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— CH. 1 · ORIGINS AND DEVELOPMENT —

Laugh It Up, Fuzzball: The Family Guy Trilogy

~3 min read · Ch. 1 of 6
6 sections
  • Seth MacFarlane stood at a panel during the 2007 Comic Con and showed clips of Family Guy characters dressed as Star Wars figures. The episode titled Blue Harvest aired on the 23rd of September 2007 to mark the thirtieth anniversary of the original film. This initial success led to two direct-to-video sequels released in 2009 and 2010. The trilogy concluded with It's a Trap! which was later broadcast on television with edited content. George Lucas personally endorsed the project after seeing the first installment. He told MacFarlane that he recorded every episode using TiVo without purchasing DVDs.

  • Peter Griffin narrates the story while his family members take on roles from the original films. Seth MacFarlane voices Peter Griffin as Han Solo while Brian Griffin becomes Chewbacca. Stewie Griffin portrays Darth Vader and Glenn Quagmire plays C-3PO. Carter Pewterschmidt appears as both Owen Lars and Emperor Palpatia. Chris Griffin takes the role of Luke Skywalker and Lois Griffin becomes Princess Leia. The narrative follows the structure of the three movies but replaces human actors with animated characters from the sitcom.

  • Chevy Chase appeared as Clark Griswold alongside Beverly D'Angelo playing Ellen Griswold. Rush Limbaugh voiced himself and also played Red 6 during the Death Star attack. Helen Reddy and Mick Hucknall provided their own voices for cameo appearances. Patrick Stewart lent his voice to Captain Jean-Luc Picard in the final episode. Anne Hathaway voiced a Hot Blonde character while Ted Knight appeared as Judge Smails through archive footage. James Woods played General Veers and Dolph Lundgren contributed live-action footage from Rocky IV.

  • Something Something Something Dark Side was written by Kirker Butler before the 2007, 2008 Writers Guild strike began. The script took four weeks to complete under MacFarlane's supervision. Dominic Polcino directed this installment after handling Blue Harvest. This production marked the final use of hand-drawn animatics in the series. The team transitioned to computer-designed animatics for subsequent episodes following this decision. The shift represented a significant change in how the show approached visual storytelling.

  • George Lucas revealed he watched Family Guy without buying DVDs because he used TiVo to record every episode. He stated that Jackass was the only other show he viewed regularly alongside Family Guy. The trilogy received official approval from Lucasfilm during its development phase. Public response remained strong enough to warrant direct-to-video releases for the second and third parts. The Blu-ray and DVD versions arrived on the 21st of December 2010 in the United States. Fans embraced the parody format as a unique way to honor the original films.

  • The direct-to-video sequels aired on television with most profanity removed from the broadcast cuts. Sexual references were also omitted when the episodes reached standard television audiences. The unedited versions appeared on physical media released later than the initial broadcasts. The trilogy title derives from Han Solo speaking to Chewbacca while laughing at him. That phrase became the namesake for the entire three-part project. Viewers could access the full content through home video formats rather than network television.

Common questions

What is the release date of the Family Guy Star Wars trilogy Blu-ray and DVD in the United States?

The Blu-ray and DVD versions arrived on the 21st of December 2010 in the United States. This physical media release included unedited content that was not available during the initial television broadcasts.

Who directed the final installment Something Something Something Dark Side of the Family Guy trilogy?

Dominic Polcino directed this installment after handling Blue Harvest. The production marked the final use of hand-drawn animatics in the series before transitioning to computer-designed methods.

Which actor voiced General Veers in the Family Guy Star Wars trilogy?

James Woods played General Veers in the project. Dolph Lundgren also contributed live-action footage from Rocky IV to the production.

When did the episode titled Blue Harvest originally air to mark the thirtieth anniversary of the original film?

The episode titled Blue Harvest aired on the 23rd of September 2007 to mark the thirtieth anniversary of the original film. This initial success led to two direct-to-video sequels released in 2009 and 2010.

How did George Lucas record every episode of Family Guy without purchasing DVDs?

George Lucas recorded every episode using TiVo without purchasing DVDs. He stated that Jackass was the only other show he viewed regularly alongside Family Guy.