Quotable:

"In cooking, as in all the arts, simplicity is a sign of perfection." - Curnonsky

Monday, November 26, 2007

Family Guy: Believe it or Not, Joe's Walking on Air

After six years in a wheelchair, Joe Swanson regains his ability to walk. In character, he then decides to go into extreme sports. I've always liked Joe and I think Patrick Warburton's voice makes the character.

The show has apparently gone back to the constant cut-away references. At least they're being self-referential about it with Cleveland's line "I hate shows that cut away from the story for some bull crap".

The self-referential nature of the show doesn't stop there. There was a conversation between Joe's doctor and Peter's father-in-law on the fact that they were voiced by the same actor.
The episode had the prerequisite song and dance number. It wouldn't surprise me that if there ended up being a Family Guy movie, it would be a musical.

The ending was somewhat predictable. I figured Joe's wife Bonnie was going to cripple him again, although I laughed at the preceding fight scene. That fight could have passed for one of those M-rated video games. Bonnie is still pregnant in this episode, but I believe she'll be giving birth this season. A seven-year pregnancy. Phew.

The two best creations of this show, Stewie and Brian, were barely seen in this episode. Each had one or two scenes. I'm not sure if that's a good or bad thing but it's something I noticed.


Things I liked in the episode: the irony of Joe having to leave the hospital in a wheelchair after he's been given his legs. The Spider-Man appearance. The fact that the Quahog Men's Club looked a lot like the He-Man Woman Hater's Club from The Little Rascals. E-rock-tion. Judas and Pontius Pilate walking into the distance to the sounds of The Brady Bunch. When Stewie killed Colin Farrell with a futuristic ray-gun.

I did like the episode better than the last episode. Family Guy is starting to stick to what it does best, even if the creators of other shows comment on their style of humor. The show is even self-referential about that when Peter makes an illogical cut-away reference and tells Lois "Don't call me on this stuff".

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