F is for Family, and B is for bawdy. That’s what this irreverent 1970s set adult animation is all about. Created by The Simpsons writer Michael Price and comedian Bill Burr, F is for Family takes a close look at a 1970s nuclear family, who bring new meaning to the word dysfunctional.
Frank is the man of the Murphy house, a typical family, and he works in an equally typical job at an airport. Just like his class status, at work he’s the middle rung, torn between pleasing those above who promise money and power, or the many more who work below him. After a long hard day of being neither bad nor brilliant, Frank heads home to release his furious wrath on his wife and kids. And it is hilarious. Yes, this toxic father passing down his childhood trauma onto his own kids, is laugh out loud funny.
The series is seriously self-aware, explicit enough to make you chuckle, but not enough to make you wince. The design has got the tacky glory of the 70s nailed, with wood panelled kitchens and Lego-style hair – it’s the definition of kitsch. And the portrayal of this decade as grimy, dirty, difficult and yet full of potential, is absolutely spot on, making the most of an era where the only thing that got cancelled were cable TV shows. The show dances – in laced block heels – on that oh-so-fragile line between insolence and wit, allowing for a raunchy, rude, yet real story of family life.
The New York Times’ James Poniewozik says the series has “heft and heart,” with “its own kind of foul-mouthed sincerity.” Writing for Forbes, Dani Di Placido praises the series, which he says “is always great at exploring serious issues that disproportionately affect the working class,” praising how it perfectly “balances those heavy moments with plenty of humor, and hints of hope for the future.”
First shown December 2015. You can watch the trailer by pressing play on the show image, or by clicking here:
