Family Dog

Originally one of the better episodes of "Amazing Stories" (with an entirely different voice cast), this belated spinoff - the episode first aired in 1986, the series bowed in 1993 - suffered from numerous production problems... and it unfortunately showed in the finished product.

Failing entirely to live up to the presence of Steven Spielberg and Tim Burton as executive producers, it was strained all the way and never more than mildly funny at best - the Binfords were even more nondescript than they needed to be (I expected them to play second fiddle to the title character, but even the housekeeper from "Tom & Jerry" had more personality than them), and Dennis Klein's scripts always credited Paul Dini and Sherri Stoner with "additional material," leaving creepy indications that without the help of those two genuinely talented writers the episodes would have been even worse. Even the usually great Danny Elfman wasn't up to snuff with his uninspired theme music (mind you, look at what he had to work with). As for the animation... it was by Nelvana. Enough said.

CBS pulled it after five episodes, but the UK cable channel Bravo showed all 10 episodes. What a joy. In the final analysis, "Family Dog" is only notable for being the only TV series to my knowledge to have been bankrolled by the TV divisions of two major studios (Universal Television and Warner Bros. Television). Which isn't much of an achievement, given the results.

In 1993 I was six years old, and I remember watching "Family Dog" with my dad and my best friend. It was the funniest show ever! I remember one in particular when they all go to the zoo, and the little girl gets stuck in a cage with the lions. "Happy bunny happy bunny at the zoo zoo zoo!" Haha. Of course, the animation was terrible and I WAS six years old, but we could not get enough of it when we were younger.

But the show went off the air after only like fifteen episodes, if that many. Now that I'm older I realize that it must have sucked if it only stayed on for such a small amount of time, but I miss it nonetheless! They should put all the episodes on DVD or something. :'(

I admit when I say this is the greatest animal cartoon ever, I pretty much put down Ren and Stimpy, Rocko, and other animal cartoons but I do admit I was watching this Family Dog show every time it came on when I was a kid. I still remember the one episode when the dog's family went out for the night and burgulars came in and stole from the house. The dog didn't really have anyone in the house love him as a pet, except for maybe the sister or the mom I believe. They should try and bring back this show and see how it appeals to the millenium audience. If they do bring it back I would get it on tape because it may never get another chance.

I just discovered this cartoon again on You Tube (the Amazing Stories 1/2 hour version). I remember laughing so hard at this when I was 14 years old. I went to school the next day and discussed it with my friend who had watched it...we got in trouble in library for being too loud. We couldn't stop laughing about the "blaming it on the dog" part. Back then, fart jokes on TV were hard to come by...so this cartoon was a huge hit. I have always remembered The Family Dog as being one of the funniest cartoons I have ever seen. I searched for it again and amazingly found it! It did get some smiles out of me still, especially the Dad's flared nostrils and blaming it on the dog...about 20 some years later...still pretty funny, but not nearly as much. Maybe I'm jaded now with all the fart humor so readily available :) I think anyone (especially dog owners) can appreciate this cartoon. It was definitely ahead of it's time!

I have been searching for years the name of this cartoon. I remember when it first came on we saw episode 8 , me and my older brother, and the little girl went around the room lifting her dress going "free show! We laughed for years about that and free show has become part of the family vernacular. This show isn't as good as I remember but it def has a 90s charm and twisted weirdness to it that I love.