NETWORK: Fox
AIR DATE: September 28, 2008
STARRING: Various
CREATED BY: Various

Fox returns their powerhouse block of animation to the air this Sunday night under the banner "Animation Domination" and we were lucky enough to see all four season premieres. One by one...

The Simpsons, Episode 20.1 - "Sex, Lies and Idiot Scrapes"

Ned and Homer become bounty hunters and Marge accidentally gets a job at an erotic bakery. It is getting increasingly difficult to defend The Simpsons against claims of shark-jumping. Do you remember those season of The X-Files that came after Fight the Future? How it felt like something was just a bit off? Like maybe the thrill of seeing Scully and Mulder on the big screen and the effort it took to get them there had taken the air out of the show? Well, I was a huge fan of The Simpsons Movie. And I think that the prime of the show - seasons three through seven - is the best series in the history of television. Yes, THE best. And I even defended recent seasons of the show, long after most fans had given up. My line was always that "even bad Simpsons is better than most TV". I'm done with that and I worry that the same pattern that followed The X-Files movie has infected The Simpsons. I'm finally done defending a show that is, at best, a pale shadow of its former self. The season premiere of The Simpsons is one of the least funny half hours in the history of the show, not only falling into the repetitive trap that most fans have complained about for years, but doing so without a single laugh-out-loud moment. Jokes about the size of Irish families and erotic cakes? Ugh. I can't believe I'm saying this but Fox Sunday Nights this year start with their worst half hour. Please, don't let this go on for too long. Say goodbye to one of the best shows in history and make another movie. Heck, make two or three.

King of the Hill, Episode 13.1 - "Dia-bill-ic Shock"

The forever forlorn and troubled Bill's love for sugary snacks leads to diabetes and a life in a wheelchair, where the lovable loser finds new passion and energy with a paraplegic athlete named Thunder. King of the Hill may never have hit the heights of The Simpsons or even Family Guy but it has been a consistent show for over twelve years now. King is the kind of show that I almost always enjoy but usually don't seek out. It's like comfort food. But I have to say that the season premiere is exactly what the first episode of The Simpsons is not - unexpected. A comedic cartoon about diabetes? It used to be The Simpsons that would provide something unique like that and the writers of King of the Hill handle the humor without pushing it too hard. The fact that Bill actually becomes more confident after he loses the use of his legs is pretty clever. What I like about King of the Hill is that they don't hit the jokes too physically by using dream sequences or other things that they could only get away with in animated form. King of the Hill could practically be a live-action sitcom. It just happens to be animated. The premiere of season thirteen doesn't display the sort of genius that makes you think the series will find new fans, but old ones will definitely be satisfied and some who strayed years ago would be satisfied if they found their way back.

Family Guy, Episode 7.1 - "Love, Blactually"

Brian falls in love with a girl who gets stolen away by Cleveland. How does everyone's favorite animated dog get back the woman of his dreams? By working together with Cleveland's wife Loretta, of course. What is there to say about Family Guy? It's freakin' sweet. It may not be as freakin' sweet as it was earlier this decade but it still provides a few laugh-out-loud moments every week. It's kind of like The Simpsons in its post-prime, pre-movie period. The first few seconds of the premiere feature references to Peanuts, Napoleon Dynamite, and a murder by Laura Bush. Funny. Even bad Family Guy is better than most TV. And there's an awesome reference to just who can understand Stewie and five words that should join your repertoire - "And boom goes the dynamite." The whole thing kind of feels like a back-door pilot for the Cleveland spin-off. Decide for yourself if that's a good or bad thing. Here's your trivia fact and the first date to mark on your new calendar. 1/31/09 will mark the ten-year anniversary of the series premiere of Family Guy. Ten years of Stewie. No wonder the world is in such disarray.

American Dad!, Episode 4.1 - "1600 Candles"

The Smith family plan to celebrate the impending birthday of alien Roger but get sidetracked when Steve announces that he's going through puberty. Stan and Francine went through that once with Hayley but they're not about to do it again. They use experimental medicine to try and stop the impending "change". American Dad! has grown on me significantly. What first felt like a pale shadow of the far superior Family Guy has developed into its own brand of humor. Sure, it's a brand that isn't far from Seth MacFarlane's previous creation but the writers have found their own voice and it's a funny one. I particularly enjoy the dynamic between Roger and Francine. The voice cast is good and the writing is consistently clever. Two words - "Pendulous nads." Okay, maybe not clever, but pretty damn funny. If you've avoided American Dad! since it started off a little weak or have never seen the show, check out the youngest member of Animation Domination. In some ways, at least on opening night, it's the funniest.