The Courtship of Stewie's Father
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“The Courtship of Stewie’s Father” is the sixteenth episode of season four of Family Guy, which originally aired on November 20, 2005.[1] The episode sees Peter beginning to bond with Stewie after noticing that Stewie enjoys watching him assault Lois. After Lois tells Stewie to go to his room upon returning from a severe prank she was subject too, Peter fails to argue with Lois, leaving Stewie feeling betrayed. In an attempt to restore Stewie's faith in him, Peter takes him to Walt Disney World Resort. Meanwhile, Chris is forced to assist Herbert in his household chores after breaking his window, much to the delight of Herbert.[2]
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[edit] Plot
After failing to receive the Employee of the Month award at Pawtucket Brewery, Peter attempts to charm his supervisor, Angela who has a dislike for him. He organizes a surprise cockfight in her house, but when she returns, all that is left is the remains of several chickens who have killed each other. When his mentally challenged co-worker, Opie, gets promoted he is replaced by Soundwave of The Transformers, and Peter still fails to receive his Employee of the Month award. Meanwhile, after playing baseball in the street, Chris accidentally smashes his neighbour, Herbert's window. In an attempt to repay his debt to Herbert, Chris agrees to help the elderly man in his household chores, much to the delight of Herbert.
After speaking with Stewie's preschool teacher, Lois discovers several pictures Stewie has drawn which show him killing her, but she misinterprets these, coming to the conclusion that his father, Peter is not included in any, and that Peter should make more of an effort to bond with Stewie. Peter reluctantly agrees, and begins to bond with Stewie after seeing him laugh when he assaults Lois. Their final prank on Lois is to force her in to the trunk of the family sedan and push it in to the lake. Shortly after, Lois returns home furious and demands Stewie go to his room; when Peter fails to back him up and disagree with Lois, Stewie feels betrayed. He throws away his baby-sized Peter clothes, his photo of him and Peter together, and many others.
To make amends with Stewie, Peter takes him to Walt Disney World Resort in Florida, failing to listen to Lois when she tells them not to go. Excited at the prospect of visiting Disney World, Stewie forgives Peter, although pretending to be annoyed. When the pair arrive, Peter inadvertently loses Stewie, who is captured by Disney World employees to sing for those enjoying the rides. Peter finds him and takes him away, but is chased across the theme park by a security guard, who eventually loses them in Temple of Doom style. The pair return home after a brief encounter with Michael Eisner and Stewie's faith in Peter is restored.
[edit] Production
This is the first storyline the show has produced which focuses largely on Herbert.[3] Originally, the Herbert storyline was designed to be longer, and several other gags had been created showing Herbert attempting to come on to Chris,[4][5][6] but broadcasting standards were nervous about the episode and forced the show to reduce the amount of time spent on the storyline.[3] Show producer Seth MacFarlane comments that the aftermath of the cockfight which Peter arranged was "a great drawing by Kurt Dumas."[3] MacFarlane comments that it was "amazing lighting" on the flying car scene and that it is "so cool looking."[4] When Herbert comes to the house to tell Peter and Lois that Chris broke his window, he was meant to say more, but it was cut,[4] one scene was intended to have Peter replying with "If he wants you to do a job, give him the best job you've ever given."[5][6] When Quagmire is describing how he seduced two homeless twins, Fox censored the gesture which saw Quagmire pretending to put his hand up a woman's vagina and showed Peter covering Stewie's ears.[3] When God speaks to his lover after being telephoned by Jesus, he asks her "where were we," which she replies with "right about here" and hands him a condom. After telling her it's his birthday (so he won't have to use it), she replies a firm "no." The gag was designed in this way because broadcasting standards wanted to portray the message that God would not have unprotected sex.[3]
MacFarlane made the sound effects of Stewie and Peter laughing excessively after attacking Lois,[3][5] with no sounds of laughter being used from previous episodes.[4] MacFarlane comments that he was "sweaty and exhausted after it."[3] The reaction to the Peanut Butter Jelly Time scene astonished MacFarlane, as he believes it has become repetitious and annoying after he visited a karaoke bar in Hollywood and the club played it excessively. Stewie going crazy with excitement after learning Peter is taking him to Disney World is described by MacFarlane to be "a great piece of animation,"[3] and the scene "is a little more crazy than they [the show] normally go."[3] Upon learning he has lost Stewie, a deleted scene was created showing Peter listing things he was going to do before finding Stewie, always leaving Stewie at the end of the list and putting his own needs before Stewie's.[3] In the DVD commentary, MacFarlane describes the vocal performance by Mike Henry, when singing as Herbert, to be "nothing short of brilliant," adding that "there's so much feeling in the song, you almost root for Herbert to get at least a wink from Chris."[3]
[edit] Cultural references
The flying car scene is a reference to 1989 sequel-film Back to the Future Part II.[3][4] When Opie is promoted and replaced, the job is taken by Soundwave, a character from the TV series The Transformers.[4] The song Herbert is singing when dreaming of living with Chris is the song "Somewhere That's Green" from the 1986 film-adaption Little Shop of Horrors.[3][4] The security guard chasing Peter and Stewie in to the "Indiana Jones Ride", as well as the following encounter with Michael Eisner, is a reference to a scene from Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom.[4] The Halle Berry ride at Disney World where Berry knocks down several people is a reference to when Berry hit a pedestrian with a car then walked away.[3][4]
[edit] Reception
The episode was watched by over nine-million people on its original airdate.[7] The Parents Television Council reacted negatively to the show, branding it the "Worst show of the week" on August 17, 2006, calling it a "sheer vulgar storyline."[8] In a review of the episode by TV Squad, Ryan J. Budge noted "tonight was another great episode of Family Guy," adding that "these episodes keep getting better and better."
[edit] References
- ^ "Family Guy" The Courtship of Stewie's Father. The Internet Movie Database. Retrieved on 2008-04-20.
- ^ The Courtship of Stewie's Father. British Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved on 2008-04-20.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n MacFarlane, Seth. (2005). Family Guy season 4 DVD commentary for the episode "The Courtship of Stewie's Father" [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Goodman, David. (2005). Family Guy season 4 DVD commentary for the episode "The Courtship of Stewie's Father" [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.
- ^ a b c Butler, Kirker. (2005). Family Guy season 4 DVD commentary for the episode "The Courtship of Stewie's Father" [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.
- ^ a b Henry, Mike. (2005). Family Guy season 4 DVD commentary for the episode "The Courtship of Stewie's Father" [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.
- ^ "By The Number", Dallas Morning News, November 30, 2005. Retrieved on 2008-02-27.
- ^ Fyfe, Kristen. Worst TV Show of the Week. Parents Television Council. Retrieved on 2008-02-24.
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