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Family Guy: Partial Terms of Endearment
R1 - America - Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment Review written by and copyright: Anthony Arrigo (26th May 2011). |
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The Show
 In the more than 10 years that Fox’s “Family Guy” (1999-present) has been on the air, there have only been two instances where the network has banned an episode from airing, season three’s “When You Wish Upon a Weinstein”, and now what would have been the final episode of season eight, “Partial Terms of Endearment”. The show has been no stranger to controversy throughout the years, with many PC groups up in arms about the taboo subject matter that the show chooses to tackle. If only these mouth-breathing morons would realize that, not only does the show often make a poignant statement about these issues (albeit wrapped in something generally offensive & crass), but the final product is often less controversial than the subject matter would lead most to believe. I’m more offended that our society has devolved into a cesspool of politically correct complainers who cause network execs to tremble & shake when they threaten to jump onto a soapbox and cry about something. I didn’t note anything more offensive in this episode of “Family Guy” than most any other one I’d seen. Yes, abortion is a hot-button issue, but are we really still at the point where discussing it or, god forbid, parodying it is grounds for banning? I’ll bet if half the people who decried this episode were to watch it, they’d see that it offers up solid arguments for both points of view (while throwing in a few conception & sperm jokes for good measure). While attending her college reunion, Lois (Alex Borstein) runs into her old college roommate, and ex-girlfriend, Naomi. She asks to meet with Lois & Peter (Seth MacFarlane) at their home to discuss a proposition. Peter, naturally, thinks this is an invitation for a threesome, but Naomi arrives with her husband and explains that they’d like Lois to be a surrogate mother for them since they’re unable to have children. Lois mulls it over before deciding that she would be happy to help them out. She is impregnated, but soon after Naomi & her husband are killed in a car crash, leaving Lois to decide whether or not to carry the bay to full term and put it up for adoption, or to have an abortion. MacFarlane’s show has always pushed the envelope, but he does it with just the right mixture of trash & class. Even when tackling a topic likely to set people off, he often plays it straight down the middle, never pandering too much to either side of the argument. I didn’t find things were done any differently for this episode. I think Fox actually made it appear worse than it is by banning it from ever airing. So far, not only has Fox not shown it, but the network also forbade The Cartoon Network from running it at night during their adult-themed Adult Swim animation block. And the, to top it all off, it gets its own DVD release. It makes me wonder if the network did all of this in the name of marketing and promotion rather than actual concern for the emotional response of potential viewers. This is Fox we’re talking about, after all.
Video
The full frame 1.33:1 image looks clean and sharp. Almost all animated shows are produced digitally in some way, so the odds of coming across a poor-looking DVD are slim. Colors are vivid and bright, with deep, defined black lines surrounding the animation. I’m a little surprised that “Family Guy” hasn’t switched over to full HD broadcasting by producing the episodes in a widescreen format. Still, there are no deficiencies in the picture, faithfully reproducing exactly what viewers would have seen during a regular broadcast.
Audio
Likewise, the English Dolby Digital 5.1 surround sound track is well-balanced and crystal clear. The expanse of the 5.1 channels is really only used to noticeable effect during the show’s opening theme, with the majority of the episode broadcasting through the front speakers. Dialogue & musical cues are at equal levels, with neither overpowering the other. Every nuanced, thick Rhode Island-accented syllable is perfectly replicated for viewers at home. Subtitles are available in English for the hearing impaired, French & Spanish.
Extras
When you’re releasing one single, 23-minute episode on DVD, you’d better make sure there’s a wealth of supplements to go along with it. Fanboys might be suckers, but most know better than the waste at least $10 on a single episode. Thankfully, Fox tossed in some goodies that make this a much more attractive purchase. There’s an audio commentary, animatics, a full comedy show, bonus trailers and more. The audio commentary with creator Seth MacFarlane, writer Danny Smith, director Joseph Lee cast member Alex Borstein is an easy listen, mainly because everyone has something to say and it only lasts for 23 minutes. As you might’ve guessed, given the nature of the episode and all, a good portion of the discussion is focused on the hot-button issue of abortion. “Animatic for Partial Terms of Endearment” featurette runs for 23 minutes and 6 seconds. Ever want to know what the episodes would look like with minimal animation and no color? Well, now you know. “Family Guy: Live and Uncensored Table Read” featurette runs for 34 minutes and 27 seconds. The cast of the show took to the stage to perform a table read of an entire episode. It’s a novel idea, but the execution isn’t nearly as humorous as they might have intended. There’s a reason the show is animated, and even then I still don’t think it’s that funny. “Family Guy Presents: Seth & Alex’s Almost Live Comedy Show” runs for 24 minutes and 1 second. Seth MacFarlane & Alex Borstein perform a live stand-up routine, occasionally in character as Peter & Lois respectively, with a backing band playing some of the shows themes. It’s basically a variety sketch show full of all types of entertainment, and quite an interesting watch. Bonus trailers included are for: - “The Cleveland Show: Season 1” runs for 1 minute and 27 seconds. - “Family Guy: Vol. 8” runs for 47 seconds. - “American Dad: Vol. 5” runs for 18 seconds. There is also a link to download nine original "Family Guy" songs when your DVD is inserted into a DVD-ROM drive on a computer.
Packaging
The disc cleverly uses a plastic slip-cover meant to resemble a torn brown paper bag to obscure the artwork beneath, implying you’re buying something dirty & illicit. The cover art beneath looks equally appropriate, featuring a pulp-y image of Peter. I should probably also mention the case is red rather than the standard black.
Overall
If you like “Family Guy”, you’ll like this episode. I don’t feel I need to make it much more insightful than that.
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