Proving once again its claim to the hotly contested title of Stupidest Television Network, ABC has canceled “The Goode Family” and “Surviving Suburbia,” continuing their business strategy of desperately trying new things and failing to give them a chance to succeed.

No wonder the cab/sat USA Network actually beat ABC (and the CW network) in the national ratings last week. USA’s formula of original series with unusual but likable characters and sound values carries consistently impressive audience appeal.

Although the ABC cancellations were expected–given the fact that the network had brilliantly moved both series to Friday night, a network television Dead Zone, thus guaranteeing that the shows would not be able to generate an audience over time–they nonetheless prove that ABC hates anything with decent values and ideas and cannot appreciate good, solid entertainment with real sense (Castle being the rare exception).

Expertly produced by Mike Judge (“Beavis and Butthead,” “King of the Hill,” “Office Space”), the animated sitcom “The Goode Family” expertly satirized the conformist, braindead nature of much Green thinking and brilliantly identified the movement’s evolution into a commercialized lifestyle. Judge and co. also made merciless fun of countless other aspects of lefty conventional thinking, such as the passion for being seen as encouraging homosexuality and supporting public radio and other big-government nonsense.

They accomplished all this, moreover, while managing to make the central characters likable in spite of the silliness of their pursuits, by emphasizing their good intentions.

Naturally, Disney-owned ABC, widely known as the “gayest” network and a tireless promoter of statist hedonism, couldn’t tolerate the program once it realized what Judge and co. were actually delivering.

Given the high expense of animated shows, it’s unlikely that “The Goode Family” will be picked up by a cable network. It would seem perfect for Fox, of course, but that network seems committed to destroying the last semblances of taste and common sense in this society through its presentation of Seth McFarlane animated shows such as “Family Guy” and “American Dad.”

Like “The Goode Family,” the Bob Saget sitcom “Surviving Surburbia” was a sprightly, often satirical comedy which promoted sound values. Naturally, it couldn’t last on the network that has long promoted itself as the youthful, innovative, clever alternative but has in fact become a stagnant, boring bastion of statist hedonism.

Coming after the cancellation of the interesting and appealingly unconventional police comedy-drama “The Unusuals,” the jettisoning of “The Goode Family” and “Surviving Suburbia” show that even as it plunges ever-further into the ratings basement, ABC refuses to deviate from its evident mission of pushing modern liberalism instead of providing good, appealing television.

From an ABCNews.com article:

ABC News’ Cullen Dirner reports: Two popular Republican figures, Rush Limbaugh and Karl Rove, will make an appearance on next season’s “Family Guy.”

Arguably a liberal leaning show, “Family Guy” is reaching out to the other side of the aisle.  Karl Rove, the former Bush senior adviser and deputy chief of staff, confirmed Friday on Twitter that he will appear on the show.

“Yes, it’s true. Will be a guest on the Family Guy next season,” Rove tweeted.

Seth MacFarlane, the show’s creator, tells THR.com that it is time to give the other side some face time.

“The Family Guy tends to be very liberal, because it is written by liberals,” MacFarlane said.  He then added that the majority of the show’s lifespan has been during the Bush administration and they thought it was time to mix it up.

One of the show’s main characters, Brian the family dog, plays a liberal role. However, since Obama has taken office, Brian has found he has nothing to complain about.  According to MacFarlane, in the upcoming season Brian has a change of heart, glomming onto Republican radio host Rush Limbaugh.

Some discussion points on this article:

• This is how “American Dad” (from the people who bring you “Family Guy”) has depicted Karl Rove in the past.  Do you think the Boy Genius knew of this satanic portrayal of him before he agreed to do “Family Guy”?  He had to have seen it at some point…

• The ABCNews reporter calls Family Guy “arguably a liberal leaning show,” but three paragraphs later, he quotes the show’s creator, Seth MacFarlane, who says, “‘Family Guy’ tends to be very liberal, because it is written by liberals.”  Not sure why the reporter felt the need to spin that one…

• Of course, we would give “Family Guy” a lot of credit if they assumed the role of watchdog and got some jabs in at Obama, but given the episodes the “Family Guy” team submitted for Emmy consideration and the show’s history of (sometimes vicious) attacks on Republicans, you’d be dreaming to think “Family Guy” will literally take a “right turn.”  But we shall see…

Leave your thoughts below.  Another possible prompt: what’s in it for Rove and Limbaugh?

Critics harp on Seth MacFarlane’s use of comic cutaways on his popular animated show “Family Guy,” calling the technique lazy and uninspired. You know the technique – family patriarch Peter Griffin makes an aside, and suddenly it’s blown into a flashback of comic exaggeration.

Now, “Family Guy” fans can sample an entire hour of disconnected snippets with “Seth MacFarlane’s Cavalcade of Cartoon Comedy,” out this month on DVD.

Not a smart move.

MacFarlane, a veritable franchise onto himself with “Family Guy,” “American Dad” and various side projects, must have felt the need to go the Full Monty in a new medium. So “Cavalcade” brims with dirty talk, sexually suggestive material and other R-rated fare he can’t get away with on Fox. And MacFarlance gets away with a ton already on his hit show.

But “Cavalcade” reminds us that some roadblocks can inspire comedic minds, and unfettered freedom must be used wisely. Only one time does the naughtiness here work to comedy’s advantage – a micro-gag in which Mario Antoinette tries out a few snooty put downs before settling on “Let them eat cake.”

For the rest of the hour running time, the raunchy bits feel like a teenager letting loose with every curse word his bedraggled parents forbid him to say.The most inspired moment comes when Wile E. Coyote finally kills that accursed Road Runner only to realize his life now lacks meaning.

Smart.

The DVD features a few running themes, like a Scotsman who talks back to movies (not funny) and a series of bits involving various types having sex (really not funny). Worst of all, the bits attack the usual suspects – rednecks, West Virginians, Republicans, pro-lifers and church goers – which makes the collection both lazy and mirth-free. One segment has Dick Cheney punching his lover in the face repeatedly.

Nothing screams an utter lack of edge in 2009 than taking potshots at Republican stereotypes.

And, on one occasion, the humor dips way below the belt, like the inclusion of a shaky Muhammad Ali in one animated sketch. Second place goes to a bit involving Magic Johnson’s HIV positive status.

It would take a master satirist to wring humor from those two subjects, but there’s nothing masterful about this “Cavalcade.”

Gratefully, some of the sketches last only a few seconds. Most linger way too long, like a boorish party guest or a “Saturday Night Live” sketch they put on just before 1 a.m. beckons.

“Family Guy” remains a hit or miss proposition, and MacFarlane’s vocal stylings are an unqualified hoot. But the animator is either stretched entirely too thin or thinks every half-baked comic impulse he have deserves to be seen.

Christian Toto is a contributing reporter for The Washington Times, MovieMaker Magazine and boxoffice.com. He blogs about film at whatwouldtotowatch.com