No time to blog properly, still, but the updates from Laura-land are that life is hectic, going much as can be expected, and that I have become one of THOSE people in proud possession of a BlackBerry. But I have a Family Guy review for you to read:
Anyone who knows me knows I am an obsessive Family Guy fan. So it will come as no surprise to them that I have had this item on pre-order since May. Or that I am about to sing the praises of Seth MacFarlane once again.
If you have not yet discovered that the bird is the word, I highly recommend this DVD set. Remember that this was a show that was historically cancelled and then resurrected by DVD sales, and spend your money generously.
In return, you’ll get 13 new episodes, including plenty of gags and sequences cut from TV; with “all the poops and farts and nudity intact”, as Peter would put it. There are also, for the hardcore nerds like me, commentaries on each episode, deleted scenes, and even a behind the scenes tour of the production offices which will make wannabe sitcom writers drool in envy!
Season 8 really offers nothing new, just more of the same characters and laughs you know and love. This will be the last season to feature Cleveland (before he leaves for his spin off) and I don’t want to give anything away, but this might also be the last we see of the un-funny Evil Monkey for a while. Plus, Bonnie next door FINALLY has her baby! High points include Peter adopting a new dog to replace an aging Brian, Stewie’s time machine, and the return of the inimitable James Woods.
If you’re a regular viewer or if you just enjoy quirky insult humour, then Season 8 will not disappoint.
But, this just isn’t them at their very best. The jokes have gotten less clever and more in your face. Perhaps this is just because I have been watching more American Dad lately, but the cutaways and setups seem clunky and contrived; and it seems like the plot is getting more and more far fetched in the search for more outrageous humour. What used to be hilariously esoteric sometimes now seems merely vaguely random.
When insulting celebrities, it is the same ones who take the hits time after time, and occasionally the crude jokes go just that little bit too far. Some of them make it patently clear why they were unacceptable for mainstream TV, and with good reason, says the little bit of a prude left in me. Also, some gags seem to go on a tad too long at times, as though the writers didn’t know how to end it and just kept going, even though the joke and the punch-line have both already been hit. But then again, as Brian put it: “If you don’t like it, go complain on the Internet”...
If you’re a big fan or a semi-interested viewer, then this is new material to satisfy you. And it’s laugh out loud funny at times. But if you’re new to the show, or trying to sell it on someone, seasons 3/4/5 are much better samples to turn to. Worth having around the house though, and I’m still in love enough to have told my Amazon account to email me the second Season 9 goes on sale!
Wednesday, 18 November 2009
Sunday, 1 November 2009
A look at November
I have decided that I’m going to stop apologising for neglecting this blog. This comes after a good look at my life, and a re-organisation of my priorities. I am a third year student, with a dissertation, an Editor, and I have friends who want to see me, and a boyfriend now: as much as I enjoy blogging and like to think I have a few fans who check regularly enough to notice an absence, I shouldn’t feel guilty or obliged to entertain you on a regular basis. Please do keep checking back, because I’m not abandoning you forever, but do forgive me if there are long pauses between visits.
On that note, let me tell you now that November is going to be an exciting month. This week we have the release of the first issue of Pugwash News under the new team (28 strong and so far working out very well!), and our first meeting and social. Then it’s Claire’s birthday on Bonfire Night, and I’m heading to Bath for a long weekend to visit her the next day. In the meantime, I have a whack of uni work to catch up on, and Family Guy Season 8 arrived in the post yesterday – look out for a review once I’ve sat down and digested it all.
The following week is obviously Remembrance Day, but ought to be fairly quiet until the paper weekend rolls around again. That Sunday I am bussing it to London for a treat – Discover Dogs at Earl’s Court! (It’s like Crufts, but without the actual dog show – just the agility etc and a meet the breeds section, which is always fun. Claire, bless her, will be joining me for the 2nd of three weekends we’ll spend in each other’s company this month!)
The third week brings with it something really exciting: the release of my first ever properly published piece!!! First Edition Magazine are publishing one of my short stories in their December issue, which comes out on the 17th of November. I am so very very excited about this – I was literally happy dancing round my flat when I found out, and cannot wait to see how it looks in print. Please pick up a copy!
The 20th of November is Dad’s birthday, and I’m heading to London that weekend to meet the family and hang out for a bit – will be good to see the parents. They’re currently in Canada for a “meet the potential future son in law” visit, and Dad’s university graduating class reunion. Won’t get to see the spooch unfortunately, but hopefully the previous weekend will have cured enough of my dog nerdiness to last me til Xmas!
The final week sees my first ever deadline – for a Postmodernism and Fiction essay which I haven’t even started thinking about yet. I will obviously need to start working on it pretty soon, especially given the lack of proper weekends this month. After that, I can start thinking about Xmas (seriously, why has stuff been in the stores since July?) – I’m feeling a shopping trip to Southampton coming on, if anyone wants to join me!
Whew! Maybe in all that I’ll find time to blog, maybe not. But as I said, I have to re-evaluate my priorities, and unfortunately you dear readers are, as I’m sure you’ll understand, not at the top of that list. I do hope you keep reading though; whenever I get a chance to, I’ll write!
On that note, let me tell you now that November is going to be an exciting month. This week we have the release of the first issue of Pugwash News under the new team (28 strong and so far working out very well!), and our first meeting and social. Then it’s Claire’s birthday on Bonfire Night, and I’m heading to Bath for a long weekend to visit her the next day. In the meantime, I have a whack of uni work to catch up on, and Family Guy Season 8 arrived in the post yesterday – look out for a review once I’ve sat down and digested it all.
The following week is obviously Remembrance Day, but ought to be fairly quiet until the paper weekend rolls around again. That Sunday I am bussing it to London for a treat – Discover Dogs at Earl’s Court! (It’s like Crufts, but without the actual dog show – just the agility etc and a meet the breeds section, which is always fun. Claire, bless her, will be joining me for the 2nd of three weekends we’ll spend in each other’s company this month!)
The third week brings with it something really exciting: the release of my first ever properly published piece!!! First Edition Magazine are publishing one of my short stories in their December issue, which comes out on the 17th of November. I am so very very excited about this – I was literally happy dancing round my flat when I found out, and cannot wait to see how it looks in print. Please pick up a copy!
The 20th of November is Dad’s birthday, and I’m heading to London that weekend to meet the family and hang out for a bit – will be good to see the parents. They’re currently in Canada for a “meet the potential future son in law” visit, and Dad’s university graduating class reunion. Won’t get to see the spooch unfortunately, but hopefully the previous weekend will have cured enough of my dog nerdiness to last me til Xmas!
The final week sees my first ever deadline – for a Postmodernism and Fiction essay which I haven’t even started thinking about yet. I will obviously need to start working on it pretty soon, especially given the lack of proper weekends this month. After that, I can start thinking about Xmas (seriously, why has stuff been in the stores since July?) – I’m feeling a shopping trip to Southampton coming on, if anyone wants to join me!
Whew! Maybe in all that I’ll find time to blog, maybe not. But as I said, I have to re-evaluate my priorities, and unfortunately you dear readers are, as I’m sure you’ll understand, not at the top of that list. I do hope you keep reading though; whenever I get a chance to, I’ll write!
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