Family Guy creator Seth MacFarlane is expressing his desire for Hollywood to produce more hopeful TV shows, instead of focusing on dystopian stories.
For the past several years, there have been observations from fans that there are a lot of TV shows produced that focus on antihero characters and dystopian settings, which is seen as a commentary on the current state of our society. While comedy shows are still being celebrated, they never had the same affinity as the peak of the sitcom era in the past.
Why is Seth MacFarlane Wishing for More Hopeful TV Shows in Hollywood?
In an interview on the Where Everybody Knows Your Name podcast (via Deadline), MacFarlane called out the increase of dystopian and violent TV shows in Hollywood and how it motivated him to produce more hopeful shows.
"That’s why I did The Orville because when I was a kid, Hollywood was providing that voice in various forms. There was a lot of hope, and some of the blame lies right here in this town. The dishes that we are serving up are so dystopian and so pessimistic," he said.
"And yeah, there’s a lot to be pessimistic about, but it’s so one-sided. There’s nothing we’re doing that’s providing anyone an image of hope."
The Family Guy creator cited The Handmaid's Tale as one of the few examples of shows with a bleak tone that are becoming increasingly popular.
"They’re certainly giving us a lot of cautionary tales, but where are the blueprints that they once gave us for how to do things correctly?" MacFarlane noted.
"It can’t all be just, ‘Here’s what’s going to happen to you if you f*** up.' You do need, ‘Here’s what you can achieve if you change your ways and do things right.'"
What Are Seth MacFarlane's Current Projects?
MacFarlane remains busy as a voice actor and executive producer in the hit animated shows Family Guy and American Dad. He recently produced The Naked Gun reboot.
He is currently working on season 2 of Peacock's Ted live-action series and the animated Ted series, which is in production with the main cast from the movies returning.
As for The Orville, there is no official word yet on whether the series has been renewed for a fourth season. No cancellation decision has been made yet, despite airing its most recent season three years ago.
Based on his recent works, we can safely say that MacFarlane has a consistent inclination to make hopeful and comedic TV shows, which is in alignment with his principles.
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