This past Sunday was the premiere of the new season of Family Guy and Tuesday was the release of the banned episode "Partial Terms of Endearment." I want to discuss 3 things: the premiere, the banned episode, and the show's future.
1. "And Then There Were Fewer"
In the one-hour, who-did-it season premiere, basically all characters (main and minor) are invited to a mansion and it becomes a murder mystery.
If you want to know what happens, highlight the text between the parentheses (SPOILERS BEWARE!) [[James Woods is the host and Diane Simmons kills him; Quagmire's date, Stephanie; Jillian's boyfriend, Derek; Muriel Goldman; and frames her co-host Tom Tucker. In the end, Diane closes in to kill Lois, but Stewie shoots Diane with a sniper rifle claim that if anyone was going to "kill that bitch" it's gonna be him.]]
The episode was decent. I didn't find it that funny because there was rarely any of their gags or flashbacks, but the mystery aspect of it was good. I wish it had given us more clues so we could figure it out. You honestly have no idea who it is until they admit it. You don't see it coming.
Now, do those that have died stay dead for the remainder of the series? They didn't kill off any main characters. The only two that really matter in the series are Muriel and Diane. So we'll have to see what happens with that.
2. "Partial Terms of Endearment"
The banned episode was amazing. Lois has to choose whether to have an abortion or not. It is so funny and fairly shows claims on both sides of the abortion issue. Naturally, the better side wins, pro-choice.
The episode had great gags and flashbacks including one that perfectly mimicked Wiley Coyote in the Looney Tunes. It's sure to be a classic episode, up there with such classics like PTV, Peterotica, Family Gay, and 420.
I honestly don't think the episode was so bad that they couldn't air it on TV. The FCC just needs to chill the fuck out. Stupid conservatives. Yes, it's a very controversial issue, but the episode argued from both sides, AND the content is not as bad as other episodes.
3. The Future of Family Guy
I don't know if it's just me or not, but the shows humor is not as strong as it once was. Yes, they have off episodes that aren't that strong, but for me, ever since around the time Cleveland left the show and Quagmire and Brian had that extremely real confrontation something's just been off. The Quagmire/Brian storyline has continued through numerous episodes and the whole thing was so random to begin with. It's really pointless.
Twitter and message boards are full of people who both like the show as it is, and those who think that this will be the show's final season. God I hope it's not. I really hope Family Guy outruns The Simpsons. It's so much better. I just hope they don't run out of gags and material. And I hope they get back into their good streak.
I love Family Guy and I would be so lost without it!!!