Family Guy: Freakin' Sweet Collection (2004)

After several years of jonesing for this disc, our favorite rental service finally managed to restock Family Guy: Freakin' Sweet Collection. Freakin' Sweet no doubt had greater appeal when it was released during the three-year hiatus between the cancellation of this amazing animated series and its resuscitation owing to its infectious popularity. Now, however, the first three seasons (as well as the following five seasons) have long been available on DVD and are in constant reruns as the most-aired animation franchise on TV. So Freakin' Sweet should only appeal to folks who haven't yet seen Family Guy and those completists who must see every scene and commentary (though there's little of that here). Freakin' Sweet offers five episodes that represent Seth MacFarlane's favorites: When You Wish Upon a Weinstein (Peter wants Chris to convert to Judaism so he will become successful), Road to Rhode Island (after Stewie loses their plane tickets, Brian and Stewie try to get home any way they can with a side trip to look up Brian's mother), To Love and Die in Dixie (after Chris witnesses a robbery, the family enters a witness protection program in southern rural Bumblescum, where everyone has missing or buck teeth but good hearts), I Am Peter Hear Me Roar (Peter is forced to take workplace sensitivity training and gets too much in touch with his feminine side), and Lethal Weapons (Lois discovers a gift for martial arts that perpetuates violence in her home). These episodes are fairly representative and include key musical numbers such as "I Wish I Had a Jew," "Road to Rhode Island" (nominated for an Emmy), and "My Fat Baby Loves to Eat." Full-orchestra music has always been a serious component of Family Guy and it helps that Seth is a multitalented man who can croon with the best of them -- and in several character's voices.) Seth also does the Brian and Stewie commentary for Road to Rhode Island (much more entertainingly than the real commentary provided by production principles including Seth for other episodes: "True story: The voice of that cop is my cousin Jim. He's an air-traffic controller at XYZ Airport. (snickers) That's a joke to anyone from Rhode Island because that airport is defunct! (sputters)") The extras are piddly with uninteresting dribble about the coming of American Dad and Family Guy Season 4. The only other thing you get with this disc more than watching the same episodes on the season compilation discs is a three-second scene in Road to Rhode Island with Osama Bin Laden. So skip this disc unless you're a Family Guy completist or a newbie. 4 stars.