There are two schools of thought when it comes to Family Guy: Love it or hate it. There are some who think it's the funniest show on television, a never ending barrage of one liners and pop culture gags that always hit the right spot. Then there are those that feel it's a poorly animated, ADD-addled Simpsons clone, that should just end, thus saving dorm rooms from endless frat pledges quoting it for four more years.

Personally, I'm of the former. I think the show is very funny, occasionally providing a joke that will make me laugh so hard I have no idea what happens for the remainder of the program. Sure, it IS a Simpsons clone, but only on the surface. (Although FG does take story threads that The Simpsons have travelled, but seeing as how the Simpsons are on their 17th season, it's gonna be real hard to find a story that they haven't done. Hell, they repeat their own at times). And since the fans spoke out, the show has returned to the airwaves, although I have yet to love it as much as when the show first came about. I feel like the new season is trying too hard to shock the audience and be "daring" that it's lost it's focus. It's also pretty obvious the writers watched a lot of television growing up, or at least as much as I did, seeing as how I get a lot of the old TV non sequitur gags.

It could be possible, however, that the creators were busy making the direct to DVD Family Guy movie Stewie Griffin: the Untold Story. I've seen it, and I'm not gonna lie to you, it's funny as hell. On par with some of the best episodes of the series, The Untold Story is essentially three episodes of Family Guy with a common theme. It's also uncensored, although it doesn't take as much advantage of that as the South Park movie does. (Hell, even South Park episodes wind up being a bit more rude than normal. Not that it's not funny, but still).

Stewie Griffin: The Untold Story tells, well, an untold story about Stewie Griffin. Not nearly as succint as Snakes on a Plane, but nonetheless. It begins with a red carpet premiere of the Family Guy cast arriving at the red carpet debut of this movie. There are some fun cameos from past characters, and a hilarious foul mouth drunken Lois. Then it's onto the "story." I put that in quotes because the movie works like an episode, patching together lots of different gags around a loose plot thread. In this case, it's numerous little plot threads.

Stewie, the devilish one year old with plans of matricide and world domination, suffers a near death experience while learning how to swim. (When he falls to the bottom of the pool, there's a random gag that got me as bad as the Kool Aid guy bursting through the wall in the very first episode. My friend Maude and I couldn't stop quoting it all weekend). He decides to become a nice human being. And he focuses his attentions on Brian. Meanwhile, Peter begins his new career at the local news station, with an opinion piece called "You know what grinds my gears?"

Many jokes later, Stewie is watching TV, and sees a man who could be his father. He looks and talks just like Stewie (or as another character points out, a talking Nerf football) and Stewie is determined to find out who this man is. Joining randy neighbor Quagmire, who is on a "Cross Country Tour" (with the "o" taken out of country.....get it?) Stewie and Brian set off to find out who this father truly is. Much like the "Road to" episodes of Family Guy, the main meat involves the troubles that arise on a road trip with Stewie and Brian. (This time, sans musical number. Surprising, considering that musical numbers are very big on Seth Macfarlane's plate).

The plot is definitely out there, especially in the third act, where it just gets bizarre. But the plot isn't really what matters. What matters is how funny it is, and it is damn funny. Covering the gamut from erudite humor to brazen fart jokes, they all work. Some gags are just out there, and there are quite a few that are funnier if you're a big Star Wars fan. But that's what makes Family Guy so fun. This spectrum of jokes and gags that some get and some don't, but are all pretty damn funny. Have I mentioned this is very funny?

Sorry for the shortened review, but I don't want to give it away. And I can't remember a lot of it. Again from laughing too hard. And not at all from alcohol. That being said, this movie will definitely have repeated plays to many drunken audiences on college campuses around the world. I can't wait to see it again, and laugh heartily. And pick up on jokes I may have missed.

The movie doesn't wear out it's welcome, or revel in it's uncensored status. When something doesn't seem to be working, the movie changes gears and shows something outright hilarious. I recommend the movie if you're a big fan, or even a casual fan. It's a lot funnier than most episodes, and not nearly as hit and miss as some of the recent shows have proven. Check it out, when it comes to DVD next month. (Or, just watch it for free when it's aired on TV, but then you miss out on the novelty of a cartoon character saying "Fuck.") Well, at least there's always a good fart joke when you need it.