If you’re a “Family Guy” fan — or a “Star Wars” fan — chances are you saw the show’s parody of “Episode IV: A New Hope” a couple of years ago, and it shouldn’t surprise you that the Griffin clan is going to lampoon “The Empire Strikes Back” in the season 8 finale, titled “Something, Something, Something, Dark Side.” But heck, why wait until the episode’s network airdate next May when you can buy it on DVD and Blu-ray in just a few weeks?
And for that matter, why wait weeks to see it when you can check out a few minutes from it right this very minute? Ladies and gentlemen, we give you the “Something, Something, Something, Dark Side” trailer:
Hey Emmys, you better vote for “Family Guy” in the Best Comedy category if you know what’s good for ya. “Family Guy” has created a viral video campaign called “Where’s My Emmy?” that is a playful attack on their competition in the Best Comedy category at the Emmys. They all essentially feature the same plot. Brian gets out of the shower and dries off. Stewie enters and asks Brian what show will be getting his Emmy vote. After Brian answers with a show that “Family Guy” is competing against, Stewie beats him senseless. So far, the videos have taken on “The Office,” “Flight of the Conchords,” and “Entourage,” so hopefully “How I Met Your Mother,” “Weeds,” and “30 Rock” are on their way.
Late last month, it was announced that Fox would not be airing an episode of “Family Guy” dealing with abortion. Instead, it was announced that the episode, entitled “Partial Terms of Endearment,” would only be available on DVD. Always aiming to please, creator Seth MacFarlane hosted a table read of the episode last night in Hollywood to members of the press.
Thanks to The Hollywood Reporter and Paul Cullum for the story. It would have been great to see the cast read the show in its entirety.
After listening to the jokes that produced some restrained laughter from the audience, it’s obvious the episode would have caused an uproar from countless groups involved with abortion. Of course, “Family Guys'” fan base couldn’t care less. Something — though I’m sure there are well-researched studies that have the answer — has happened with today’s younger generation that makes them immune to offensive material. Perhaps it’s the power of the Internet. There’s too much of everything, and that will be the case in America until we’re run by some totalitarian regime. That will never happen, and in the meantime audiences can have their fill of vulgarity on YouTube, Hulu, and countless other websites that supply comedy. It’s all over the place. Jokes, ideas, and issues are all up for grabs on the Internet. For these creators, whether they be aspiring Hollywood writers or a group of junior high school kids with a camera, there’s no line they can’t cross. They can’t “push the envelope” because there’s nobody watching over their shoulders.
If you listen to Seth MacFarlane in interviews, he advocates this form of DIY comedy. If he weren’t as successful as he is, he would be out there posting comedy bits on YouTube. He worked hard enough, reading scripts at the Writers Guild, learning the history of television, and creating his own content. It paid off. Now he works for one the major networks and he isn’t able to get away with everything. Nevertheless, “Family Guy” is the first cartoon in decades to be nominated for “Best Comedy Series” at the Emmys. Controversial and unsavory, his show still has some of the funniest jokes on television.
So, MacFarlane and crew read the script, along with a 16-piece orchestra, mainly to voters from the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. He admitted this was intended to score more votes and I hope it does. Whereas Fox’s advertisers might have pulled their support if the show aired, members from the Television Academy love to see shows takes risks.
You can watch clips from the reading after the jump.
It’s funny to think how vastly different Seth MacFarlane’s life would be right now had “Family Guy” not been revived from the dead. FOX would have never offered him a multi-million dollar development deal and a big chunk of their Sunday night primetime block, and he certainly wouldn’t have had the commercial backing from a company like Burger King to launch his own online series, “Cavalcade of Cartoon Comedy.” Unfortunately, if there’s any indication that MacFarlane might be losing his comedic edge, this is it. While the collection of animated shorts is presented in the same vein as the cutaways from “Family Guy,” they mostly just feel like B-sides that never made the final cut. There are a few really good ones in the group (Wile E. Coyote finds Jesus after finally killing the Road Runner, Mario’s advances are squashed by the Princess, and Bob Dylan gets into a mumble fight with Tom Waits and Popeye backstage at his concert), but a majority of them are only giggle worthy. The shorts themselves are pretty harmless on their own, but when viewed in one sitting, they don’t work quite as well. Plus, the idea of having to pay for something that you can watch for free online is a pretty ridiculous concept, so unless you pray at the altar of MacFarlane, you’d be better off watching it the way it was meant to be seen.
Fox has officially announced its schedule for the fall, but let’s lead with a bit of bad news: “Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles” is not on it. The network officially canceled the series, and while I’m still dumbfounded by that decision, you know they’ll double-back and find a way to get it back onto the schedule if “Terminator: Salvation” is a hit. Or maybe they’ll release a straight-to-DVD movie which picks up where the series ends. Either way, I just cannot imagine that this will be the complete and total end of Sarah Connor’s TV adventures.
Okay, onto what is on the schedule, along with a few editorial comments…
MONDAY
8:00 PM – House 9:00 PM – LIE TO ME
Looks like another year of having to watch “House” and “Lie To Me” as full-season sets when they come out on DVD, because I’m still going to be watching “The Big Bang Theory,” “How I Met Your Mother,” and “Heroes.”
TUESDAY
8:00 PM – So You Think You Can Dance
WEDNESDAY
8:00 PM – So You Think You Can Dance Results Show
9:00 PM – Glee
The distinctive new comedy from Ryan Murphy (“Nip/Tuck”) starring Jane Lynch (“The 40 Year Old Virgin”) and newcomers Matthew Morrison (Broadway’s “Hairspray”), Lea Michele (“Spring Awakening”) and Cory Monteith (“Kyle XY”). Combining biting humor with a soundtrack of hit music from past to present, the inventive series follows an optimistic high school teacher who – against all odds – attempts to restore McKinley High’s fading Glee Club to its former glory, while helping a group of underdogs realize their true star potential.
THURSDAY
8:00 PM – Bones 9:00 PM – Fringe
When my wife finds out that “Fringe” is going to be competing against her beloved “Office,” she’s gonna be so pissed…
FRIDAY
8:00 PM – Brothers
A new half-hour comedy about a former big-city NFL hot shot who returns home to his family – and his mother’s house – to get his life back on track. Starring Michael Strahan (“FOX NFL Sunday”) and Daryl “Chill” Mitchell (“Ed,” “Veronica’s Closet”).
8:30 PM – ‘Til Death
9:00 PM – Dollhouse
Really? They canceled “Sarah Connor” for this? And do they really think this coupling is going to help the “Dollhouse” numbers?
SATURDAY
8:00 PM – Cops
8:30 PM – Cops
9:00 PM – America’s Most Wanted
11:00 PM – The Wanda Sykes Show – The irreverent Saturday late-night series will feature Sykes’ outspoken comedic perspective on current events along with topical, high-energy roundtable discussions.
12:00 AM – Animation Domination encores
SUNDAY
7:00 PM – The OT (NFL Post-Game Show)
8:00 PM – The Simpsons
8:30 PM – The Cleveland Show – Everyone’s favorite soft-spoken FAMILY GUY neighbor, Cleveland Brown, moves with his son back to his hometown in Virginia and settles down with his high school sweetheart and her unruly kids.
9:00 PM – Family Guy
9:30 PM – American Dad
MIDSEASON
MONDAY
8:00 PM – House 9:00 PM – 24
TUESDAY
8:00 PM – American Idol
9:00 PM – Past Life
A fast-paced emotional thriller inspired by the book “The Reincarnationist.” The series stars Kelli Giddish (“All My Children”) as a gifted psychologist and Nicholas Bishop (“Home and Away”) as a former NYPD detective who work together to explore and unravel mysteries that must be solved in both the past and the present.
Wow, that doesn’t sound at all like “Life on Mars.”
WEDNESDAY
8:00 PM – American Idol Results Show
9:00 PM – Human Target
A full-throttle, action-packed thrill ride from executive producers McG (“Terminator Salvation”) and Simon West (“Con Air,” “Tomb Raider”). Based on the popular DC Comics graphic novel and starring Mark Valley (FRINGE), Chi McBride (“Pushing Daisies”) and Academy Award nominee Jackie Earle Haley (“Watchmen”), the series follows CHRISTOPHER CHANCE (Valley), a unique private contractor who will stop at nothing – even if it means becoming a human target – to keep his clients alive.
Anyone else noting the irony that the director of the new “Terminator” movie is getting a show just as the “Terminator” TV series is getting canceled?
THURSDAY
8:00-9:00 PM BONES
9:00-10:00 PM FRINGE
FRIDAY
8:00-8:30 PM BROTHERS
8:30-9:00 PM ‘TIL DEATH
9:00-10:00 PM DOLLHOUSE
SATURDAY
8:00-8:30 PM COPS
8:30-9:00 PM COPS
9:00-10:00 PM AMERICA’S MOST WANTED
11:00 PM-Midnight THE WANDA SYKES SHOW (working title)
Midnight-12:30 AM ANIMATION DOMINATION ENCORES
SUNDAY
7:00 PM – Animation Domination encores
7:30 PM – American Dad
8:00 PM – The Simpsons
8:30 PM – Sons of Tucson
From three-time Emmy Award winner Todd Holland (“Malcolm in the Middle”), the non-traditional family comedy stars Tyler Labine (“Reaper”) as a charming but wayward schemer hired by three young brothers whose father is in prison.
