It isn't true that nothing is sacred on Family Guy. Series creator Seth McFarlane and company worship at the altar of the joke (the more random and arcane the better). To watch Peter Griffin summon Super Friend Apache Chief to install a satellite dish on his roof, or to witness dragon slayer Peter decapitating a screeching, fire-breathing Cybill Shepherd is to marvel, "Where do they come up with this stuff?" When Family Guy is on target, there isn't a more bracingly funny half-hour on television. The opening episode, "PTV," begins with Osama bin Laden "going off" like a Saturday Night Live cast member as he tries to get through a "Death to America" video without cracking up. The topper comes when Stewie Griffin makes like Frank Drebbin in a meticulous Naked Gun spoof. The episodes that conclude Family Guy's fourth season—incidentally, the three episodes that were edited together as Stewie Griffin: The Untold Story are not on this set—do not reach the comedic heights of seasons past, but almost every one has at least one giddy inexplicable moment, such as Frank Sinatra Jr. crooning the Family Guy theme over the end credits for "Brian Sings and Swings," or Peter performing a rollicking rendition of "Shipoopi" from The Music Man after scoring a touchdown in "Patriot Games." Be sure to check out the credits to see which celebrities provided their actual voices. In "Patriot Games" alone, that's Jay Leno calling to harass quarterback Tom Brady, and Carol Channing taking on Mike Tyson in the ring. South Park may have been on to something in its celebrated "Cartoon Wars" episode when one character said of Family Guy, "I know it's just joke after joke, but I like that. At least it doesn't get all preachy and up its own ass with messages, you know?" We know. DVD extras on this 14-episode set from the 2005-06 fourth season include audio commentaries on all episodes, over 40 deleted scenes, three featurettes, and multi-angle scenes. Recommended. (D. Liebenson)
Family Guy: Volume Four
Fox, 3 discs, 314 min., not rated, DVD: $39.98 February 19, 2007
Family Guy: Volume Four
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