The Cleveland Show (2009–2013) User Reviews

Not Nearly as Bad as You've Heard

[zdflanders · 7/10 · 12 January 2019]

Most people hate this show because it's a trend to say it sucks. Totally untrue. Its comedy is on par with later Family Guy episodes. No it isn't to die for funny but it will make you genuinely laugh hard plenty of times.

The show failed because too many characters were complete disasters. Tim, Lester, and Holt are God awful. Tim's whole gimmick is sounding like a muppet and being a bear, Lesters whole gimmick is being a moronic redneck, and Holt's whole gimmick is being an unfunny dwarf. Cleveland and Junior are on par with Peter as far as their comedic value. They tone it way down in the Family Guy episodes and I wish I knew why. Cleveland is incredibly relatable and he and Donna are a perfect comedy duo. (WAY better than Peter and Lois as a couple but not funnier than Peter)

Rallo and Roberta are just alright. They're not actually terrible as side characters. Meg and Chris are not funny. I don't care who disagrees. An episode of Family Guy will never focus on them because they are not interesting enough to be more than side characters. We're pretty much getting the same thing with Rallo and Roberta. Junior however is pretty funny.

I wish this show wasn't cancelled but changed instead. Like if they got rid of Cleveland's friends and replaced them with funnier characters it would work.

So harsh

[nocturne-96807 · 7/10 · 2 March 2019]

I don't understand why people don't like this series - it's essentially family guy from Cleveland's POV. It's so funny

6

[Edvis-1997 · 6/10 · 6 March 2021]

Just saw WatchMojo top 10 worst TV series and it was in here... I found it offensive. Yeah, it's not as great as Family Guy or Simpsons but it wasn't that bad. I get the idea they've tried to make everything the same as Family Guy just concentrate on Cleveland's family not Peter's. It was okay, not really funny but watchable and even some episodes were entertaining. I get it why it has only 4 but still, if you have free time it's better to watch this than half other useless TV shows.

I gave it a chance...

[Wizard-8 · 12 October 2009]

When I first heard that there was going to be this show, my first thought was, "What? A show centered around a somewhat bland supporting character from FAMILY GUY?" But I decided I would give the show a chance. After all, there have been stranger premises that have worked.

Later, I found out that the character of Cleveland Jr. had been changed from a (hilarious) hyperactive young boy into a fat and slow teenager. But I decided I would still give the show a chance. Maybe this revised character would be funny.

A day before the show first aired, I was surfing the Internet and came across a selection of reviews of the show. They were almost all negative. But I was still willing to give the show a chance. Sometimes critics are wrong.

The next day, I watched the pilot episode. It was terrible. But I decided I would still give the show a chance. Sometimes writers need time to polish their writing for a new show.

As I write this, I've watched some more episodes of the show. And I think I can say now that this show simply doesn't work. It's not very funny - it seems to be written by teenaged fans of FAMILY GUY who have no professional writing experience. Not only that, the show is cursed by some characters that are a major turn-off. They are not only written to be annoying, they have some of the worst voice acting I've heard in a cartoon series.

This show will get no more chances from me.

Give it a chance people.

[IndecisivePigeon · 7/10 · 15 March 2010]

Well the only reason that people are hating on this show so much is the fact that they continue to compare it to the likes of Family guy and possibly American dad.

This show isn't bad, it is entertaining and the humour is smart. As a fan of Seth Mcfarlane I knew I would enjoy the show anyway.

Yes the family structure is the same as Family guy and American dad, and may lack some ambition, but needless to say, I don't laugh at much shows these days, buy this manages to squeeze quite a few giggles out of me.

No, it's not better than family guy, but if people watched it with an open mind and stopped comparing it, I reckon it would be enjoyed a lot more than what it is.

Going in for a cancer screening

[kahlessreborn · 1/10 · 27 September 2009]

This show was almost painful to watch. I went into the show forgetting that it even existed and watch it for the hell of it basically as apathetic as you can get. Now remember that they canceled King of the Hill for this It makes me very much despise the show. I love Family guy but this show just plain isn't funny, and some might consider it offensive. It is basically the Chinese knockoff of family guy, as in a great concept that is poorly executed.

I grimaced maybe once and the rest of the time I was like god I wish family guy was on right now.

But really fox renewed the series before it even aired so we are stuck with two seasons of this crap. I wont be watching it maybe I'll actually do homework in between the Simpson's and American Dad. That basically sums it up I would rather do anything else than watch this show it needs significant re-writing including bringing back the original Cleveland junior.

First Two Seasons are Good,Gets Weaker and Less Funny as it Continues,

[lesleyharris30 · 6/10 · 1 April 2010]

The Cleveland Show is a decent television series with some good episodes,a few great episodes and a fair share of very weak episodes.The show started off very promising,I really enjoy the first season,the second season was pretty good,it dropped down in comedy largely in the that's season,and the fourth season was painfully unfunny and filled with very weak storyline's.I think the show didn't have great material to work with,Cleveland was not the right character to give a spin off to,I think of so many Family Guy characters that could have a much better series,I think the writers are aware of this because they changed Cleveland's personality to a huge degree,I think at times he was just very unlikeable,and he isn't the only character that I found unlikeable (Donna,Holt,Cleveland Jr,etc.).My favourite characters on the show were definitely Rallo and Tim (the only character voiced by Seth MacFarlane),Rallo was usually the side story character and I normally enjoyed his role in an episode more than the actual plot.The shows best moments is when they make a reference to Family Guy,when a character from the show makes a cameo or Cleveland mentions a moment from the show,but that wasn't a good sign that does moments are the ones I loved the most,because it shows that I had to be reminded of a different show to enjoy.I watched to Cleveland Show because I watch anything they Seth MacFarlanes involved with,but the show is very hit and miss and it's watchable if there's nothing else on,but not worth buying a box set or anything like that.

Cleveland leaves Quahog with his son Cleveland Jr. to star a new life with in his hometown Stoolbend,where he meets Donna Tubbs,an old love interest of his.They get married,but now Cleveland is forced to deal with her disrespectful children,Roberta and Rallo.

Best Episode: Die Semi-Hard Worst Episode: Dancing with the Stools

We Are Watching The Decline Of The Animated Sitcom Unfold

[Jimm1190 · 1/10 · 29 September 2009]

From the producers of Family Guy, well what do you expect from them. They pushed the envelope for censors on television with some of the most racy material seen on national television with that show. Which is somewhat funny at moments. Though its essentially a guilty pleasure to laugh at even those jokes when watching the whole show. Thats a compliment for such an overly sexual,and politicized show that uses toilet humor and cultural references as their substance.

This new show their packaging without any doubt is overtly shallow because the Family Guy team tries to expand their market with the humorless Cleveland character by making this race based Family Guy-Brady-Bunch hybrid. Though it also shows the decline of animated sitcom's as tasteless, uninspired, and stagnant. We saw Sit Down, Shut Up and recent Simpsons episodes as major disappointments obviously this show doesn't help.

The cast seems to have been thought up without much thought or development just a group of Caucasian Family Guy producers guessing on how the normal African American family works, using The Jeffersons and The Cosby show as references. It seems to be more of a sad attempt at trying to create a wholesome but very stereotypical black animated sitcom while retaining all the edginess of Family Guy. The family is created very stereotypically for an African American family a daughter that wants to do things on her own terms. A five year old son who peeps at women. A mother that needs a man to help out. Then the main character that uses low-tasteless catchphrases.

Also neighbors consist of a group of immigrant bears which is surreal just by me mentioning it. A Redneck so the producers can racially profile the south as still racist. Also finally a 21st century hipster named Holt. All of whom aid Cleveland on this joke of a show.

If you haven't seen the show yet your in for the painful reality of how this show is a sign that Fox's Golden Age as the dominant animated sitcom provider is long gone. Watching the opening is a clear sign of what your in for the next 30 minutes pointless, shallow, stereotypical unadulterated crap. You don't need to take it from me that this show sucks just compare it with a strong television concept and there's no contest. You will clearly see how stupid Family Guy producers were to create this. This is even low for them.

Very good underrated and over hated

[tytebben · 10/10 · 10 August 2021]

When I stared watching it on Hulu I got hooked It has comedic moments It's different from family guy Holt and Lester make it funny (holt is like the shows quimire) when Peter quagmire and joe make cameos it makes it better I still need to finish season 4 but I do love it.

Easily better than family guy

[farrie_gurl · 7/10 · 22 November 2016]

Some people dislike the Cleveland show but it's clearly better than family guy. Many of the supporting cast is amazing and it will be a shame to see them gone. Sure Cleveland himself is annoying and Holt is frustrating, but the cast is still far better than family guy's. The characters are actually decent people, and the ones that seem like stereotypes often turn out more dimensional. Roberta is a great example of those, where most episodes add more depth to her. We have put up with hundreds of episodes of family guy and the most we know about Chris is that he masturbates, is stupid, fat, and sometimes a creep. Not to mention Donna is the best wife in all of Seth McFarland's shows. (i like Francine but she has a lot of bad moments)

The best part is we don't have to deal with specific gags from family guy that got worn out or were never funny to begin with, like the painfully long ones, or the ones where somebody cuts away just to say " wow that's wacky".. etc.

Not the best Seth McFarland show but canceled before it's time.

* also on the of chance a writer ever reads these reviews (as if). Please stop with the EXCESIVE vomiting when something gay happens.... i'm all for gay jokes but that one is more homophobic than it is funny.

This Won't Last

[teleboardz · 1/10 · 29 September 2009]

This show was horrible and I don't see it lasting.

I did NOT laugh one time, I almost chuckled at the R-Kelly part, but that's it. The bear is stupid, the rednecks are stupid, and the new Cleveland Jr is horrible. In the flashbacks from the original Family Guy Cleveland went to school with Peter in Cohog, but in The Cleveland Show he went to school in the south? The show is pretty much a cheap black version ripoff of Family Guy.

Family Guy is hilarious, American Dad is funny, The Cleveland Show is an abomination and it needs to be canceled.

If they brought the ORIGINAL Cleveland Jr back, then I might watch it again, but until then I'm boycotting the show.

Childhood show, honestly really funny

[karonfranklinchicken · 9/10 · 20 September 2020]

I remember first watching this back in 2014 not even knowing it was a spin-off of family guy, and I absolutely loved it. I don't understand why the show gets so much hate, it was actually pretty funny. Cleveland is an enjoyable character and he carry's the show really well. And his new family is pretty enjoyable too. Give it a watch if your a family guy fan like me!

Holding it's own

[nbell1982 · 7/10 · 5 September 2012]

Even though this seemed like a bad idea at 1st. I've come to enjoy The Cleveland Show as much as the other 2 cartoons from the same creator. Although the show is made up of racial stereotypes, toilet humor, and cheap shots, it's the next step for people that enjoy that particular brand of adult cartoon.

I personally enjoy it as a different path of the same recipe. We've seen the family from Quahog, The Government agent from Langley Falls, and now the Southern Family from Stoolbend.

Just as the Black and White cookie sets the stage for interracial harmony I believe the Cleveland Show gives us an insight into yet another cartoon family we can enjoy for many years to come.

Also, The Cleveland Show was not responsible for replacing king of the hill. That show had become tired and was due for cancellation. Cleveland just came to fill the void.

I believe we are all entitled to an opinion, even if it makes you look like a stuffy, bible thumping, bag o douche, with a Ponderosa pine lodged up your butt. If you don't like it don't watch it.

But I suggest you do =)

Uninspired.

[PopcornCoolie · 5/10 · 28 September 2009]

Being that as of Sept 28th 2009 I have only seen the pilot and it doesn't seem to be a promising show. It's a little funny, it did make me laugh, but Cleveland just isn't funny. When you have a character like Peter (an idiot) everything just falls into place. TRYING to be funny just doesn't work.

I don't see much coming from this show. It's like it was designed by the lowest bidder. They had to make a show because without a show there is no biz, but this is the best they could come up with. Lackluster is the best way to describe it, uninspired.

They need to stop blowing a hole in Cleveland's bungalow. It was funny the first time.

FUNNY!!!

[elvin-62176 · 27 April 2020]

Best show ever and i dont know why everyone rates it so bad.

I'm on board for now

[Okonh0wp · 7/10 · 14 October 2009]

On Family Guy, Cleveland Brown has never served much purpose besides being a token black character as far as I've been concerned. Obviously, Mike Henry disagrees. Henry is the white actor who voices Cleveland and when he talks about his excitement for centering a spin off around the Cleveland character, it seems apparent how proud he is of his own creation. What exactly Cleveland's unique mannerisms are, beyond being a little timid, that make him worth watching, I'm not sure. He's certainly never been a great source of humor.

Fortunately, there are some unique characters in the background: Cleveland's son, Cleveland Jr. is an incredibly sympathetic figure because he's probably one of the most hopeless characters on television (chubby, little ambition, so eager to please that he's willing to find his niche as a bathroom attendant), his biological son Rollando is someone I could see myself liking more than Stewie (he's a smack-talking kindergartener who might be described as street-smart in the same way Stewie's book-smart), and a rebellious teenage daughter who's more assertive than Lisa Simpson or Meg (might not be up there with American Dad's Hailey). The wife, Donna, is the heart of the show. The show advertises itself as the sappier and more heartwarming spin off of Family Guy and there's just a little bit of that gooey feeling to be found within the story of Cleveland and Donna being reunited as a married couple.

Cleveland and his three neighbors (two white guys of various socio-economic levels and an animatronic bear) form a social group that's almost a virtual clone of the quartet that drinks at Quahog's Drunken Clam which wasn't a good idea if the show wanted to set itself apart. The bear is nowhere near as funny as Roger the alien, Klauss the fish or Brian, the dog.

The setting and the fact that this will be a fairly faithful take on the black sitcom (as faithful as white writers can be) might also be seen as a plus or a minus, but it's interesting enough to find out.

Needs to be scrapped... A huge failure...

[adam_isackson · 2/10 · 28 September 2009]

I can't find a single thing to say about this show that is remotely positive...

I'm a big fan of Family Guy and I occasionally like American Dad so I thought this would be my kind of humor.. Boy was I wrong..

For starters the rewrite of Cleveland Jr was a bad decision. The original concept would've been much better then what they created.

Secondly Cleveland's charter has been completely ruined. His appeal in Family Guy stems largely from from the abuse he takes from Loretta. The transition to and the new family dynamic the writers created is just plain idiotic.

Even worse the writers seem bent on making this a show entirely about race. Just about every "joke" in the pilot is racially charged and does nothing to add to the appeal whatsoever. This isn't Bernie Mac or the Cosby show . Unless your idea of comedy is listening to a black comic doing nothing but bash white people for a half hour my advice would be to look elsewhere.

A well done spin-off

[stefanozucchelli · 7/10 · 12 November 2021]

It is a shame that this show has been finished because while taking a lot from Griffins, they are a spin-off of that series, in many ways they surpass it for consistency of plot and jokes.

This show is trrrrrrrrrrrible!!!!

[jamesoshea91 · 3/10 · 8 October 2009]

This show suuuuuucks,i was never really excited about it in the first place and when I watched it my brain almost melted with boredom,its pretty obvious that all Seth cared about was money when thinking up this show so he decided to take the lamest character in family guy and give him a spin off,and the reason for this was because family guy fans would automatically watch this lame show. It is a non funny black version of family guy and that is it.the funniest thing about the pilot was when the family guy characters where in it, Cleveland can not carry a show.

The thing that annoyed me most was the fact that the just took the family guy formula and applied it to Cleveland,the even use the stupid cut aways which I hate more than anything,its destroys the story and is a sign of shoddy writing, cant think of anything to say...put in a crappy cut away or a gag joke,but apart from that the jokes are lame as hell.the only funny thing is the little afro kid. This show completely falls apart after the first 5 minutes of an episode,out of the two I've seen.

Watch American dad instead because that is funny

All of Seth McFarlane's shows and movies are clever and have random weird humor in them. I am definitely a fan of his stuff

[hazysistersunshine33 · 8/10 · 15 January 2015]

Even though I liked American Dad and especially family guy better than The Cleveland show, I was still a little disappointed that it was canceled. I really liked the family. His kids are quirky, but actually pretty smart. As usual Cleveland, the dad, is the dumbest person in the show. I think my favorite characters are Rollo and Cleveland Jr. Cleveland Jr. is just weird. All of Seth McFarlane's shows and movies are clever and have random weird humor in them. I am definitely a fan of his stuff and I would definitely Netflix this show if you liked anything else he's done.

Even though I liked American Dad and especially family guy better than The Cleveland show, I was still a little disappointed that it was canceled. I really liked the family. His kids are quirky, but actually pretty smart. As usual Cleveland, the dad, is the dumbest person in the show. I think my favorite characters are Rollo and Cleveland Jr. Cleveland Jr. is just weird. All of Seth McFarlane's shows and movies are clever and have random weird humor in them. I am definitely a fan of his stuff and I would definitely Netflix this show if you liked anything else he's done.

One of the most underrated shows out there.

[fappymanman · 6/10 · 9 February 2021]

I will admit. It's not AS good as family guy, American dad, Rick and morty and stuff. But this show is still pretty funny and enjoyable. I personally like it. And the animation is pretty solid as well. Cleveland is also HILARIOUS!!!! Recommended.

Please Fox, Cancel This Show ... NOW!!!

[cyberschizoid · 1/10 · 2 February 2010]

I usually love animated sitcoms, from "Wait Till Your Father Gets Home" in the 70's thru to "South Park", "Family Guy" and "American Dad".

But with "The Cleveland Show" something has gone horribly, horribly wrong. The creative well has run dry. I find this show dull, derivative and offensive. Its worst crime is simply that it is not even remotely funny.I find it hard to believe that the writers and creators of the excellent "Family Guy" and "American Dad" had anything to do with this travesty, let alone CREATED it!

Please Fox, put us out of our misery and cancel this appalling show ... NOW!!!

Weird

[tpsn · 8/10 · 6 October 2018]

Can't understand the hate reviews here. It's an offshoot of family guy with Cleveland as the lead and he carries it well. He's a hilarious character! Not sure why people don't like it, even after reading the reviews. I'm guessing people are turning this into a race thing, which is disappointing.

Not As Good As Family Guy but it's Guilty Pleasure of Mine

[GravityLoudHouseLover1 · 7/10 · 29 December 2022]

It's been Almost been 10 years since The Cleveland Show got cancelled in 2013 & I used watch this show on Netflix back in 2012/2013 & I liked it but a lot people hate this show because it's has Racist Jokes & Racist Characters like Lester Krinklesac but I don't know it's like Modern Family Guy with Racist Jokes & Gay Jokes. The Cleveland Show might be dated in 2022 but I Still have a Guilty Pleasure for it & yeah it's a Black Version of Family Guy with Cutaway Gags but it's funny to me a little bit. I do Hate Robert Tub Donna's Ex Husband & Cleveland's Father LeVar "Freight Train" Brown who hates him for losing a Dang Game Show. Anyway The Cleveland Show might not be Relevant in 2022 or A Great show in general but I Still like it for what it is. 7/10.

So this is what replaced King of the Hill?

[dhochoy · 2/10 · 24 June 2011]

I don't know why FOX was so quick to canceling King of the Hill without second thoughts, granted King of the Hill wasn't a groundbreaking masterpiece, but it did have a wholesome plot that dealt with a lot of morals and realism, lovable characters,& offered plenty of laughs. WHICH IS WAAYYY MORE THAN I CAN SAY FOR THIS POINTLESS TRIPE!!!

Now don't get me wrong, I don't hate Cleveland Brown, in fact, I kinda liked him but I can't see how Seth can devote an entire show to him and result in being a good show especially considering the sad fact that a show with a cast fully consisting of African Americans rarely works out. However I went to see it anyways because I will admit to being somewhat a fan of Family Guy and boy was that mistake I will forever regret, the plot lines are ridiculously stupid,& not only that, it offers NOTHING new to the plate, everything in this show you've seen before, even the concept(Man loses house to wife but keeps the son, goes back to his hometown and marries his high school sweetheart; Correct me if I'm wrong but it feels like the concept was done many times before). The characterization is lousy too, Cleveland's new family are nothing more than a stereotypical African American household, I mean you have the sassy, attractive, big-booty wife(Donna Tubbs), the bratty, self-centered, first-born daughter(Roberta Tubbs), they changed Cleveland Jr. to the typical nerdy, momma's boy middle child - Still to this day I question why they did that,& lastly, we have the typical rambunctious youngest child(Rallo Tubbs). As for Cleveland himself, he's pretty much been reduced to being a black Peter Griffin. There are other characters as well, like Cleveland's old and new friends but I really don't care for any of them,& out of all of them, I really hate the Bear the most, he's just there for comedic effect, he has no depth whatsoever. The humor is the same as Family Guy's, only 100x dumber. Fortunely for the Cleveland show the animation is decent, the voice-acting is good although shoddy at times however the music is forgettable, I really hate the theme song, it's like a stereotypical 80's theme and it reminds me of how much they ruined Cleveland's character.

Verdict:

I wouldn't recommend this show to anyone, even the most die-hard Family Guy fans shouldn't subject themselves to suffering from this dreck.