Un-freakin-believable News About Family Guy DVD! (1 Viewer)

[JulianK]

Not to rain on anybody's parade, but could they have been recording commentaries for the UK release of Season 2, which is being released early next year?

 

[Steve_Com]

Excellent news! Thanks and I am looking forward to this set!

 

[EricW]

wasn't Family Guy kinda based on an earlier series by the same creator? if so, it'd be a big bonus if the first season set included that lost series.

 

[Jay E]

This is great news! I was going to order the season one set from the UK but I'll hold off and wait for this.

 

[Dave F]

it all offensive? To me, no, but to middle America, hell yes.

This statement is more offensive to me than anything in the show.

-Dave

 

[Dave Gorman]

This statement is more offensive to me than anything in the show.

???
Family Guy would be a must-buy for me! I hopw the rumors are true

 

[Matthew Furtek]

I'm not familiar with the way TV Series' are released in the UK, but normally isn't it just strickly episodes that are released? I know that UK normally gets the TV series' released, just I can't recall hearing about one with a cast commentary to boot.

Matthew Furtek

 

[Travis D]

There was nothing I could remember about the Banned episode that was all that offensive if I recal correctly. here was certainly nothing mean spirited in it. I might have to watch it again to make sure of that.

And if anyone is offended by Family Guy, they need to get over it. Seriously. If I can watch the deep south episode and get a kick out of it (several things were really mean spirited to us deep southerners, but they were funny as hell), then I have a hard time feeling sorry for anybody who becomes a butt of a Family Guy joke.

"Aaaww, the deep south?! Isn't that the place where all the Black guys are lazy, and all the White guys are mad at the Black guys for being so lazy, but their just as lazy as the Black guys?" -Peter Griffin

 

[Eric F]

Family Guy is an equal opportunity offender. They go after everyone, which is fine with me.

But to insinuiate that somehow that mid-western USA is more anti-semetic than the rest of the country doesn't fly with me. Also, that crack about Jews running Hollywood is just so much bullshit I don't know what to say.

After those comments I can see why Fox would be a bit nervous about running the episode.

You'ld think folks would know better here, but it takes all types I guess.

 

[JulianK]

I'm not familiar with the way TV Series' are released in the UK, but normally isn't it just strickly episodes that are released? I know that UK normally gets the TV series' released, just I can't recall hearing about one with a cast commentary to boot.

Nope, we get TV series released on DVD with and without commentary tracks, just like the US. For example, here's a few that do have commentary tracks, off the top of my head:
Futurama
The Simpsons
Doctor Who
Red Dwarf
Stargate SG1
Buffy The Vampire Slayer (not all episodes)
Angel (not all episodes)
The Tomorrow People
The first season of Family Guy didn't have commentary tracks, but there's been no official announcement about Season Two yet.

 

[James Reader]

The UK release was solicited in Previews UK for a November release, but since then all of the Fox TV DVD output seems to have changed (initially Futurama series 2 was for September 30th, Angel series 3 for the end of 2002 etc) and Previews has a tight deadline (I think it's two months before publication) which would explain - perhaps - it's inclusion in the catalogue.
When it was solicited no mention was made of commentaries. However, I hope the delay means that commentaries could be added to the season 2 set.

 

[LeeL]

It was never my intent to imply that the midwest was anti-Semitic at all. Nor was I implying that Jews ran Hollywood. And no matter how I try to explain myself on this one, I'm either going to come off as an ass, racist, anti-Semitic, belligerent, or somehow other than how I mean to sound. But I'm gonna do it anyway, then hope I can move on to other things (ha!).

My original statement regarding that a Jewish joke can't be made unless it's by a Jew does seem to have some truth in it. If such a joke were made by anyone else, ie Bernie Mac, Drew Carey, Margaret Cho, it would definitely be taken to have some kind of sinister anti-Semitic bent to it, no matter how funny it is or how it was meant to be taken. However, this also holds true for black jokes, Asian jokes, etc. The only truly safe targets at the moment for scorn and ridicule are those of middle-Eastern descent and caucasians. That's my position, based on my opinion and on what I've perceived in the media as of late. I may be wrong, being a white Canadian male of Eastern-European descent.

Of course, since Family Guy IS an equal-opportunity offender, it's entirely possible that the main reasons the episode was banned were Stewie holding an unidentified, blurry object (poopy or Toblerone?), and Quagmire masturbating in front of Meg. But I do think that the broad stereotyping of Jews in the episode is the main reason it was pulled. It may be an offender of all, but rarely has it stayed on one topic and dragged it out for an entire episode like this one did. It's usually one or two jokes, move on to Peter doing something stupid. This one just hammers it in for the full 22 minutes.

I'm sorry if I offended the American midwest by not finding this episode offensive personally. I leave that up to South Park constantly ragging on us poor Canadians. In all truths, it takes a LOT to offend me. In my 32 years, I can think of one instance in the media or in film when I was truly offensive, and that was at the end of Pink Flamingos, when Divine hankers down on some "Toblerone". I may have a higher tolerance level for such things than others do.

There ya go, I've defended myself, I've come across as an asshole. Discuss.

 

[Matthew Furtek]

[List Deleted]
To clarify, are these releases are Region 2 only PAL releases? These aren't releases that also come out in Region 1 NTSC? I'm thinking of releases like Friends Season 3, South Park Season 4, or similar. I noticed the Futurama was on your list though, and we don't have that in R1.
Its just surprising to me that whoever releases the DVDs would care enough about the R2 market to add features like commentaries to these DVDs (good for you guys!).
I would also like to add that I'm not one of these people who is jealous of living in Region 2. I am jealous of the fact that the Widescreen TV has caught on big overthere, and the TVs can run both PAL and NTSC. I imported the S1 on Family Guy and can only watch that by using a PC.
Matthew Furtek

 

[Anders Englund]

Its just surprising to me that whoever releases the DVDs would care enough about the R2 market to add features like commentaries to these DVDs

Uhh.... Why?

--Anders

 

[Matthew Furtek]

Anders,
I guess its because these shows are domestic to America. Conversly, I think it would be weird if a program that was broadcast only in the Region 2 area would have a Region 1 DVD with some sort of special commentary and no Region 2 DVD.

I guess my conception of the TV product that Region 2 gets was that it was strickly episodes, not many special features. I think I just made the assumption that the studios wouldn't spend so much money on a non-domestic product simply because its non-domestic.

Matthew Furtek

 

[James Reader]

Its just surprising to me that whoever releases the DVDs would care enough about the R2 market to add features like commentaries to these DVDs (good for you guys!).

Well R2 releases with commentary:
Doctor Who releases all of the commentaries are sourced and recorded by the Doctor Who Restoration team in the UK for the UK and financed by BBC Worldwide for the UK.
Father Ted again this was sourced and financed by the UK production arm (note: this is not the BBC in the UK as the show was shown on the independent advertising funded Channel 4)
The League of Gentlemen while season 1 may be out in the USA, there seems to be no sign on the second season or the excellent Christmas Special (to be released later this month) both of which feature full cast commentary
Stargate SG1 there is no doubt that the commentaries for this series were recorded for the regular monthly European market.
Randall and Hopkirk [Deceased] the recent 'reimagining' series has just had the second series released with 2 commentaries, including one featuring stars Vic Reeves and Bob Mortimer
Have I Got News For You definitely a UK only release being a topical news quiz, but the upcoming release has a commentary track from team captains Ian Hislop and Paul Merton.
Bob and Rose drama from original Queer as Folk writer Russell T Davis, who is included on the commentary track to selected episodes.
These are all titles just off the top of my head, and there are many, many more examples. While its true that some companies have no interest in producing quality content for their TV releases on DVD (Hello once more 'Universal Playback') the majority do.
It's true that many cross-region releases have undoubtedly benefited from existing commentaries - I doubt for instance, that the Father Ted R1 releases would have commentary unless recorded by VCI for the R2 release.
Also, although the Doctor Who Key to Time discs have not been scheduled for release in the UK yet, there is a possibility that each disc may feature two commentary tracks as the existing tracks can be acquired by BBC Worldwide for a fraction of a brand new commentary's expense.
You can say what you want about the poor quality of many Studio motion picture releases compared to the R1 releases, but if there's one thing UK manufacturers know how to do, it's TV releases, and I find your comment to be quite offensive.

 

[Anders Englund]

I guess its because these shows are domestic to America. Conversly, I think it would be weird if a program that was broadcast only in the Region 2 area would have a Region 1 DVD with some sort of special commentary and no Region 2 DVD.

Well, The Young Ones, a UK series, is available as a complete set in R1 with a bunch of features, while only a bare-bones season 1 DVD is available in R2.
--Anders

 

[Matthew Furtek]

James,
Thanks for the enlightenment and information. Did Richard Dean Anderson participate in the commentary track for the Region 2 release?

Anders,
Doesn't that kind've make you scratch your head in wonderment? I guess with the advent of digital cable and satelite, more people are watching UK programs on channels such as BBC America, and other international channels.

Matthew Furtek

 

[Dan Brecher]

Hey Don't forget the upcoming R2 Alan Partridge re-issue has 2 commentaries (one by Coogan in character as Alan)! I cant wait! lol

Dan

 

[JulianK]

Did Richard Dean Anderson participate in the commentary track for the Region 2 release?

I don't think RDA has contributed to any of the commentary tracks. It's rare for the actors to be involved, although Amanda Tapping and Michael Shanks have both been on at least one each (Tapping on Ascension, Shanks on Meridian, IIRC). I think Chris Judge has recorded at least one, too. All of the cast have been involved with the other bonus features - video diaries, etc. (Unlike some shows I could mention - cough - Buffy - cough!)
The commentaries are usually by the director (Peter DeLuise, always very entertaining), SFX chappie James Tichenor (the cement to many good tracks, although he has an infuriating habit of saying "uh-huh" after almost everything anyone else says), and maybe a writer or two.
Another UK series with great commentary tracks is the sassy sitcom Spaced. A couple of episodes of UFO also had commentary tracks, if anyone's keeping a list!