Cleveland Live!
Encyclopedia
"Cleveland Live!" is the second episode of the second season of the animated television series The Cleveland Show
, airing on October 3, 2010 on Fox
.
In this episode, Cleveland and Donna attempt to celebrate their anniversary, their unruly kids and disruptive friends, including Donna’s ex-husband, Robert, get in their way.
The episode is presented as though it were being performed live to air (which would be difficult or impossible for an animated show using present technology), and contains numerous glitches which are presented as genuine mistakes but which are, of course, entirely scripted.
tells the boys they are staying with Robert Tubbs so that Cleveland and Donna can celebrate their anniversary. Roberta announces she is going to a friends house and an unseen stagehand yells that Cleveland is fat.
At Robert's house, they hear a knock on the door and Robert believes that it is people he scammed that have come after him. Robert shows Cleveland his secret stash of guns and Cleveland shoots the stagehand, not realizing the gun has real ammunition. Cleveland arranges for Robert to stay at Tim and Arriana's where Robert seduces Arianna.
Back at the Brown's house, Cleveland and Donna try again for a night of romance where Roberta arrives and complains about being written out of the episode. Just then Tim arrives and tells of seeing Robert and Arianna. Roberta interrupts by walking across the stage with a bottle of alcohol and says she is starting the afterparty since her role was cut from the show. Cleveland nervously tries to get her off stage and she hit him in the throat, forcing him to call for commercial.
When they return, Cleveland has a stagehand in Roberta's clothes and wig read from a script that "she" is sorry for interrupting, gives an explanation for her actions and says she is going back to her friend's house.
Back to a disconsolate Tim, Cleveland and Donna decide to go to Arianna's house where they find her still glowing from the sex and dropping innuendos. They try to convince Arianna that Tim needs her and she describes how hard it would be after a night with Robert and Arianna and Donna start comparing experiences.
Cleveland and Donna return home where they tell Tim he has to fight to keep Arianna. Robert bursts through the door convinced his pursuers are closing in. Arianna follow trying to persuade Robert to take her with him. The door bursts open and Julia Roberts
bursts in portraying "Julia Robertson", Robert's parole officer. A drunken Roberta returns and despite the director and camera crew desperately trying to keep her out of frame, she gets to perform her monologue from the debate scene that was cut. When she slams the door on her way out, a light falls on Julia Roberts. As a medic crew rushes in to save Julia, the director announces that they are running out of time and Cleveland hastily rushes through a scenario of Tim and Arianna making up, Robert spending more time with the kids and Cleveland and Donna getting their romantic dinner, finishing just in time. The cast hurriedly says their goodbyes over Julia Roberts' corpse, revealing characters who did not appear in the episode and twins portraying Rallo.
and was followed by Family Guy
and the 100th episode of American Dad!
. It was watched by 6.65 million viewers, according to Nielsen ratings
. The episode also acquired a 3.1 rating in the 18–49 demographic, beating American Dad!. The episode's ratings increased slightly from the show's season premiere.
In a simultaneous review of the episodes of The Simpsons that preceded the show, and the broadcast of Family Guy and American Dad! that followed it, The A.V. Club's
Rowan Kaiser gave a negative review to the episode, going as far as to say he is "not entirely certain why this show exists," as he says it is "complete with unfunny jokes, audience laughter, and more terrible meta-humor than you could ever possibly want". Despite the criticism, Kaiser did point out positive highlights of the episode, saying Julia Roberts
' sudden appearance and subsequent death "got a laugh out of me" and admitted the "visual gag of the couch spinning into a gun rack was kind of clever." Nonetheless, concluding his review, he ultimately rated the episode an F.
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...
, airing on October 3, 2010 on Fox
Fox
Fox is a common name for many species of omnivorous mammals belonging to the Canidae family. Foxes are small to medium-sized canids , characterized by possessing a long narrow snout, and a bushy tail .Members of about 37 species are referred to as foxes, of which only 12 species actually belong to...
.
In this episode, Cleveland and Donna attempt to celebrate their anniversary, their unruly kids and disruptive friends, including Donna’s ex-husband, Robert, get in their way.
The episode is presented as though it were being performed live to air (which would be difficult or impossible for an animated show using present technology), and contains numerous glitches which are presented as genuine mistakes but which are, of course, entirely scripted.
Plot
ClevelandCleveland Brown
Cleveland Orenthal Brown is a character from the animated television series Family Guy, and its spin-off series The Cleveland Show. He is voiced by Mike Henry. In the first seven seasons of Family Guy, Brown is a frequently recurring character. As one of Peter Griffin's neighbors and friends,...
tells the boys they are staying with Robert Tubbs so that Cleveland and Donna can celebrate their anniversary. Roberta announces she is going to a friends house and an unseen stagehand yells that Cleveland is fat.
At Robert's house, they hear a knock on the door and Robert believes that it is people he scammed that have come after him. Robert shows Cleveland his secret stash of guns and Cleveland shoots the stagehand, not realizing the gun has real ammunition. Cleveland arranges for Robert to stay at Tim and Arriana's where Robert seduces Arianna.
Back at the Brown's house, Cleveland and Donna try again for a night of romance where Roberta arrives and complains about being written out of the episode. Just then Tim arrives and tells of seeing Robert and Arianna. Roberta interrupts by walking across the stage with a bottle of alcohol and says she is starting the afterparty since her role was cut from the show. Cleveland nervously tries to get her off stage and she hit him in the throat, forcing him to call for commercial.
When they return, Cleveland has a stagehand in Roberta's clothes and wig read from a script that "she" is sorry for interrupting, gives an explanation for her actions and says she is going back to her friend's house.
Back to a disconsolate Tim, Cleveland and Donna decide to go to Arianna's house where they find her still glowing from the sex and dropping innuendos. They try to convince Arianna that Tim needs her and she describes how hard it would be after a night with Robert and Arianna and Donna start comparing experiences.
Cleveland and Donna return home where they tell Tim he has to fight to keep Arianna. Robert bursts through the door convinced his pursuers are closing in. Arianna follow trying to persuade Robert to take her with him. The door bursts open and Julia Roberts
Julia Roberts
Julia Fiona Roberts is an American actress. She became a Hollywood star after headlining the romantic comedy Pretty Woman , which grossed $464 million worldwide...
bursts in portraying "Julia Robertson", Robert's parole officer. A drunken Roberta returns and despite the director and camera crew desperately trying to keep her out of frame, she gets to perform her monologue from the debate scene that was cut. When she slams the door on her way out, a light falls on Julia Roberts. As a medic crew rushes in to save Julia, the director announces that they are running out of time and Cleveland hastily rushes through a scenario of Tim and Arianna making up, Robert spending more time with the kids and Cleveland and Donna getting their romantic dinner, finishing just in time. The cast hurriedly says their goodbyes over Julia Roberts' corpse, revealing characters who did not appear in the episode and twins portraying Rallo.
Reception
"Cleveland Live!" was broadcast on October 3, 2010, as a part of an animated television night on Fox, and was preceded by The SimpsonsThe 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 was followed by 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...
and the 100th 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...
. It was watched by 6.65 million viewers, 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...
. The episode also acquired a 3.1 rating in the 18–49 demographic, beating American Dad!. The episode's ratings increased slightly from the show's season premiere.
In a simultaneous review of the episodes of The Simpsons that preceded the show, and the broadcast of Family Guy and American Dad! that followed it, The A.V. Club's
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...
Rowan Kaiser gave a negative review to the episode, going as far as to say he is "not entirely certain why this show exists," as he says it is "complete with unfunny jokes, audience laughter, and more terrible meta-humor than you could ever possibly want". Despite the criticism, Kaiser did point out positive highlights of the episode, saying Julia Roberts
Julia Roberts
Julia Fiona Roberts is an American actress. She became a Hollywood star after headlining the romantic comedy Pretty Woman , which grossed $464 million worldwide...
' sudden appearance and subsequent death "got a laugh out of me" and admitted the "visual gag of the couch spinning into a gun rack was kind of clever." Nonetheless, concluding his review, he ultimately rated the episode an F.