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Category:    Home > Reviews > Animation > Comedy > TV > Family Guy Presents Stewie Griffin: The Untold Story

Family Guy presents Stewie Griffin: The Untold Story

 

Picture: B     Sound: B-     Extras: B     Episodes: B

 

 

For the second single DVD release of the red hot Family Guy, we get the more original and daring Stewie Griffin: The Untold Story.  This is a straight to DVD feature based on three never-before-seen episodes too shaky for TV broadcast and that would include the freedom of cable.  It is so good, that it sets a new high standard for such DVD releases.  Why should everything that is direct to the format be money-machine garbage?  Considering its instant commercial success, it finally ups the ante and we can only hope that holds.

 

Besides the great inner textual references to other Pop culture and historical events at random and make them as hilarious as anyone can, it takes the Stewie-based storylines and weaves them together in consistently funny and witty ways.  This includes the idea that Stewie is convinced for a while that maybe Peter is not his father and just how thrilled and overjoyed he is for that moment.  That is because he sees an adult that looks like him.  Time travel becomes a factor and the other family members don’t exactly sit this one out.  Instead, it is just the next logical step of growth, progress and lunacy that makes the series an instant classic.  That includes pushing the envelope on taboo issues and making that work, something most live action feature films are miles away from.  This beats just a reissue of previous episodes in an unnecessary repackage.  The episodes that would have been include Stewie B Goode, Bango Was His Name Oh! and Stu & Stewie’s Excellent Adventure.

 

The full frame 1.33 X 1 image is as exceptional as the previous editions, with great color, definition and a really clean transfer.  No wonder people love watching these over and over.  As for sound, this is the first time anything form the show has been available in Dolby Digital 5.1, which is a bit better and more articulate that the Dolby 2.0 Stereo with Pro Logic from the previous two box sets of the series or the single The Freakin’ Sweet Collection releases reviewed elsewhere on this site.  So good that I wish it were DTS, but besides the new & great audio commentary with MacFarlane and many others involved with the show, the 5.1 mix is available with the option of playing it back censored and uncensored.  With the censored version, you can tell what they are saying anyhow, but it is a good option.  Uncensored, it is actually funnier and feels somehow more honest.  Other extras include Animatic comparisons and a booklet inside the DVD case about more Family Guy products.

 

Up next, we will cover the comeback season.  Until then, a new season on TV and this Stewie Griffin: The Untold Story release will be more than enough until then.  In the meantime, Stewie continues to his quest for world domination.  His DVD domination makes that plan more frighteningly possible.  Don’t miss it!

 

 

-   Nicholas Sheffo


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