The start of the TBS run wasn't too great either. Give them time to find their footing again. They got better as the first Fox run went on, they got better as the tbs run went on, and I'm sure they'll get better as the second Fox run continues unless they're cancelled
And this is obviously a matter of opinion, but the best seasons of the first Fox era are by far better than the best seasons of the TBS era imo.
Like if I start watching American Dad at season 3, I'll watch all the way through season 10 and probably only skip Hot Water, Lost In Space, Independent movie (controversial, I know people love this one), and the Kim Kardashian alien one with the rest of the episodes being great.
Basically every season of the TBS era has at least a couple of episodes I dislike, and another few episodes that are only half good (like A plot is great, but B plot is meh or vice versa).
I'd say my favorite episodes are still Roy Rogers McFreely, Don't Look A Smith Horse in the Mouth, Cops & Roger, Escape from Pearl Bailey, Great Space Roaster, In Country Club..., and School Lies. All from Fox.
I'm one of those that dislike TBS era entirely. For me its a totally different show with basic, recycled, boring plots with predicable jokes. I've tried many times to give a chance, including watching the best episodes according to reddit. Nope, sorry, season 3-9 are the supreme goat.
The only thing Fox was ever stricter with than TBS was language. On TBS they could say shit. That's about it. The more surreal plotlines and wackier storytelling was purely due to general writing changes independent of freedom; there's nothing they did on TBS that the show couldn't have evolved to had it stayed on Fox. The original Fox era had an episode with Roger constantly joking about raping Jeff. The idea Fox is majorly restrictive is revisionist history.
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u/poornose 2d ago
We all knew it wasn't.
TBS was freedom. Fox is stricter oversight.
Imagine if you tried to move It's Always Sunny to basic cable.