Meet the Quagmires
Encyclopedia
"Meet the Quagmires" is the eighteenth episode of the fifth season
of the animated
comedy series
Family Guy
. It originally aired on Fox
on May 20, 2007. The episode features Peter
after he goes back in time, in order to live the single life a little longer, before he met his wife, Lois
. This causes Quagmire
to make his own move on Lois, and they ultimately end up marrying and having children; much to Peter's dismay, who attempts to correct it, after witnessing his altered life in present day, by going back in time and impressing Lois all over again.
The episode was written by Mark Hentemann
and directed by Dan Povenmire
and Chris Robertson. It received a mostly positive reviews from critics for its storyline, and many cultural references. According to Nielsen ratings
, it was viewed in 9.1 million homes in its original airing. The episode featured guest performances by Luke Adams, Jeff Bergman
, Adam Carolla
, Beth Littleford
and Will Sasso
, along with several recurring guest voice actors for the series.
brag about his sexual exploits, Peter
feels that he has missed out on enjoying the single lifestyle. Death is summoned to The Drunken Clam on a false alarm, and decides to grant Peter's wish by sending him, along with Brian
, back to 1984 for one night. He notices his friend Cleveland, in his '80s look, who high-fives
him around the pool. He then sees 18-year old Lois Pewterschmidt walking around the country club pool, taking her shoes off and jumping off the diving board into the pool with "Mr. Knight" playing in the background. Appearing to others as his 18-year-old self, Peter cancels his scheduled movie date to see Zapped!
with Lois, instead accepting an invitation from Cleveland
to go and party at a bar. Peter enjoys the evening, and ends up making out with actress Molly Ringwald
before Death appears to return him to the present.
Back in the present day, Peter discovers that his past actions have had drastic effects on the world; he and Molly have been married for 20 years; Judd Nelson
crashes into their house once or twice a week, Lois is married to Quagmire, Al Gore
is now President and Chris
, Meg
, and Stewie
have Quagmire's chin, nose, and mannerisms. Brian explains to Peter that by missing out on his date with Lois and making out with Molly, he altered the time line. Over Brian's objections about leaving the "perfect" world (with flying cars that run on vegetable oil and that Gore has killed Osama bin Laden
with his bare hands). Peter wants to go back to the past so he can undo his mistake. Brian says that this is impossible, because Death can only be summoned if someone dies, and thanks to Gore's universal health care people are living much longer, and with a strong, well-funded educational system and zero tolerance gun control, there is no street crime. However, when Jane Jetson suddenly falls on the sidewalk and dies, Death then comes there and grants again Peter's wish to return to the past. Back in the past, Peter is determined to accept Lois' invitation, but repeatedly blows his opportunity, and ends up repeatedly asking Death for a do-over. When Peter finally gets it right, he forgets a few hours later, and parties with Cleveland instead of keeping the date. He asks Death for another chance, but Death, fed up with Peter's continued blunders, tells him that he will have to fix the problem on his own.
When Peter tries to apologize the next day, Lois is still upset with him for missing their date, and has decided to go to the country club dance with Quagmire. Later that night, Peter and Brian sneak into the dance to prevent the kiss that caused Lois to fall in love with Quagmire. They get in by crawling through the air vent, but crash through and kill one of the guys playing in the band on the stage, so Brian has to play guitar and sing. Peter tries to convince Lois that they belong together, but she stubbornly informs Peter that he had his chance, and blew it, and therefore she loves Quagmire now. Peter almost gives up, but Brian notices Chris, Stewie, and Meg disappearing from a family picture, indicating that they have fallen off the plane of existence and tells Peter it is his last chance to do something that proves he loves Lois. Peter then demonstrates his passion by punching Quagmire, and kissing Lois, showing that he cares deeply for her and thus wins back her heart. He asks her to marry him, and she accepts. In honor of this success, Brian and the band play "Never Gonna Give you Up" by Rick Astley
. The episode ends with things appearing to seemingly go back to normal, until Roger from American Dad!
shows up, confusing the entire family.
season 5 episode 22 not 18
, and directed by Chris Robertson and series regular Dan Povenmire
, who left the series after completing the episode, in order to create his own series for the Disney Channel
entitled Phineas and Ferb
, which has since been nominated for three Emmy Award
s. Peter Shin
, James Purdum and Chris Robertson acted as supervising director. Series creator Seth MacFarlane, David A. Goodman, Danny Smith, Mark Hentemann, Steve Callaghan and Chris Sheridan acted as executive producers. Alec Sulkin, Wellesley Wild, Alex Borstein and Mike Henry worked as supervising producers. Cherry Chevapravatdumrong and Patrick Meighan worked as executive story editors. The episode's original premise was based on Cleveland's
divorce from his wife, Loretta, with Cleveland going on to become a hot bachelor in Quahog, causing Peter to become jealous, and desiring to become single again. Due to Warner Bros.
's ownership of Hanna–Barbera, the scene involving The Jetsons
was completely reanimated by episode director Dan Povenmire, including the backgrounds and scenery for the sequence.
Meet the Quagmires, along with four other episodes from the fifth season, and the first seven episodes of the sixth season, were released under the title "Volume 6" by 20th Century Fox in the United States and Canada on October 21, 2008, five months after they had completed broadcast on television. The DVD release also features bonus material including deleted scenes, commentaries, and a 'making of' featurette.
In addition to the regular cast, the episode featured guest performances by voice actor Luke Adams, voice actor Jeff Bergman
, actor Adam Carolla
, actress Beth Littleford
and comedian and actor Will Sasso
. Recurring guest voice actors Alex Breckenridge
, voice actor Johnny Brennan, voice actor Chris Cox
, writer Mark Hentemann, writer Alec Sulkin
and writer John Viener.
Mike Wallace
.
The Back to the Future trilogy
is parodied and referenced throughout the episode, along with many other movies and famous people throughout the 1980s. Other cultural references include how after going back in time, Peter becomes excited about his new prospects in life, and states to Cleveland that he is going to "raise more hell than Hellraiser
" from the 1987 horror film Hellraiser
. It also depicts Pinhead as weak and ridiculous, stating that the worst he can do is unscew a salt shaker and tricking someone into using it, causing salt to come out all over their food. The first scene where Lois appears at the swimming pool is a reference to a scene from the 1980 film Caddyshack
, featuring the song "Mr. Night
" by Kenny Loggins
. Once Lois appears, she asks Peter if he would like to see the 1982 film Zapped!
. Rejecting her offer, Peter decides to go partying with Cleveland instead and play the video game Menstrual Ms. Pac-Man
, in addition to making out with actress Molly Ringwald
. While there, Brian gets into a fight, and instructs the bar patron to meet him on top of the World Trade Center
to fight him at eight A.M. on September 11, 2001. Returning back to the present, Peter and Brian decide to watch television, and are shocked to discover that actor Chevy Chase
is now the host of The Tonight Show
. They also discover that former Vice President Al Gore
is now President of the United States, and flying cars running on vegetable oil exist. A parody of the 1962 ABC
animated series The Jetsons
is then shown. The main plot of the episode, complete with the scene in which Peter and Brian are in the living room, with Brian explaining to Peter what happened using a chalk board, is a reference to the alternate universe
scene in Back to the Future, Part II.
In the past once again, Peter suggests to Lois that they see the 1983 film Krull
instead. Later, Peter and Cleveland, dressed up as Michael Jackson
in the iconic red dress of his video clip "Thriller
," dance to the Beverly Hills Cop
theme. In order to make everything right about the future, Peter and Brian decide to sneak into the prom through a vent. While inside it, Peter recites a line from the 1988 action film Die Hard
. The sequence that follows is a parody of the 1985 film Back to the Future
. After crashing through the vent to the stage, the band begins playing "Earth Angel
" by The Crew-Cuts
, and, after Peter kisses Lois, Brian sings the 1987 single "Never Gonna Give You Up
" by musician Rick Astley
. While Brian sings "Never Gonna Give You Up", Rick Astley's cousin Marvin calls him to say he's found the "mediocre, generic sound" that Astley has been looking for, a reference to Back to the Future
. In the closing scene of the episode Roger the alien
from series creator Seth MacFarlane
's second show American Dad!
suddenly appears in the Griffin family
home, inquiring about Pecan Sandies
.
. The episode also acquired a 3.2 rating in the 18-49 demographic, slightly being edged out by The Simpsons
, while significantly winning over American Dad!
, in both rating and total viewership.
Reviews of the episode were mostly positive, noting its ability to "capture some of the appeal from the pre-cancellation days." Ahsan Haque of IGN
praised the episode's story, writing that it had "a great storyline and the right combination of irrelevant and relevant jokes", giving the episode a 8.4 out of 10. In another positive review, Brett Love of TV Squad called the episode "solid," and praised the scenes set in 1984, and the alternate world. Love went on to state, "The show has lost a little of the luster that it once had, but that's no reason to count them out. There were enough bright spots to give hope for a return to that old form when season six comes around in the fall." He graded "Meet the Quagmires" 5 out of 7.
Family Guy (season 5)
Family Guy fifth season first aired on the Fox network in eighteen episodes from September 10, 2006 to May 20, 2007 before being released as two DVD box sets and in syndication. It premiered with the episode "Stewie Loves Lois" and finished with "Meet the Quagmires"...
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...
on May 20, 2007. The episode features 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....
after he goes back in time, in order to live the single life a little longer, before he met his wife, 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...
. This causes 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...
to make his own move on Lois, and they ultimately end up marrying and having children; much to Peter's dismay, who attempts to correct it, after witnessing his altered life in present day, by going back in time and impressing Lois all over again.
The episode was written by 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...
and directed by Dan Povenmire
Dan Povenmire
Daniel Kingsley "Dan" Povenmire is an American television director, writer, producer, storyboard artist, and actor associated with several animated television series, best known as the co-creator of the Disney animated series Phineas and Ferb in which he also voices the show's villain, Heinz...
and Chris Robertson. It received a mostly positive 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 9.1 million homes in its original airing. The episode featured guest performances by Luke Adams, Jeff Bergman
Jeff Bergman
Jeff Allen Bergman is an American voice actor, who provides the modern day voices of various classic cartoon characters, including Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Elmer Fudd, Yosemite Sam, George Jetson, Fred Flintstone, Yogi Bear, and Huckleberry Hound.-Life and career:Originally from Philadelphia,...
, Adam Carolla
Adam Carolla
Adam Carolla is an American radio personality, television host, comedian, and actor. He currently hosts The Adam Carolla Show, a talk show distributed as a podcast on the ACE Broadcasting Network...
, Beth Littleford
Beth Littleford
Elizabeth Anna Halcyon "Beth" Littleford is an American actress, comedienne, and television personality. She is perhaps best known for being one of the original correspondents on the popular Comedy Central satirical news series The Daily Show from 1996 to 2000; she is also known as Tripp's mother...
and Will Sasso
Will Sasso
William "Will" Sasso is a Canadian comedian and actor. He is most notable for his membership in the recurring cast of comedians on the American sketch comedy series MADtv, spending five seasons on the show.-Early life:...
, along with several recurring guest voice actors for the series.
Plot
After hearing QuagmireGlenn 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...
brag about his sexual exploits, 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....
feels that he has missed out on enjoying the single lifestyle. Death is summoned to The Drunken Clam on a false alarm, and decides to grant Peter's wish by sending him, along with 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...
, back to 1984 for one night. He notices his friend Cleveland, in his '80s look, who high-fives
High five
The high five is a celebratory hand gesture that occurs when two people simultaneously raise one hand, about head high, and push, slide or slap the flat of their palm and hand against the palm and flat hand of their partner...
him around the pool. He then sees 18-year old Lois Pewterschmidt walking around the country club pool, taking her shoes off and jumping off the diving board into the pool with "Mr. Knight" playing in the background. Appearing to others as his 18-year-old self, Peter cancels his scheduled movie date to see Zapped!
Zapped!
Zapped! is a 1982 teen sex comedy starring Scott Baio as a teen who acquires telekinetic powers. The film is regarded as a parody of Carrie but also includes spoofs of The Exorcist, Taxi Driver, Star Trek and the 1969 Kurt Russell film The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes.-Cast:Baio stars as Barney...
with Lois, instead accepting an invitation from Cleveland
Cleveland 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,...
to go and party at a bar. Peter enjoys the evening, and ends up making out with actress Molly Ringwald
Molly Ringwald
Molly Kathleen Ringwald is an American actress, singer and dancer. Having appeared in the John Hughes movies Sixteen Candles , The Breakfast Club , and Pretty in Pink , Ringwald has been frequently named the greatest teen star of all time...
before Death appears to return him to the present.
Back in the present day, Peter discovers that his past actions have had drastic effects on the world; he and Molly have been married for 20 years; Judd Nelson
Judd Nelson
Judd Asher Nelson is an American actor. He is best known for being a member of the "Brat Pack" in the mid-1980s; and for his roles as John Bender in The Breakfast Club, Alec Newbary in St...
crashes into their house once or twice a week, Lois is married to Quagmire, Al Gore
Al Gore
Albert Arnold "Al" Gore, Jr. served as the 45th Vice President of the United States , under President Bill Clinton. He was the Democratic Party's nominee for President in the 2000 U.S. presidential election....
is now President and 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:...
, 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....
, 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....
have Quagmire's chin, nose, and mannerisms. Brian explains to Peter that by missing out on his date with Lois and making out with Molly, he altered the time line. Over Brian's objections about leaving the "perfect" world (with flying cars that run on vegetable oil and that Gore has killed Osama bin Laden
Osama bin Laden
Osama bin Mohammed bin Awad bin Laden was the founder of the militant Islamist organization Al-Qaeda, the jihadist organization responsible for the September 11 attacks on the United States and numerous other mass-casualty attacks against civilian and military targets...
with his bare hands). Peter wants to go back to the past so he can undo his mistake. Brian says that this is impossible, because Death can only be summoned if someone dies, and thanks to Gore's universal health care people are living much longer, and with a strong, well-funded educational system and zero tolerance gun control, there is no street crime. However, when Jane Jetson suddenly falls on the sidewalk and dies, Death then comes there and grants again Peter's wish to return to the past. Back in the past, Peter is determined to accept Lois' invitation, but repeatedly blows his opportunity, and ends up repeatedly asking Death for a do-over. When Peter finally gets it right, he forgets a few hours later, and parties with Cleveland instead of keeping the date. He asks Death for another chance, but Death, fed up with Peter's continued blunders, tells him that he will have to fix the problem on his own.
When Peter tries to apologize the next day, Lois is still upset with him for missing their date, and has decided to go to the country club dance with Quagmire. Later that night, Peter and Brian sneak into the dance to prevent the kiss that caused Lois to fall in love with Quagmire. They get in by crawling through the air vent, but crash through and kill one of the guys playing in the band on the stage, so Brian has to play guitar and sing. Peter tries to convince Lois that they belong together, but she stubbornly informs Peter that he had his chance, and blew it, and therefore she loves Quagmire now. Peter almost gives up, but Brian notices Chris, Stewie, and Meg disappearing from a family picture, indicating that they have fallen off the plane of existence and tells Peter it is his last chance to do something that proves he loves Lois. Peter then demonstrates his passion by punching Quagmire, and kissing Lois, showing that he cares deeply for her and thus wins back her heart. He asks her to marry him, and she accepts. In honor of this success, Brian and the band play "Never Gonna Give you Up" by Rick Astley
Rick Astley
Richard Paul "Rick" Astley is an English singer-songwriter, musician, and radio personality. He is known for his 1987 song, "Never Gonna Give You Up", which was a #1 hit single in 25 countries...
. The episode ends with things appearing to seemingly go back to normal, until Roger from 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...
shows up, confusing the entire family.
season 5 episode 22 not 18
Production
The episode was written by series regular and future showrunner Mark HentemannMark Hentemann
Mark Hentemann is an American animation writer. Hentemann is most notably known for writing several episodes of the animated series Family Guy...
, and directed by Chris Robertson and series regular Dan Povenmire
Dan Povenmire
Daniel Kingsley "Dan" Povenmire is an American television director, writer, producer, storyboard artist, and actor associated with several animated television series, best known as the co-creator of the Disney animated series Phineas and Ferb in which he also voices the show's villain, Heinz...
, who left the series after completing the episode, in order to create his own series for the Disney Channel
Disney Channel
Disney Channel is an American basic cable and satellite television network, owned by the Disney-ABC Television Group division of The Walt Disney Company. It is under the direction of Disney-ABC Television Group President Anne Sweeney. The channel's headquarters is located on West Alameda Ave. in...
entitled Phineas and Ferb
Phineas and Ferb
Phineas and Ferb is an American animated television comedy series. Originally broadcast as a preview on August 17, 2007, on Disney Channel, the series follows Phineas Flynn and his English stepbrother Ferb Fletcher on summer vacation. Every day the boys embark on some grand new project, which...
, which has since been nominated for three Emmy Award
Emmy Award
An Emmy Award, often referred to simply as the Emmy, is a television production award, similar in nature to the Peabody Awards but more focused on entertainment, and is considered the television equivalent to the Academy Awards and the Grammy Awards .A majority of Emmys are presented in various...
s. Peter Shin
Peter Shin
Peter Shin is the:*supervising director of Stewie Griffin: The Untold Story*director of Big Bug Man.*director of Family Guy episodes:**"Death Has a Shadow"**"Emission Impossible"**"North by North Quahog"**"It's a Trap!"...
, James Purdum and Chris Robertson acted as supervising director. Series creator Seth MacFarlane, David A. Goodman, Danny Smith, Mark Hentemann, Steve Callaghan and Chris Sheridan acted as executive producers. Alec Sulkin, Wellesley Wild, Alex Borstein and Mike Henry worked as supervising producers. Cherry Chevapravatdumrong and Patrick Meighan worked as executive story editors. The episode's original premise was based on Cleveland's
Cleveland 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,...
divorce from his wife, Loretta, with Cleveland going on to become a hot bachelor in Quahog, causing Peter to become jealous, and desiring to become single again. Due to Warner Bros.
Warner Bros.
Warner Bros. Entertainment, Inc., also known as Warner Bros. Pictures or simply Warner Bros. , is an American producer of film and television entertainment.One of the major film studios, it is a subsidiary of Time Warner, with its headquarters in Burbank,...
's ownership of Hanna–Barbera, the scene involving The Jetsons
The Jetsons
The Jetsons is a animated American sitcom that was produced by Hanna-Barbera, originally airing in prime-time from 1962–1963 and again from 1985–1987...
was completely reanimated by episode director Dan Povenmire, including the backgrounds and scenery for the sequence.
Meet the Quagmires, along with four other episodes from the fifth season, and the first seven episodes of the sixth season, were released under the title "Volume 6" by 20th Century Fox in the United States and Canada on October 21, 2008, five months after they had completed broadcast on television. The DVD release also features bonus material including deleted scenes, commentaries, and a 'making of' featurette.
In addition to the regular cast, the episode featured guest performances by voice actor Luke Adams, voice actor Jeff Bergman
Jeff Bergman
Jeff Allen Bergman is an American voice actor, who provides the modern day voices of various classic cartoon characters, including Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Elmer Fudd, Yosemite Sam, George Jetson, Fred Flintstone, Yogi Bear, and Huckleberry Hound.-Life and career:Originally from Philadelphia,...
, actor Adam Carolla
Adam Carolla
Adam Carolla is an American radio personality, television host, comedian, and actor. He currently hosts The Adam Carolla Show, a talk show distributed as a podcast on the ACE Broadcasting Network...
, actress Beth Littleford
Beth Littleford
Elizabeth Anna Halcyon "Beth" Littleford is an American actress, comedienne, and television personality. She is perhaps best known for being one of the original correspondents on the popular Comedy Central satirical news series The Daily Show from 1996 to 2000; she is also known as Tripp's mother...
and comedian and actor Will Sasso
Will Sasso
William "Will" Sasso is a Canadian comedian and actor. He is most notable for his membership in the recurring cast of comedians on the American sketch comedy series MADtv, spending five seasons on the show.-Early life:...
. Recurring guest voice actors Alex Breckenridge
Alex Breckenridge
Alexandra "Alex" Breckenridge is an American film and television actress, photographer and voice artist. Noted for her role as Willa McPherson on the television series Dirt, she also had a supporting role on the short lived series The Ex List...
, voice actor Johnny Brennan, voice actor 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...
, writer Mark Hentemann, 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.
Cultural references
In the opening scene of the episode, Horace the bartender is suddenly knocked unconscious after falling off a ladder, causing Death to appear. After it is discovered that Horace is not actually dead, Death complains that he never likes to be too far from journalistJournalism
Journalism is the practice of investigation and reporting of events, issues and trends to a broad audience in a timely fashion. Though there are many variations of journalism, the ideal is to inform the intended audience. Along with covering organizations and institutions such as government and...
Mike Wallace
Mike Wallace (journalist)
Myron Leon "Mike" Wallace is an American journalist, former game show host, actor and media personality. During his 60+ year career, he has interviewed a wide range of prominent newsmakers....
.
The Back to the Future trilogy
Back to the Future trilogy
The Back to the Future trilogy is a comedic science fiction adventure film series written by Bob Gale and Robert Zemeckis, directed by Zemeckis, produced by Amblin Entertainment and distributed by Universal Pictures. The main plot follows the adventures of a high school student Marty McFly and...
is parodied and referenced throughout the episode, along with many other movies and famous people throughout the 1980s. Other cultural references include how after going back in time, Peter becomes excited about his new prospects in life, and states to Cleveland that he is going to "raise more hell than Hellraiser
Pinhead (Hellraiser)
Pinhead is a fictional character from the Hellraiser series. Created by Clive Barker and portrayed by Doug Bradley, Pinhead is a prominent figure in the series, mostly featured as the main antagonist....
" from the 1987 horror film Hellraiser
Hellraiser
Hellraiser is a 1987 British and American horror film based upon the novella The Hellbound Heart by Clive Barker, who also wrote the screenplay and directed the film. Hellraiser explores themes of sadomasochism and morality under duress and fear. The film spawned a series of sequels...
. It also depicts Pinhead as weak and ridiculous, stating that the worst he can do is unscew a salt shaker and tricking someone into using it, causing salt to come out all over their food. The first scene where Lois appears at the swimming pool is a reference to a scene from the 1980 film Caddyshack
Caddyshack
Caddyshack is a 1980 American comedy film directed by Harold Ramis and written by Brian Doyle-Murray, Ramis, and Douglas Kenney. It stars Chevy Chase, Rodney Dangerfield, Ted Knight, Michael O'Keefe, Cindy Morgan, and Bill Murray...
, featuring the song "Mr. Night
Kenny Loggins
During the next decade, Loggins recorded so many successful songs for film soundtracks that he was referred to as, King of the Movie Soundtrack.He began with "I'm Alright" , "Mr. Night", and "Lead the Way" from Caddyshack...
" by Kenny Loggins
Kenny Loggins
During the next decade, Loggins recorded so many successful songs for film soundtracks that he was referred to as, King of the Movie Soundtrack.He began with "I'm Alright" , "Mr. Night", and "Lead the Way" from Caddyshack...
. Once Lois appears, she asks Peter if he would like to see the 1982 film Zapped!
Zapped!
Zapped! is a 1982 teen sex comedy starring Scott Baio as a teen who acquires telekinetic powers. The film is regarded as a parody of Carrie but also includes spoofs of The Exorcist, Taxi Driver, Star Trek and the 1969 Kurt Russell film The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes.-Cast:Baio stars as Barney...
. Rejecting her offer, Peter decides to go partying with Cleveland instead and play the video game Menstrual Ms. Pac-Man
Ms. Pac-Man
Ms. Pac-Man is an arcade video game produced by Midway as an unauthorized sequel to Pac-Man. It was released in North America in 1981 and became one of the most popular video games of all time, leading to its adoption by Pac-Man licensor Namco as an official title...
, in addition to making out with actress Molly Ringwald
Molly Ringwald
Molly Kathleen Ringwald is an American actress, singer and dancer. Having appeared in the John Hughes movies Sixteen Candles , The Breakfast Club , and Pretty in Pink , Ringwald has been frequently named the greatest teen star of all time...
. While there, Brian gets into a fight, and instructs the bar patron to meet him on top of the World Trade Center
World Trade Center
The original World Trade Center was a complex with seven buildings featuring landmark twin towers in Lower Manhattan, New York City, United States. The complex opened on April 4, 1973, and was destroyed in 2001 during the September 11 attacks. The site is currently being rebuilt with five new...
to fight him at eight A.M. on September 11, 2001. Returning back to the present, Peter and Brian decide to watch television, and are shocked to discover that actor Chevy Chase
Chevy Chase
Cornelius Crane "Chevy" Chase is an American comedian, writer, and television and film actor, born into a prominent entertainment industry family. Chase worked a plethora of odd jobs before moving into comedy acting with National Lampoon...
is now the host of The Tonight Show
The Tonight Show
The Tonight Show is an American late-night talk show that has aired on NBC since 1954. It is the longest currently running regularly scheduled entertainment program in the United States, and the third longest-running show on NBC, after Meet the Press and Today.The Tonight Show has been hosted by...
. They also discover that former Vice President Al Gore
Al Gore
Albert Arnold "Al" Gore, Jr. served as the 45th Vice President of the United States , under President Bill Clinton. He was the Democratic Party's nominee for President in the 2000 U.S. presidential election....
is now President of the United States, and flying cars running on vegetable oil exist. A parody of the 1962 ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
animated series The Jetsons
The Jetsons
The Jetsons is a animated American sitcom that was produced by Hanna-Barbera, originally airing in prime-time from 1962–1963 and again from 1985–1987...
is then shown. The main plot of the episode, complete with the scene in which Peter and Brian are in the living room, with Brian explaining to Peter what happened using a chalk board, is a reference to the alternate universe
Parallel universe (fiction)
A parallel universe or alternative reality is a hypothetical self-contained separate reality coexisting with one's own. A specific group of parallel universes is called a "multiverse", although this term can also be used to describe the possible parallel universes that constitute reality...
scene in Back to the Future, Part II.
In the past once again, Peter suggests to Lois that they see the 1983 film Krull
Krull (film)
Krull is a 1983 heroic fantasy film directed by Peter Yates and produced by Ron Silverman. Released by Columbia Pictures, it stars Ken Marshall as Prince Colwyn and Lysette Anthony as Princess Lyssa....
instead. Later, Peter and Cleveland, dressed up as Michael Jackson
Michael Jackson
Michael Joseph Jackson was an American recording artist, entertainer, and businessman. Referred to as the King of Pop, or by his initials MJ, Jackson is recognized as the most successful entertainer of all time by Guinness World Records...
in the iconic red dress of his video clip "Thriller
Thriller (song)
"Thriller" is a song recorded by American recording artist Michael Jackson, composed by Rod Temperton, and produced by Quincy Jones. It is the seventh and final single from his sixth studio album Thriller. It was released on January 23, 1984 by Epic Records...
," dance to the Beverly Hills Cop
Beverly Hills Cop
Beverly Hills Cop is a 1984 American comedy-action film directed by Martin Brest and starring Eddie Murphy, Lisa Eilbacher, John Ashton, Judge Reinhold, and Ronny Cox...
theme. In order to make everything right about the future, Peter and Brian decide to sneak into the prom through a vent. While inside it, Peter recites a line from the 1988 action film Die Hard
Die Hard
Die Hard is a 1988 American action film and the first in the Die Hard film series. The film was directed by John McTiernan and written by Jeb Stuart and Steven E. de Souza. It is based on a 1979 novel by Roderick Thorp titled Nothing Lasts Forever, itself a sequel to the book The Detective, which...
. The sequence that follows is a parody of the 1985 film Back to the Future
Back to the Future
Back to the Future is a 1985 American science-fiction adventure film. It was directed by Robert Zemeckis, written by Zemeckis and Bob Gale, produced by Steven Spielberg, and starred Michael J. Fox, Christopher Lloyd, Lea Thompson, Crispin Glover and Thomas F. Wilson. The film tells the story of...
. After crashing through the vent to the stage, the band begins playing "Earth Angel
Earth Angel
"Earth Angel " is an American doo-wop song, originally released by The Penguins in 1954 on the Dootone label , as the B-side to "Hey Señorita." The song became a major hit for The Crew-Cuts in 1955, reaching the Billboard charts on January 29, 1955. It peaked at #3 on the Disk Jockey chart, #8 on...
" by The Crew-Cuts
The Crew-Cuts
The Crew-Cuts were a Canadian vocal quartet, that made a number of popular records that charted in the United States and worldwide. They named themselves after the then popular crew cut haircut, one of the first connections made between pop music and hairstyle...
, and, after Peter kisses Lois, Brian sings the 1987 single "Never Gonna Give You Up
Never Gonna Give You Up
A group of London dance producers, called The Rickrollerz made a house music cover version of "Never Gonna Give You Up" on that day, and in honor of that event....
" by musician Rick Astley
Rick Astley
Richard Paul "Rick" Astley is an English singer-songwriter, musician, and radio personality. He is known for his 1987 song, "Never Gonna Give You Up", which was a #1 hit single in 25 countries...
. While Brian sings "Never Gonna Give You Up", Rick Astley's cousin Marvin calls him to say he's found the "mediocre, generic sound" that Astley has been looking for, a reference to Back to the Future
Back to the Future
Back to the Future is a 1985 American science-fiction adventure film. It was directed by Robert Zemeckis, written by Zemeckis and Bob Gale, produced by Steven Spielberg, and starred Michael J. Fox, Christopher Lloyd, Lea Thompson, Crispin Glover and Thomas F. Wilson. The film tells the story of...
. In the closing scene of the episode Roger the alien
Extraterrestrial life
Extraterrestrial life is defined as life that does not originate from Earth...
from series creator Seth MacFarlane
Seth 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,...
's second show 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...
suddenly appears 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...
home, inquiring about Pecan Sandies
Cookie
In the United States and Canada, a cookie is a small, flat, baked treat, usually containing fat, flour, eggs and sugar. In most English-speaking countries outside North America, the most common word for this is biscuit; in many regions both terms are used, while in others the two words have...
.
Reception
In a significant improvement over the previous week, the episode was viewed in 9.15 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 3.2 rating in the 18-49 demographic, slightly being edged out by 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...
, while significantly winning over 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 both rating and total viewership.
Reviews of the episode were mostly positive, noting its ability to "capture some of the appeal from the pre-cancellation days." Ahsan Haque 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...
praised the episode's story, writing that it had "a great storyline and the right combination of irrelevant and relevant jokes", giving the episode a 8.4 out of 10. In another positive review, Brett Love of TV Squad called the episode "solid," and praised the scenes set in 1984, and the alternate world. Love went on to state, "The show has lost a little of the luster that it once had, but that's no reason to count them out. There were enough bright spots to give hope for a return to that old form when season six comes around in the fall." He graded "Meet the Quagmires" 5 out of 7.