About that episode of Family Guy--I always did like that dog...

I know "Family Guy" is seen by many as a little off-color, a little too "pop-culture" saturated, a little too ADD--all reasons why I love it. I'm not easily offended, I was raised on tv (and apparently, specifically the same shows and movies that the show's writers were raised on--and the same music. Let me tell you about my Kiss Colorforms!) and I have the attention span of a goldfish that jumped out of the tank, flopped about for a bit, and got thrown back in at the nick of time. Which is to say, not a hell of a lot. A somewhat brain-damaged goldfish level of concentration. Therefore, I really like the show, and tune in every Sunday, just after watching "Legend of the Seeker" (which is thoroughly awesome in a totally different way, because it is serious, and kind of Dungeons and Dragons, and the stories are great).

This past episode was about religion, as in, Meg (the unpopular, dumped-upon daughter) gets some, and Brian (the cultured, intellectual, and highly-functioning alcoholic dog) is "outed" as an atheist, to some repercussions. Like bricks thrown through his window, and an inability to get a drink anywhere. (Horrors!) But also, having his family say he's the worst kind of person, and having them hope he finds faith in something. But in the end, he expresses that he does think that the real truth is probably more wonderful than anything that can be imagined--and then, being a cartoon, it ends kind of surreally.

I know it's a cartoon, but I liked how atheism was portrayed as an honest viewpoint that is unfairly maligned by people who just don't get it, and also, it kind of represented how religion can appeal to people most especially when they are coming from a "bad place" and are softened up for it.

It was a pretty good episode for all of that. It also has the "Star Trek: The Next Generation" cast--which I watched a lot of and probably dug more than the old, original flavor. (Don't get me started on the Kirk/Picard question, though. The answer is; Janeway. Her whole situation was harder, her blended crew more difficult to manage, and her sacrifices were teh ultimate. Also she kicked ass with the best of them.) And it had Rob Lowe in it for whatever reason. I so had a crush on him when I was fourteen. And he's still looking good. Grr.