The Sandbox: Family Dysfunction Can Be Funny

File sharing. Kegs on West. Johnny Cash. Sometimes it seems like the best things get taken away just when you're starting to realize how great they are, leaving you nothing but a head-full of bittersweet memories.

Dry your eyes. Nothing gold can stay, but then again, nothing hilarious enough to complicate bladder control can remain absent from a Best Buy DVD rack for long, either. Keep Now you can Peter Griffin in your heart forever with the newly released Family Guy, Volume Two.

For those unfamiliar with Family Guy, the cartoon falls somewhere between Simpsons and South Park territory, although it was probably funnier than both. Cleverly integrating sardonic wit and subtle, allusive pop culture references with fart jokes and shameless sight gags, this cartoon never teetered between astute and asinine--it gladly embraced both spheres before giggling and declaring with satisfied pride, "Teet."

Peter, the putzy patriarch of the Griffin clan, is Homer sans the social graces. Baby Stewie is an infantile über-enemy in the most James Bond sense of the word, complete with inexplicable British accent and unrestricted access to fancy laser weaponry. His arch-nemesis--his mother, Lois. Throw in a talking dog and the occasional maniacal closet monkey, and you've got yourself some fine programming.

Unfortunately, the Fox network didn't think so, and the humorless powers-that-be pulled the plug after only three seasons, leaving heartbroken fans to their own devices. This has meant turning to Cartoon Network for reruns and gobbling up DVD Seasons One and Two (released together as Volume One in April) like soft, velvety entertainment nougat.

Hark, the third and final season (Volume Two) has finally arrived, sending a mix of elation and sorrow pulsing through Family Guy faithful, who know that this is all she wrote. Unless, of course, we all lobby Fox to bring back the series! Hell, we owe it to television to salvage an instant classic. It's our duty as Americans! Hehe... "Duty"...