Stewie Griffin: Victory is mine!

He's back!

Trivia question: What is Stewie's middle name? (answer at end of post)

Fox, which I am not much apt to praise for anything it does, has reversed course and "uncancelled" The Family Guy. And tonight's inaugural episode of Season 4, "North by North Quahog," was quite funny, not least the send-up of Mel Gibson (I'm no Frank Rich, but I don't care much for the former lethal weapon anymore). I had worried that the show would lose its edge and that its cult status, developed in syndication and through massive DVD sales over the past few years, would evaporate along with its wacky, postmodern sense of humour. Not so. At least, not so far. Let's hope Season 4 (and beyond) lives up to expectations.

A positive critique of The Family Guy by Elbert Ventura at The New Republic: click here. Ventura calls the show "nothing less than a loud, defiant raspberry from the Blue State subconscious". Where The Simpsons -- a better and more important show, in my view, if less absurdly funny and irreverent -- celebrates the nuclear family as "a moral bedrock," The Family Guy is an effort "to deflate Main Street sanctimony": "It's a needed reminder that humorless prudes do not have a monopoly on the airwaves yet, and that there's enough of us out there to put up a fight. As Peter would say, that's freakin' sweet." Yes, with American culture increasingly dominated by a minority of loud, self-righteous, illiberal crusaders who wish to suppress free expression (and the right to partake of that expression by participating in a vibrant, diverse, liberal culture), it's good to have the Griffins back on TV.

Check out these sites:

Family Guy main site: click here.
Family Guy quotes: click here.
Stewie soundboard: click here.

We'll be returning to Strauss soon. In the meantime, enjoy.

Answer: Gilligan.