As a major supporter of the Hulu movement, I’m glad to see that they’re continuing to develop the online TV alternative with new shows and exclusive viewings.
Their “Fall Premiere Lineup” includes favorites like “Bones,” “Heroes,” “House,” “The Office,” “Family Guy,” “The Simpsons,” “My Own Worst Enemy,” “Crusoe,” and “30 Rock”, while shows like “Knight Rider,” “Chuck,” “Life,” and “Lipstick Jungle” are even slated to debut on Hulu more than a week before they go live on broadcast TV.
Even the technology continues to improve, as more and more shows are available in 480p for resolutions that approach HD. (And on most computer monitors, you’d probably never notice any difference above 480p, though that’s not true if you’ve got your computer hooked into your home entertainment system.)
First, there was the Freakin’ Party Pack that featured Family Guy Volumes 1-6, Family Guy Presents Stewie Griffin, themed ping pong paddles, a ping pong net, ping pong balls, poker chips and playing cards.
Now, there’s the Blue Harvest Special Edition, featuring a DVD of the double-length Very Special Episode that was a full-scale spoof of George Lucas’ saga, plenty of DVD special features, a collector’s t-shirt, 3D glasses, collector’s trading cards, and a 20-page “Art of Family Guy Presents: Blue Harvest” booklet.
As one YouTube detective discovered, Family Guy often ‘borrows’ ideas from The Simpsons. While both shows rely heavily on pop culture and historical references, it’s interesting to see just how similar some of these scenes really are. See for yourself:
Family Guy is seeking its own little piece of viral marketing fame with online only episodes, the firsts of which is a late-night talk show hosted by Stewie and Brian called “Up Late with Stewie & Brian”. It’ll be interesting to see what they can do with the less censored online world, though Family Guy does push just about every boundary the television world gives it, so I don’t think there’s too much farther they can go.
FoxTrot has always been my favorite comic. It was a perfect mix of humor, tech geekiness and everyday family comedy that made you relate to the Fox family like no other comic family. Unfortunately, Bill Amend, the strip’s artist, recently announced that “After spending close to half of my life writing and drawing FoxTrot cartoons, I think it’s time I got out of the house and tried some new things”. These new things mean that the comic will now be published on a new on Sundays only basis. Sadly, this isn’t a hiatus that can be fixed with a show of support ala Family Guy, so I can only hope Bill the best in his future endeavors, and thank him for the constant supply of comedy. FoxTrot, you will be missed.
