Seth MacFarlane Says TV Is Too Dark & Pessimistic : “Give People Hope”

Seth MacFarlane wants to see more uplifting stories coming out of Hollywood. Speaking on the “Where Everybody Knows Your Name” podcast, the “Family Guy” creator called out the TV and movie industry for leaning too hard into dark, negative tales.

He believes audiences are craving shows and films that inspire hope instead.MacFarlane pointed to his own show, “The Orville,” as an example of the kind of positive storytelling he grew up with.

“That’s why I did ‘The Orville’… because when I was a kid, Hollywood was providing that voice in various forms,” he said. “There was a lot of hope, and some of the blame lies right here in this town. The dishes that we are serving up are so dystopian and so pessimistic. And yeah, there’s a lot to be pessimistic about, but it’s so one-sided. There’s nothing we’re doing that’s providing anyone an image of hope.”

He feels the industry is stuck in a rut of gloomy narratives, leaving little room for the optimism he remembers from shows like “Star Trek: The Next Generation.”He gave a nod to “The Handmaid’s Tale,” calling it a “beautifully written, beautifully directed show,” but argued there’s way more of that dark vibe than the hopeful stories Captain Picard brought to the table.

MacFarlane also took a jab at the trend of antihero-driven shows, pointing to “The Sopranos” as the spark that set off Hollywood’s obsession with flawed leads. “[Telling hopeful stories is] the only thing really that Hollywood can do that’s worthwhile because as we all learned from this election, nobody gives a f*c* what celebrities think,” he added.

“We can tweet, we can talk. Like, people don’t care. They don’t care. What we do do well is tell stories. And we’re not doing the best job right now of telling those stories in a way that gives people hope.”

MacFarlane’s message is clear: Hollywood needs to shift gears and start telling stories that lift people up, not just drag them down. With his track record of blending humor and heart, he’s pushing for a return to narratives that leave audiences feeling hopeful.

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