Oh, Family Guy. Where to begin? I suppose at this point, I know exactly what I'm getting with this show - not as much a coherent sitcom as an animated sketch-comedy show - but it can still be a rather trying ordeal to sit through multiple episodes at once. Yet that's exactly what I did this morning, finishing off the second half of this "volume." Quick aside: why not just release DVD sets every season? I watched like three episodes of the most recent season of Family Guy and was looking forward to watching this three-disc set; it might not be a great show, but at least the mediocrity would be fresh and new. Alas, no! It was stale and previously seen. The reason being that instead of the episodes from Fall '09 through Spring '10, I was watching a set of episodes from Spring '09 to Fall '09. Gah! No big deal, I suppose; I'm buying all the DVD sets anyway for some reason (read as: completion-based collecting). Now, onto the substance, or lack thereof. Again, I know what I'm getting with Family Guy and I'm not too thick-headed to just accept that and watch the show on its own terms. The problem is, those terms are more or less dictating that episodes be judged chiefly by the ratio of good non-sequitur gags to bad ones. Let me reiterate: Family Guy is just animated sketch comedy. There's nothing wrong with that, but it means that the show lives or dies by the strength of its jokes. And frankly, they're just not always funny. Poop is over-referenced, even for an animated FOX show. The same goes for homosexuality and, well, sexuality in general. It just seems like there are more attempts to be shocking or perverse than there are to make good jokes. Oh, and references - toilet humor, shock humor, and references to pop culture tidbits from 30 years ago. I'm not trying to be an elitist here, but so much of Family Guy just isn't funny. Another problem arises from the fact that the show very much seems to view itself as a legitimate pop culture icon that can do no wrong. As the smugness piles on in a rather unapologetic fashion - Peter breaks the fourth wall and discusses the show with the audience in, I kid you not, six of the first seven episodes on this DVD set - I find myself wondering why I watch at all. But then something silly makes me laugh or some reference makes me nod and smile and suddenly I'm reminded that this show is the furthest thing from serious, and thus, not at all worth getting upset about. I'll just run with the good gags and roll with the bad ones and let other people with TV blogs worry about bashing or praising the show.
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