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Herc Says Mike Judge’s THE GOODE FAMILY Is Good Enough!!

I am – Hercules!!


A new animated comedy from “Beavis and Butt-head” creator Mike Judge and fellow “King of the Hill” writer-producers John Altschuler and Dave Krinsky, “The Goode Family” looks at a clan virtually paralyzed by its desire to be as politically correct as possible in a highly PC neighborhood.

Lending voice to the project are Judge, Nancy Walls Carell, Linda Cardellini, Dave Herman and Brian Doyle-Murray.

Some parts are funnier than others, and some of it doesn’t make a lot of sense; wouldn’t a family obsessed with political correctness have learned decades ago that “African-American” is the new PC gold standard for labeling U.S. blacks?

The funniest thing about the pilot is a subplot about the Goodes’ pet, a dog driven to eat the pets of neighbors by his owners’ insistence on keeping him on vegetarian diet. But I also found laughs in the Goodes’ adopted teen son, who also has difficulty fully embracing to the family’s bleeding-heart regimen.

ABC has scheduled “Goode” after “Wipeout,” its huge goofy obstacle-course hit, and I can see how those who laugh at the reality pratfalls (and “Talk Soup” vet John Henson’s color commentary) might be plenty inclined to stick around for Judge’s latest effort.

“Goode” is good enough to get a season pass on my DVR.

Entertainment Weekly says:

… both smart and not very funny. …

The New York Times says:

… The voice of the patriarch, Gerald Goode, an administrator at a community college where even students qualify for tenure, is provided by Mr. Judge, who could not have improved on his tone of narcoleptic earnestness if he had apprenticed for “All Things Considered.” He is exceptionally funny in the role (as he was playing Hank in “King of the Hill”), and a lot of the writing is too. …

The Los Angeles Times says:

… A sitcom premise is a kind of booster rocket, meant to get the show into orbit. It's there to serve the characters rather than the other way around, as is largely the case here. "The Goode Family," which is nicely acted and well animated, works best when the cultural potshots give way to the more basic human needs of its characters: a mother's desire to be close to her daughter, or to her father (Brian Doyle-Murray as the resident voice of political incorrectness), in spite of "a lifetime of crippling negative comments," and a father's willingness to go outside his comfort zone to make his son happy, as when Ubuntu joins the football team. There's a show there.

The Chicago Sun-Times says:

… If you passionately loved "King of the Hill," you will cautiously like "The Goode Family." Tiptoe into it if necessary.

The San Francisco Chronicle says:

… Skewering the holier-than-thou can be hilarious, but joke after joke, episode after episode, it all gets a little too predictable. The Goodes ask WWAGD - What Would Al Gore Do - but of course they do, right? All of this was done essentially in reverse with "King of the Hill," and to better effect. …

The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette says:

… As a comedy, it's not-quite good enough. "Goode" is smart but not as funny as its creators imagine …

The Newark Star Ledger says:

… while the jokes may be funnier than "King" has been in a long time, the new show also feels more uneven and strained. …

The Miami Herald says:

… a scathingly funny report from the front lines of America's culture wars. … will do for PC what 30 Rock does for corporate capitalism or Lost for commercial air travel: Leave it in ruins. …

The Boston Herald says:

… The production company behind “The Goode Family” is Media Rights Capital, which programmed CW’s Sunday night right into oblivion and is responsible for such dreck as the Bob Saget show “Surviving Suburbia.” The company finally has produced a decent show. Let’s see how long it lasts.

The Hollywood Reporter says:

… the best bits of the series are those that let the characters deliver the punch lines, not become one, and there aren't quite enough to go around. …

Variety says:

… a smart, wryly funny animated comedy … Ultimately, there's no substitute for amusing scenarios like the one with the dog, and clever writing, which "The Goode Family" boasts in abundance. " 'The View' is on," Gerald says trying to cheer up Helen, who's confused about what to tell Bliss regarding abstinence. "The pretty one is saying crazy stuff again." …

“Wipeout”: 8 p.m. Wednesday. ABC.
“The Goode Family”: 9 p.m. Wednesday. ABC.



“From The Earth To The Moon,” the entire extra-packed signature edition, has fallen to its lowest price ever: $11.99!! People were paying $49 for this set last year.


The first 10 seasons of “Cheers,” one of the four funniest sitcoms ever forged, with Woody and Norm and and Lilith Sternan and Nick Tortelli, have fallen for the moment to $15.99 each!!

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Reader Talkback

First!
by Bob Loblaw Law Blog
May 27th, 2009
01:19:14 PM
yay
by simondark
May 27th, 2009
01:23:05 PM
I hate Wipeout
by jarjarmessiah
May 27th, 2009
01:37:33 PM
"The pretty one ...
by DennisMM
May 27th, 2009
01:48:47 PM
And so, the summer drought begins
by turketron_2
May 27th, 2009
01:53:42 PM
Quit watching KotH
by wintocha67
May 27th, 2009
02:00:52 PM
I fucking HATED King Of The Hill
by The_Man_Behind_The_Curtain
May 27th, 2009
02:04:55 PM
I find it utterly amazing....
by cookylamoo
May 27th, 2009
02:28:06 PM
I find it utterly amazing....
by cookylamoo
May 27th, 2009
02:29:00 PM
King of the Hill wasn't funny
by JoeSixPack
May 27th, 2009
02:32:54 PM
Did King of the Hill get a final episode?
by drewlicious
May 27th, 2009
02:34:58 PM
King of the hill sucked
by Dhaemon
May 27th, 2009
02:37:42 PM
No reason to watch this
by haggardatbest
May 27th, 2009
02:42:13 PM
Yes, I know its been referenced before but
by skimn
May 27th, 2009
02:45:13 PM
Saying that KOTH's animation style sucked
by skimn
May 27th, 2009
02:47:06 PM
Hank was a character that made you depressed
by Dhaemon
May 27th, 2009
02:48:29 PM
Hank is a character I aspired to
by Quin the Eskimo
May 27th, 2009
03:03:27 PM
Loved KotH, loved B&B...
by Thrillho77
May 27th, 2009
03:09:09 PM
Hank and everyone else in the group made you depressed
by Dhaemon
May 27th, 2009
03:17:05 PM
Bizarro World Hank Hill family?
by Kid Z
May 27th, 2009
03:19:08 PM
Why the KOTH hate?
by Kid Z
May 27th, 2009
03:22:55 PM
ABC
by Toonol
May 27th, 2009
03:56:34 PM
King of the HIll backwards?
by drewlicious
May 27th, 2009
04:07:48 PM
King of the Hill was really funny but
by Hey_Zeus
May 27th, 2009
04:33:46 PM
Drewlicious, I think Judge is satarizing Austin for Goodes
by mjgtexas
May 27th, 2009
04:49:54 PM
I sell propane and propane accessories
by Nasty In The Pasty
May 27th, 2009
05:16:07 PM
African american
by punto
May 27th, 2009
05:16:14 PM
Did you guys see that one episode of King of the Hill
by Dapper Swindler
May 27th, 2009
05:18:35 PM
Can't recall much thats "liberal.."
by drewlicious
May 27th, 2009
05:27:58 PM
Dapper Swindler
by Thrillho77
May 27th, 2009
05:34:50 PM
Thrillho
by 100Proof
May 27th, 2009
06:46:26 PM
KotH was brilliant
by Friendo
May 27th, 2009
08:10:58 PM
Beavis&butthead's Hippy teacher
by Rufferto
May 27th, 2009
08:14:52 PM
Re: Mike Judge
by ArmageddonProductions
May 27th, 2009
08:17:01 PM
the abc add didn't mention B and B
by Rufferto
May 27th, 2009
08:18:22 PM
Principal McDicker Should get one!
by Rufferto
May 27th, 2009
08:20:14 PM
or was it McVicker?
by Rufferto
May 27th, 2009
08:21:49 PM
This show is HILARIOUS!
by SnowDogs
May 27th, 2009
08:22:53 PM
This isn't working at all.
by NapoleonDynamite
May 27th, 2009
08:27:05 PM
I didn't have much hope for this...
by nemov
May 27th, 2009
08:37:22 PM
"Liberals everywhere aren't going to like being so viciously ske
by NapoleonDynamite
May 27th, 2009
08:37:48 PM
NapoleonDynamite
by nemov
May 27th, 2009
08:41:05 PM
Totally realistic, Napoleon
by SnowDogs
May 27th, 2009
08:54:09 PM
To the contrary, Nappy
by jdb1972
May 27th, 2009
08:56:02 PM
I am shocked and offended by this show!
by The Dum Guy
May 27th, 2009
09:14:44 PM
There was nothing remotely realistic about it.
by NapoleonDynamite
May 27th, 2009
09:49:53 PM
I didn't think King of the Hill was funny until
by smackfu
May 27th, 2009
09:52:53 PM
Hey Napoleon, it's a cartoon
by SnowDogs
May 27th, 2009
10:37:25 PM
This show was Ok...
by WS
May 27th, 2009
11:13:38 PM
Nobody really acts or talks like this?
by Eddie_Dane
May 27th, 2009
11:29:39 PM
Truth! any "Bob Saget" show = "dreck"
by finky089
May 27th, 2009
11:31:59 PM
I liked it.
by Kid Idioteque
May 28th, 2009
12:24:24 AM
I enjoyed it
by Bloo
May 28th, 2009
01:01:01 AM
It was awful. Is Herc ever right about anything?
by JuanSanchez
May 28th, 2009
01:18:24 AM
i hope this show
by animas
May 28th, 2009
01:50:59 AM
King of the Hill, the best non-50s cartoon ever made...
by JackPumpkinhead
May 28th, 2009
02:25:27 AM
Huzzah! No snide Family Guy/American Dad remarks!
by The Wrong Guy
May 28th, 2009
05:08:04 AM
Speaking of B&B spawn
by The McPoyle Clan
May 28th, 2009
05:22:30 AM
Judge's Animated Answer To An American Carol
by mjgtexas
May 28th, 2009
08:01:57 AM
KING OF THE HILL is one of my favorite shows ever
by ThusSpakeSpymunk
May 28th, 2009
09:11:13 AM
Interesting, Napoleon
by bah
May 28th, 2009
09:40:17 AM
Animation degredation
by Kentucky Colonel
May 28th, 2009
09:48:59 AM
HIt and miss.
by Mooly
May 28th, 2009
10:00:10 AM
KotH is like folks say Jazz is
by Himbo
May 28th, 2009
10:03:53 AM
Fox did the same thing to Married with Children.
by TheLastCleric
May 28th, 2009
10:04:55 AM
It wasn't "Goode" enough!
by Fareal
May 28th, 2009
10:19:14 AM
TheLastCleric, maybe you remember this
by Big Jim
May 28th, 2009
10:19:19 AM
They lifted a joke from The Office
by Captain Tragedy
May 28th, 2009
11:27:45 AM
eh
by CaptainAxis
May 28th, 2009
11:29:01 AM
Homeless people running a Ben and Jerry"s
by drewlicious
May 28th, 2009
11:52:34 AM
Big Jim
by TheLastCleric
May 28th, 2009
12:15:20 PM
If you're offended by "Strawmen",
by Chief Joseph
May 28th, 2009
12:49:59 PM
Extract
by Kankennon
May 28th, 2009
12:50:04 PM
Now that I think about it...
by CaptainAxis
May 28th, 2009
12:54:45 PM
Chief Joseph
by CaptainAxis
May 28th, 2009
01:00:57 PM
Why didn't you fuckers watch Sit Down, Shut Up!....
by DanielKurland
May 28th, 2009
02:03:04 PM
KOTH is also one of my all time favorites...
by DanielKurland
May 28th, 2009
02:13:42 PM
The dad is basically a liberal Hank Hill
by terry1978
May 28th, 2009
05:39:06 PM
I kind of like Stan
by drewlicious
May 28th, 2009
05:44:55 PM
I liked it, but ABC's burying it.
by AzulTool
May 28th, 2009
06:46:50 PM
unbelievably bad
by Messyjoe
May 28th, 2009
07:26:55 PM
CaptainAxis
by Chief Joseph
May 28th, 2009
07:49:23 PM
Saw the show today
by Chief Joseph
May 28th, 2009
07:57:37 PM
Not bad
by bah
May 28th, 2009
08:49:20 PM
Why didn't you fuckers watch Sit Down, Shut Up!....
by Series 7
May 28th, 2009
11:39:41 PM
re: Sit Down, Shut Up
by Chief Joseph
May 29th, 2009
04:24:26 PM
Just saw it
by drewlicious
May 29th, 2009
08:27:58 PM
This show will rule
by RogueWarrior65
May 29th, 2009
09:04:57 PM
I laughed out loud three times
by symphy
May 30th, 2009
11:16:32 PM

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