Why Was The Goode Family Canceled?

Mike Judge has a pretty impressive resume in animation. He was the mastermind behind two of the most iconic animated series of the ’90s with Beavis and Butt-Head and King of the Hill. These shows couldn’t have been more different in style and tone, with the crass Beavis and Butt-Head and family-oriented Hank Hill. Audiences loved them in the ’90s and still do today. Both have modern revivals either released or in production. But we shouldn’t expect to see a reboot of Judge’s third animated show. And don’t worry if you didn’t know he even had another series.

In 2009, ABC launched Judge’s The Goode Family. Like King of the Hill, it also centered on a family trying their best to grapple with the issues of modern everyday life. But unlike the subtly conservative Hills, the titular Goode family was overtly liberal and obsessed with political correctness. It marked a notable shift for Judge, who had typically avoided delving too deep into politics. That could be one of the reasons why The Goode Family only ran for a single, 13-episode season. But what else do we know about this obscure, far less successful King of the Hill follow-up?

The Plot and Storylines of The Goode Family

The Goode Family centered on the title bunch, a group of left-leaning California hippies. There’s patriarch and community college administrator Gerald, who strongly resembles Beavis and Butt-Head‘s Mr. Van Driessen in design, voice, and characterization. Gerald’s wife, Helen, is a local activist who’s concerned about how their family is viewed by the other members of their town. The Goodes have two kids: biological daughter Bliss and adopted South African son Ubuntu. They raise their dog Che as a vegan, but his craving for meat drives him to eat local neighborhood pets. There’s also the token conservative family member in Helen’s father, Charlie, who routinely mocks the Goodes’ ideology.

The family is overly concerned with remaining politically correct above all else, looking down on those who don’t share their “correct” views. The show presents the Goodes as well-meaning but misinformed on certain things. For example, they intended to adopt their son Ubuntu (whose name they frequently mispronounce) from Africa to promote racial diversity and tolerance. However, Ubuntu turned out to be white and South African.

Episodes revolve around common social topics, like public volunteering, LGBTQ+ acceptance, race issues, gender roles, veganism, and environmental justice. It checks all the boxes that one would expect to see in a show about stereotypical hippie liberals. But ABC didn’t seem confident from the get-go, as all 13 episodes were dumped in the typically dead network summer season. More episodes were planned, but it was canceled after those first 13. Given that it was attached to Judge’s name, how did it all fall apart?

Why The Goode Family Flopped Where King of the Hill Succeeded

The most likely reason is that viewers just didn’t want another political satire. The show arrived at a turning point in America, coming just after President Obama’s inauguration in 2009. It tried to appeal to the new cultural sensibilities but didn’t come across in its messaging. Viewers wanted their TV shows to be an escape from the news of the day. Critics agreed that The Goode Family worked best when it stripped the politics back and focused on the family dynamic. They could still tackle the issues, like raising children and differing ideologies, without being so “in-your-face.” The show also felt dated, with Judge approaching the issues with a very ’90s mindset, which makes sense, as that was the height of his career at that point. The show was intended to mock those “holier-than-thou” types who bragged about their positive lifestyle. But it inadvertently wound up becoming exactly what it was mocking.

Compare that to King of the Hill. That show satirized a conservative family in the same way that The Goode Family satirized a liberal one. But King of the Hill was never so explicit in its politics. Sure, Hank may have been conservative, but he wasn’t out preaching his beliefs or forcing them down anyone’s throat. He judged people based on whether they were good people, not by who they voted for. He wasn’t a ride-or-die conservative like the Goodes were with leftism.

In one episode, Hank questions his support for George W. Bush when the then-president gives him a particularly weak handshake. King of the Hill‘s subtle politics allowed viewers from all backgrounds and beliefs to enjoy it. It’s more difficult to pin down The Goode Family’s target demographic. Was it for the people who disagreed with the Goodes’ lifestyle and enjoyed watching it satirized? Or was it geared toward the crowd who shared their views and wanted to see social issues represented? It doesn’t seem to resonate with either group, as the over-the-top preaching turned off almost everyone.

The Goode Family does leave behind one lasting legacy. It was such a flop that it was the last adult animated series ever aired on ABC. This makes one wonder how The Goode Family would fair today when we’re more divided by politics than at any point in recent memory. It’s possible that it could do better if the issues were updated for 2024. Political satire shows have increased in popularity since 2009, especially when they comment on our “unique” modern landscape. Judge has also ventured back into the political satire game with the stop-motion animated In the Know for Peacock. In any case, following up Beavis and Butt-Head and King of the Hill was never going to be an easy task. The Goode Family just wasn’t up to the job. Well, at least Judge’s fourth series, Silicon Valley, later restored his glory days. The Goode Family is streaming on Peacock, Tubi, and Pluto TV.