By Madeline Kerins
Looks like the “The Simpsons” have some new neighbors, the Griffins, as with this weekend marking the much-anticipated return of the FCC favorite “Family Guy” to FOX. Dubbed “Animation Domination,” Sunday night on FOX will bring nearly three hours of animation to eager fans across the nation. While “King Of The Hill” and “The Simpsons” are both FOX staples and fan favorites, it should be interesting to see where loyalties lie after “Family Guy” becomes a Sunday night regular.
Hardcore fans of “Family Guy” have been doing more than just anticipating its return to syndication-there have been boycotts, protests and mass e-mailings, amongst other efforts, to bring back the beloved dysfunction that is the Griffin family. For those unfamiliar with the show, it centers on everyday-shlub Peter Griffin of Quahog, Rhode Island and the trials and tribulations of his day-to-day life working 9-5 at the assembly line of a local toy factory. The show’s creator, Scott McFarland, voices Griffin, along with his talking dog and best friend Brian. McFarland also voices the youngest member of the Griffin clan, the diaper clad diabolical baby Stewie, whose passion for world domination is almost as strong as that of the desire to kill his mother. Lois Griffin, Peter’s wife, is voiced by “Mad TV” alum Alex Borstein, quite possibly better known for her “Mrs. Swan” character. The Griffins have two older children, Meg and Chris, voiced by Mila Kunis of “That 70’s Show” and Seth Green of Austin Powers.
And if anyone was skeptical about whether or not these new episodes would flop or fail, all concerns were quelled immediately. The episode, called “North by North Quahog,” didn’t fail to disappoint from beginning to end.
The episode dives right into the issue of the show being previously cancelled. Peter runs off a laundry list of the names of dozens of FOX shows that have flopped since “Family Guy” first left the airwaves, after which he skeptically proclaims, “Well I guess we’ll get back on the air if all of those shows get canned.” Well, roll the opening song, and welcome back “Family Guy”!
Within the first minute of the show’s beginning, Lois comes home from shopping at Bed, Bath & Beyond, to which Peter responds by asking if she went to “Beyond.” Ensuing is a typical “Family Guy” cutaway of Peter walking through a giant door with “BEYOND” written above it, only to stumble into a Bermuda Triangle-type time suspension, where eventually he realizes, “Oh! Here are the coffee mugs!” “Family Guy” is famous for these cutaways, which often cut to hysterically adapted pop culture scenes that McFarland cleverly ties into whatever the episode may be about.
Without giving away the episode-it’s worth waiting to see if you haven’t yet: a second honeymoon trip for Lois and Peter to revive the spark in their marriage turns into a narrow escape from knife wielding priests in crop dusters and sex atop Mount Rushmore, and all the while Brian is left in charge of Meg, Chris and Stewie. Of course, all kinds of chaos ensues with Brian and Stewie in control and Stewie ends up planting cocaine in a middle schooler’s locker. This is all in a day’s life for the Griffins. Both level of humor and sarcasm and continuity of the voiceovers and animation are undeniably flawless; this episode could have been made two years ago and nobody would’ve known it was dragged out of the archives.
But it is new, and hopefully FOX won’t regret giving “Family Guy” some fresh air. Judging by the premiere, it seems as though they won’t. Even “American Dad,” a new series also by McFarland, which also premiered on Sunday, and will follow “Family Guy,” seems to be worth the venture. While it is not nearly as well choreographed and humorous as its predecessor, it should appeal to fans of “Family Guy” at the very least, and that may be good enough.
With a full season of fresh episodes upcoming, only time will tell what new antics McFarland will have in store for the Griffin family and friends, but one thing is for sure-it’ll be damn funny.
