F is for Family

F is for Family has become one of the most satisfying TV shows of any kind I've seen in a while.

I thought it was going to be just another animated family sitcom but it was so much more. A powerful saga of the things people had to deal with at this time which is still very much what we deal with now only worse. I know it doesn't sound interesting off the bat to hear about marital trouble and employment anxiety but it's all done with humor, pathos and a lot of vitriol. As the tagline to Heavy Traffic went: "It's funny; but it's not a comedy. It's animated; but it's not a cartoon." And a similar thing applies here.

But of course it is a cartoon.

The first episode is by far the worst. Not because it's badly written, quite the opposite. It's just painful. But once you get past that, it improves every season. They were to keep creating meaningful conflict and the more you know the characters and see them develop the more vivid it becomes.

There is a lot of powerful imagery, both through the use of dreams and hallucination but also in reality. It's very visual in a way that justified every second of animation.

A lot of the bigotry did get under my skin but I suppose it was supposed to. It remains something I like this show in spite of. The weakest aspect of the show were gags that reference the future like when Frank remarks "1985?! There'll be a black president by then". They're just kind of smug when this show is better at humorous character driven story-telling than the pure joke. Leave that to Family Guy (another great show).

There is no show quite like it. It made me think a lot more about a lot of things we face in daily life like feminism and made me feel profound empathy for a character I normally wouldn't.

Just finished binge watching the whole first season of this show. It is fantastic. The animation is cool, the voice acting is great and most of all the writing is superb.

Maybe its because I had a similar home dynamic, but never in my life have I seen such an honest portrayal of family life and all the anger and frustration that come along with it. The voice acting is also outstanding from Bill Burr. Most people that play an angry character can make it come off quite cartoonish, yet somehow Bill Burr manages to make a cartoon come off very human by letting the anger build throughout a scene or an entire episode.

I highly recommend this show.

It can't be a coincidence that 'F Is For Family!' is set in the same year as the program it most resembles, 'Wait Till Your Father Gets Home!'

It has the same format, characters, problems and the same over-burdened dad leading the way. Younger viewers may see elements of Peter Griffin and Hank Hill, but Frank Murphy is Harry Boyle with a hot temper... which is exactly who (what) Bill Burr is!

Here is an avenue of comedy that is difficult to make an impact in. There are many cartoon family sitcoms and thousands of episodes to choose from. But NetFlix has finally liberated this genre by allowing adult themes and language into the mix. (I wonder what Denis Leary would have done with an opportunity like this 30 years ago!)

There are some great gags for the grown-ups... one of my favorites is the 'Castle Of The Elfin King' L.P. in episode 2 of the first season. All King Crimson fans should find a safe space immediately!

Bill Burr does a good job of exploring the ideas that Family Guy would have had if it were let off its 'Fox TV' leash. This is the selfish world view of a today's adult - cast into a world of yesteryear when fathers quietly sacrificed their lives and feelings for their families. So that's initially a rather odd concept to embrace.

And the swearing! Even though people do swear a lot in real life conversations, it's still odd to see the profusion of profanity in this program... but after a few episodes, it becomes more natural and less annoying.

Great fun and Bill Burr followers will be delighted!

The first episode started off a little shaky, but after you get through the second episode you will be hooked. Don't get me wrong the first episode isn't bad and is really easy to watch, I just didn't find it very funny. Don't worry though, as the show goes on and the characters develop the laughs will start pouring in.

Overall it's a great show that any fan of Bill Burr will enjoy. For what it is it's very well written as the show follows a story arc, which is something most comedic animated series don't usually do. I really hope more episodes are in store, because in my opinion this has the potential of having a very nice run.

Looking for something to watch I stumbled upon this show with no expectations and really liked it. Its funny, has interesting characters, and unique animation. If you grew up in this 70's or have parents that did you'll love this show. The family lives a basic suburban life set in the 70's. A high moral and short tempered father tries to support his family on a small budget while also trying to gain the respect of bis 14 year old son.. The show has plenty of laughs while still setting a serious tone at some points. Don't watch this show expecting something like family guy or American dad, the humor is much more guided and even manages to teach small life lessons. Netflix Originals have always been solid and then have outdone themselves yet again with F is for Family.