a fine tooth comb, but they OK'd the episode.

[AsianMan]

02:24 AM on 11/15/2011

the writers of Family Guy will do ANYTHING to differentiate it from The Simpsons. either way, The Simpsons is far superior to Family Guy, and i think Homer can kick Griffin's behind anyday!!

[Jeramie Shebester]

08:00 AM on 11/15/2011

The Simpsons isn't even funny anymore, I can never even get a chuckle out of it.

[StopThePlanet]

02:49 PM on 11/15/2011

Its writing was in a slump for awhile but they have found their mojo once again. How can anyone say this isn't funny? http://popwatch.ew.com/2010/11/22/the-simpsons-fox-news/

[chicagoian9]

12:06 PM on 11/15/2011

I would agree. While I do like Family Guy, it is sophomoric humor and I think has little value as social commentary when compared to the Simpsons or to South Park.

[Madmac]

02:03 AM on 11/15/2011

It made you think. Would you do what Brian tried to do? Or would you let History unfold...Well Done Seth.

[Syrlinus]

10:06 AM on 11/15/2011

That I have to agree with. It was an interesting question of which is worse: the one-time event or on-going disaster? It's almost akin to the concept of the Great Man theory, in which historical figures are identified as "points in time" (for lack of a better description). Some figures could have been anyone but some are unique in that if they didn't exist certain events wouldn't have unfolded and we may have been better or worse off because of that. I believe the same is true for 9/11. If it hadn't happened, what would have happened then for us?

[Pearl Jam111]

11:41 PM on 11/14/2011

Family Guy makes a hell of a lot more sense than Bachman

[BMcCue7]

08:11 AM on 11/15/2011

Well, THAT'S not hard to do...

[Jeff McConnell]

10:51 AM on 11/15/2011

Stop obsessing. Its' not good for you.

[SkyhawkIIAimer]

02:27 PM on 11/15/2011

Teabagger talking point.

Even lamer than the first of the thousands of times it's been puked out.