Any long-running live-action television show must eventually evolve. This is caused by factors both inside and outside of the show. On the outside, actors may come and go, and therefore, the storylines must change. On the inside, the actors also age, and adjustments must be made for this. We also have shows which try gimmicks to shake things up, with the old "bring in a new kid" idea, as seen on Family Ties, Growing Pains, and Diff'rent Strokes, being one of the most popular. These rules do not necessarily apply to animated shows. Just look at The Simpsons, where all of the characters have been the same age for 20 years. And yet, Family Guy did evolve...or devolve depending on how you look at it. By examining the recently released Family Guy: Volume 6 DVD, we can see how the show has changed.

Family Guy is set in Quahog, Rhode Island, and focuses on the Griffin family. Peter (voiced by Seth MacFarlane) is an overweight loudmouth his whose laziness is only outdone by his ignorance. His wife, Lois (voiced by Alex Borstein), attempts to keep Peter in line, but she's often distracted by her own wild-streak. Their oldest son, Chris (voiced by Seth Green), is an insecure dullard. Their daughter, Meg (voiced by Mila Kunis), is renowned for being unattractive, and their baby, Stewie (voiced by MacFarlane), is an evil child who only wants to kill Lois. The voice of reason is the dog, Brian (voiced by MacFarlane), but he's often side-tracked by his love of Lois and alcohol.

The Family Guy: Volume 6 DVD contains 12 episodes from the show's fifth and sixth seasons. The episodes are:

"No Meals on Wheels" (Original airdate: 3/25/07) -- When a rare coin is discovered under the carpet in the Griffin household, Peter decides to open a restaurant. But, when one of his good buddies attempts to help Peter with business, Peter takes it the wrong way.

"Boys Do Cry" (Original airdate: 4/29/07) -- After a mishap at church, the town becomes convinced that Stewie is possessed, so the Griffin's flee to Texas, where they discover a totally different way of life.

"No Chris Left Behind" (Original airdate: 5/6/07) -- When Lois insists that the high school make improvements, they decide to raise test scores by expelling the lowest student -- which just happens to be Chris. Chris is then sent to a snooty private school.

"It Takes a Village Idiot, and I Married One" (Original airdate: 6/13/07) -- After experiencing a polluted lake, Lois decides to run for mayor. But she soon learns that politics is very corrupting.

"Meet the Quagmires" (Original airdate: 5/20/07) -- Peter regrets not having dated much as a teenager, so he convinces Death (voiced by Adam Corolla) to take him back in time so that he can see girls other than Lois.

"Movin' Out (Brian's Song)" (Original airdate: 9/30/07) -- Brian moves in with his girlfriend, Jillian (voiced by Drew Barrymore), but when he can't afford the rent, Stewie moves in as well.

"Believe it or Not, Joe's Walking on Air" (Original airdate: 10/7/07) -- Tired of being in his wheelchair, Joe (voiced by Patrick Warburton) gets a leg transplant. But, his ability to walk again has an effect on his personality.

"Stewie Kills Lois" (Original airdate: 11/4/07) -- Disgusted that Peter and Lois go on a cruise without him, Stewie sets out to finally achieve his goal of matricide.

"Lois Kills Stewie" (Original airdate: 11/4/07) -- Peter is framed for Lois' murder and only a surprise witness can save him.

"Padre de Familia" (Original airdate: 11/18/07) -- Peter's drive to rid Quahog of immigrants backfires when he learns that he wasn't born in the United States.

"Peter's Daughter" (Original airdate: 11/25/07) -- When Meg almost drowns, Peter decides that he's neglected her and begins to smother her.

"McStroke" (Original airdate: 1/13/08) -- Peter grows a moustache, loses the moustache, has a stroke, and sings R.E.M.

When Family Guy first aired in 1998, the show attempted to have a continuity surrounding the family and their adventures. Today, that continuity has flown out the door. There is never a mention of Peter's job anymore (save for "Padre de Familia" when it was conducive to the plot) and the fact that he was able to suddenly open a restaurant in "No Meals on Wheels" only reinforces this. The only continuity in these episodes is Brian's girlfriend, Jillian.

No, the show's only goal today is to focus on the jokes, whether they make sense or not. And the show is often very funny. I know that many people hate the show's style, especially the "This is worse than the time that..." segues into jokes that have nothing to do with the plot, but it would be hard to argue that the show isn't funny or creative. Family Guy often walks a fine line between shocking and clever, and it often strays too far into the former. But, when it can be clever, and pokes fun at real-life or pop-culture, the show really hits the mark. Some of the best jokes are spoofs of famous movies or TV shows, and at these times, the show feels as if it's aimed squarely at Generation X. And, unlike many shows, Family Guy seems to get better with age, as there are some gems in this most recent collection.

Family Guy: Volume 6 fights a chicken for no apparent reason on DVD courtesy of 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment. This three-disc set contains 12 episodes of the show. The episodes are presented in their original 1.33:1 aspect ratio. The image is sharp and clear, showing no grain. The colors look very good and the crispness of the image is impressive. However, there were many jagged lines in the animation and some video noise. Please keep in mind that this may be due to the fact that I was watching a special screener copy. The DVDs carry a Dolby Digital 5.1 audio track which provides clear dialogue and sound effects. While TV shows rarely bowl you over with audio effects, Family Guy makes great use of stereo effects. Simply see the "Brian, I spilled something!" scene in "Movin' Out" for great stereo effects. In fact, this is one of those moments where I can't imagine what it would be like to watch this on a mono TV. The surround sound effects aren't as impressive, as they mainly consist of musical cues.