In its 21 seasons that have aired so far on Fox, Family Guy has offered up myriad moments that have sparked outrage in viewers of all regions, races, religions and more. (To the point where one star now refuses to apologize for the show’s humor.) But it’s not every day that the animated Fox fave manages to tick off an entire region of the world. That’s sorta what happened with a two-part storyline that paid off in the Season 21 finale, however, which featured a less-than-savory portrayal of Russia in general (and the city of Chelyabinsk specifically) that drew some damning criticisms from an official who represents the area.
Family Guy’s finale aired on Sunday, May 7, and drew some of the show’s lowest live airing numbers to date (756,000 viewers/0.25 demo rating) which could possibly be due to the episode airing a half-hour earlier than normal. But regardless of how many were tuning in on the night, the ep still found its way to the eyeballs of Yana Lantratova, a region deputy for Chelyabinsk, who shared her displeasure with the Russian outlet Rise, saying:
I understand that the artist has the right to his vision, but this is a deliberately offensive artistic image that has nothing to do with reality. Would I like my son to see this cartoon? No. I'd rather show him the incredible beauty of Turgoyak Lake, Zyurateul National Park, Ignatievskaya Cave, Arkaim. This will help him draw conclusions about the region.
For years, Family Guy has been viewed as one of TV's most offensive shows, and the creative team hasn't exactly been belabored about avoiding that distinction. So anytime it offers up any take on a situation, it's undoubtedly going to be one that draws negative opinions. (Unless it's about Conway Twitty, I guess.) But it's obviously not the only animated show that exudes such snark, and Yana Lantratova spoke to that point with her complaints, calling out all art forms that present Russia in a judgmental light.
Such cartoons are deliberate work against our country. Information war through works of art. In books, textbooks, films and even cartoons, they deliberately create the image of Russia as a country where everyone is dissatisfied with life, they drink, use drugs, and take bribes. I hope the management of the TV channels understands this and will limit the display of some stories.
To that end, the Family Guy episode certainly does go that route with its portrayal of the local citizens, by way of making everyone slap-happy on vodka and whatever other substances. But as an equal opportunity offender, the animated show doesn't exactly make other regions look better, so if Fox was to "limit the display" of this episode, it'd probably need to pull out on airing tons of other episodes in the same swoop.
Check out the musical clip below that features many of the complaint-drawing comments, with an over-abundance of radiation and pollution also on display. (Chelyabinsk has in past years been known as one of Russia's most air-polluted cities, for what it's worth.)
Yana Lantratova spoke specifically about Chelyabinsk and the surrounding area's importance by way of culture and resources, beyond just calling out Family Guy's approach, saying:
The Chelyabinsk region is a strategically important region where metallurgy and industry are developing. The region has a rich historical heritage and unique natural resources. The sphere of culture is developing there. There are theaters, a symphony orchestra, various exhibitions are regularly held.
As many viewers may already know, Meg's voice actress Mila Kunis was born in Chernivtsi, Ukraine. Given the warring nature of things between the countries, that adds another satirical layer to Meg's embrace of Russian culture.
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Oddly enough, Family Guy was the one entry from Fox’s animation domination lineup that gave viewers a season finale that night, with The Simpsons, Bob’s Burgers and The Great North gearing up for their own finales that’ll be airing on May 21. I’m going to assume that the latter’s finale won’t be earning any harsh critiques from Canadian officials.
For those who may not have watched Family Guy’s recent episodes yet, the entire season and more is available to stream with a Hulu subscription, while our 2023 TV premiere schedule is an easy way to figure out what to start watching while waiting for Season 22 to get here.
