The Cleveland Show

:

Season 1
  • Network: FOX
  • Series Premiere Date: Sep 27, 2009
Season #: 4, 3, 2, 1
User Score
3.9

Generally unfavorable reviews- based on 209 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 63 out of 209
  2. Mixed: 32 out of 209
  3. Negative: 114 out of 209
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User Reviews

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  1. MikeG.
    Oct 1, 2009
    3
    Pretty meh pilot episode. The best stuff was in the first act of the episode with the Family Guy cast. Maybe it will get better, but the supporting cast seems incredibly weak. A talking bear? This could work out OK - I'm glad to see that this hews closer to a plot driven show like American Dad and not a random amalgamation of hit and mostly miss jokes like Family Guy, but I Pretty meh pilot episode. The best stuff was in the first act of the episode with the Family Guy cast. Maybe it will get better, but the supporting cast seems incredibly weak. A talking bear? This could work out OK - I'm glad to see that this hews closer to a plot driven show like American Dad and not a random amalgamation of hit and mostly miss jokes like Family Guy, but I don't see the promise here.… Expand
  2. JDL
    Nov 29, 2009
    3
    Very mediocre - rips format 100% of Family Guy, but the jokes are even less funny and the show in general is dominated by a distasteful negative tone...relying on unfunny jokes about black people or being black while ironically enforcing and solidifying the images of these stereotypes in the mind of the viewer. King of the Hill was cancelled for this???
  3. drlowdon
    Jun 12, 2013
    3
    I've been a fan of Family Guy since its very first season and, even if it’s not exactly been at its best the last few years, I continue to watch semi-regularly to this day. Basing a spin-off series on the Griffins neighbor Cleveland Brown however always seemed like a strange idea and having watched the majority of this first season I can safely say it just doesn't work. Often trying toI've been a fan of Family Guy since its very first season and, even if it’s not exactly been at its best the last few years, I continue to watch semi-regularly to this day. Basing a spin-off series on the Griffins neighbor Cleveland Brown however always seemed like a strange idea and having watched the majority of this first season I can safely say it just doesn't work. Often trying to imitate the type of humour that has made Family Guy successful it falls flat more often than not and I won’t be tuning in to season two.… Expand
  4. Justine
    Jul 4, 2011
    3
    People who think this show is funny think that black tragedy is a joke. I got so bored watching it I had to force myself to continue. Lack of humor maybe?
  5. Tubey
    Dec 20, 2012
    3
    The rare miss in Seth MacFarlane's glittering back catalogue of animation, The Cleveland Show comes across stale and unfunny, with little character development to speak of and very little likeability all around. Unlike Family Guy and American Dad, the show has no identity of its own, relying bizarrely on racism to provide any edge that it has. Characters like Roberta have zero presenceThe rare miss in Seth MacFarlane's glittering back catalogue of animation, The Cleveland Show comes across stale and unfunny, with little character development to speak of and very little likeability all around. Unlike Family Guy and American Dad, the show has no identity of its own, relying bizarrely on racism to provide any edge that it has. Characters like Roberta have zero presence throughout, and even the zany characters like Tim the Bear feel forced and unimaginative.

    It's hard to envisage Cleveland Show still having a series to speak of if the network didn't want to keep Seth happy. As it stands, it may be worth putting this little side project out of it's misery and concentrating on the infinitely superior Family Guy and American Dad.    … Expand
  6. PatrickC
    Sep 28, 2009
    2
    American Dad might have been too much when it came out. Now Family Guy is boring, American is too...NOW they come out with this??
  7. JackM.
    Jan 12, 2010
    2
    The jokes are not funny, the characters are very stale and boring, and the episodes are just stupidly written. It's pretty much a more rascist version of Family Guy. I'd rather watch Sit Down, Shut Up.
  8. ErikH
    Sep 28, 2009
    2
    Terrible. I think this can avoid cancellation due to its Family Guy ties, but I for one won't be watching again.
  9. JK
    Sep 28, 2009
    2
    This show wasn't at all funny. Why they would make a spinoff series with the most boring character on the show (besides Meg of course) is beyond me.
  10. BS
    Sep 28, 2009
    2
    Just terrible, from a big Family Guy and American Dad fan.
  11. TylerF.
    Sep 28, 2009
    2
    Horribly unfunny.
  12. GanymedeJupiter
    Oct 17, 2010
    2
    Even if you're still a fan of Family Guy after 9 or so Seasons, you're really going to struggle to last through any episode of The Cleveland Show. Giving a spin-off to such a minor character always felt like a bad idea, and it becomes downright terrible when they change what little personality Cleveland had into being an unlikable jerk. He's now got the irresponsibility of Peter and theEven if you're still a fan of Family Guy after 9 or so Seasons, you're really going to struggle to last through any episode of The Cleveland Show. Giving a spin-off to such a minor character always felt like a bad idea, and it becomes downright terrible when they change what little personality Cleveland had into being an unlikable jerk. He's now got the irresponsibility of Peter and the smothering father characteristics of Stan. The rest of the cast are practically clones of the Family Guy cast; flat mom, fat son, talking baby, talking animal, group of 3 drinking buddies, with the daughter being a copy of the Hayley from American Dad. Add to that unfunny jokes that lack the silliness of Family Guy or the timing of American Dad, uninteresting plots, forgettable episodes and characters; you've got such a lacklustre show it could only be described as "The most pointless spin-off ever".… Expand
  13. BryanM.
    Oct 1, 2009
    1
    Absolutely horrible... this guy is a hack. When will people wake up and realize he's the Dane Cook of animation?
  14. MattW.
    Oct 3, 2009
    1
    I really like "Family Guy", but had my doubts about whether Cleveland (the most boring character) could carry his own show. Those doubts were confirmed when I watched the pilot. I thought it was truly awful. I chuckled maybe twice, but mainly winced (and not in a good way). It seems as though they can't decide whether to go for mean-spirited humor (like "Family Guy") or to try for I really like "Family Guy", but had my doubts about whether Cleveland (the most boring character) could carry his own show. Those doubts were confirmed when I watched the pilot. I thought it was truly awful. I chuckled maybe twice, but mainly winced (and not in a good way). It seems as though they can't decide whether to go for mean-spirited humor (like "Family Guy") or to try for something more warm-hearted. The result was painful to watch, and commits the very worst sin: it was not funny. I don't plan to watch it again.… Expand
  15. Corey
    Oct 4, 2009
    1
    I am a big fan of Family Guy and American Dad so I thought this could be good; it isn't. At all. In fact, it's absolutely awful. The 'jokes' appear to be Family Guy throwaways which weren't good enough to make that show and the show's characters come off as vaguely racist. Just... terrible.
  16. JoeM
    Nov 23, 2009
    1
    The Cleveland Show is so bad and generally unfunny as to leave me depressed after watching it. I'm a FG fan, and I was really hoping that TCS would be good, and I gave it a fair shot: six or seven episodes, to start being funny, but after that Edsel of a Thanksgiving "Special" I just witnessed, I'm tuning out. It was so bad that I imagined for a moment that Seth McFarlane is The Cleveland Show is so bad and generally unfunny as to leave me depressed after watching it. I'm a FG fan, and I was really hoping that TCS would be good, and I gave it a fair shot: six or seven episodes, to start being funny, but after that Edsel of a Thanksgiving "Special" I just witnessed, I'm tuning out. It was so bad that I imagined for a moment that Seth McFarlane is playing a twisted joke on Fox execs and America by making this show as bad and unfunny as possible on purpose. I also agree with Shawn O's assessment that the racial stereotypes dabbled in and utilized in FG in the form of the cutaway device do have a quality of a farcical caricature about them, that underscores the falseness and ridiculousness of these stereotypes; but that when the entire pretext for a sitcom depends upon these exaggerated, racially-stereotypical caricatures, it ventures from clever lampooning into a slightly uncomfortable and un-funny racist territory that induces squirming, but certainly not laughter. It seems that Cleveland Show may have jumped the shark right out of the box.… Expand
  17. JT
    Oct 3, 2009
    1
    Why would they give the most un-funny character on 'Family Guy' his own show? I read somewhere that they have ordered 26 episodes to be made... hopefully they won't see the light of day.
  18. RaulM.
    Sep 27, 2009
    1
    I HATED this show. I find it hard to believe that the same people behind Family Guy created this show. Just unspeakably horrible. Offensively un-funny, stereotypical, straight-up WEIRD, ZERO chemistry between characters -- just a terrible debut. I don't see this picking up.
  19. BrianN
    Oct 12, 2009
    1
    Much like the movie "Multiplicity", the copy of a copy format here falls dreadfully thin. The writing is lazy, the jokes are stale, and the fact that the well-written and witty "King of the Hill" was axed to make way for this pitiful drivel makes the gut wrenching punch to the viewers' gonads that much more painful. Avoid this like the swine flu, ironically a more topical joke than Much like the movie "Multiplicity", the copy of a copy format here falls dreadfully thin. The writing is lazy, the jokes are stale, and the fact that the well-written and witty "King of the Hill" was axed to make way for this pitiful drivel makes the gut wrenching punch to the viewers' gonads that much more painful. Avoid this like the swine flu, ironically a more topical joke than anything written up for this dreadful mess.… Expand
  20. TH.
    Sep 27, 2009
    1
    Complete rip off of family guy and american dad (american dad practically copies family guy too). Cleveland is Peter, his wife lois, the chick meg, the baby is identical to Stewie, the Bear Brian, and the fat one Chris. Its Family guy except black. Artistically mirrors both previous shows. Obviously MacFarlane has no originality anymore and cannot draw any different show to show. Every Complete rip off of family guy and american dad (american dad practically copies family guy too). Cleveland is Peter, his wife lois, the chick meg, the baby is identical to Stewie, the Bear Brian, and the fat one Chris. Its Family guy except black. Artistically mirrors both previous shows. Obviously MacFarlane has no originality anymore and cannot draw any different show to show. Every week Family Guy gets progressivly worse, yet he's given more shows to produce. Focus on what made you popular before its too late. Unfunny copies of your original work will only last so long before you end up a has been, the same with Family Guy. If your core show does not improve, why continue creating more shows? Logic eludes you Seth.… Expand
  21. SteveS.
    Sep 28, 2009
    1
    "Solid and funny. Ignore the irrational Macfarlane hate. There's a reason he's got an empire" yeah the reason he has an empire is a) fox is stupid as demonstrated by the fact that American dad is still in existence and b) America is stupid as demonstrated by the fact that American dad is still in existence. the man just isn't that funny and when he is, it's generally "Solid and funny. Ignore the irrational Macfarlane hate. There's a reason he's got an empire" yeah the reason he has an empire is a) fox is stupid as demonstrated by the fact that American dad is still in existence and b) America is stupid as demonstrated by the fact that American dad is still in existence. the man just isn't that funny and when he is, it's generally not very sophisticated and ultimately not very satisfying. I'm not saying you aren't entitled to liking family guy or American dad or Cleveland show or whatnot I'm just saying there is a legitimate reason several people don't (not just irrational hate). And really do we need 3 of the same show on the same night? I mean come on.… Expand
  22. Spielberg00
    Sep 24, 2011
    1
    THE CLEVELAND SHOW has the same premise as FAMILY GUY, the show it is spun off of, and slightly unlike it, this is never funny. I only watched one episode, which was the Kanye West episode from the first season, and I declared immediately after that I would never watch again. I laughed once--oh, that was the time I forced myself to nervously laugh. This is so dumb that it's not evenTHE CLEVELAND SHOW has the same premise as FAMILY GUY, the show it is spun off of, and slightly unlike it, this is never funny. I only watched one episode, which was the Kanye West episode from the first season, and I declared immediately after that I would never watch again. I laughed once--oh, that was the time I forced myself to nervously laugh. This is so dumb that it's not even funny, unlike other shows when you find yourself cracking up because of their stupidity. Not worth your time.… Expand
  23. Jessrond
    Feb 5, 2012
    1
    I have no idea who the clowns were that made Seth McDoucheLane make a third horrible show. Family guy was decent a decade ago, but it's been awful since it came back on air, and now everyone worships it as some pinnacle of humor when it's just gross-out humor with bad 80's movie ripoffs.

    If you're looking for a good cartoon, don't watch this.
  24. bird_b85
    Jun 20, 2013
    1
    I love Family Guy, Almost anything on Adult Swim, American Dad, But this show was a Let Down. I could not get more then a few episodes in and I gave up.
  25. whave
    Oct 4, 2014
    1
    Unwatchable. And when I learned it was actually taking over King of the Hill's timeslot... Dang it! Absolutely don't see the reason why this show would exist, and it just went on and on and on for 4 (!!!) seasons?!? Giving it a 1 instead of a 0 as it actually made me smile like 2 times per 10 episodes.
  26. AndyM.
    Oct 19, 2009
    0
    This show reminds me of the final episode of Seinfield - when viewers tuned in and watched, patiently for the jokes to be revealed. But the joke was on the viewer. Same with this miserable show. The only one laughing is Seth McFarland, and he's laughing at how much like sheep we really are.
  27. EliJ.
    Nov 9, 2009
    0
    Please stop Mcfarlane...just stop...it saddens my heart to see so many positive reviews on this show. Just goes to show how much "name" has to do with comedy now a days. People dont laugh at smart jokes anymore, they just laugh at the ooze pouring out their left ear while they watch the funny black person talk to a fucking bear. Probably the worst show i've ever watched. Yes, i Please stop Mcfarlane...just stop...it saddens my heart to see so many positive reviews on this show. Just goes to show how much "name" has to do with comedy now a days. People dont laugh at smart jokes anymore, they just laugh at the ooze pouring out their left ear while they watch the funny black person talk to a fucking bear. Probably the worst show i've ever watched. Yes, i believe its worse than that 80's show. If a show like this aired back in the times of the early simpsons it would have been canceled in a week. The only reason it hasnt been canceled is because Seth Mcfarlane is now a TV immortal.… Expand
  28. CoreyL
    Oct 2, 2009
    0
    The only reason I gave this a 0 rating is because it was the lowest number available. I am a huge FAMILY GUY fan, and was hoping for the best. I didn't laugh once. You probably won't print this, but I believe MacFarlane was pressured into making this show to offset the off-color humor of FAMILY GUY. I don't think he'll lose any sleep when this show crashes & burns. The only reason I gave this a 0 rating is because it was the lowest number available. I am a huge FAMILY GUY fan, and was hoping for the best. I didn't laugh once. You probably won't print this, but I believe MacFarlane was pressured into making this show to offset the off-color humor of FAMILY GUY. I don't think he'll lose any sleep when this show crashes & burns. Political correct- ness created this show, utter lack of humor will be it's demise! Long live FAMILY GUY!… Expand
  29. JohnC
    Jan 10, 2010
    0
    Pathetic, slow, unfunny. This show makes the American Dad Oscar material. Seth sold out and is using filler. Id rather watch shamwow commercials over and over and over.
  30. JenC.
    Jan 20, 2010
    0
    *Sarcasm* Wow, Seth. REALLY original show ya got here. I didn't think it was possible, but you actually made a show more unfunny and repetitive than Family Guy!... Not to mention you TOTALLY didn't plagiarize anyone for the ideas/jokes, plagiarize yourself by repeating said jokes, or make not one, but 3 shows with the exact same dull, unfunny cookie-cutter plot. GREAT JOB! ... *Sarcasm* Wow, Seth. REALLY original show ya got here. I didn't think it was possible, but you actually made a show more unfunny and repetitive than Family Guy!... Not to mention you TOTALLY didn't plagiarize anyone for the ideas/jokes, plagiarize yourself by repeating said jokes, or make not one, but 3 shows with the exact same dull, unfunny cookie-cutter plot. GREAT JOB! ... And not to mention you can't draw for shit, but that's okay. We're stupid enough to call this art & waste our sad lives watching it so you can live a rich, happy life and enjoy your TOTALLY non-corrupt and overrated success. Wow... What a freaking waste McFarlane is.… Expand
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Awards & Rankings

75
#75 Best TV Season of 2009
9
#9 Most Discussed TV Season of 2009
2
#2 Most Shared TV Season of 2009

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
55

Mixed or average reviews - based on 18 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 6 out of 18
  2. Mixed: 10 out of 18
  3. Negative: 2 out of 18
  1. Chicago Sun-Times
    Reviewed by: Paige Wiser
    75
    The new show is more conventional and warm-hearted--but only slightly. If I had to sum up the humor in one word, it would be "random."
    Read full review
  2. The Hollywood Reporter
    Reviewed by: Barry Garron
    60
    Cleveland has a few delightfully outrageous moments, along with several that are gratuitously gross ("hot fur," anyone?), but its most disconcerting element is its significant resemblance to "Family Guy."
    Read full review
  3. Miami Herald
    Reviewed by: Glenn Garvin
    70
    Actually the dimly befuddled Cleveland works pretty well as a foil to the collection of redneck psycho neighbors, oversexed stepchildren and Russian bears (don't ask) who make up the cast.
    Read full review
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