Family Guy Compendium

Peter Griffin (voiced by Seth MacFarlane, the show's creator) works in a toy factory in Quahog, Rhode Island. His wife, Lois (Alex Borstein) is a piano teacher and housewife who tries her best to temper Peter's stupidity. Their son Chris (Seth Green) has inherited many of Peter's traits, but he's not quite at the age where he should have grown out of being amused by the word "boobies". Meg (Mila Kunis) is their awkward and nondescript teenager daughter who feels like she doesn't belong. Oh, and then there's Stewie, their one-year-old baby, who's hellbent on world domination, starting with murdering Lois. Finally, there's Brian, an eloquent and erudite counterbalance to Peter's stupidity, who doesn't seem unduly hindered by the fact that he's a dog.

Family Guy is understandably compared with The Simpsons. The premise of each is remarkably similar, if you ignore the talking dog and megalomaniacal baby. Both animated series revolve around the adventures of a fat, dumb man and his family. Both are hilarious, but Family Guy wipes the floor with even The Simpsons.

For me, Family Guy is just about the funniest television show ever.

Although clearly an adult cartoon, it is not excessively unsuitable for children. The young son of a friend I lent my DVDs to was so taken with it that he (and I hope he won't mind my saying) cried and wouldn't give them back. No one else I've shared Family Guy with has had such a perfect response, but without exception they've all been doubled up with laughter, whatever their age, or taste in humour. It's not as rude as South Park, although it does contain plenty of mild swearing and references to sex. Most importantly, it's never ever offensive, no matter what the subject matter, and it's always funny.

The great strength of Family Guy's humour is its surreal asides and parodies of television programmes. For most of them a knowledge of American culture isn't necessary to get the joke, although there are one or two, albeit out of hundreds, where it is. Before you even have time to think "Huh?" another funnier joke will be along and you'll be in paroxysms of laughter.

It's impossible to do justice to how great Family Guy is. It's absolute comedy perfection. You will love it.

Buy it, watch it, watch it again, cry when you aren't watching it, and then watch it yet again. What are you waiting for?