The King Is Dead (Family Guy episode)
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- This article discusses the episode of Family Guy. For the phrase itself, see The King is dead. Long live the King!. For the Ellery Queen novel, see The King is Dead (novel).
| “The King is Dead” | |
|---|---|
| Family Guy episode | |
 Peter's interpretation of "The King and I." |
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| Episode no. | Season 2 Episode 7 |
| Written by | Craig Hoffman |
| Directed by | Monte Young |
| Production no. | 1ACX15 |
| Original airdate | March 28, 2000 |
| Season 2 episodes | |
| Family Guy - Season 2 September 23, 1999 – August 1, 2000 |
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| ← Season 1 | Season 3 → |
| List of Family Guy episodes | |
"The King Is Dead" is an episode from the FOX animated series Family Guy. It is the 14th episode of Family Guy to be aired. It was the last episode produced for season one but aired in season two.
[edit] Plot summary
Lois is named director of the Quahog Players theater group production, and she decides to produce The King and I. Joe, despite being paraplegic, is named choreographer. Lois names Peter producer in the hopes of keeping him out of the way, but Peter gradually takes over, radically changing the play. He gets the play mentioned on the news by casting newscaster Diane Simmons as Anna, trying his best to make the play perfect for Lois and him.
Peter also adds material inspired by The Jerry Springer Show and Flashdance. Later Lois finds everyone discussing on a "brilliant" idea Peter has had, the conjoined twins aren't twins, but aliens. Everyone agrees to the idea, but Lois hates it. It then turns out that Peter's idea's for the play are actually helping its popularity, in fact, the play becomes sold out. Instead of cheering like everyone else, Lois quits out of extreme anger over Peter and leaves Peter as the director. Peter's constant changes frustrate Diane into quitting, so he plays Anna himself. Lois plans on making Peter miserable by making changes to everything that comes to her mind, starting with breakfast, adding fish and undone eggs.
Peter’s version of The King and I depicts a post-apocalyptic future set in the ruined world of 2015 AD after the ninth nuclear world war. The world "is a grim future filled with lots of explosions and partial nudity", ruled by an oppressive king, played by Brian. ANNA is an "Automoton Nuclear Neo-human Android", a robot ninja from the planet England sent to rid the world of the king's tyranny. ANNA, not confused by the bikini-clad Siamese "children's" (actually women) all-female sex orgy, kung fu fights with the king and defeats him, changing Siam into the United States of America.
Lois attended the premiere just to see Peter get humiliated for ruining the story but, to her astonishment, anger, disappointment and disbelief, the show is a hit. Then, she insults the audience for applauding the show, claiming that the show is an example of pure trash. She seemingly embarrasses Peter, but Peter then lets out an unusually long fart on stage that everyone hears, and they clap again, completely ignoring Lois, and making Peter one of the most popular people in Quahog. Later, Peter comes back from a celebration party, but thanks Lois for giving him the chance to express himself and making the show possible (as if she had quit to make him popular, though it is clear that she did this to get him infamous). Lois, feeling a bit guilty for the way she acted, admits she was not supportive of Peter's work, and also admits that the show must have been good in the way that people found it entertaining. Peter is touched by her words and promises to get her the job as director again next year, then immediately asks, "Hey, were you there when I farted?"
[edit] Notes
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Trivia sections are discouraged under Wikipedia guidelines. The article could be improved by integrating relevant items and removing inappropriate ones. |
- This is the last episode (going by production order) in which Lacey Chabert provides the voice of Meg.
- Brian mentions Meg’s ability to do bird calls, which is demonstrated in the episode "A Picture Is Worth a 1,000 Bucks."
- This episode reveals Diane Simmons's maiden name, Diane Seidelman.
- William Shatner shows up to opening night[citation needed], even though he was presumably killed when Meg ran him over in the episode "I Never Met the Dead Man." He is seen giving a standing ovation in the front row, next to where the Griffins are seated.
- Peter claims that he has "soul and passion that only comes with hundreds of years of black oppression." It’s notable that he eventually finds out that one of his ancestors is black.
- Peter once again assumes the role of A.N.N.A. in Family Guy Video Game!.
- Peter's fart at the end of the episode has been described by Seth MacFarlane as "the longest fart in television history".
[edit] Cultural references
- Stewie mistakes the semen hanging from Ted's (Ben Stiller) ear as gel, a reference from There's Something about Mary.
- Peter's replacing Loretta with a star to further the publicity, is a subtle nod to The Bad and The Beautiful in which the producer replaces his director to further his own goals.
- Peter claims to have written Bonfire of the Vanities.
- Peter’s toy, Mr. Zucchini Head, is a parody of Mr. Potato Head. Peter puts a small cap atop the head of Mr. Zucchini resembling a condom, a pair of rounded shoes resembling testicles, and flips a switch in its back causing it to vibrate, rendering it little more than a vibrator.
- While rehearsing for the play Diane Simmons is seen dancing frantically in 1980s leg warmers to upbeat music, a reference to the 1983 film Flashdance. Peter describes her character as being a "steel town girl on a Saturday night, lookin' for the fight of her life", referring to the lyrics of the song Maniac from the same movie.
- During Peter's daydream about being a "big Hollywood producer," wearing a Star of David, Peter proclaims "I'm the king of the world!" before falling off a cliff. The line is a reference to Leonardo DiCaprio's line in the movie Titanic.
- Lois mentions the “mindless jobs” of famous creative people. She is correct that Moby-Dick author Herman Melville worked as a customs agent and scientist Albert Einstein worked in the patent office, although it was the Swiss patent office, not that of the US. Also, Michelangelo’s father, and later the artist himself, owned a rock quarry but he was never a laborer in one.
- Einstein is shown working in a patent office when a man named Mr. Smith shows Einstein documents detailing his theory of relativity, which he calls "Smith's Theory of Relativity." Upon seeing this, Einstein knocks the man unconscious then runs off with the documents. This vignette might take inspiration from a famous quote by Einstein: "The secret to creativity is knowing how to hide your sources."
- When auditioning for the play, Brian sings “If Ever I Would Leave You” from the musical Camelot.
- Stewie auditions with the “winter of our discontent” soliloquy from Shakespeare’s Richard III, which he will repeat again in the beginning of “And the Wiener Is...." He balls up his blanket and stuffs it into his shirt to give the illusion of a humpback, for which Richard III was notorious.
- Stewie “quotes” “first lady of the American stage” Helen Hayes in telling Lois “I’m going to kill you.” This is not an actual quote from Hayes. This is similar to that of Brian in Love where he states that "Rodgers" rhymes with "eliminate".
- Thinking the audition a mere formality, Peter gives an off-key rendition of the theme song of children’s television series Land of the Lost.
- Cleveland says he once met singer/actress Pearl Bailey at a book signing.
- A flashback shows an independent film starring Diane during her college days. It includes many clichés of student films, including a non-linear plot, gloomy music, surreal images, and a pointless close-up of an object.
- A cutaway shows a writing team of monkeys writing Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, a reference to the infinite monkey theorem.
- Stewie says that Peter is the worst thing to happen to musical theatre since Andrew Lloyd Webber.
- Peter makes a reference to Rent, when he says " If I wanted to do a bad show, why didn't we just do Rent?".
- The theatre marquee says “A Peter Griffin Joint,” a nod to director Spike Lee, whose films are credited as “A Spike Lee Joint.”
- Before the play, Brian rehearses lyrics to “Sussudio” by Phil Collins.
- Sean Penn’s destruction of the camera is a reference to his assault of a paparazzo.
- When the monkeys are creating the Shakespeare line, one says, "No, they did that on last week's Marlowe," a reference to Shakespeare's rival playwright, Christopher Marlowe.
- Stewie states that Jay Leno is so charming that it is so fashionable to make fun of him.
- Peter calls Loretta's (after she has been replaced by Diane Simmons as Anna) character as "Miss Thing", a supposedly African-American play on the actual character Lady Thiang.
- The backdrop of the stage set and Peter's narration placing of the events of the play in the year 2019 refer to Blade Runner.
[edit] References
- Callaghan, Steve. “The King Is Dead.” Family Guy: The Official Episode Guide Seasons 1–3. New York: HarperCollins, 2005. 65–67.
- Delarte, Alonso. “Nitpicking Family Guy: Season 2.” Bob’s Poetry Magazine May 2005: 13–14. http://bobspoetry.com/Bobs02My.pdf
[edit] External links
- "The King Is Dead" at Family Guy Wiki.
- The King Is Dead (Family Guy episode) at the Internet Movie Database
- "The King Is Dead (Family Guy episode)" at TV.com
| Preceded by “Death Is a Bitch” |
Family Guy Episodes | Followed by “I Am Peter, Hear Me Roar” |
