Family Guy, Vol. 3 (Season 4, Part 1) Reviews

• Best Family Guy Vol. out

  
  By A1IHVKX4YPU8WZ on 2005-09-12
  Family Guy Vol. 3 is the funniest Family Guy set out. It includes my favorite episode Petarded. This set will contain 3 discs (like Vol. 2 did), all 13 episodes of season 4, and extras. Here is the list of the episodes in Vol. 3:
  
  Disc 1
  1. North by North Quahog
  2. Fast Times at Buddy Cianic Jr. High
  3. Blind Ambition
  4. Don't Make Me Over
  
  Disc 2
  1. The Cleveland-Loretta Quagmire
  2. Petarded
  3. Brian The Bachelor
  4. 8 Simple Rules for Buying My Daughter
  
  Disc 3
  1. Breaking Out is Hard To Do
  2. Model Misbehavior
  3. Perfect Castaways
  4. Peter's Got Woods
  5. Jungle Love
  6. Extras
  
  Extras Include:
  1. Commentary Tracks
  2. Behind The Scenes With Stewie
  3. Resurrection of Family Guy
  4. Deleted Scenes
  5. Animatics
  6. Family Guy "Live In Las Vegas" Music Video
  
  This set is a must-have for any Family Guy fan.
  
  
  

• Power to the people

  
  By AJKWF4W7QD4NS on 2005-09-02
  It wasn't that long ago that Seth MacFarlane's Family Guy suffered an untimely death thanks to the brilliant collective minds at Fox, dooming the series to late night re-runs on Cartoon Network's Adult Swim block. However, the re-runs managed to get higher ratings then the syndicated episodes, and the DVD sales were surprisingly through the roof. Thus, the voices of the people were heard by the mighty network, and Family Guy was miraculously resurrected and back on Fox. The series gets off to a slamming start (including Peter's opening rant where he names every single show to air on Fox that suffered an untimely death as well) as Peter and Lois seek to spice up their relationship, and end up stealing the master copy of Mel Gibson's upcoming "Passion of the Christ 2". Later on, Peter gets judged to be mentally incompetant, and there's plenty of other gags, in-jokes, and absurd references that only a handful of people will get. It's true, this fourth season isn't the same quality as the previous three (Stewie is more of a wisecracking character than the evil baby genius hellbent on controling the world here, and his interaction with pet dog Brian isn't what it used to be) but it's still complete animated lunacy that is irreverant as ever, and hilarious as ever. The voice team, including MacFarlane, MAD TV alum Alex Borstein, Seth Green, and That 70's Show's Mila Kunis, do great deadpan work. All in all, it's great to have Family Guy back, and the prayers of longtime fans yearning for the show to return have thankfully been answered. Let's hope that this time around, Fox has learned a lesson, and won't shuffle the show around the schedule to the brink of cancellation like they did before.
  
  

• Great Show, Crappy DVD...

  
  By A1PCUXE43K8EXV on 2005-12-12
  *NOTE: THE 1-STAR RATING APPLIES TO THE DVD ITSELF, NOT THE SHOW*
  
  I'm a Family Guy fanatic. Best animated show on TV, by far. I pre-ordered this thing a long time ago. I can't get enough!
  
  But this is just evil, man!
  
  I put in the first disc from the set, and oh, what's this? An advertisement. Oh, hey, look, another advertisement! How sweet. Hey, thanks, guys! No worries, just press the menu button and skip the ads, right? Wrong. It's blocked. You have no choice but to watch the ads every time you start the DVD.
  
  Luckily, my DVD player has a recall feature that gives you the option of returning to your old place if you stop and then restart. However, if it's on the menu screen when you turn it off, then it goes back to the beginning. Which means that, every time I turn off the DVD, I have to make sure that it's actually playing an episode when I hit the power button. Otherwise, I have to watch their two stupid commercials.
  
  This really irks me. When I rent a dvd from Blockbuster or Netflix, I kinda expect to have to sit through some ads (it still irks me, though), but when I pay upwards of $30 for a DVD, I believe that it is reasonable to expect that, at the very least, I should have control over the pre-menu ads. The fact that I am locked into watching them each and every time I start up a disc shows what can only be described as complete disrespect for the consumer. Bloody hell, people, I already own the Family Guy movie---I don't need it hawked to me every time I want to watch Vol. 3!
  
  Like I said, great show, and great season (the Pinocchio/Gipetto scene is already legendary), but getting screwed on the DVD technology like this is just...poor judgment on Fox's part. We consumers deserve better than this!
  
  

• Disappointment.. read before you rate

  
  By A3Q8N3J6BXTOTW on 2005-11-15
  There are two main types of laughter: real laughter, the kind where you see something and laugh naturally, when the laughs just come out whether you want them to or not.
  
  The second type is Forced laughter, where you actually have to try to laugh at something. This can be because a joke was told and you're just being polite, not wanting to hurt the tellers feelings by not laughing. This can also be when you know (or at least think) something is funny, but you just can't naturally laugh at it, but want to laugh enough that you force (or fake) laughter. This is the case with Family Guy: Season 4.
  
  Every time they would have a flashback or a joke in Seasons 1-3, I literally wouldn't be able to hold back my laughter. Even thinking about some of these jokes days, months, he77 years after I saw them in an episode would put me in an uncontrollable fit of glee.They were really funny, and those jokes were the thing that made Family Guy as immensely popular as it is today.
  
  Now we have Season 4, and I was so happy just to have it back on TV that I laughed at nearly every joke they had. But as the episodes went on, I found myself actually having to force myself to laugh at the jokes. I knew they were funny, but there was something missing, something that held them back from the golden standard set by the previous seasons.
  
  I didn't know then, and still don't know what that something is. And honestly, I don't know why I'm still forcing laughter every sunday as I watch a new episode. I generally watch family guy when everyone else has already gone up to bed, so it can't be that I'm forcing the laughs because someone else is there watching with me. Maybe it's out of respect to the shows creators for making such fine episodes up until now. Maybe its because the jokes actually are funny, and I'm just jaded from watching the old episodes over and over again to find anything in Family Guy funny anymore. Unfortunately, I think the real reason I'm forcing these laughs is to cope with the sad fact that, after such triumphant seasons of Family Guy gold, the show just isn't funny anymore. I hope I'm proven wrong by season 5, but the way things seem to be going so far, I doubt I will be. So here's to Family Guy as it was, and as it may never be again.
  
  

• Even better than the first 3 seasons!

  
  By A457S8SW690NM on 2005-09-29
  Family Guy Vol. 3 will now finally be available on DVD!!!!!!
  For those of you that don't know what this DVD will cover, it will cover the 4th season with around 13 episodes. These are the best ever with classic moments like the cookie monster that to this day still laugh about at least once a week. I really don't want to give away the jokes like other reviewers because everyone who hasn't seen family guy yet should buy the first 3 seasons along with this and knock yourself out. Everyone says this is a knockoff of the simpsons which is true but this is for older people. Family Guy is hands down simply a much funnier show than the Simpsons. I happen to be a big fan of the simpsons but Family Guy is so much funnier! It has a maniacal baby, a talking, at the same time sophisticated and drunk, dog, a fat dad, a hot mom, a daughter who everyone hates, and a chubby and sensitive little boy. This family is the family that I like tuning in for every sunday to laugh myself silly.
  
  
• This is the correct info for this set.
  By on 2005-08-14
  North by North Quahog"
  Original Airdate: 05-01-05
  
  Lois & Peter try to spice up their sex life by taking a second honeymoon and end up fighting Mel Gibson to stop the release of Passion of the Christ 2. Meanwhile, Brian and Stewie are charged with watching the kids while they are gone and slip into the role of 'mom and dad'.
  
  "Fast Times at Buddy Cianci Jr. High"
  Original Airdate: 05-08-05
  
  Chris falls in love with his new substitute teacher whose looking for a boy to kill her husband. Brian takes up substitute teaching for the Remedial English class filled with hoods.
  
  "Don't Make Me Over"
  Original Airdate: 06-06-05
  
  When Meg is turned down by a cute boy, she is devasted until Lois takes her to the mall for a makeover. Peter and the neighborhood guys decide to form a garage rock band and when catastrophy happens at their first performance, the whole Griffin family kicks in to help. A talent scout turns them into a family bus touring band.
  
  "Blind Ambition"
  Original Airdate: 05-15-05
  
  While trying to set a world record for eating money, Peter succumbs to nickel poisoning that strikes him blind. Quagmire tries to shake off his addiction to women. God comes to earth to be a player. Lois decides to use Peter's blindness to try out a new au naturale look.
  
  "The Cleveland-Loretta Quagmire"
  Original Airdate: 06-12-05
  
  Peter and Brian walk in on Loretta and Quagmire getting giggity and Cleveland becomes obsessed with getting revenge. Loretta kicks Cleveland out for not caring anough and he moves in with the Griffins. Quagmire goes into hiding while Cleveland trains and plans his revenge.
  
  "Petarded"
  Original Airdate: 06-19-05
  
  After winning at Trivial Pursuit, Peter claims to be a genius, so Brian asks him to take an IQ test to prove it. When it turns out Peter is borderline retarded, he learns to use his handicap to his advantage.
  
  "Brian the Bachelor"
  Original Airdate: 06-26-05
  
  Brian is selected to be featured on THE BACHELOR despite his belief that reality TV is all fake. Chris gets a talking pimple that convinces him to do mischeivious things, and Peter and the gang help Cleveland get back into dating.
  
  "8 Simple Rules for Buying My Teenage Daughter"
  Original Airdate: 07-10-05
  
  Meg is jealous over Neil Goldman's new lady love and decides she wants him instead. Peter runs up a huge bill at Mort's Pharmacy. Stewie falls in love with his new babysitter and decides to rub out her boyfriend so he can have her to himself.
  
  "Breaking Out Is Hard to Do"
  Original Airdate: 07-17-05
  Lois's kleptomania lands her in jail, leaving the Griffin household in a worse state of dissarray than usual. Peter takes up sumo wrestling.
  
  "Model Misbehavior"
  Original Airdate: 07-24-05
  
  Lois decides to fulfill her lifelong dream of becoming a model while Peter deals with the fact that every man in town wants to bed his wife. Meanwhile, Brian gets worms and Stewie involves him in a pyramid scam to pay off the vet bills
  
  "Perfect Castaway"
  unaired as of this review
  
  "Peter's Got Woods"
  unaired as of this review
  
  "Jungle Air"
  unaired as of this review
  
  The three part Stewie saga will only be available on the Direct to DVD release. Uncensored I might add, WOOO HOOO.
  
  The special features anounced for this box set are,
  Commentary tracks (episodes and participants aren't known at this time)
  Behind the Scenes with Stewie
  Resurrection of Family Guy
  Deleted scenes
  Animatics
  Family Guy "Live In Las Vegas" Music Video
  And more!
  
  
  This should be a great box set when it's released in November. Many great episodes from the first season of Family Guy since it was resurected on FOX after steller DVD sells and great ratings on Adult Swim. Any fans of animation or just great comedy should pick this one up when it comes out. Should make a great Christmas present.
  
  
  
  
• Bad format, too many ads...FG3 falls short from its predecessor
  By A2S5R7SCN3MISM on 2005-11-30
  I got Family Guy Vol. 3 today in the mail via Amazon.
  
  It arriving on the day of its release is awesome. Much props to Amazon.
  
  I am highly dissapointed with this volume for many reasons.
  
  First of all, I knew all of Season 4's episodes were very subpar. I have been a pretty diehard FG fan for quite a while and feel the newer episodes lack a lot of what made FG special.
  
  But we all saw the episodes on TV so we don't need to get into the quality of each show...it's the DVD itself that stinks.
  
  First of all. How many advertisements do they need to throw at us after already buying their stinking DVD? The case is full of ads and now there are even previews on the DVDs!!!
  
  Vol. 3 strays from the original two formats. And it's a turn for the worse. The cases don't match up and the menus are different and, in my opinion, much worse.
  
  Could they not have waited and put Season 5 on with it? Having 4-5 episodes on each disc is lame.
  
  The extras are pretty good...especially the one on FG's music...but overall nothing groundbreaking.
  
  Plus they don't have the Spanish and French audio anymore!! What gives?
  
  Overall...this DVD set is a stinker.
  
  Unless Season 5 gets incredibly better...I don't plan on buying Vol. 4.
  
  I'd rather spend my money on a better quality product...it's too bad...it really is. Family Guy used to be a really great show.
  
  
• Complete garbage
  By ABIPBML9QISSX on 2006-07-20
  The people who made these new episodes and these DVD's are sipmly trying to make money now, plain and simple. The first three seasons where done very well and are quite funny. There were also seven episodes on each disk. Now, with season four, we see only 4 episodes on each disk, very poor and unfunny episodes, and we still had to pay an arm and a leg for it and it's only the first half of the season that was released. I'll never buy another Family Guy DVD as long as I live.
  
  
• "Family Guy" has lost its heart
  By A7KGQQ024CJ33 on 2005-09-25
  My son and me have been greatly disappointed by season 4. We even canceled our TiVo season pass. A previous reviewer is right, the episodes have no cohesion. They seem to be nothing but a thin excuse to string hit-and-miss jokes together.
  
  It seems like the writers felt that the show's success was due to the inside joke and Stewie's meanness. But we wore out our DVDs because in spite of all the absurdity, there was a sweet family at its core. Peter was a bit like a real dad. Lois was a bit like a real mom. Chris and Meg were believable characters inside. The characters had great chemistry. Now the show has gone over the edge.
  
  Compare classic storylines like "I wish I had no bones!" and "The Road to Rhode Island" with "Peter's Got Woods" or the one where Cleveland wants to kill Quagmire. There's just no comparison. Lois has become an absurd character herself e.g. when she shoplifts compulsively and goes on a cocaine binge. Her normalcy used to create a hilarious contrast to Peter's behavior but now that they're both over the edge, it's not as funny anymore.
  
  "Family Guy," Season 1-3: recommended for everyone, 5 stars! "Family Guy," Season 4: only for prepubescent boys with low expectations who equal offensive=funny.
  
  
• What makes a real fan?
  By AMZCQIDUWDHLC on 2005-10-22
  Like most people, I never really got into Family Guy until after it was cancelled and Cartoon Network began to run the episodes during their adult cartoon block known as Adult Swim. Soon after I went out an bought both box sets and I can say with confidence that was one of the most worthwild purchases I've ever made.
  
  When FOX announced the return of the show, I was excited, well, actually estatic, until season four came around. The first episode was decent (that Passion of the Christ 2 trailer still makes me laugh to this day) but after that I began to realize how touch-and-go the new episodes really were. Soon the clever, witty jabs one expected from Family Guy was replaced by unbelievable obserdity. Lois as a shoplifter, a crack addicted model? Cleveland and Loretta getting a divorce after she cheats on him with Quagmire? Obviously the writters would rather "regrade" the characters they worked so hard to develop in seasons 1-3 than actually come up with good, solid storylines.
  
  Which brings me to the title of this review "What makes a real fan?" Many people who actually like season four tell people "they shouldn't hate season four because it's still Family Guy". I honestly think it takes a bigger person and a much more loyal fan to admit if something isn't right even if they like the series, band, music or what ever it is they talking about. I think it is pointless and stupid to buy something just because it has a certain "logo" on it or just because you have an undying loyalty to something that blinds you to into believing everything curned out by a band or a creator of a cartoon is pure gold. That's my two cents, take or leave it.
  
  So, no, I won't be buying season 4 unless I find it in discount bin someday. Although I will say the new Stewie movie was not too bad and I would honestly recommend that over this.
  
  
• It's Family Guy, so it's great...but anyone else think it's weak there's only 13 episodes?
  By A2WRDXYHN40GX on 2005-11-29
  I was unhappy when South Park Season 5 only had 13 episodes...i know that's all there are in this new "season" of family guy, but don't charge the same price for it then as other seasons. I love the show, but I can't see myself paying that price for episodes I just saw and can get online easily. Just doesn't make sense. Maybe for 17.99 or something I'd get it.
  
  
• Wait for Season 5
  By A2W2NR6HZGR0YB on 2005-10-01
  I agree with many reviewers that season 4 was something of a letdown. The jokes aren't coherent and all the characters are just weird. I liked Family guy because their jokes were a mix of clever, shocking, silly and satire. Season 4 was mostly just shocking and silly. However, I will defend my favorite series beause the first few episodes of season 5 that have come out were noticeably better then season 4. This leads me to believe that Seth McFarlane was overworked when they did season 4. He had to pump out the episodes really quickly to get them on the air in time, he was working on American Dad and the movie at the same time. Now that he has a little more time, and the movie is done we should see a return to the Family Guy we know and love. Hopefully American Dad gets cancelled too because it's nowhere near as good as Family Guy.
  
  
• In transition--I hope.
  By A1MM6OFG0AJE52 on 2005-09-20
  Let me preface this opinion--opinion, because not many of the reviews on Amazon are actually reviews--by saying that Family Guy is probably my favorite animated television series ever. I really am a die-hard fan. I wrote a few letters to the CEO of FOX Broadcasting. I was in there begging for more seasons. I was on cloud nine when we got them.
  
  This season has been good. Really, it has. I don't think many would argue that it was Family Guy's best, but it still remains better than 99% of everything else on TV. It's the typical nonlinear, almost psychotically random humor that has made the show a classic. But I've got my complaints, which are listed below. Which is why I gave it 4 stars and not the 5 I've given the other volumes. Rate me down if you're so fickle that you cannot stand a reviewer who doesn't give everything Family Guy 5 stars. I'm just being honest.
  
  The first few episodes are really obviously bleeding over from American Dad. Go through your Family Guy DVD collection, and you'll find plenty of political jokes--but they're just off things. The first few episodes of this season come off really bitter and anti-Republican. It cools off and returns to good natured poking-fun-at-everyone later on, but it made me roll my eyes enough for me to list it here.
  
  As reviewers have stated, its shifts are somewhat overused and formulaic. There were a lot of "remember the time I..." jokes in old episodes, and they are BRILLIANT. Even most of this season's were brilliant. But it seems like they're squeezing way too many into each episode and not relying on normal jokes to carry a part of the weight. The episodes suffer.
  
  It seems like Seth is struggling to catch back up with every other show that has been running since Family Guy was canceled. Mel Gibson jokes? Honestly? South Park; The Daily Show; Arrested Development; even Conan O'Brien--it has been done, and better.
  
  In passing, now that I think about it, the first few episodes of the season are also very Stewie/Quagmire/Joe/Cleveland-devoid. But as I've stated above, I believe this is Family Guy in transition; you can see toward the end of the season that Seth is catching steam and finding his rhythm. It gets better as it goes on.
  
  I'm not saying don't buy the DVD. For God's sake, buy it. The show is still awesome. But it isn't perfect. I'd look for perfect, if it's going to happen again, to hit you with the season that just began and ones that possibly follow. The first episode of it was great, and I only see it getting better.
  
  
• How can you review something that doesn't exist yet?
  By A2ZZULCTI40V3A on 2005-10-28
  Amazon provides a great forum to voice your opinions about this show but in these spaces, you are to provide a review of the actual product. If you don't own it or have not viewed it (not watched it on TV, that doesn't count), then how can you review this? It isn't scheduled for release for another month. I just want to know how that's all, not whether you think it is a great show or has gone down hill. I always thought this space was to review a product, favorably or not. Not to vent.
  
  
  
• weak punch
  By A21XF3CVDKPBMI on 2005-11-24
  don't get me wrong, family guy is an awesome show and it always makes me laugh but there were a few things in season 4 that bugs me. they make a lot of repetitive jokes, in other words they recycle some of their jokes. second problem is overkill. they take a good joke and drag it out for over a minute a it no longer becomes funny. this box set is still worth getting, it's just not as good as the first three seasons.
  
  
• this is freakin sweet!
  By on 2005-08-18
  these are all the dvd episodes-
  North by North Quahog
  Fast Times at Buddy Cainci Jr. High
  Pretarted
  Jungle Love
  Model Misbehavior
  8 Simple Rules For Buying My Teenage Daughter
  The Cleveland - Loretta Quagmaire
  Breaking Out is Hard To Do
  Blind Ambition
  Peters Got Woods
  Brian the Bachelor
  Perfect Castaway
  
  Also,the 3-part Stewie saga is NOT on this dvd.BOO HOO!!
  
  Bye,Arrion
  
  
  
  
  
• You Better Recognize
  By A2DHWXW05XTTPT on 2005-09-28
  Family Guy is just as good as ever. I don't care about these whiny jerks that say the show should be cancelled. There is still not a funnier show out there, yet you insist that Family Guy should be cancelled?!? The REAL problem is that people never appreciate "the now" as much as they do the past, from behind a cloud of nostalgia. I submit that Stewie has lost some of his focus on taking over the world. But maybe he is growing up or biding his time. The point is, it doesn't matter. This is Seth McFarlane's show, and he can make the characters change as he sees fit. And you cannot deny that this show is still funny. Quagmire's "giggety-giggety"'s are funnier than ever, all the random moments are still there (i.e., Firetrucks of the Serenghetti, the Chicken Fight part II, Stewie's tricked-out Big Wheel, I could on, but I shouldn't have to.) Just because you have had three years to sit around and watch the old ones and appreciate ever little nuance that they contain, doesn't mean you can't do the same with these episodes. Quit complaining. This is still the best show on TV. And some of you morons would have it cancelled?
  
  
• Hope they turn around next season...
  By A16PEMNNXMO1UQ on 2005-11-05
  I say this, because the fourth season is not the best season of Family Guy.
  
  When I heard they were bringing the show back in 2005, I got up and sang the Happy Happy Joy Joy song, for that Family Guy was one of the funniest cartoons I have seen. But after seeing the season premiere, I was left somewhat dissapointed. In fact, by looking at a most episodes, it actually feels as if to say nobody has a clue what they are doing.
  
  The first three seasons were top-notch hilarious stories with edgy humor and solid concepts. The plotlines in the fourth season, however, were pretty damn stale. Fox may have been pressurizing Seth Macfarlane and his crew around, but that led the episodes to great stories and edgy situations that are not so hard to laugh at. Now with Fox letting them do whatever they please, everything becomes lazy. Episodes like "Fast Times at Buddy Cianci Jr. High" and "Petarded" would start off very nicely and come home with underdeveloped endings. Or even if they are not being lazy, they don't concentrate on the plots, rather, they concentrate on the humor itself--involving favorite catchphrases, inside-jokes, and trademark edginess, thinking those were the only elements that made the show successful, but really the chemistry of the show also included good concept, character development, and the evolution of the show.
  
  I included the evolution part, because when it comes to humor, they are digging up a few cliches here and there. (Remember Peter and the Chicken fight in DABOOM? It's back in "Blind Ambition".) Or at times when it's not cliched, it's edgy. The fourth season provided a hell of a lot of edgy humor that isn't so easy to laugh; In fact it's TOO edgy to be funny, and when it's too edgy, it's disturbing. I, for one, did not like the premiere episode "North By North Quahog", because the concept of Catholic Mel Gibson making a Rush Hour-esque sequel to "The Passion of the Christ" made the entire episode a mind-numbingly tedious exercise to watch. Or even when it's not cliched, or edgy, it's just plain lazy, stupid, and crude without even being funny, and that's included in a number of episodes such as "Model Misbehavior" (The Marijuana guy running around in the drug store is not funny at all.)
  
  The character development, too, is not the best thing out there. Peter's just a one-dimensional idiot so I won't worry about him, but characters like Stewie are not what they used to be; Stewie used to be an insane little boy that always causes mischief whereever he goes, but you barely see him actually cause any mischief in this season. Cleveland and his wife break up thier relationship and plan to divorce in "The Cleveland-Loretta Quaqmire", when you don't see them do much in the previous seasons of the show. Those are just a few examples of what I mean; you'll find out the rest on your own.
  
  On the upside, though, it's not that bad; it's still a little bit better entertainment than some animation that makes it through TV these days. The three stars are for the few gems in this set, which include "Breaking out is Hard to Do" and "Brian the Bachelor". With those episodes, I do believe they can still turn around in the fifth season, even with creator Seth Macfarlane leaving AMERICAN DAD to concentrate on this show.
  
  Oh man, I hope...I hope...
  
  
• If you don't like any new Family Guy episodes, then just don't watch the show
  By A1FMFZB06W4T0O on 2005-11-19
  I'm sick and tired of people wasting time writing a review of a show they don't like or have given up on. You're wasting your time and the time of fans of the show. NO ONE CARES WHY YOU THINK THE SHOW IS BAD!!! I love the new Season. It may take a while for the show to get rolling again, cuz they got cancelled for 3 years!!! And I'm sure they had other great ideas for episodes but gave up on them cuz the show got canned. Just give Seth, the cast and crew some time and creativity. FAMILY GUY ROCKS!!!
  
  
• Giggity, Giggity, GAY!
  By A3Q2KOW30YZAEY on 2005-12-02
  This is the worst comeback since {cut to a crappy 80's movie......draw out joke for 5 minutes.....}. Although this fact has been pretty well versed at this point, the show is now incredibly lame. Come on, referencing your own jokes??????? And I've seen enough of the Thundercats, enough stupid, pointless flashbacks, and enough barbs at the Bushes (who I don't like either, but the jokes just aren't funny). I don't know who is steering the ship over at Family Guy, but if you look port side you'll notice that an enormous turdberg has crashed into the boat. Honestly, take the money you would use to buy this DVD set, and invest in Volumes 1 or 2. Then do us all a favor and mail those DVDs to the people currently writing this garbage, with a very simple "Please Watch" note taped to the front.
  
  
• Falling out of love with the Family Guy?
  By A3OI841P5R6FCH on 2006-07-01
  Ya know, I think I'm startin' to cool to the new incarnation of Family Guy. I wasn't too keen on the resurrection of the show when I heard it was gonna play on network TV, especially in this post-Super-Bowl XXXVIII-halftime age of the government freaking out over so-called "indecency" on TV and radio. I figured the Fox standards & practices suits would be even more buttoned-down than the first time `round, and the show would be a lot more tame... and lame. Fortunately, when I caught a copy of the third volume of eppies on DVD, I found the new series almost as funny as the old one, at least at first. I didn't find it quite up to the hilarity of the initial run, but it was pretty danged close. From the looks of things, Fox's standards & practices suits weren't being any more tight-@$$ed now than they were back then.
  
  But the reason I started cooling to the show was when I decided to watch all the episodes on Volume 3 a second time. That's when I discovered the eppies weren't nearly as funny as they were the first time I saw `em; the humor didn't have much staying power I'm sorry to say. Well, except for most of the parts involving that pervy Quagmire guy; he rarely disappoints. Adam West's mayoral weirdness is always good for a yuk or two as well. And the moments of interaction between the megalomaniacal infant Stewie and the alcoholic-intellectual canine Brian never fail to amuse me. But the usual array of cut-aways and wacky flashbacks just didn't cut it for me for the most part...
  
  Anyhoo, I found myself cringing at more than a few of the show's more droll, groan-worthy moments that I originally thought was funny in a weird way the first time 'round. Even the plethora of 80s pop-culture references didn't get much of a rise outta this child of the "Me" decade. Heavy sigh...
  
  Oh yeah, this set also includes several extra features like full-length commentary tracks on a few eppies. Which are filled with the show's various writers, directors, and/or voice-actors getting a bit too self-congratulatory and laughing a little too hard at their own gags. South Park creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone had the right idea when they decided to record a two- to five-minute-long "episode overview" track for each eppie on the South Park full season sets, rather than bore me to death with full-length tracks. Some times less is more, ya know?
  
  Also included is a doc on the popularity and resurrection of Family Guy on network TV, as well as... some other stuff I guess. I think there's a rough animatic of ... something or other. Oh yeah, and... ummmm...
  
  Second heavy sigh...
  
  I'm sorry, but I'm a little jaded over all the extra features they pack onto DVDs nowadays. After a while, they all start lookin' pretty much the same to me. They seem to go off a standard template, their format is so predictable...
  
  Anyhoo, I gotta book. I gotta go do something productive with my life... like dusting my Star Wars action figure collection. Which is sure to keep those Fox suits happy...
  
  
  `Late
  
  
• What the deuce?!
  By A1ZOXC3ZVAXFNI on 2005-11-10
  I find it very odd that people are rating this item and it isn't even released yet. The rating of the item should be about the season's DVD, not the season itself...
  
  Until it is released, ignore these other ratings - they aren't about the collected season. For all we know, the DVDs could come out and be real crappy...
  
  
• Loosing Its Touch...
  By on 2005-11-13
  Family guy is great. But it lost its touch, that funny spark that made you laugh out loud in every episode. Season one was great (5 stars) with all of those hysterical and random moments, a 5 minute brawl over an expired coupon, the koolaid man, that bigbird scene, as one of the others said, i can go on, but i shouldnt have to. It can be a little offensive, but in season 4 they went way too far, passion of the christ 2... its just not funny. it lost the spark... stewie was halairious, but now, he lost his intrest in taking over the world and killing lois, and it isnt funny. Peter used to be the funniest, because he was the only stupid one, now lois meg and chris steal all of his jokes that would be way more funny if peter said them. on the other hand, it is still my favorite show and probly will be for the next few seasons. seth needs to just drop american dad, and work on family guy. Its not his fault, since fox wants a new episode every week, of both shows, so drop american dad. It is still great, and everyone should watch but i hope season 5 will get that spark back...
  
  
• They lose some ground on this one...
  By A3SL0L7B9BTIE on 2005-09-28
  I really hate to say this, really, but this was not close to the best of FAMILY GUY. There are laughs, but not like before. I agree with other reviewers that it is lacking an edge. I wish now that FOX had brought back FUTURAMA back instead.
  
  
• Yeah,I know... I'm sorry!
  By A3LW6FZ12WUX2A on 2005-11-14
  I know that this dvd set isn't out yet and I really shouldn't rate it,but I have seen all of these episodes and just wanted to put my 2 cents in on the newest season.
  
  I agree with the larger part of reviews:please drop American Dad
  and focus on Family Guy! American Dad has it's moments,but what makes Family Guy great is that it makes fun of everybody. American Dad is pretty much just a slam on the right wing and that's it;and that gets really old after awhile.
  The left wing can be pretty stupid as well,and that's putting it mildly.Besides,we are still at war;and constantly poking fun at the CIA,the military,our government and our very country is just lame.
  
  While Family Guy is still great,it has lost a bit of it's spark.
  Stewie not being as maniacal and bent on killing Louis is part of the reason.I know I'm going to get alot of people rolling their eyes at me when I write this,but the whole episode about the Passion of Christ just wasn't funny... it was offensive and way out of line.It's almost as if it's in competition with South
  Park(a show I no longer watch for the same reasons)in being just plain offensive rather than funny or even crude.
  
  I'm not a religous zealot,and I still love adult animation. Family Guy is probabaly the best animated adult show on television right now.But I do have my priorities,and I'm not going to put Hollywood or pop culture before my faith.I really hope Family Guy doesn't do a "South Park" on us,and that Seth Macfarlane drops American Dad.
  
  
• good with a couple exceptions
  By AFOPMYU4NWBO3 on 2005-11-21
  I was turned on to Family Guy by a couple of my friends when I was a junior in high school (I'm currently a freshman in college), and I have since become a huge fan of the show. Season 4 contains plenty of laughs; my personal favorites include "Petarded," "8 Simple Rules For Buying My Teenage Daughter," "Breaking Out Is Hard To Do," and "The Perfect Castaway." These episodes have plenty of laughs and cultural references, ranging from easy to catch (the "Take On Me" parody) to quite obscure (Timer the Cheese Guy).
  
  Despite all the funny moments, there are a few episodes that lack spark. "North By North Quahog" is, excluding Peter's opening rant, more offensive than funny, "The Cleveland-Loretta Quagmire" has a lackluster ending, "Model Misbehavior" is a missed chance at something funny, and "Peter's Got Woods" seems rather aimless. Although there are some funny moments in all of these, they are generally neither interesting nor funny.
  
  All in all, this box is worth getting for Family Guy afficionados, but if you're new to the series, get the 3rd season box first; it has
  
  
• Good, but...
  By A2O4EF4ZIX00Q1 on 2005-12-04
  Make no mistake, Family Guy Volume well below the standard set by Volumes 1 and 2, but it is still very good. With the exception of a few episodes (most notably, 'Don't Make Me Over'), Family Guy still retains the same off the wall humor that was prevalent in previous seasons, and thankfully, much less singing.
  
  The worst aspect about Family Guy Vol. 3 is that it only contains the first 13 episodes of Family Guy. Fox, not content with milking Family Guy with 'The Freakin' Sweet Collection', have split the 4th production season into three DVD titles: 'Family Guy Vol. 3', 'Family Guy Vol. 4', and 'Stewie Griffin: The Untold Story' Vol. 3 is half the running time of Vol. 1, and of course, not half the price.
  
  This allows Fox to push out the third volume before Christmas rather than wait until all of season 4 has aired. The second half of Season 4 is notably funnier and comparable to previous seasons in terms of quality...but does not appear on this disc.
  
  The drop in quality and the lack of actual episodes on this volume may leave a sour taste in your mouth.
  
  
• Very Dissapointed,
  By on 2005-12-31
  You know, it figures. No one watched Family Guy when it was on TV in 1999 and even though it was completely hilarious it got cancelled. Then A.S. picks it up and it explodes in popularity. Then finally FOX brings it back with a new season and everyone begins to watch it. However, there is a catch and that catch is that, well, quite frankly, the new seasn pretty much sucks. The first episdoe was good, but almost every other episode is pretty much completely dispensible. I definitely do not recomend this.
  
  
• It took them 3 years to come up....with this?
  By A1MO1S99H82U8N on 2005-09-20
  Wow, Family Guys comback could not have been more dissapointing. There are maybe 3 or 4 good episodes in this entire set. I think the writers stopped caring about writing actual stories and instead opted for "Hey lois this is better then the time I...." moments. The episodes have little to no story and almost no cohesion. Many of the gags are not even jokes they are "hey I know what thats from" gags.
  
  
• 3.5 Stars----They're Getting Their Groove Back, Maybe?
  By A3EYOITBD7ZXOV on 2005-12-09
  Don't get me wrong...this IS "Family Guy". This is a very good collection, and probably worth buying if you already have the first two volumes.
  
  You WILL laugh your ass off several times over, and you'll probably get offended and insulted a few times as well. It comes with the show. Love it or leave it.
  
  There's something missing from this volume though---something subtle---but this volume doesn't carry as much comedic weight as the first two. Also, there isn't as much replay value in this volume.
  
  Alas this IS season four (volume 3), "Family Guy's" victorious return to television, and I'm sure they're just getting back into their groove.
  
  One noticeable difference in these episodes is that they often follow one major storyline throughout, whereas earlier episodes would so often have three or four going at once. It bears a very fleeting similarity to "sitcom" instead of "satirical sitcom".
  
  And maybe it hasn't changed and I'm just being preemptively critical. Regardless, anything "Family Guy" is going into the collection.
  
  

• Family Guy, Vol. 4 (Season 4 Part 2)
• Family Guy, Vol. 2 (Season 3)
• Family Guy, Vol. 5 (Season 5 Part 1)
• Family Guy, Vol. 1 (Seasons 1 & 2)
• Family Guy Presents Stewie Griffin - The Untold Story