April in Quahog
Encyclopedia
"April in Quahog" is the sixteenth episode of the eighth season
of the animated
comedy series
Family Guy
. It originally aired on Fox
in the United States
on April 11, 2010. The episode features the Griffin family
as they attempt to live out their last day on Earth
, after hearing an announcement on the local news about a black hole
that is sucking in the entire solar system. As the countdown approaches zero, Peter
suddenly reveals his secret dislike of being in his children's presence, seconds before the world is expected to end. Then it is revealed that it is all an April Fools'
joke, and Peter is left to attempt to win back his children's respect.
The episode was written by John Viener and directed by Joseph Lee. It received mixed reviews from critics for its storyline and many cultural references. According to Nielsen ratings
, it was viewed in 6.93 million homes in its original airing. The episode featured guest performances by James Burkholder, Anne Hathaway
and Jason Mraz
, along with several recurring guest voice actors for the series. "April in Quahog" will be released on DVD
along with ten other episodes from the season on December 13, 2011.
has discovered a new black hole
at the edge of the solar system
, but the Griffin family
pays no attention to the announcement. Peter alerts the family that he has been selected for jury duty
, which he believes is an exclusive experience. After Brian
informs him that everyone serves jury duty at some point, Peter tries to be kicked out of court by annoying the others, expressing fabricated prejudices, singing Surfin' Bird
, and attempting to discuss the trial outside of the courtroom. When Peter returns home that night, the local news announces that the Earth will be destroyed by the newly discovered, and continually expanding, black hole within the next 24 hours. Frantic over the news, everyone in Quahog attempts to live out the best last day possible. Herbert finally attempts to have sex with Chris
, Quagmire
has sex with Bonnie, and Peter finally manages to steal a lion from the zoo and say the "you-know-what word"
in a black neighborhood (he is well respected as a result). As the countdown reaches its final seconds, Peter confesses to Lois
that while he loves her, he hates spending time with his kids. Immediately afterward, the news anchors reveal the black hole report was an April Fools'
joke.
Stunned at their father's newly revealed hatred, Meg
, Chris
and Stewie
avoid Peter. After realizing how angry they are, Peter tries to reconcile with his kids by spending time with each of them. However, he and his kids share no common interests and Peter only makes things worse by using the methamphetamine
he had wanted to share with Chris. After a heartfelt speech does not work, Peter finally buys his kids' love by giving them a new Xbox 360
, and they proclaim Peter "the best father ever". He does not let them use it, however, because he is too busy playing Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2
, albeit terribly, much to the other players' fury, one of them being Quagmire (who tells Peter he sucks).
for the show. In addition, the episode was written by series regular John Viener, his second episode for the season, the first being "Jerome is the New Black
". In promoting the episode, an image of Stan
and Francine Smith
meeting and speaking with Lois and Peter, along with an image of Peter, Brian
, Joe and Quagmire drinking cans of beer in front of the house from King of the Hill
was released by 20th Century Fox
. A press release of a purported crossover was also made public. Having released the information on April Fools' Day, the crossover was revealed to be an April Fools' joke after the episode aired without a crossover occurring.
"April in Quahog", along with the eleven other episodes from Family Guys eighth season, will be released on a three-disc DVD
set in the United States on December 13, 2011. The sets include brief audio commentaries by various crew and cast members for several episodes, a collection of deleted scenes and animatics, a special mini-feature which discussed the process behind animating "And Then There Were Fewer
", a mini-feature entitled "The Comical Adventures of Family Guy - Brian & Stewie: The Lost Phone Call", and footage of the Family Guy panel at the 2010 San Diego Comic-Con International.
In addition to the regular cast, voice actor James Burkholder, actress Anne Hathaway
and singer and performer Jason Mraz
guest starred in the episode. Recurring guest voice actors Lori Alan
, Johnny Brennan, Chris Cox
, Ralph Garman
, writer Mark Hentemann
, voice actor Phil LaMarr
, writer Chris Sheridan, writer Danny Smith
, writer Alec Sulkin
and writer John Viener also made minor appearances.
. Hawking, who is paralyzed due to neuro-muscular dystrophy
, is seen sitting in his wheelchair. After the camera cuts, Hawking then jumps up from his chair, and admits it is just an act, before deciding to go surfing
at the nearby beach.
In mentioning that he has been summoned for jury duty, and implying its exclusivity, Peter is confronted by Brian who reveals that the only reason he was selected was because he had voted in the last election
. Peter goes on to state that he actually stuffed the ballot box at the Oscars, when the nominees included Grover
from Sesame Street
, Bluto
from Popeye
, and Daniel Day-Lewis
, among others. Actress Anne Hathaway
presented the award. Going on to find out that everyone is asked to do jury duty, Peter soon seeks to be kicked out, just as he was from the rock band Coldplay
once he suggested that they write a song that is "not whiny bullcrap". Further attempting to be kicked out of jury duty, Peter begins singing the song "Surfin' Bird
" by The Trashmen
, a song that was first introduced in the series in the seventh season episode "I Dream of Jesus
".
Before Peter is preparing to leave for jury duty, the family is seen watching a television sitcom entitled How Henry Kissinger Met Your Mother, a parody of the CBS
sitcom How I Met Your Mother
, which features Henry Kissinger
, whose heavy accent makes his speech unintelligible. Once Peter is dressed for court, he explains that even the vending machines at the courthouse are out of order, with Brian then being shown dressed and laughing in a similar manner as the Hanna-Barbera
cartoon character Muttley
.
Having learned of the impending doomsday
, Mayor Adam West
angrily writes an angry letter to outer space
, expressing his intention of punching the constellation Orion
. West then straps on a jetpack, as well as a fishbowl for his helmet, and flies into space, punching the constellation, causing the stars to form into the Orion Pictures
company logo. After it is revealed by Channel 5 News that the impending doomsday was actually an April Fools' Day joke, Brian reacts by angrily yelling, "You dicks!", a line uttered by Jeff Spicoli
, as portrayed by Sean Penn
, in the 1982 comedy film Fast Times at Ridgemont High
. Unable to win over his children's affection, Peter decides to buy them an Xbox 360
to earn the respect once more. Before the end credits, Peter is then shown playing the Xbox 360 game Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2
(Team Deathmatch on Favela), much to his children's chagrin. Peter, gamertag 'pgriffin69x', was killed by Infinity Ward Creative Strategist Robert Bowling, gamertag FOURZEROTWO.
. The episode also acquired a 3.4 rating in the 18–49 demographic, beating The Simpsons
and The Cleveland Show
, as well as the return episode of American Dad!
, which had been put into a temporary hiatus, in order to accommodate Sons of Tucson
. In addition, the episode significantly edged out all three shows in total viewership.
Reviews of the episode were mostly mixed, calling it a "tragedy," but "funnier than expected." Todd VanDerWerff of The A.V. Club
noted that there are "funny lines tucked around the edges of every episode but there's nothing here that justifies the needlessly elaborate plots." Jason Hughes of TV Squad gave the episode a more positive review, stating that Peter's attempts to bond with his children "brought some of the most hilarious visuals." Ramsey Isler of IGN
gave the episode a much more negative review, noting that it did not "have many redeeming qualities," and the jokes were "mediocre." In a subsequent review of Family Guys eighth season, Isler listed "April in Quahog" as being "full of the lowest of the lowest-common-denominator "jokes", with heavy reliance on toilet humor and the characteristic cutaway gags that have steadily gotten more random and less funny."
Family Guy (season 8)
Family Guy eighth season first aired on the Fox network in twenty episodes from September 27, 2009 to May 23, 2010 before being released as two DVD box sets and in syndication. It ran on Sunday nights between May and July 2010 on BBC Three in the UK...
of the animated
Animated cartoon
An animated cartoon is a short, hand-drawn film for the cinema, television or computer screen, featuring some kind of story or plot...
comedy series
Television comedy
Television comedy had a presence from the earliest days of broadcasting. Among the earliest BBC television programmes in the 1930s was Starlight, which offered a series of guests from the music hall era — singers and comedians amongst them...
Family Guy
Family Guy
Family Guy is an American animated television series created by Seth MacFarlane for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series centers on the Griffins, a dysfunctional family consisting of parents Peter and Lois; their children Meg, Chris, and Stewie; and their anthropomorphic pet dog Brian...
. It originally aired on Fox
Fox Broadcasting Company
Fox Broadcasting Company, commonly referred to as Fox Network or simply Fox , is an American commercial broadcasting television network owned by Fox Entertainment Group, part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation. Launched on October 9, 1986, Fox was the highest-rated broadcast network in the...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
on April 11, 2010. The episode features the Griffin family
Griffin family
The Griffin family is a family from the animated television series Family Guy. The Griffins are a nuclear family consisting of the married couple Peter and Lois, their three children Meg, Chris, and Stewie, and their dog Brian. They live at 31 Spooner Street in the fictional town of Quahog, Rhode...
as they attempt to live out their last day on Earth
Earth
Earth is the third planet from the Sun, and the densest and fifth-largest of the eight planets in the Solar System. It is also the largest of the Solar System's four terrestrial planets...
, after hearing an announcement on the local news about a black hole
Black hole
A black hole is a region of spacetime from which nothing, not even light, can escape. The theory of general relativity predicts that a sufficiently compact mass will deform spacetime to form a black hole. Around a black hole there is a mathematically defined surface called an event horizon that...
that is sucking in the entire solar system. As the countdown approaches zero, Peter
Peter Griffin
Peter Griffin is a fictional character and the protagonist of the animated comedy series Family Guy and the patriarch of the Griffin family. He is voiced by cartoonist Seth MacFarlane and first appeared on television, along with the rest of the family in the 15-minute short on December 20, 1998....
suddenly reveals his secret dislike of being in his children's presence, seconds before the world is expected to end. Then it is revealed that it is all an April Fools'
April Fools' Day
April Fools' Day is celebrated in different countries around the world on April 1 every year. Sometimes referred to as All Fools' Day, April 1 is not a national holiday, but is widely recognized and celebrated as a day when many people play all kinds of jokes and foolishness...
joke, and Peter is left to attempt to win back his children's respect.
The episode was written by John Viener and directed by Joseph Lee. It received mixed reviews from critics for its storyline and many cultural references. According to Nielsen ratings
Nielsen Ratings
Nielsen ratings are the audience measurement systems developed by Nielsen Media Research, in an effort to determine the audience size and composition of television programming in the United States...
, it was viewed in 6.93 million homes in its original airing. The episode featured guest performances by James Burkholder, Anne Hathaway
Anne Hathaway (actress)
Anne Jacqueline Hathaway is an American actress. After several stage roles, she appeared in the 1999 television series Get Real. She played Mia Thermopolis in The Princess Diaries...
and Jason Mraz
Jason Mraz
Jason Thomas Mraz , also known as Mr. AZ and Mr. Raz, is an American singer-songwriter. Mraz released his debut album, Waiting for My Rocket to Come, which contained the hit single "The Remedy ", in 2002, but it was not until the release of his second album, "Mr. A-Z", in 2005, that Mraz achieved...
, along with several recurring guest voice actors for the series. "April in Quahog" will be released on DVD
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
along with ten other episodes from the season on December 13, 2011.
Plot
The local news reports that Stephen HawkingStephen Hawking
Stephen William Hawking, CH, CBE, FRS, FRSA is an English theoretical physicist and cosmologist, whose scientific books and public appearances have made him an academic celebrity...
has discovered a new black hole
Black hole
A black hole is a region of spacetime from which nothing, not even light, can escape. The theory of general relativity predicts that a sufficiently compact mass will deform spacetime to form a black hole. Around a black hole there is a mathematically defined surface called an event horizon that...
at the edge of the solar system
Solar System
The Solar System consists of the Sun and the astronomical objects gravitationally bound in orbit around it, all of which formed from the collapse of a giant molecular cloud approximately 4.6 billion years ago. The vast majority of the system's mass is in the Sun...
, but the Griffin family
Griffin family
The Griffin family is a family from the animated television series Family Guy. The Griffins are a nuclear family consisting of the married couple Peter and Lois, their three children Meg, Chris, and Stewie, and their dog Brian. They live at 31 Spooner Street in the fictional town of Quahog, Rhode...
pays no attention to the announcement. Peter alerts the family that he has been selected for jury duty
Jury duty
Jury duty is service as a juror in a legal proceeding. When a person is called for jury duty in the United States, that service is usually not optional: one must attend or face strict penalties. Employers are not allowed to fire an employee simply for being called to jury duty...
, which he believes is an exclusive experience. After Brian
Brian Griffin
Brian Griffin is a character from the animated television series Family Guy. He is voiced by Seth MacFarlane and first appeared on television, along with the rest of the family, in a 15-minute short on December 20, 1998. Brian was created and designed by MacFarlane himself...
informs him that everyone serves jury duty at some point, Peter tries to be kicked out of court by annoying the others, expressing fabricated prejudices, singing Surfin' Bird
Surfin' Bird
"Surfin' Bird" is a song performed by the American surf rock band The Trashmen; it is also the name of the album that featured this hit single. It was released in 1963 and reached No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100...
, and attempting to discuss the trial outside of the courtroom. When Peter returns home that night, the local news announces that the Earth will be destroyed by the newly discovered, and continually expanding, black hole within the next 24 hours. Frantic over the news, everyone in Quahog attempts to live out the best last day possible. Herbert finally attempts to have sex with Chris
Chris Griffin
Chris Griffin is a character from the animated television series Family Guy. He is the son and middle child of Peter and Lois Griffin, brother of Stewie and Meg Griffin. Chris is voiced by Seth Green.-Personality:...
, Quagmire
Glenn Quagmire
Glenn Quagmire, often referred to as just Quagmire, is a character from the animated television series Family Guy. Quagmire is a neighbor and friend of the Griffin family. He is best known for his hypersexuality...
has sex with Bonnie, and Peter finally manages to steal a lion from the zoo and say the "you-know-what word"
Nigger
Nigger is a noun in the English language, most notable for its usage in a pejorative context to refer to black people , and also as an informal slang term, among other contexts. It is a common ethnic slur...
in a black neighborhood (he is well respected as a result). As the countdown reaches its final seconds, Peter confesses to Lois
Lois Griffin
Lois Griffin is a character from the animated television series Family Guy. She is voiced by writer Alex Borstein and first appeared on television, along with the rest of the family in the 15-minute short on December 20, 1998. Lois was created and designed by series creator Seth MacFarlane...
that while he loves her, he hates spending time with his kids. Immediately afterward, the news anchors reveal the black hole report was an April Fools'
April Fools' Day
April Fools' Day is celebrated in different countries around the world on April 1 every year. Sometimes referred to as All Fools' Day, April 1 is not a national holiday, but is widely recognized and celebrated as a day when many people play all kinds of jokes and foolishness...
joke.
Stunned at their father's newly revealed hatred, Meg
Meg Griffin
Meg Griffin is a character from the animated television series Family Guy. She is the eldest child of Lois and Peter and elder sister of Chris and Stewie. Meg is considered as the black sheep of the series due to the lack of attention she receives....
, Chris
Chris Griffin
Chris Griffin is a character from the animated television series Family Guy. He is the son and middle child of Peter and Lois Griffin, brother of Stewie and Meg Griffin. Chris is voiced by Seth Green.-Personality:...
and Stewie
Stewie Griffin
Stewie Griffin is a fictional character from the animated television series Family Guy. Once obsessed with world domination and matricide, Stewie is the youngest child of Peter and Lois Griffin, and the brother of Chris and Meg....
avoid Peter. After realizing how angry they are, Peter tries to reconcile with his kids by spending time with each of them. However, he and his kids share no common interests and Peter only makes things worse by using the methamphetamine
Methamphetamine
Methamphetamine is a psychostimulant of the phenethylamine and amphetamine class of psychoactive drugs...
he had wanted to share with Chris. After a heartfelt speech does not work, Peter finally buys his kids' love by giving them a new Xbox 360
Xbox 360
The Xbox 360 is the second video game console produced by Microsoft and the successor to the Xbox. The Xbox 360 competes with Sony's PlayStation 3 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
, and they proclaim Peter "the best father ever". He does not let them use it, however, because he is too busy playing Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 is a first-person shooter video game developed by Infinity Ward and published by Activision for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 video game consoles and the Microsoft Windows operating system. Officially announced on February 11, 2009, the game was released worldwide on...
, albeit terribly, much to the other players' fury, one of them being Quagmire (who tells Peter he sucks).
Production and development
As his first official episode for the series, the episode was directed by Joseph Lee, who had previously served as an assistant director and storyboard artistStoryboard artist
Storyboard artist is a profession specialized in creating storyboards for advertising agencies and film productions.A storyboard artist is able to visualize any stories using quick sketches on paper at any moment...
for the show. In addition, the episode was written by series regular John Viener, his second episode for the season, the first being "Jerome is the New Black
Jerome is the New Black
"Jerome is the New Black" is the seventh episode of the eighth season of the animated comedy series Family Guy. It originally aired on Fox in the United States on November 22, 2009. The episode follows Peter, Joe and Quagmire as they go on a search for a new friend, in the absence of Cleveland...
". In promoting the episode, an image of Stan
Stan Smith (American Dad!)
Stan Smith is a character from the animated television series American Dad!. Stan is a Central Intelligence Agency officer. Although once a case officer, he is now a weapons expert. Stan is voiced by the series' creator and executive producer, Seth MacFarlane.-Summary:Stan Smith born 12 February,...
and Francine Smith
Francine Smith
Francine Smith is a fictional character on the animated television series American Dad!. She is the wife of Stan Smith and the mother of Steve and Hayley. Francine is voiced by Wendy Schaal.-Fictional character biography:...
meeting and speaking with Lois and Peter, along with an image of Peter, Brian
Brian Griffin
Brian Griffin is a character from the animated television series Family Guy. He is voiced by Seth MacFarlane and first appeared on television, along with the rest of the family, in a 15-minute short on December 20, 1998. Brian was created and designed by MacFarlane himself...
, Joe and Quagmire drinking cans of beer in front of the house from King of the Hill
King of the Hill
King of the Hill is an American animated dramedy series created by Mike Judge and Greg Daniels, that ran from January 12, 1997, to May 6, 2010, on Fox network. It centers on the Hills, a working-class Methodist family in the fictional small town of Arlen, Texas...
was released by 20th Century Fox
20th Century Fox
Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation — also known as 20th Century Fox, or simply 20th or Fox — is one of the six major American film studios...
. A press release of a purported crossover was also made public. Having released the information on April Fools' Day, the crossover was revealed to be an April Fools' joke after the episode aired without a crossover occurring.
"April in Quahog", along with the eleven other episodes from Family Guys eighth season, will be released on a three-disc DVD
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
set in the United States on December 13, 2011. The sets include brief audio commentaries by various crew and cast members for several episodes, a collection of deleted scenes and animatics, a special mini-feature which discussed the process behind animating "And Then There Were Fewer
And Then There Were Fewer
"And Then There Were Fewer" is the first episode of the ninth season of the animated comedy series Family Guy. It originally aired on Fox in the United States on September 26, 2010. The episode follows the citizens of Quahog, Rhode Island, after they are invited by actor James Woods to his stately...
", a mini-feature entitled "The Comical Adventures of Family Guy - Brian & Stewie: The Lost Phone Call", and footage of the Family Guy panel at the 2010 San Diego Comic-Con International.
In addition to the regular cast, voice actor James Burkholder, actress Anne Hathaway
Anne Hathaway (actress)
Anne Jacqueline Hathaway is an American actress. After several stage roles, she appeared in the 1999 television series Get Real. She played Mia Thermopolis in The Princess Diaries...
and singer and performer Jason Mraz
Jason Mraz
Jason Thomas Mraz , also known as Mr. AZ and Mr. Raz, is an American singer-songwriter. Mraz released his debut album, Waiting for My Rocket to Come, which contained the hit single "The Remedy ", in 2002, but it was not until the release of his second album, "Mr. A-Z", in 2005, that Mraz achieved...
guest starred in the episode. Recurring guest voice actors Lori Alan
Lori Alan
Lori Alan , sometimes credited as Lori Allen, is an American voice actress who provides the voice of news anchor Diane Simmons on Family Guy, various voices on Hey Arnold!, and SpongeBob SquarePants as Pearl....
, Johnny Brennan, Chris Cox
Chris Cox (actor)
Chris Cox is a filmmaker and voice actor. He is best known, as himself, for the 2001 Small Shots TV series for Spike TV.Cox replaced George Eads in the role of Captain Atom for the popular animated series Justice League Unlimited. Eads was unwilling to reprise his voice role after an appearance in...
, Ralph Garman
Ralph Garman
Ralph Garman is an American actor, comedian, and radio host best known as the host of The Joe Schmo Show, for his voice work in Family Guy, and as the entertainment reporter and impressionist for the Kevin and Bean morning show on Los Angeles radio station, KROQ-FM...
, writer Mark Hentemann
Mark Hentemann
Mark Hentemann is an American animation writer. Hentemann is most notably known for writing several episodes of the animated series Family Guy...
, voice actor Phil LaMarr
Phil LaMarr
Phillip "Phil" LaMarr is an American actor, comedian and voice actor. One of the original cast members on the sketch comedy series MADtv, he is also known for his small, but memorable role as Marvin in Pulp Fiction...
, writer Chris Sheridan, writer Danny Smith
Danny Smith (writer)
Daniel "Danny" Smith is an executive producer, writer and voice actor on the American animated television series Family Guy. He has been with the show since its inception and throughout the years has contributed many episodes, such as "Holy Crap", "The Father, the Son, and the Holy Fonz", "Chitty...
, writer Alec Sulkin
Alec Sulkin
Alec Sulkin is an American television writer. Most notable for writing and producing several episodes of the animated series Family Guy, he has also contributed to The Cleveland Show, another series by Family Guy creator Seth MacFarlane....
and writer John Viener also made minor appearances.
Cultural references
In the opening scene of the episode, the Griffin family is seen watching the Channel 5 News, with Tricia Takanawa then beginning an interview with Stephen HawkingStephen Hawking
Stephen William Hawking, CH, CBE, FRS, FRSA is an English theoretical physicist and cosmologist, whose scientific books and public appearances have made him an academic celebrity...
. Hawking, who is paralyzed due to neuro-muscular dystrophy
Muscular dystrophy
Muscular dystrophy is a group of muscle diseases that weaken the musculoskeletal system and hamper locomotion. Muscular dystrophies are characterized by progressive skeletal muscle weakness, defects in muscle proteins, and the death of muscle cells and tissue.In the 1860s, descriptions of boys who...
, is seen sitting in his wheelchair. After the camera cuts, Hawking then jumps up from his chair, and admits it is just an act, before deciding to go surfing
Surfing
Surfing' is a surface water sport in which the surfer rides a surfboard on the crest and face of a wave which is carrying the surfer towards the shore...
at the nearby beach.
In mentioning that he has been summoned for jury duty, and implying its exclusivity, Peter is confronted by Brian who reveals that the only reason he was selected was because he had voted in the last election
United States presidential election, 2008
The United States presidential election of 2008 was the 56th quadrennial presidential election. It was held on November 4, 2008. Democrat Barack Obama, then the junior United States Senator from Illinois, defeated Republican John McCain, the senior U.S. Senator from Arizona. Obama received 365...
. Peter goes on to state that he actually stuffed the ballot box at the Oscars, when the nominees included Grover
Grover
Grover is a Muppet character on the popular television show Sesame Street. Self-described as lovable, cute and furry, he is a monster who almost never uses contractions when speaking or singing....
from Sesame Street
Sesame Street
Sesame Street has undergone significant changes in its history. According to writer Michael Davis, by the mid-1970s the show had become "an American institution". The cast and crew expanded during this time, including the hiring of women in the crew and additional minorities in the cast. The...
, Bluto
Bluto
Bluto is a cartoon and comics character created in 1932 by Elzie Crisler Segar as a one-time character, named "Bluto the Terrible", in his Thimble Theatre comic strip . Bluto made his first appearance September 12 of that year...
from Popeye
Popeye
Popeye the Sailor is a cartoon fictional character created by Elzie Crisler Segar, who has appeared in comic strips and animated cartoons in the cinema as well as on television. He first appeared in the daily King Features comic strip Thimble Theatre on January 17, 1929...
, and Daniel Day-Lewis
Daniel Day-Lewis
Daniel Michael Blake Day-Lewis is an English actor with both British and Irish citizenship. His portrayals of Christy Brown in My Left Foot and Daniel Plainview in There Will Be Blood won Academy and BAFTA Awards for Best Actor, and Screen Actors Guild as well as Golden Globe Awards for the latter...
, among others. Actress Anne Hathaway
Anne Hathaway (actress)
Anne Jacqueline Hathaway is an American actress. After several stage roles, she appeared in the 1999 television series Get Real. She played Mia Thermopolis in The Princess Diaries...
presented the award. Going on to find out that everyone is asked to do jury duty, Peter soon seeks to be kicked out, just as he was from the rock band Coldplay
Coldplay
Coldplay are a British alternative rock band formed in 1996 by lead vocalist Chris Martin and lead guitarist Jonny Buckland at University College London. After they formed Pectoralz, Guy Berryman joined the group as a bassist and they changed their name to Starfish. Will Champion joined as a...
once he suggested that they write a song that is "not whiny bullcrap". Further attempting to be kicked out of jury duty, Peter begins singing the song "Surfin' Bird
Surfin' Bird
"Surfin' Bird" is a song performed by the American surf rock band The Trashmen; it is also the name of the album that featured this hit single. It was released in 1963 and reached No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100...
" by The Trashmen
The Trashmen
The Trashmen are a rock and roll band formed in Minneapolis, Minnesota, in 1962. The group's original lineup was Tony Andreason on lead guitar and vocals, Dal Winslow on guitar and vocals, Steve Wahrer on drums and vocals, and Bob Reed on bass guitar...
, a song that was first introduced in the series in the seventh season episode "I Dream of Jesus
I Dream of Jesus
"I Dream of Jesus" is the second episode of the seventh season of Family Guy. It originally aired on Fox in the United States on October 5, 2008. In the episode, Peter finds an incognito Jesus Christ working at a record shop, and convinces Jesus to make his second coming public.The episode was...
".
Before Peter is preparing to leave for jury duty, the family is seen watching a television sitcom entitled How Henry Kissinger Met Your Mother, a parody of the CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
sitcom How I Met Your Mother
How I Met Your Mother
How I Met Your Mother is an American sitcom that premiered on CBS on September 19, 2005, created by Craig Thomas and Carter Bays.As a framing device, the main character, Ted Mosby with narration by Bob Saget, in the year 2030 recounts to his son and daughter the events that led to his meeting...
, which features Henry Kissinger
Henry Kissinger
Heinz Alfred "Henry" Kissinger is a German-born American academic, political scientist, diplomat, and businessman. He is a recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize. He served as National Security Advisor and later concurrently as Secretary of State in the administrations of Presidents Richard Nixon and...
, whose heavy accent makes his speech unintelligible. Once Peter is dressed for court, he explains that even the vending machines at the courthouse are out of order, with Brian then being shown dressed and laughing in a similar manner as the Hanna-Barbera
Hanna-Barbera
Hanna-Barbera Productions, Inc. was an American animation studio that dominated North American television animation during the second half of the 20th century...
cartoon character Muttley
Muttley
Muttley is a Hanna-Barbera animated fictional character created by Iwao Takamoto and originally voiced by Don Messick. In the 2000 Wacky Races videogame he was voiced by Billy West.-Bio:...
.
Having learned of the impending doomsday
Doomsday event
A doomsday event is a specific, plausibly verifiable or hypothetical occurrence which has an exceptionally destructive effect on the human race...
, Mayor Adam West
Adam West (Family Guy)
Adam West, also known as Mayor West, is a character from the animated television series Family Guy. The character, voiced by the actor of the same name, is the eccentric mayor of the town of Quahog, Rhode Island, where the series is set.-Character:...
angrily writes an angry letter to outer space
Outer space
Outer space is the void that exists between celestial bodies, including the Earth. It is not completely empty, but consists of a hard vacuum containing a low density of particles: predominantly a plasma of hydrogen and helium, as well as electromagnetic radiation, magnetic fields, and neutrinos....
, expressing his intention of punching the constellation Orion
Orion (constellation)
Orion, often referred to as The Hunter, is a prominent constellation located on the celestial equator and visible throughout the world. It is one of the most conspicuous, and most recognizable constellations in the night sky...
. West then straps on a jetpack, as well as a fishbowl for his helmet, and flies into space, punching the constellation, causing the stars to form into the Orion Pictures
Orion Pictures
Orion Pictures Corporation was an American independent production company that produced movies from 1978 until 1998. It was formed in 1978 as a joint venture between Warner Bros. and three former top-level executives of United Artists. Although it was never a large motion picture producer, Orion...
company logo. After it is revealed by Channel 5 News that the impending doomsday was actually an April Fools' Day joke, Brian reacts by angrily yelling, "You dicks!", a line uttered by Jeff Spicoli
Jeff Spicoli
Jeff Spicoli is a fictional character in Fast Times at Ridgemont High, where he was played by Sean Penn. While he is a freshman in the book, he is a senior in the film...
, as portrayed by Sean Penn
Sean Penn
Sean Justin Penn is an American actor, screenwriter and film director, also known for his political and social activism...
, in the 1982 comedy film Fast Times at Ridgemont High
Fast Times at Ridgemont High
Fast Times at Ridgemont High is a 1982 American coming-of-age teen comedy film written by Cameron Crowe and adapted from his 1981 book of the same name...
. Unable to win over his children's affection, Peter decides to buy them an Xbox 360
Xbox 360
The Xbox 360 is the second video game console produced by Microsoft and the successor to the Xbox. The Xbox 360 competes with Sony's PlayStation 3 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
to earn the respect once more. Before the end credits, Peter is then shown playing the Xbox 360 game Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 is a first-person shooter video game developed by Infinity Ward and published by Activision for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 video game consoles and the Microsoft Windows operating system. Officially announced on February 11, 2009, the game was released worldwide on...
(Team Deathmatch on Favela), much to his children's chagrin. Peter, gamertag 'pgriffin69x', was killed by Infinity Ward Creative Strategist Robert Bowling, gamertag FOURZEROTWO.
Reception
In a slight decrease from the previous week, the episode was viewed in 6.93 million homes in its original airing, according to Nielsen ratingsNielsen Ratings
Nielsen ratings are the audience measurement systems developed by Nielsen Media Research, in an effort to determine the audience size and composition of television programming in the United States...
. The episode also acquired a 3.4 rating in the 18–49 demographic, beating The Simpsons
The Simpsons
The Simpsons is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series is a satirical parody of a middle class American lifestyle epitomized by its family of the same name, which consists of Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie...
and The Cleveland Show
The Cleveland Show
The Cleveland Show is an American animated television series that premiered on September 27, 2009, as a part of the "Animation Domination" lineup on Fox in the United States...
, as well as the return episode of American Dad!
American Dad!
American Dad! is an American animated television series created by Seth MacFarlane and owned by Underdog Productions and Fuzzy Door Productions. It is produced in association with 20th Century Fox Television...
, which had been put into a temporary hiatus, in order to accommodate Sons of Tucson
Sons of Tucson
Sons of Tucson is a comedy television series starring Tyler Labine, Frank Dolce, Matthew Levy and Benjamin Stockham. It premiered on Fox on March 11, 2010...
. In addition, the episode significantly edged out all three shows in total viewership.
Reviews of the episode were mostly mixed, calling it a "tragedy," but "funnier than expected." Todd VanDerWerff of The A.V. Club
The A.V. Club
The A.V. Club is an entertainment newspaper and website published by The Onion. Its features include reviews of new films, music, television, books, games and DVDs, as well as interviews and other regular offerings examining both new and classic media and other elements of pop culture. Unlike its...
noted that there are "funny lines tucked around the edges of every episode but there's nothing here that justifies the needlessly elaborate plots." Jason Hughes of TV Squad gave the episode a more positive review, stating that Peter's attempts to bond with his children "brought some of the most hilarious visuals." Ramsey Isler of IGN
IGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
gave the episode a much more negative review, noting that it did not "have many redeeming qualities," and the jokes were "mediocre." In a subsequent review of Family Guys eighth season, Isler listed "April in Quahog" as being "full of the lowest of the lowest-common-denominator "jokes", with heavy reliance on toilet humor and the characteristic cutaway gags that have steadily gotten more random and less funny."