Halloween has come early this year, thanks to Family Guy. The Hulu exclusive special, "A Little Fright Music" dropped on the streamer on October 5, and per the charts, it's in the Top 20 Trends. Fans seemed to love the spooky adventures the Griffins partaken in this year's incineration, as it was filled with the comedic formula that the show is well known for.
I'll be honest. I love Family Guy since its 1999 debut on FOX. Sure, it was a "knock-off" of my other favorite animated comedy, The Simpsons, at the time, but over the years, it found its footing in the television landscape. The jokes might be crude and the material questionable, but these elements are what give Family Guy its trademark value.
And when it comes to the holiday episodes, whether they'd be Christmas or Halloween, they summon even more spiritual fun into the whacky situations. And Family Guy is filled with all kinds with whacky situations!
But did "A Little Fright Music" play a sweet tune? Or did it wind up being an ill-advised trick?
Family Guy's Halloween special goes backs to its musical roots
From its shell, "A Little Fright Music" had the animation landscape typical for any Family Guy episode, but crack it open a little bit more, and it reveals a much sweeter surprise! Yes, Peter did his usual shenanigans and while that's to be expected, his older son, Chris joins in, making their treat-gaining adventure even more rounded out.
In essence, the two, along with Peter's faithful friends Cleveland, Joe, and Quagmire, embark on a trick-or-treating journey, after Lois reminds Chris that he's in high school and is too old for the activity that's crafted for young kids. But since when are we ever too old for candy?
This storyline created a delightful father and son bonding moment, and its elements such as this is what gives the show a positive light. Sure, Peter can be emotionally abusive to Chris, as he is to Meg, but for some undefined reason, he's not. Sometimes, fathers connect more with their sons, than they do with their daughters. We all know Meg represents as the "Black Sheep" in the Griffin household. When the daughter and dad plotlines do occur, they feel natural, and not forced. Are they as close as Homer, Maggie, and Lisa Simpson? No, but at least Peter and Meg are trying to establish something.
Lois then gets into Halloween by touching the horror side of the holiday. She and her girlfriends decide to scare heir husbands for lying to them. Coupled with a chainsaw and an isolated cabin, it sounds pretty basic as anyone would put the pieces together, but unfortunately, Peter doesn't have that intelligence level. As a result, Lois's plan of scaring the near death out of the men was successful. However, Peter might have lost a bit of trust in his wife after her deed, but his reaction was well worth her efforts.
Costume-wise, the men go as the nuns from Sister Act, which is quite weird. Chris uses his creativity to put together a zombified version of the Kansas City Chiefs star, Travis Kelce, after he "modeled" other costumes in front of Stewie and Brian, that lead nowhere.
Speaking of whom, Brian and Stewie are understandably annoyed by the fact that there are no good or updated Halloween songs after hearing "Monster Mash" for the 1600th time. In response to this catastrophe, the boys sit down and compose a track of their own view of the holiday.
By the way, "Stewie's Spooky Quahog Nightmare Dance" does feel like a knock-off of the "Monster Mash," but having this musical number injected in at the end, was a clever direction to return Family Guy back to its roots. Earlier seasons had fun, tune-infused scores that highlighted the plot, and as a bonus, introduced Seth MacFarlane as a talented singer with a number of voice techniques.
Check out "Stewie's Spooky Quahog Nightmare Dance" video below!
So, if you're in the mood for some Halloween comedy that will tickle your funny bones, then Family Guy's "A Little Fright Music" on Hulu! I promise you it's sweet!