The show that’s not afraid to go there has just released its sixth season of politically incorrect, popular culture satirising comedy on DVD. What else could we be talking about than Family Guy?
If you haven’t managed to catch an episode of this hilarious show, please do yourself a favour. Of course, if you have a tendency to be squeamish, conservative or politically correct, it’s probably best to stay away: consider yourself warned! If not, Season 6 is as good a place to start as any – it is an animated comedy that doesn’t develop too many plot lines across the seasons. Though you will have to learn to appreciate recurring characters such as the old man with an inappropriate love for young boys, the evil monkey that lives in the closet and ‘Asian reporter Trisha Takenawa.”
But we’re getting ahead of ourselves here. Essentially Family Guy follows a Simpsons-like scenario of following the story of an ‘everyman’ family called the Griffins. But it is here the similarities end between the two-shows. The Family Guy takes all the Simpsons’ satire, politics, jokes and absurdity about 100 steps further.
The family consists of father Peter, an excessively fat, incredibly stupid, racist man who appears to have no redeeming features except his intelligent wife Lois (daughter of millionaires). They have three kids, Chris (tormented by an evil monkey who lives in his closet), Meg (tormented by the popular kids at school, and equally despised at home) and baby Stewie – a sadistic genius bent on killing his mother who is also coming to terms with his homosexuality. All capped off with sophisticated intellectual Brian, who is the family’s talking dog.
Cringe-worthy at times for its sick, politically incorrect humour, but also uproariously, absurdly funny, the Family Guy zeroes in on American popular culture and seems aimed to at once revere and destroy it. Nothing seems out of bounds, and as a result, the show is as likely to make a smart and serious comment as it is to make a fart joke.
And in its sixth season, the show doesn’t see signs of tiring, with as many funny moments as ever. The three disc set includes 13 episodes as well as 38 deleted scenes; two featurettes, and three animatic episodes with an optional commentary. Definitely worth a look if you enjoyed the likes of Team America or American Dad.
