![]() ![]() The show is at times aware of its existence as a television show, which allows it to enjoy this tribute to one of its favourite cult franchises as much as the viewer. It’s that sort of geeky enthusiasm which endears the show to me, creating a sense that the guys behind the scenes are just having a little bit of fun, being well aware that they work in entertainment. While critics may deride the show for its short attention span, I’ve always found it some endearing, especially as the series toys gently at the fourth wall like a child playing with new gift. I hope I don't choke when I'm asked a question by Vader. However, on being told that it can be done tomorrow, “if money’s no object”, his inner bureaucrat instructs his minions to “get estimates.” Similarly, two technicians working the laser pause to complain each other about health and safety in the Empire, while we’re informed that Ben Kenobi is probably going to hell because “the Christians don’t look too kindly on the whole force thing.” Revealing the two-metre hole in the surface which we all know will be the downfall of the planet-killer, Vader demands that they fix it, like any reasonable boss. When one of the Imperial officers remarks that the Death Star is 99.99% impenitrable, Vader remarks that “I wouldn’t be doing my job” if he didn’t ask about the left over digit. However, despite these references, the specials work best when they play with the Star Wars myth itself, seemingly playing out the movie frame-for-frame (it’s pleasantly surprising how faithful the adaptations are) while pausing at various intervals to draw attention to something they’ve noticed. the moment were Luke signs in with his squad (including Red Fox, Red October and Simply Red) is pure magic. It’s a random cocktail which doesn’t appear planned or constructed, but seems literally like it was just skimmed from right out of the writer’s head after watching too much television, but it works. The show doesn’t mention either film by name, but it doesn’t need to – these are almost universal popular culture experiences. Leslie Nielson makes an appearance from his iconic role in Airplane!, while Judd Nelson pops up from The Breakfast Club. Of course, any number of other pop cultural moments are inserted at key intervals, without any explanation or reason – these things are so universal that we should just “get” them. The crew clearly had a blast working on this. Hell, they even use the original explosions from the movies. Of course, there are any number of jokes which will upset a wide variety of interest groups, but the specials demonstrate an honest regard for the source material. And yet, for a show which thrives from feeding off pop culture, this rich fictional construct – perhaps the greatest myth of the twentieth century – must seem so tempting. To do that betrays a deep respect for the original work, perhaps surprising to those familiar with the work of MacFarlane, who hasn’t made too many friends among various media watchdogs for his work over the years. Family Guy gets to take that classic story which George Lucas has already filtered through space opera, and filter it through another layer of reinvention. It’s instantly recognisable the world over – the fact is that nobody could look at the superb poster artwork from these three specials and be at a loss as to what the crew were attempting to do. In a way, it’s just one big cultural reference which we all know and love. Perhaps that is why Family Guy is so suited to the task of playing with Star Wars. It’s free range concept association, which quite possible appeals to the writer in me – putting two elements of different stories and mythologies together and reconciling them with a cynical eye. ![]() ![]() South Park famously gave us the image of manatees picking balls containing random words in order to generate the show’s jokes, and it’s not too far from the truth. Family Guy just takes all these loose ends that don’t really work without a frame of reference and ties them together in a bizarre, almost improvisational fashion. However, I don’t see this as a problem – I think it’s an example of how pop culture is continually recycling itself, feeding back in on itself, a snake swallowing its own tail.Īs obvious as it is now, with all the remakes and reboots and re-releases, this endless cycle of reinvention has always been a part of storytelling. ![]() Many deride the show for this, claiming it’s a weakness – it’s true that any person who isn’t emersed in the last thirty years of television might get lost. However, the real magic of the show is the way that it takes all these pop culture moments and feeds them back into one another. Sure, it’s frustrating sometimes – the writers have a tendency to get a little bit heavy-handed, which doesn’t fit so well with the show’s irreverent tone. ![]()
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