Home Media Magazine - April 13-19, 2008 - (Page 30) REVIEWS I AMERICAN DAD VOL. 3 probably due to MacFarlane having a reduced role on the “American Street 4/15 Dad” creative team, stepping aside Fox, Comedy, $39.98 DVD, NR. Voices of Seth MacFarlane, Wendy Schaal, Rachael for co-creators Mike Barker and Matt Weitzman. MacFarlane, Scott Grimes, Patrick Stewart. While reliance on pop culture jokes on “Family Guy” is both its greatest hen it debuted in 2005, “American Dad” seemed weakness and the source of its popularity, the lack of the same to be at a huge helped “American Dad” disadvantage. From the differentiate itself. While start, the series could not early episodes struggled avoid inevitable comparito emerge from “Family sons with co-creator Seth Guy’s” immense shadow, MacFarlane’s other show, the show has since come “Family Guy,” which had into its own thanks to its just returned to the air consistent tone and sharp after becoming a huge cult political focus. hit on DVD. This third volume includes 18 epiIn telling the misadventures of dim-witted CIA agent Stan Smith sodes, representing the entire run from and his family, “American Dad” 2007 and one episode from 2008. seemed like a deliberate attempt to Best among them is probably “Black avoid the hallmark convention of Mystery Month,” a Da Vinci Code/Na“Family Guy” — random cutaway tional Treasure parody involving the pop culture jokes — and rely more secret history of peanut butter. The show’s political humor is edgy on its storytelling within a traditional sitcom structure. This was without being preachy, although the www.homemediamagazine.com same cannot be said of all the commentaries that are included with every episode, some of which play like a MoveOn.org strategy session. On the topic of the commentaries, the ones for the later episodes were recorded during the writers strike, and it’s amusing to listen to the show’s writers try to occupy their time. Among their topics of discussion are complaints about why some of the animated nudity is still blurred out on the DVD (answer: the animators weren’t pervy enough to actually completely animate the nudity). They also note standards and practices changes made by the network while they were away and couldn’t protest. The DVD also includes the entire hour-long panel from the 2007 San Diego Comic-Con International, in which the cast performs a script reading for what would become the episode called “The 42-Year-Old Virgin,” which also happens to be included on this set. – John Latchem W I ZAKLAND: THE SHINY SURPRISE The end result is actually a hidden lesson in manners and vocabulary, with an emphasis on Zak’s Prebook 4/16; Street 5/20 signature song “TIODNACI” (which translates to PorchLight, Childrens, $14.98 DVD, NR. “I can do it” spelled backwards). Stars Zak Morgan. All of the action appears to take place in front of a green screen, leaving a lot of room for imagination sing his trademark of uplifting music, Grammy-nominated kiddie crooner Zak — for both the actors and viewers. It’s Morgan’s Morgan invites children of all ages to first DVD release, and although it seems a bit overthe-top at times, it leaves viewers with a nice mesembark on a tour of “Zakland.” sage of sharing and caring, as In this short adventure, the well as a slew of new tunes to power of imagination fuels sing along with little ones. a Yellow Submarine-styled While older kids may be backdrop, with a slew of charbored by the primitive puppetacters including Marty the ry and animation (the sticks Bullfrog, the Can-Can Twins from Marty’s bullfrog hands and Irwin. A standout in the are prominently on display), crowd is Uncle Hank, a pilot with a magical tuning fork and a piano-styled suit my 2-year-old seemed riveted for a short time. However, due to the lessons, subject matter and to back it up. This colorful cast is joined by a group of very cute, slightly overactive backdrop, Zak will probably envery smiley kids, as all come together to celebrate gage a slightly older crowd, closer to the 5-7 range. the birthday of King Shiny. – Rachel Cericola U 30 Home Media Magazine April 13–19, 2008 http://www.homemediamagazine.com http://MoveOn.org http://www.indicanpictures.com
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