Brian Griffin's House of Payne
Encyclopedia
"Brian Griffin's House of Payne" is the fifteenth episode of the eighth season
of the animated
comedy series
Family Guy
. It originally aired on Fox
in the United States
on March 28, 2010. The episode features Brian
after he discovers an old script he had written in the basement, and subsequently pitches the show to television executives. The show is quickly and dramatically altered by the executives and James Woods, however, much to the frustration of Brian, who nevertheless attempts to adapt to the new format. Meanwhile Chris
and Meg
attempt to hide the fact that Stewie
, is unconscious, after they accidentally bump him down a flight of stairs.
The episode was written by Spencer Porter and directed by Jerry Langford
. It received mixed reviews from critics for its storyline and many cultural references. According to Nielsen ratings
, it was viewed in 7.27 million homes in its original airing. The episode featured guest performances by Jennifer Birmingham, Rob Lotterstein
, Danielle Panabaker
, Charlie Sheen
, Elijah Wood
and James Woods
, along with several recurring guest voice actors for the series. "Brian Griffin's House of Payne" will be released on DVD
along with ten other episodes from the season on December 13, 2011.
rams a toy spaceship into Peter
's ear, annoying him, so Peter throws Rupert into the basement. Stewie follows the bear, discovering an old television script that Brian
wrote entitled "What I Learned on Jefferson Street". Stewie tosses the script onto the kitchen table, prompting Lois
to question what it is about. Brian suggests she read it and tell him what she thinks. Lois falls in love with it, and suggests he meet with network executives about producing the show. When Brian pitches it to CBS
, the executives respond positively. While the initial casting session goes well, with Elijah Wood
auditioning for the lead, the producers also bring in James Woods
, who performs the role in a more comedic fashion, winning over the executives. Brian's serious drama is turned into a sitcom
, bringing in a live studio audience as well as a chimpanzee
, and renaming it Class Holes. When Brian objects to the changes, the producers remind him of what he had tried to achieve for many years: his own television show. Disappointed that Brian allowed the executives to change his show so dramatically, Lois demands that he stand up for himself and object to everything James Woods changed about the show. The producers do not take kindly to Brian's desire to start over, and as Woods suggestes further changes, Brian quits in frustration.
Meanwhile, Chris
sneaks into Meg
's bedroom and reads her diary. Discovering him, Meg chases after Chris while Stewie walks by the staircase. Accidentally bumped by them, Stewie tumbles down the stairs and becomes unconscious, suffering a severe head wound. Chris and Meg hide the wound with a hat. Continuing the charade, they are approached by Peter, who asks how long Stewie has been unconscious. Peter reveals that he has knocked both of them out plenty of times, and wants to continue hiding Stewie's injury from Lois until he can frame her for it. The next day, noticing Lois pulling out of the driveway, Peter throws Stewie behind her car, making it appear Lois has run him over. Lois suggests they frame someone else, but Peter professes his love for her and suggests they take Stewie to the hospital.
Brian reveals his disappointment that he no longer has his own television show, but Lois convinces him that it is his integrity that matters. Peter interrupts, with his own show appearing on the screen, entitled Bigger Jaws
. Stewie walks in on the family with his head wrapped in bandages, revealing that many months have passed since his accident, he asks what happened to him.
on both Family Guy, as well as The Cleveland Show
and American Dad!
. In addition, the episode was directed by series regular Jerry Langford
, his second episode for the season, the first being "Quagmire's Baby
".
"Brian Griffin's House of Payne", 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.
Returning for his fourth official appearance in the series, the first being "Peter's Got Woods", the second being "Back to the Woods
" and the third being a brief cameo appearance in the Empire Strikes Back
parody entitled "Something, Something, Something, Dark Side
", actor James Woods
reassumed his role as the overly exaggerated version of himself. In addition, voice actress Jennifer Birmingham, writer Rob Lotterstein
, and actors Charlie Sheen
and Elijah Wood
guest star as themselves. Recurring guest voice actor Ralph Garman
and writers Mark Hentemann
, Chris Sheridan, Danny Smith
, Alec Sulkin
and John Viener also made minor appearances.
and Star Wars
inspired space fight is shown between Stewie, Rupert, and a giant spaceship in the shape of Peter's head, along with a series of look-a-like TIE fighters
. In addition, Stewie paraphrases a series of lyrics from the 1972 single "Rocket Man" by singer-songwriter and composer Elton John
. When Brian's script is brought up during lunch, Peter mentions his own idea for a script entitled "Big Jaws", in which the shark from the 1975 film Jaws
has to team up with the guys going after him to get "bigger Jaws." After it's produced, Peter already has a sequel in mind called "Way Bigger Jaws". Most of the storyline following Stewie, Chris and Meg is an homage to the 1989 film Weekend at Bernie's
. The episode's title is also a reference to the TBS
series Tyler Perry's House of Payne
. As the family gathers around the television to watch Brian's show, actors Charlie Sheen
, Jon Cryer
and Angus T. Jones
of the CBS
comedy sitcom Two and a Half Men
appear in the Griffin family
living room, with Sheen attacking Brian for always criticizing their show.
, despite airing simultaneously with The Amazing Race
on CBS
, Celebrity Apprentice
on NBC
and WWE WrestleMania XXVI
on pay-per-view
. The episode also acquired a 3.7 rating in the 18-49 demographic, beating The Simpsons
, The Cleveland Show
and Sons of Tucson
, in addition to significantly edging out all three shows in total viewership.
Reviews of the episode were mixed. Todd VanDerWerff of The A.V. Club
called Brian's plotline a "pretty funny, if uninspired, take on the pilot process." VanDerWerff also criticized the Stewie storyline, calling it an unnecessary "grossout gag." In a more positive review, Jason Hughes of TV Squad noted that "both storylines were funny to their respective ends," in addition to praising James Woods' performance in the episode. Ramsey Isler of IGN
criticized Brian's plotline, writing that it "really didn't work as comedy" and "if the episode had been entirely about Stewie's predicament, it might have been much better."
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 March 28, 2010. The episode features 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...
after he discovers an old script he had written in the basement, and subsequently pitches the show to television executives. The show is quickly and dramatically altered by the executives and James Woods, however, much to the frustration of Brian, who nevertheless attempts to adapt to the new format. Meanwhile 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 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....
attempt to hide the fact that 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....
, is unconscious, after they accidentally bump him down a flight of stairs.
The episode was written by Spencer Porter and directed by Jerry Langford
Jerry Langford
Jerry Langford is an American animation director. Langford is most notably known for directing several episodes of the animated series Family Guy....
. 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 7.27 million homes in its original airing. The episode featured guest performances by Jennifer Birmingham, Rob Lotterstein
Rob Lotterstein
Rob Lotterstein is an American television writer, producer and creator. He has produced and written for numerous television sitcoms including Boy Meets World, Suddenly Susan, Ellen, and Will & Grace, as well as serving as creator and executive producer of the critically acclaimed FOX sitcom The War...
, Danielle Panabaker
Danielle Panabaker
Danielle Nicole Panabaker is an American actress. She was a cast member in the CBS drama Shark, and appeared in the films Mr. Brooks, Sky High, The Crazies and Friday the 13th, among other projects...
, Charlie Sheen
Charlie Sheen
Carlos Irwin Estevez , better known by his stage name Charlie Sheen, is an American film and television actor. He is the youngest son of actor Martin Sheen....
, Elijah Wood
Elijah Wood
Elijah Jordan Wood is an American actor. He made his film debut with a minor part in Back to the Future Part II , then landed a succession of larger roles that made him a critically acclaimed child actor by age 9. He is best known for his high-profile role as Frodo Baggins in Peter Jackson's...
and James Woods
James Woods
James Howard Woods is an American film, stage and television actor. Woods is known for starring in critically acclaimed films such as Once Upon a Time in America, Salvador, Nixon, Ghosts of Mississippi, Casino, and in the television legal drama Shark. He has won three Emmy Awards, and has gained...
, along with several recurring guest voice actors for the series. "Brian Griffin's House of Payne" 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
StewieStewie 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....
rams a toy spaceship into 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....
's ear, annoying him, so Peter throws Rupert into the basement. Stewie follows the bear, discovering an old television script that 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...
wrote entitled "What I Learned on Jefferson Street". Stewie tosses the script onto the kitchen table, prompting 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...
to question what it is about. Brian suggests she read it and tell him what she thinks. Lois falls in love with it, and suggests he meet with network executives about producing the show. When Brian pitches it to 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...
, the executives respond positively. While the initial casting session goes well, with Elijah Wood
Elijah Wood
Elijah Jordan Wood is an American actor. He made his film debut with a minor part in Back to the Future Part II , then landed a succession of larger roles that made him a critically acclaimed child actor by age 9. He is best known for his high-profile role as Frodo Baggins in Peter Jackson's...
auditioning for the lead, the producers also bring in James Woods
James Woods
James Howard Woods is an American film, stage and television actor. Woods is known for starring in critically acclaimed films such as Once Upon a Time in America, Salvador, Nixon, Ghosts of Mississippi, Casino, and in the television legal drama Shark. He has won three Emmy Awards, and has gained...
, who performs the role in a more comedic fashion, winning over the executives. Brian's serious drama is turned into a sitcom
Situation comedy
A situation comedy, often shortened to sitcom, is a genre of comedy that features characters sharing the same common environment, such as a home or workplace, accompanied with jokes as part of the dialogue...
, bringing in a live studio audience as well as a chimpanzee
Chimpanzee
Chimpanzee, sometimes colloquially chimp, is the common name for the two extant species of ape in the genus Pan. The Congo River forms the boundary between the native habitat of the two species:...
, and renaming it Class Holes. When Brian objects to the changes, the producers remind him of what he had tried to achieve for many years: his own television show. Disappointed that Brian allowed the executives to change his show so dramatically, Lois demands that he stand up for himself and object to everything James Woods changed about the show. The producers do not take kindly to Brian's desire to start over, and as Woods suggestes further changes, Brian quits in frustration.
Meanwhile, 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:...
sneaks into 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....
's bedroom and reads her diary. Discovering him, Meg chases after Chris while Stewie walks by the staircase. Accidentally bumped by them, Stewie tumbles down the stairs and becomes unconscious, suffering a severe head wound. Chris and Meg hide the wound with a hat. Continuing the charade, they are approached by Peter, who asks how long Stewie has been unconscious. Peter reveals that he has knocked both of them out plenty of times, and wants to continue hiding Stewie's injury from Lois until he can frame her for it. The next day, noticing Lois pulling out of the driveway, Peter throws Stewie behind her car, making it appear Lois has run him over. Lois suggests they frame someone else, but Peter professes his love for her and suggests they take Stewie to the hospital.
Brian reveals his disappointment that he no longer has his own television show, but Lois convinces him that it is his integrity that matters. Peter interrupts, with his own show appearing on the screen, entitled Bigger Jaws
Jaws (film)
Jaws is a 1975 American horror-thriller film directed by Steven Spielberg and based on Peter Benchley's novel of the same name. In the story, the police chief of Amity Island, a fictional summer resort town, tries to protect beachgoers from a giant man-eating great white shark by closing the beach,...
. Stewie walks in on the family with his head wrapped in bandages, revealing that many months have passed since his accident, he asks what happened to him.
Production and development
In his first official episode for the series, the show was written by Spencer Porter, who had previously worked as a writing assistant for series creator and executive producer Seth MacFarlaneSeth MacFarlane
Seth Woodbury MacFarlane is an American animator, writer, comedian, producer, actor, singer, voice actor, and director best known for creating the animated sitcoms Family Guy, American Dad! and The Cleveland Show, for which he also voices many of the shows' various characters.A native of Kent,...
on both Family Guy, as well as 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...
and 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...
. In addition, the episode was directed by series regular Jerry Langford
Jerry Langford
Jerry Langford is an American animation director. Langford is most notably known for directing several episodes of the animated series Family Guy....
, his second episode for the season, the first being "Quagmire's Baby
Quagmire's Baby
"Quagmire's Baby" is the sixth episode of the eighth season of the animated comedy series Family Guy. It originally aired on Fox in the United States on November 15, 2009. The episode centers around neighbor Glenn Quagmire, after he suddenly discovers that he is the illegitimate father of a newborn...
".
"Brian Griffin's House of Payne", 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.
Returning for his fourth official appearance in the series, the first being "Peter's Got Woods", the second being "Back to the Woods
Back to the Woods (Family Guy)
"Back to the Woods" is the ninth episode of season six in the FOX animated series Family Guy that aired on February 17, 2008. James Woods and Barry Manilow play themselves in special guest appearances, and impressionist Dave Van Dam portrays David Letterman...
" and the third being a brief cameo appearance in the Empire Strikes Back
Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back
Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back is a 1980 American epic space opera film directed by Irvin Kershner. The screenplay, based on a story by George Lucas, was written by Leigh Brackett and Lawrence Kasdan...
parody entitled "Something, Something, Something, Dark Side
Something, Something, Something, Dark Side
"Something, Something, Something, Dark Side" is the season finale of the eighth season of the animated comedy series Family Guy and part of the series's trilogy Laugh It Up, Fuzzball. It originally aired on Fox in the United States on May 23, 2010...
", actor James Woods
James Woods
James Howard Woods is an American film, stage and television actor. Woods is known for starring in critically acclaimed films such as Once Upon a Time in America, Salvador, Nixon, Ghosts of Mississippi, Casino, and in the television legal drama Shark. He has won three Emmy Awards, and has gained...
reassumed his role as the overly exaggerated version of himself. In addition, voice actress Jennifer Birmingham, writer Rob Lotterstein
Rob Lotterstein
Rob Lotterstein is an American television writer, producer and creator. He has produced and written for numerous television sitcoms including Boy Meets World, Suddenly Susan, Ellen, and Will & Grace, as well as serving as creator and executive producer of the critically acclaimed FOX sitcom The War...
, and actors Charlie Sheen
Charlie Sheen
Carlos Irwin Estevez , better known by his stage name Charlie Sheen, is an American film and television actor. He is the youngest son of actor Martin Sheen....
and Elijah Wood
Elijah Wood
Elijah Jordan Wood is an American actor. He made his film debut with a minor part in Back to the Future Part II , then landed a succession of larger roles that made him a critically acclaimed child actor by age 9. He is best known for his high-profile role as Frodo Baggins in Peter Jackson's...
guest star as themselves. Recurring guest voice actor 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...
and writers 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...
, Chris Sheridan, 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...
, 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 John Viener also made minor appearances.
Cultural references
In the opening scene of the episode, a Battlestar GalacticaBattlestar Galactica
Battlestar Galactica is an American science fiction franchise created by Glen A. Larson. The franchise began with the Battlestar Galactica TV series in 1978, and was followed by a brief sequel TV series in 1980, a line of book adaptations, original novels, comic books, a board game, and video games...
and Star Wars
Star Wars
Star Wars is an American epic space opera film series created by George Lucas. The first film in the series was originally released on May 25, 1977, under the title Star Wars, by 20th Century Fox, and became a worldwide pop culture phenomenon, followed by two sequels, released at three-year...
inspired space fight is shown between Stewie, Rupert, and a giant spaceship in the shape of Peter's head, along with a series of look-a-like TIE fighters
TIE fighter
TIE fighters are fictional starfighters in the Star Wars universe. Propelled by Twin Ion Engines , TIE fighters are depicted as fast, fragile starfighters produced by Sienar Fleet Systems for the Galactic Empire...
. In addition, Stewie paraphrases a series of lyrics from the 1972 single "Rocket Man" by singer-songwriter and composer Elton John
Elton John
Sir Elton Hercules John, CBE, Hon DMus is an English rock singer-songwriter, composer, pianist and occasional actor...
. When Brian's script is brought up during lunch, Peter mentions his own idea for a script entitled "Big Jaws", in which the shark from the 1975 film Jaws
Jaws (film)
Jaws is a 1975 American horror-thriller film directed by Steven Spielberg and based on Peter Benchley's novel of the same name. In the story, the police chief of Amity Island, a fictional summer resort town, tries to protect beachgoers from a giant man-eating great white shark by closing the beach,...
has to team up with the guys going after him to get "bigger Jaws." After it's produced, Peter already has a sequel in mind called "Way Bigger Jaws". Most of the storyline following Stewie, Chris and Meg is an homage to the 1989 film Weekend at Bernie's
Weekend at Bernie's
Weekend at Bernie's is a 1989 American comedy film directed by Ted Kotcheff. A comedy starring Andrew McCarthy and Jonathan Silverman features the two as a couple of young insurance agency employees who discover their boss is deceased...
. The episode's title is also a reference to the TBS
TBS (TV channel)
TBS , stylized in the logo as tbs, is an American cable television channel owned by Time Warner that shows a variety of programming, with a focus on comedy. TBS was originally known as WTCG, a UHF terrestrial television station that broadcast from Atlanta, Georgia, during the late 1970s...
series Tyler Perry's House of Payne
Tyler Perry's House of Payne
Tyler Perry's House of Payne is an American comedy-drama television series created and produced by playwright, director, and producer Tyler Perry. The show revolves around a multi-generational family living under one roof in Atlanta, Georgia led by patriarch Curtis Payne and his wife Ella...
. As the family gathers around the television to watch Brian's show, actors Charlie Sheen
Charlie Sheen
Carlos Irwin Estevez , better known by his stage name Charlie Sheen, is an American film and television actor. He is the youngest son of actor Martin Sheen....
, Jon Cryer
Jon Cryer
Jonathan Niven "Jon" Cryer is an American actor, screenwriter and film producer. He is the son of actress–singer Gretchen Cryer. He made his motion picture debut in the 1984 romantic comedy No Small Affair, but gained greater fame as "Duckie" in the 1986 John Hughes-scripted film Pretty in Pink...
and Angus T. Jones
Angus T. Jones
Angus Turner Jones is an American actor, widely known for his role as Jake Harper in the CBS sitcom Two and a Half Men .-Career:...
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...
comedy sitcom Two and a Half Men
Two and a Half Men
Two and a Half Men is an American television sitcom that premiered on CBS on September 22, 2003. Starring Charlie Sheen, Jon Cryer, and Angus T. Jones, the show was originally about a hedonistic jingle writer, Charlie Harper; his uptight brother, Alan; and Alan's growing son, Jake...
appear in 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...
living room, with Sheen attacking Brian for always criticizing their show.
Reception
In an improvement over the previous four episodes, the episode was viewed in 7.27 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...
, despite airing simultaneously with The Amazing Race
The Amazing Race
The Amazing Race is a reality television game show in which teams of two people, who have some form of a preexisting personal relationship, race around the world in competition with other teams...
on 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...
, Celebrity Apprentice
The Apprentice (U.S. season 9)
The Celebrity Apprentice 3 is the ninth installment of the United States version of the reality television series, The Apprentice. On April 29, 2009, NBC officially announced the renewal of Celebrity Apprentice for Spring 2010. The show premiered on Sunday, March 14, 2010...
on NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
and WWE WrestleMania XXVI
WrestleMania XXVI
WrestleMania XXVI was the twenty-sixth annual WrestleMania professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by World Wrestling Entertainment , which took place on March 28, 2010 at the University of Phoenix Stadium in the Phoenix suburb of Glendale, Arizona. This was the fourth WrestleMania to...
on pay-per-view
Pay-per-view
Pay-per-view provides a service by which a television audience can purchase events to view via private telecast. The broadcaster shows the event at the same time to everyone ordering it...
. The episode also acquired a 3.7 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...
, 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...
and 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 to significantly edging out all three shows in total viewership.
Reviews of the episode were mixed. 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...
called Brian's plotline a "pretty funny, if uninspired, take on the pilot process." VanDerWerff also criticized the Stewie storyline, calling it an unnecessary "grossout gag." In a more positive review, Jason Hughes of TV Squad noted that "both storylines were funny to their respective ends," in addition to praising James Woods' performance in the episode. 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...
criticized Brian's plotline, writing that it "really didn't work as comedy" and "if the episode had been entirely about Stewie's predicament, it might have been much better."