The controversial “Partial Terms of Endearment” episode of the animated series Family Guy, which deals with abortion and has never aired on American TV, will be released on DVD on September 28th in a two-disc set (MSRP $14.98) that also includes the Seth and Alex Almost-Live Comedy Show. 

Announced at the San Diego Comic-Con last year and intended to be the 21st episode of Family Guy’s 8th season, “Partial Terms of Endearment” finds Lois acting as a surrogate mother for an old friend who unfortunately dies during Lois’ pregnancy, which creates a dilemma for Lois who has to decide whether to abort the fetus or bring it to term and put it up for adoption.

Although the show has aired in the U.K., it has never been broadcast on either the Fox Network or the Cartoon Network’s Adult Swim, which has the rights to Family Guy reruns.  Fox was informed of the show’s subject matter and did allow McFarlane to produce the episode, which was written by Danny Smith. 

Abortion itself is not necessarily a taboo topic for American TV, but evidently the irreverent handling of the topic by the satirically-minded Family Guy crew was too much for the network.  In a wild parody of artificial insemination Lois is impregnated by Peruvian natives using a blowgun and Peter’s attempt to induce an abortion via an “Acme Miscarriage Kit” is an elaborate gag-filled homage to the Warner Bros. Roadrunner cartoons.