Review: Family Guy “Viewer DMs”
Overview:
Family Guy continues the trend it started with “Viewer Mail #1.” Once again, Stewie and Brian host a Q&A that leads to three different segments, this time in answer to DMs. We see the Family Guy cast act out The Lord of the Rings, Oregon Trail, and a 1960s variety show.
Our Take:
The first segment is more or less a straightforward Tolkien send-up, with Chris as Frodo Baggins. One of the first jokes is even the classic “Why could they ride the eagles to Modor” joke. It’s already a bit of a challenge to retell an epic into an entire episode, let alone a third of one, but it’s mostly a fun adventure. And Stewie makes for an interesting Gollum, though it’s kind of a surprise that they didn’t use him for elf jokes.
The second segment takes on a more historical tone, with the family heading along the Oregon Trail and all the trials that entail. Surprisingly, one would think the segment would be mostly a send-up to that computer game, with jokes on how modern kids might not know what that is, but it mostly pokes fun at history.
Many fans don’t like to see Meg get abused too much, but this segment also finds a clever compromise. The family has a seemingly unlimited number of Megs, allowing her to die in multiple ways, without her really staying down. And it sure comes in handy when they need floating material to make rafts. Presumably, the last Meg left standing functions as “our” Meg.
The final segment has a fan wonder if Quagmire had a spin-off like The Cleveland Show. Stewie claims that he already had one in the 1960s, which seems to be a parody of The Dean Martin Show, complete with parodies of songs from the era. It really works if you’re already a fan of the decade’s media. Not to mention, some fans would’ve liked to have seen a Joe spin-off.
However, one funny aspect is a news ticker that reports on historical events, contrasting with the colorful fun of the variety show. At first, it can seem mean-spirited to make fun of a past decade with the gift of hindsight. However, the real punchline is that it repeats during the final scene, when things cut back to Stewie and Brian. In other words, one can imagine what things people will mock about us years from now.
Ultimately, it’s a fun episode that returns to a beloved format. It also brings to mind “Through the Years,” presenting an alternate reality where Family Guy is around for years. It might not quite be as fun as the previous “Viewer Mail” stories, but it’s always fun to see the show mix things up. And, if we’re good, maybe we’ll get one where we’ll see what the Joe spin-off would look like.
