The Untold Story That No One Else Can Compare

Every controversy or news headline that has occurred over the last couple of years, a brilliantly sarcastic and random show named Family Guy has released its own touch on it. Political absurdity, pop celebrities, race and even minor things such as gas and toilet humor are all hysterical in the essence of the Griffins and their wild counterparts and neighbors. The family of the juvenile Chris, angsty and ignored Meg, and the indescribably wild, vile yet still inexplicably babyish and wondering Stewie all get their own spotlight and whenever the show is handed over to them; they normally take it and run with it, with plotlines going over the roof in the level of humor. Lois and Peter are the parents, with the former being somewhat motherly and caring to each member of the family and going out on a limb to provide, however still occasionally losing it over the smallest things and leaving viewers in debate on whether she will come around her own personality again, such as in the mandatory holiday episode, ”A Very Freakin’ Family Guy Christmas” or something like that. The latter is the gassy, hilarious father who tries to do what he can; which usually is very little. And of course, the valued nature and wit of the dog Brian always balances everything out. Overlooking bootlegs, possible spoiler prospects that can affect the ending (especially for the viewers who like a bit more mystery to every instance of comic value) and things like censorship, Fox finally released this a few weeks ago to its great extent of die-hard FG fans. And mainly, what’s been going around for the past few years is that Stewie either

A: Figures out his homosexual nature or

B: Believes that Peter is not his real father; and goes searching for who may be.

The actual plotline is very similar to the latter selection, B, however you can’t expect an eventful show like this and a hyped-up DVD to boot without having a twist to connect pieces together. And it does that expectedly, but without any drama or useless plot theme to get to it (besides the so-called intermission when the climax reaches its highest point.) And overall the flashbacks are dead-on, and the parodies are completely hilarious and entertaining. FG has its share of moments where you know certain things are going to happen; but they usually stray away from that in this particular happening, making it well worth it to finally get a glimpse at Stewie’s actual character. But there are plenty of interferences and funny jokes to distract you from the part-time seriousness of the DVD, especially many of the trademarked flashbacks and abstract references.

The familiar scenery of the show starts off at an innocent pool with the obligatory friendly jazz backdrop as a well-done background. Stewie gets a phobia of the water when Peter tries to push him in wildly, frightened of drowning at such a young age. That changes when Lois comes up with the idea of giving him swimming lessons, where he is outswam by the “star pupil” Brad, who the infant instantly envies and plots of ways for his downfall, more reminiscent to the earlier episodes than anything in the fourth season so far. Eventually, he tries to place an explosive device in a candy he innocently tells Brad to chew on; which he does. Stewie’s plan ricochets and the lifeguard’s watchpost falls down on him in a broken heap of dirt. He ascends into somewhere he doesn’t want to go, and wakes up about a half a minute later in a daze, making a bold decision on his future.

After a few days of sucking up he realizes that the whole process of changing was just a hopeless affair where he pretends to be a kid citizen, in order not to go back to where he went in his state of unconsciousness. After he sees Brian drinking now and then, he designates a plan to drink very often so that he will be more calmed and more nice than he usually is. However, you can’t have a Family Guy episode or especially a lengthy DVD without some subplots so after a discovery Peter makes that there is no pleasurable watching experiences at a local movie store for a dumbed-down figure of low intelligence, he rants about something as odd as it can get, and gets luckily discovered by a local news anchor, Tom Tucker to be exposed on the news every week in a segment called “You Know What Really Grinds My Gears?” After a few successful shows (and a great jab at Lindsay Lohan) he gets fired because of a disastrous catastrophe involving Stewie, Brian, their car, and a local bar the Drunken Clam, similar to the Simpsons’ Moe’s Tavern.

After that, the real climax begins to take a perfect shape, when Stewie & Brian luckily spot an older-looking version of Stewie being interviewed on television. With the wonders of TiVo, Brian pushes rewind and the pause button to a completely wondrous Stewie. They can’t figure out a way to get to California alone though, so they go with their local neighbor pervert Glen Quagmire on a “cross-country show.” Eventually Quagmire is forced into a situation by himself and Stewie and Brian drive alone through the desert. I’m not going to give away anything else, even though the second half of the DVD probably is the best part. The only thing that honestly disappointed me was the ending before the interview with the family; which already happened before in not only sci-fi shows but in an individual episode of FG, which makes it seem copied.

This DVD is very similar to past episodes in which the two most out-of-place and therefore most inexplicably entertaining characters get the spotlight, the episodes being ”Road To Rhode Island” and ”European Road Show”. Everything the writers manage to somehow slip in for the duo is gold, but still this presentation would be a lot less funny without the main family too as well as a few side characters such as slow-talking Cleveland and the hyper paraplegic Joe. The essence of this show isn’t supposed to be a touching family show that has clichés all around the writing, directing and production; or supposed to be an over-the-top animation show which slips in everything at the wrong time (though I’m sure many people still have the latter impression). The DVD is unrated, which means I wouldn’t allow anyone under the ages of eleven or twelve watching it, even though there’s been a lot more risqué material and jokes on the show even before it was cancelled and brought back. (*ahem*”Shelly And The Anus”) What triggered the fact that it was so loved was it’s monstrously popular characters and the way that even though they were so different, connected with each other at the right time. I think it’s one of the best animated shows out right now, skimming the waters with my other preference ”Futurama”. You can’t be expected something to ponder or to sentimentally move you, but the seriousness can affect you to an extent. Everything else is how you take a look at humorous rowdiness that conspire between every member of the show.

snik1