Family Guy Review

The family guy has an On again Off again relationship with my TV. They created 2 and a half seasons from 1999-2002 and then it was canceled.  I was upset because I really liked the show. Then I found the DVD set and bought it for my husband... shortly there after I heard that due to the great success of the DVD sales they were bringing the family guy back to the air! Now you can catch it on FOX on Sunday's, as well as almost daily on the Cartoon Network and TBS.

For who?
This is definitely an adult show. It's Fox friendly meaning there's nothing to keep it off prime time tv, but it is still pretty out there in topics. So remember that just because it is a cartoon doesn't mean it's for kids.  You also have to understand that it is not for those who get offended. There are many stereotypical characters and jokes and full stories that would probably offend someone who was PC. I am not at all PC when it comes to this stuff (or anything actually), it's all in good fun and it pokes fun at the world. At least they are equal opportunity, they make fun of everyone just the same.

Characters
The Family Guy is about a "family" guy and his family. The cast of characters is what makes the show interesting and always hilarious. 

• Peter Griffin is probably the worst dad in the world, yet he cares. He's even worse than Homer Simpson! He's so clueless that it's hilarious.
• Lois Griffin is his wife. Unlike Marge Simpson, Lois is not a picture perfect person in the background. She actually can make for some great stories of her own.
• Chris Griffin is their oldest son. He's pretty much an overweight idiot. He doesn't even understand when people are making fun of him...which is often.
• Meg Griffin is their daughter. She's usually depressed, probably because of the family she is in! She is made fun of at school and doesn't quite fit in anywhere. Some people mistake her for being a boy.
• Brian Griffin is the dog..and he talks. He's a pretty smart dog and actually smarter than most the family members!
• Stewie Griffin is the star of this family. He is an exceptionally smart baby that seems to think his mother caused his demise by giving birth to him. Therefore he's always out to get her. However, he's still a baby and no matter how smart he is, they still treat him like one.
• Glen Quagmire is one of Peter's friends who is so girl crazy that he will do anything to get near one. He's hilarious.  Cleveland Brown is another one of Peter's friends and he is the token black guy. He has some stereotypical characteristics, but he's still pretty funny!

Sample Episodes
Episodes range from parodys to completely messed up make believe stories. There are no lessons to be gained here, just laughs!

1. Petarded

After a few fun games with the Neighbors it's time for Trivial Pursuit. Lois changes all of Peter's questions to the child's version in order to give him a confidence boost. However, this makes him think he's a genius! So Brian challenges him to take an IQ test and when the results come in it says that he is actually mentally retarded. He uses this to his advantage to do whatever he wants and justify it by saying "Sorry i'm retarded"

2. Brian the Bachelor

Brian (yes the dog) goes onto the dating show the Bachelorette only for the free vacation...but surprisingly the girl ends up keeping him on and he starts to fall in love.

Brian's first Bachelor interview, when they ask him about being here
Brian: I was uh... very pleased and surprised, I was really not expecting an open bar. Top shelf booze, I tell ya. This guy knew his stuff. Made me a mojito. I don't think its a gay drink. Mojito...

3. PTV

Everything on TV begins to get censored, so Peter creates his own TV channel. Soon the FCC is there not only censoring his channel but censoring his daily life!

TV Announcer: It's The D[bleep] Van D[bleep] Show!

Flashbacks and Allusions
One of my favorite things is the mini-flashbacks. For example Brian says "This was even stupider than the time Peter locked his keys OUT of his car" and flashback to a mini-scene where Peter is IN his car and his keys are on the ground OUTSIDE his car! He even tries to get them with a hanger. It's these little flashbacks that have NOTHING to do with the current plot that make me love this show!

There are also a lot of things they say that refer to other people, places, events or movies. You probably won't be able to catch them all because they are hidden everywhere!   It's fun to go to TV.com after an episode to see if there are references you missed.

Conclusion
Although the overall show is slapstick and cheap jokes, a lot of it does make you think! They refer to things going on, popular movies, famous people, history, everything! This is perhaps the greatest animated comedy so far! I laugh almost every time I see every episode no matter how many times I've heard the jokes. Even though the Simpsons are classics, this show takes it to the next level. A little bit more risky, a lot less PC, and a lot more laughs! If you like the Simpsons, and you're not easily offended, you'll love this! Catch it on FOX, TBS or TOON today. Enjoy!