You can take the family out of the mob, but you can’t take the mob out of the family. Now, what happens if they get removed from their comfort zone and unleashed in a new environment? Hilarity, of course!
Such is the case for the McDougal family, a New York Italian-American clan who star in the animated sitcom Fugget About It. Created by Nicholas Tabarrok and Willem Wennekers, the series premiered on Teletoon in 2012, the series. Now on Adult Swim, Fugget About It’s third season begins airing on November 6, 2015 and stands to increase its fanbase.
Jimmy McDougal (nee Falcone) used to serve as a capo for the Gambini crime syndicate, but things changed when he killed the top Mafioso to protect his elderly Uncle Cheech, who had a penchant for revealing too many secrets about the mob. After being targeted for death, Jimmy accepts an offer from the FBI to give evidence against his friends and associates. Upon being relocated to Regina, Sasketchewan, Jimmy and his family have to deal with living like average schnooks, Canadian culture and their struggle to fit in. Further complicating things, RCMP Special Agent Strait McCool tries to help the family adjust to Canada, but his well-meaning efforts put him at odds with Jimmy’s actions.
Jimmy is the good-hearted yet dim-witted patriarch of the family. While he might seem like a less violent Tony Soprano, the character is lovable and well-meaning. Unlike Homer Simpson or Peter Griffin, he is quite competent at his job and does not drink heavily. Despite his best efforts to assimilate, he keeps trying to relive his mafia days, mesh his past with the present, or embark on a money-making venture. Uncle Cheech is Jimmy’s confidante and partner in crime. His non-sequitur observations and wry sense of humor make him the perfect Stan Laurel-type comic foil to Jimmy’s Oliver Hardy.
Apart from Jimmy and Cheech, the show focuses on the family’s activities at home and in the community. Ex-stripper Cookie serves as Jimmy's wife and mother to three kids, but her marriage is often rocked with chaos as she deals with her husband's behaviour. She harbors a deep resentment towards Cheech for causing them to be placed in Witness Protection. Eldest daughter Theresa is a promiscuous and unintelligent sixteen-year old brunette who seems to have adjusted to life in Saskatchewan. However, she chafes under the authority of her parents while dealing with boys and peer pressure. Middle child Petey is an intelligent, kind-hearted fifteen-year old who struggles with hormones, schoolwork and being unpopular. Some viewers might compare him to Steve Smith from American Dad or Neil Goldman from Family Guy, but Petey is a bright student whose peaceful nature puts him at odds with his family. Finally, seven-year old Gina is a foul-mouthed, hot-tempered schoolgirl and a mobster in the making. She also hates Cheech for throwing their lives into upheaval but is so far unsuccessful in trying to kill him.
Fugget About It examines the clash between American and Canadian cultures. As a native of New York, Jimmy is exasperated by his new surroundings, such as the lack of strip clubs and the overtly political correctness of Canadians. Agent McCool gives pearls of wisdom to Jimmy and Cheech, but these warnings go unheeded as the ex-mob men frequently get in trouble. Whenever the plot deals with a moral of theme, the producers subvert this trope by substituting a different idea. For instance, a land dispute between Native Americans and the provincial government is resolved with both sides drinking at a pub sing-along, suggesting that alcohol is a good way of bringing people together.
Overall, the series is a hilarious fish-out-of-water take on Americans removed from their home and being forced to live in Canada. Sure, the politically incorrect humor and stereotypes might put off those who are easily offended, but the family unit remains at the heart of the show. As Jimmy might say, "If you think the McDougals are going to be stopped by critics, FUGGET ABOUT IT!"