Family Guy: Volume Two (Season Three) (2003) Review

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(More customer reviews)It is an unfortunate fact that in the politically correct age we live in that edgy comedy is categorized as offensive when it is really just being silly. That is exactly what happened to "Family Guy" a series that laid siege to every one of our sacred cows (religion, sex, violence, race relations, etc.), but did so in such a matter of fact manner, I find it hard to believe that anyone could have taken issue with it. Nonetheless, the series is no more; fortunately, we have the DVD compilations featuring every episode in its uncut hilariousness.
Season Three comprises twenty-one episodes, one of which was never aired on television. Actually, "When You Wish Upon a Weinstein" exemplifies my point about political correctness, as its silly, even complimentary view of Judaism could offend only the most supremely sensitive person. But enough with the negative, as there are some genuinely hilarious episodes on these discs. Moreover, since Fox aired them somewhat sporadically during the final season, it's likely there are one or two episodes that will be new to the viewer. For example, I had never seen "A Very Special Family Guy Freakin' Christmas" or "Road to Europe" both of which feature some of the best parody in the set. Other highlights include "A Fish Out of Water" which features a spectacularly fat Peter, "To Love and Die in Dixie" which is the best "Family Guy" tribute to a TV series with its "Dukes of Hazard" inspired storyline, and "Family Guy Viewer Mail #1" which features three shorts that abandon all pretense of a basis in reality and produce some the best sight gags ever seen during the show's run.
That said, anyone who buys this set probably already knows how funny this show is, but what makes this collection really impressive is the quality of the extras. First off is the packaging itself which features an episode guide on the back of each case, which makes it easy to find that specific episode you're looking for. Or, if you've got more time, the ability to play every episode on the disc consecutively is a great feature. In addition, the commentary which is available on five of the episodes ranges from informative to hysterical. However, the true highlights are to be found on Disc 3, which contains animatics (pencil drawings) of several deleted scenes, complete with dialogue. These are nice not only because they contain new material, but also because they offer some insight into how the episodes evolved into their finished form. Next are two short documentaries, which offer a funny, interesting look into the series' development, the voice talent, how the characters evolved, and ultimately, why the show didn't last. Finally, there is the "Family Guy" pilot that was pitched to the network; again it's interesting to see how these relatively crudely drawn (but well voiced) characters evolved into the show that become such a cult hit.
Ultimately, if you are a big fan of the show, you need this collection, and nothing I say here is going to make you more likely to buy it. However, if you're sitting on the fence, I can't emphasize enough what a great show "Family Guy" is. It is literally funnier than anything on TV today, and over time, I expect it will be even more broadly appreciated for its comic genius. If you want to laugh until it hurts, and aren't offended by humor on the edge, this is definitely a show for you. Finally, I would just like to point out that Seth MacFarlane alludes to a line written for Stewie in an episode that never aired, so let's all hope that there may be yet more to come!
Enjoy!
Jake Mohlman

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Family Guy Volume 2 sees the return of America's most outrageous animated family with all 21 Season Three episodes, plus one never-before-seen episode - "When You Wish Upon A Weinstein" banned from TV, and only available in this collection!In this hilarious final volume, the Griffin family faces all-new dilemmas, including Brian's unintentional foray into directing porn, Stewie's rants on national TV, Meg's date with a nudist and Lois' Yuletide insanity. Meanwhile, Peter is surprised to discover Lois was once a groupie, and his son, Chris, is more "endowed" than he is.

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Courage the Cowardly Dog: Season One (Cartoon Network Hall of Fame) Review

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(More customer reviews)Back in the day, when Cartoon Network was in their prime, they had a killer lineup every Friday night. This included Dexter's Lab, Powerpuff Girls, Cow and Chicken, Johnny Bravo, and my personal favorite, a show about a cowardly dog named Courage. I was hooked from the first episode I ever watched, which featured the little black duckling. This show had it all. Great stories were first and foremost. They were like mini-films. The stories were ridiculous, but it didn't matter because they were treated in such an epic way. The animation was great, and the backgrounds were out of this world. As much as I liked Dexter and Powerpuff Girls, their backgrounds were VERY simplistic. It was refreshing to see the style used for Courage, where the backgrounds displayed so much detail and atmosphere, which drew you in to the story all the more. As for Courage himself, true, he was a coward, but in each episode, he had to find a way to put that all aside to save his owners, Muriel and Eustace. Courage was the kind of hero you could relate to. He didn't wanna be the hero, and if you had to go up against some of the crazy stuff he did, you wouldn't wanna be either. But there was something about the dog's anxious disposition and terrified personality that made him a likeable character. He didn't talk much, but what he said mattered. "I know I'm not gonna like this" was his battle cry when it came time for action. Then he would pull out some off-the-wall prop or devise some master plan to save the day, and things would go back to normal again, except for the fact that most of the time, the family house was destroyed by the end of the episode.
This is one of the best cartoon series ever made. It's timeless and truly fun to watch. I'm ordering a copy, and so should everyone else who enjoys good storytelling.
P.S.- It's too bad all the negative reviews for a DIFFERENT DVD release are showing up here. Those are for the Australian release, not this one.

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The things he does for love! Welcome to the middle of Nowhere, Kansas. Population: one kind old lady, one crabby old man, one timid dog and all sorts of creepy creatures, scary monsters and crazed villains! It's a living nightmare for poor Courage, who faces these unthinkable dangers with his body shaking and his tail between his legs. But Courage loves his sweet Muriel and grumpy Eustace, so he digs deep to find the strength to save his beloved family from deadly weremoles, dark shadows and other sinister elements that pop up all over this terrifying town. With clever nods to classic horror films, this action-packed animated series keeps laughs and scares coming as Courage outwits evil with his singular brand of bravery. Get your spook on with the 13 episodes of this 2-Disc Complete Season One Collection!

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Johnny Bravo: Season One (Cartoon Network Hall of Fame) Review

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(More customer reviews)These past few years have been amazing for fans of animated television series from the eighties and nineties. To think that back at the start of this decade, when the millenium had just arrived, we were first introduced to DVD boxed sets and they were reserved mostly for top property shows like The Simpsons, South Park or Family Guy, or else new properties like 24. Now only as this decade comes to a close have animation fans started seeing some major releases as far as past animated series on DVD. Amazing shows such as GI Joe, Transformers, X-men: The Animated Series, and Daria (to be released this May) finally became available on DVD.
Now fans of the classic Cartoon Network shows, from back in the Toonami days, can own th complete first season fo Johnny Bravo, a show that was worked on by Family Guy's own Seth Macfarlane. The first season contains the following 13 episodes on 2-discs,
Disc 1
1. Super Duped:Bungled in the Jungle:Bearly Enough Time
2. The Sensitive Male: Bravo-Dooby-Doo
3. Date with an Antelope: Did You See a Bull Run by Here?: Cookie Crisis
4. I Used to Be Funny: My Fair Dork: 'Twas the Night
5. Blarney Buddies: Over the Hump: Johnny Bravo Meets Farrah Fawcett
6. Hip Hop Flop!: Talk to Me, Baby: Spaced Out Cat
7. Beach Blanket Bravo: The Day the Earth Didn't Move Around Anymore: The Aisle of Mixed Up Toys
Disc 2
8. Substitute Teacher: A Wolf in Chicks Clothing: Intensive Care
9. Jumbo Johnny: The Perfect Gift: Bravo, James Bravo
10. Going Batty: Berry the Butler: Red Faced in the White House
11. The Man Who Cried Clown: Johnny Real Good: Talky Tabitha
12. Johnny Bravo Meets Adam West: Johnny Bravo Meets Donny Osmond: Under the Big Flop
13. Johnny Bravo: Jungle Boy: Johnny Bravo and the Amazon Women
Special Features
-Bringing Up Bravo: Series documentary allowing viewers to explore the beginnings, middle, endings and everything in between that is Johnny Bravo.
-Audio Commentary by Van Partible, Jeff Bennett and Seth Macfarlane
-Johnny Bravo Original Pencil Tests: Introduction by Van Partible, some of the original pencil tests used in production process
-Seth Macfarlane Audio Track: Listen to Seth Macfarlane lay down an entire temp track on his own, well before he would become known for his Family Guy

Hopefully this release will sell well and lead to the release of further seasons and the release of other Cartoon Network properties in season sets or complete series set form. I grew up watching Deter's Laboratory and would love to own it on DVD. Johnny Bravo was a lesser favorite of mine in comparison so I give the series a 4/5 but certainly feel safe giving this set 5/5 on account of all the special features sure to please fans who are happy enough just to own the episodes in a proper set.Thanks for your time.

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Join Johnny Bravo, the dim-witted, girl-chasing, muscle-flexing, sunglasses-wearing, clown-hating, mama-loving pretty boy as he karate-chops his way through 13 Outrageous Episodes of action-packed antics that'll rock your world! Hilarious pop-culture references including spoofs of Schoolhouse Rock, The Wizard of Oz, The Jungle Book and Dr. Seuss serve up gut-busting laughs. Guest appearances from Scooby-Doo and the Mystery, Inc. gang along with celebrities like Farrah Fawcett, Adam West and Donny Osmond boost this 2-Disc Complete Season One Collection to hubba-hubba status. Play it cool, like Johnny would, and play this heaping helping of pure Bravo!

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