“The Goode Family” Created by Mike Judge, John Altschuler, and Dave Krinsky; Starring Mike Judge, Nancy Carell, Linda Cardellini, and David Herman; Originally aired May 27, 2009; Run time 22 minutes.
Mike Judge, coming off the long running success of both “Beavis and Butt-Head” and “King of the Hill” created a third animated series following the everyday adventures of a modern liberal American family. Gerald and Helen Goode struggle to raise their daughter Bliss and adopted son Ubuntu as environmentally conscious vegans in a society that often ridicules those beliefs and lifestyle.
The series derives most of its humor from the family’s clash with more conservative values as well as the constantly shifting dynamic of what is good and what is bad in social consciousness. Unlike most other series with a green message, “The Goode Family” does not portray liberalism and environmental consciousness as undeniable good.
While the series’ protagonists are clearly of the recycling, meat is murder, organic produce variety, the show is written in such a way as to poke fun at that type of lifestyle while simultaneously putting a spotlight on why making an effort in these areas is necessary. This angle had the effect of making both sides of the issue look silly which may have been an attempt at finding balance and avoiding bias (which it was certainly successful at) but based on the show’s low ratings, it seems it had the effect of alienating both sides of the aisle and the show was cancelled after only 13 episodes.
Despite mixed reviews and low viewership, for my money it’s actually the strongest of Judge’s three animated at bats. The show maintains the relatable struggles of a modern family that “King of the Hill” provided (with Ubuntu being strikingly similar to Bobby Hill) while adding the additional element of political subtext, dealing with issues of environmental balance, racism, sex, and more.
Recent years have seen our society evolving in all of these arenas, the dynamic of the conversation is changing as more minority groups achieve a voice. Many of us are finding it difficult to navigate the conversation causing unintended wounds and unhelpful divides.
A show like “The Goode Family” could have helped humanize both sides of the conversation and helped us to plot a course that would be mutually beneficial. It’s unfortunate that the message was lost and the show discontinued so quickly.