The Goode Family
Encyclopedia
The Goode Family is an American animated
sitcom, which originally aired on ABC
from May 27, 2009 to August 7, 2009. The series was created by Mike Judge
and follows the life of an environmentally responsible, albeit obsessive, family. The series takes a comic look at contemporary society.
On August 8, 2009, ABC Entertainment President Steve McPherson stated that the show, along with Surviving Suburbia
, had officially been cancelled due to low ratings.
In 2010, reruns of The Goode Family aired Monday nights at 10pm on Comedy Central
, beginning January 4. It was to be evaluated for new episodes, but was pulled off the Comedy Central schedule after only four weeks.
all of the time about everything. Situations in the premiere episode included shopping at a natural foods store without having brought reusable bags, how to refer to ethnic groups, analyzing conservative beliefs they typically despise, and raising modern teenagers. The pilot satirized both stereotypical "liberal" and "conservative" mindsets, including the ongoing derangement of the family's "vegan" dog (who has taken to eating neighborhood pets).
, John Altschuler, and Dave Krinsky, with Altschuler and Krinsky serving as show runner
s. The show is directed by John Rice, Seth Kearsley, Jennifer Coyle, and Anthony Chun, with Wes Archer
as supervising director. Show writers include Jonathan Collier
, Jace Richdale
, Gene Hong
, Owen Ellickson, Dave Jeser
, Franklin Hardy, Leila Strachan, Brad Pope, Howard Kremer, Shane Kosakowski, Jordana Arkin, and Matt Silverstein, in addition to Altschuler and Krinsky, and other writers.
Animation
Animation is the rapid display of a sequence of images of 2-D or 3-D artwork or model positions in order to create an illusion of movement. The effect is an optical illusion of motion due to the phenomenon of persistence of vision, and can be created and demonstrated in several ways...
sitcom, which originally aired on ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
from May 27, 2009 to August 7, 2009. The series was created by Mike Judge
Mike Judge
Michael Craig Judge is an American animator, film director, writer and voice actor, best known as the creator and star of the animated television series Beavis and Butt-head , King of the Hill , and The Goode Family .He also wrote, directed and in some instances produced the films Beavis and...
and follows the life of an environmentally responsible, albeit obsessive, family. The series takes a comic look at contemporary society.
On August 8, 2009, ABC Entertainment President Steve McPherson stated that the show, along with Surviving Suburbia
Surviving Suburbia
Surviving Suburbia is an American sitcom starring Bob Saget and Cynthia Stevenson that premiered on April 6, 2009 at 9:30PM Eastern/8:30PM Central on ABC. Surviving Suburbia aired its final episode at 8:30PM Eastern/7:30PM Central on August 7, 2009...
, had officially been cancelled due to low ratings.
In 2010, reruns of The Goode Family aired Monday nights at 10pm on Comedy Central
Comedy Central
Comedy Central is an American cable television and satellite television channel that carries comedy programming, both original and syndicated....
, beginning January 4. It was to be evaluated for new episodes, but was pulled off the Comedy Central schedule after only four weeks.
Premise
The Goode family struggles with the modern social and environmental responsibilities of being liberals, and the paradoxes that arise for a working-class family when trying to be politically correctPolitically Correct
Politically Correct may refer to:*Political correctness, language, ideas, policies, or behaviour seeking to minimize offence to groups of people-See also:*Politically Correct Bedtime Stories, book by James Finn Garner, published in 1994...
all of the time about everything. Situations in the premiere episode included shopping at a natural foods store without having brought reusable bags, how to refer to ethnic groups, analyzing conservative beliefs they typically despise, and raising modern teenagers. The pilot satirized both stereotypical "liberal" and "conservative" mindsets, including the ongoing derangement of the family's "vegan" dog (who has taken to eating neighborhood pets).
The Goodes
- Gerald Goode (voiced by Mike JudgeMike JudgeMichael Craig Judge is an American animator, film director, writer and voice actor, best known as the creator and star of the animated television series Beavis and Butt-head , King of the Hill , and The Goode Family .He also wrote, directed and in some instances produced the films Beavis and...
) – An administrator at a community collegeCommunity collegeA community college is a type of educational institution. The term can have different meanings in different countries.-Australia:Community colleges carry on the tradition of adult education, which was established in Australia around mid 19th century when evening classes were held to help adults...
. He comes from a "long line of over-educated academic liberals". He rides a bicycle for transportation, and his trademark clothing is a cyclingCyclingCycling, also called bicycling or biking, is the use of bicycles for transport, recreation, or for sport. Persons engaged in cycling are cyclists or bicyclists...
uniform. He is very fastidious and easily disgusted, both by animals and people. - Helen Goode (voiced by Nancy Carell) – Gerald’s wife. A local activist who has "daddy issues" and does not think highly of people who wear U.S. flag lapel pins. She is concerned about her social status among the other eco-conscious people in Greenville, and often tries to impress the wealthy wife of Gerald's boss.
- Ubuntu Goode (voiced by David HermanDavid HermanDavid Herman is an American actor, comedian and voice actor best known as an original cast member of MADtv and for his role as Michael Bolton in Office Space. He is also known for his voice roles on television programs such as Futurama and King of the Hill.- Biography :David Herman was born in New...
) – The Goodes' adopted son, named after Ubuntu, a concept from African philosophy (mispronounced by the characters as juːˈbʌntuː instead of uːˈbuːntuː). The Goodes adoptedAdoptionAdoption is a process whereby a person assumes the parenting for another and, in so doing, permanently transfers all rights and responsibilities from the original parent or parents...
him in the name of promoting racial tolerance within the community, but due to their vagueness in filling out the adoption paperwork, the family ended up with a white South African baby instead of the black infant they wanted. Ubuntu is often shown conflicted with a seemingly innate desire to go against his parents' lifestyle; however, rather than being an outright rebellion, this seems to reflect the nature vs. nurture debates. Although he is sixteen years old, he sleeps in footy pajamasBlanket sleeperThe blanket sleeper is a type of especially warm sleeping garment worn primarily during the winter in the United States and Canada...
that are decorated with big rig trucks. Despite his seemingly dopey and unaware nature, he is naturally accomplished at both sports and machinery; he is a member of his high school's football team. - Bliss Goode (voiced by Linda CardelliniLinda CardelliniLinda Edna Cardellini is an American television and film actress. She is best known for her roles as high school student Lindsay Weir on Freaks and Geeks, as Velma Dinkley in the live-action Scooby-Doo films, and as Samantha Taggart on ER.- Early life :Cardellini was born in Redwood City,...
) – Helen and Gerald's biological daughter. One of the characters with a sense of reason, she often disagrees with and mocks her parents' political stances, about which she is usually better-informed. She serves as the show's chief foil by poking holes in Gerald's and Helen's world view. Yet, in more recent episodes, she has tended to agree with her parents, and in some instances has actually helped them to achieve a common goal. - Che (voiced by Dee Bradley BakerDee Bradley BakerDee Bradley Baker is an American voice actor. He is noted as his long-running-role as Klaus Heissler in American Dad! and other various characters including Squilliam Fancyson in the hit TV series SpongeBob SquarePants, Nightcrawler in X-Men: Legends and Marvel: Ultimate Alliance...
) – The family dog, named after the communist revolutionary Che GuevaraChe GuevaraErnesto "Che" Guevara , commonly known as el Che or simply Che, was an Argentine Marxist revolutionary, physician, author, intellectual, guerrilla leader, diplomat and military theorist...
. The Goodes feed him vegan food which he hates. He craves meat and often eats neighborhood animals and pets. As a consequence, "missing" flyers of neighborhood pets blanket street poles. - Charlie (voiced by Brian Doyle-MurrayBrian Doyle-MurrayBrian Doyle-Murray is an American comedian, screenwriter, actor and voice artist. He is the older brother of actor/comedian Bill Murray and has acted together with him in several films, including Caddyshack, Scrooged, Ghostbusters II, The Razor's Edge and Groundhog Day...
) – Helen's SUV-driving father who generally likes making fun of her lifestyle. He frequently ridicules Gerald and Helen for their beliefs, although he seems to favor Ubuntu more due to him being involved in the football team, and Bliss who seems to share his opinions.
Other characters
- Kent Jenson (voiced by David HermanDavid HermanDavid Herman is an American actor, comedian and voice actor best known as an original cast member of MADtv and for his role as Michael Bolton in Office Space. He is also known for his voice roles on television programs such as Futurama and King of the Hill.- Biography :David Herman was born in New...
) – Gerald's boss at Greenville Community College, and Margo's husband - Kiki (voiced by Amy HillAmy HillAmy Marie Hill is an American actress. She is perhaps best known for her roles as Mrs. DePaulo in That's So Raven, Mrs. Kwan in The Cat in the Hat, the Kylie Minogue-inspired singer, Penny Candy from The Puzzle Place, and the voice of Jasmine Lee Amy Marie Hill (born May 9, 1953) is an American...
) - Margo (voiced by Julia SweeneyJulia SweeneyJulia Anne Sweeney is an American actress, comedian and author best known as a cast member on Saturday Night Live and for her autobiographical solo shows.-Personal life:...
) – Helen's snooty rival who relentlessly puts down the Goodes (but mostly just Helen). She is an influential member of the Greenville community and embodies everything Helen wants to be, while ironically at odds with Helen and vice-versa. Helen seems to mostly get the best of her, and her purpose is to display the type of person who is holier-than-thou while being a fake personality who seizes on fads to increase her social standing. - Mo (voiced by Laraine NewmanLaraine NewmanLaraine Newman is an American comedienne, actress, and writer, and was part of the original Saturday Night Live cast.-Personal life:...
) – A rugged lesbian the Goodes are friends with, along with her life partner Trish. Mo worked on an oil rig. - Penny (voiced by Lori Nasso) – A neighbor who is single and childless, and makes occasional comments about her loneliness and desire to have children. Her beliefs fluctuate, and she will take liberal causes only to abandon them shortly afterwards to her personal benefit.
- Ray Johnson (voiced by Gary Anthony WilliamsGary Anthony WilliamsGary Anthony Williams is an American screen actor who most recently appeared in Weeds and Boston Legal. Additionally, he is known for his recurring role on Fox's Malcolm in the Middle as "Abe" Kenarban. He has also been known for the comedy series Blue Collar TV as a regular cast member...
) – An easy-going, country-music loving black neighbor of the Goodes who drives a gas-guzzling car and thinks of race as less important than the Goodes do, as an ironic device. - Solosolo (voiced by Phil LaMarrPhil LaMarrPhillip "Phil" LaMarr is an American actor, comedian and voice actor. One of the original cast members on the sketch comedy series MADtv, he is also known for his small, but memorable role as Marvin in Pulp Fiction...
) - Souki (voiced by Cree SummerCree SummerCree Summer Francks , best known as Cree Summer, is a Canadian actress, musician and voice actress. She is perhaps best known for her role as college student Winifred "Freddie" Brooks on the NBC sitcom A Different World...
) - Treyvon (voiced by David HermanDavid HermanDavid Herman is an American actor, comedian and voice actor best known as an original cast member of MADtv and for his role as Michael Bolton in Office Space. He is also known for his voice roles on television programs such as Futurama and King of the Hill.- Biography :David Herman was born in New...
) – A teenage employee at One Earth, an organicOrganic foodOrganic foods are foods that are produced using methods that do not involve modern synthetic inputs such as synthetic pesticides and chemical fertilizers, do not contain genetically modified organisms, and are not processed using irradiation, industrial solvents, or chemical food additives.For the...
supermarket frequented by the Goodes, Margo and Greenville's Liberal elite (the store is frequently seen featuring a large sign telling its shoppers what is good and what is bad; Farm-Raised Catfish constantly moving between good and bad). Treyvon is also an amateur filmmaker whom Bliss tries to befriend. He comes across as a suburbanite that thinks it is "cool" to mock others of less liberal beliefs. - Mr. Heelo (voiced by Howard Kremer) – The manager of the "One Earth" supermarket.
- Trish (voiced by Julia SweeneyJulia SweeneyJulia Anne Sweeney is an American actress, comedian and author best known as a cast member on Saturday Night Live and for her autobiographical solo shows.-Personal life:...
) – A lesbian the Goodes are friends with, along with her life partner Mo. Trish is a mechanic. - The Average Guy (voiced by Mike JudgeMike JudgeMichael Craig Judge is an American animator, film director, writer and voice actor, best known as the creator and star of the animated television series Beavis and Butt-head , King of the Hill , and The Goode Family .He also wrote, directed and in some instances produced the films Beavis and...
) - A newscaster that does stories from the "average" point of view.
Crew
The show is created by Mike JudgeMike Judge
Michael Craig Judge is an American animator, film director, writer and voice actor, best known as the creator and star of the animated television series Beavis and Butt-head , King of the Hill , and The Goode Family .He also wrote, directed and in some instances produced the films Beavis and...
, John Altschuler, and Dave Krinsky, with Altschuler and Krinsky serving as show runner
Show runner
Showrunner is a term of art originating in the United States and Canadian television industry referring to the person who is responsible for the day-to-day operation of a television seriesalthough such persons generally are credited as an executive producer...
s. The show is directed by John Rice, Seth Kearsley, Jennifer Coyle, and Anthony Chun, with Wes Archer
Wes Archer
Wesley Meyer Archer is a television animation director. He was one of the original three animators on The Simpsons' Tracey Ullman shorts and subsequently directed a number of The Simpsons episodes before becoming supervising director at King of the Hill. A...
as supervising director. Show writers include Jonathan Collier
Jonathan Collier
Jonathan Collier is an American television writer, best known for his work on The Simpsons, Monk, and King of the Hill. He worked as an executive producer on Mike Reiss' DVD movie, "Queer Duck: The Movie". He attended and graduated from Harvard University.-Season Seven:*"Lisa the Iconoclast"*"22...
, Jace Richdale
Jace Richdale
Jace Richdale is an American producer and writer. He served as co-executive producer for seasons 5 and 6 of The Simpsons and wrote the season five episode "Burns' Heir". He was a part of the Simpsons writing staff during seasons 5, 6, 9 and 10. Other writing credits include Family Ties, Get a Life...
, Gene Hong
Gene Hong
Gene Hong is a Korean American writer, actor and producer. He may be best known for being in the original cast of MTV's Nick Cannon Presents Wild 'N Out.-Early life:...
, Owen Ellickson, Dave Jeser
Dave Jeser
Dave Jeser & Matt Silverstein are American television writers, co-executive producers of Napoleon Dynamite, and co-creators of Drawn Together...
, Franklin Hardy, Leila Strachan, Brad Pope, Howard Kremer, Shane Kosakowski, Jordana Arkin, and Matt Silverstein, in addition to Altschuler and Krinsky, and other writers.
Episodes
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External links
- The Goode Family at facebookFacebookFacebook is a social networking service and website launched in February 2004, operated and privately owned by Facebook, Inc. , Facebook has more than 800 million active users. Users must register before using the site, after which they may create a personal profile, add other users as...
.com - SitcomsOnline Review of The Goode Family