All in the Family (Guy)

As so epically demonstrated in an episode of South Park, there is little that any modern animated show can do that already hasn't been done by The Simpsons. You know one thing Homer & Company haven't done, however? They might have nabbed some Emmy love in the animated series category, but they never got nominated for overall best comedy like Family Guy just did.

Stewie, did you have anything to do with this?!?

To put this in perspective, it's been nearly half a century since the last animated series was nominated for overall best comedy. The Flintstones received that last nomination back in '61 — the same year the U.S. presidency passed from Ike to J.F.K. — back when there were a lot less shows (and competition).

Family Guy — which will go up against How I Met Your Mother, Weeds, Entourage, The Office, 30 Rock and Flight of the Conchords — has actually struggled to stay on the air during its 10-year history with the Fox Network. The show, cancelled twice in 2000 and 2002, managed to return and stay on the air thanks in large part to its popularity in reruns and DVD sales.

The animated series is still a long shot considering 30 Rock won the past few years and The Office the year before that, but for a show that teetered on the brink for so many years, it's nice to see Family Guy making history in the modern television age.

As Fred Flintstone would say, "Yabba dabba doo!"

Image courtesy of Proteus IV via Flickr.