This is an old revision of this page, as edited by Warrior4321 (talk | contribs) at 04:29, 1 December 2009 (fixed lead spacing that I had asked for :)). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.
Revision as of 04:29, 1 December 2009 by Warrior4321 (talk | contribs) (fixed lead spacing that I had asked for :))(diff) ← Previous revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff) Television episode| "Road to Germany" |
|---|
"Road to Germany" is the third episode of the seventh season of Family Guy. It originally aired on October 19, 2008. on Fox. It is Brian and Stewie's fourth road adventure, following "Road to Rhode Island", "Road to Europe", "Road to Rupert", and precedes "Road to the Multiverse". The episode was written by Patrick Meighan and directed by Greg Colton. The episode received mixed reviews from critics. The episode had guest stars including, Brian Blessed, Gregory Jbara, Martin Savage, Jeff Witzke and Robert Boomfield. Mort accidentally goes into Stewie's time machine and is sent to September 1, 1939. Brian and Stewie realize Mort went back in time, and go in the time machine to save him.
Plot
While the neighbors are watching the Academy Awards at the Griffins' house, Mort needs to use the bathroom so desperately that he runs into what appears to be a portable toilet in Stewie's room. The "toilet" turns out to be a time machine, and Mort is sent to the past. Realizing that Mort does not have the return pad that would be able to bring him back to the present, Stewie and Brian take the device and go back in time to save Mort. They end up in Warsaw, Poland and find Mort in a synagogue. It does not take long for them to realize that the date is September 1, 1939, the day of the Nazi invasion of Poland.
The three cannot return to the present right away since the return pad is broken, so they decide to go to England where they will be safe to fix it. They are chased by the Nazis, forcing them to make a getaway on a motorbike, followed by an elaborate undersea pursuit in a hijacked U-boat. The three make it to England safely, where Stewie finds that the return pad is out of uranium fuel, and that the only place they can find more in this time is at a "secret" nuclear testing facility back in Nazi Germany. The three join the Royal Air Force and fly a Lancaster bomber as they participate in a dogfight against the Luftwaffe eventually reaching Berlin. Stewie disguises himself as Hitler and obtains the needed uranium. They then run into the real Hitler, who orders their execution, but they escape on the return pad to the present (Hitler offered to spare them if they performed a musical number, but Mort cuts Stewie and Brian off at the first line).
The group arrives back in Stewie's room 30 seconds before Mort originally entered the time machine. To keep these events from repeating themselves, Stewie kills the Mort that traveled with them by shoving him into the time machine and then blowing it up. The original Mort then enters the room and, now lacking the time machine "toilet," and seeing Stewie and Brian in Nazi uniform, soils himself instead.
Production and cultural references
After reading the script aloud, Jewish executive producer David A. Goodman said, "I'm going to get kicked out of my temple". This episode is Brian's second time-traveling adventure following "Meet the Quagmires" as well as Stewie's third (the first two being "Mind Over Murder" and Stewie Griffin: The Untold Story). It was the first "Road to..." episode not directed by Dan Povenmire, who left the show to create Phineas and Ferb for the Disney Channel. Unlike the previous "Road to..." episodes, this episode does not have a song-and-dance number - Brian and Stewie eagerly break into song near the close of the episode, but are quickly interrupted by an enraged Mort Goldman. Also unlike the previous "Road to..." episodes, there is no subplot involving Peter and Lois.
When Brian, Stewie and Mort are chased by Nazis, a recreation of the chase scene, including music, from Back to the Future occurs where Stewie rides a makeshift skateboard, escapes and has the Nazis crash into a truck of manure. The nature of Brian and Stewie's entrance into the past are reminiscent of the time machine's fire streak effect as well the entrance into Warsaw mirrors Marty's arrival in 1955 Hill Valley. When Stewie picks up a Nazi uniform, there is a McCain-Palin button attached.
Reception
Reception of the episode was mixed. Ahsan Haque of IGN rated the episode 9.6 saying, "Featuring gorgeous CGI animation, a genuinely exciting storyline, and some hilariously offensive humor, this Stewie and Brian centric episode of Family Guy easily stands out as one of the best episodes of the show in years." Alex Rocha of TV Guide was much more critical stating, "it seemed that the show has taken a slight fall back. After having great episodes the past few weeks to get this current season started on a roll, we have witnessed another average, even sub-par episode."
According to Seth MacFarlane, Road to Germany was one of three episodes (Along with I Dream of Jesus and Family Gay) submitted for consideration for "Outstanding Comedy Series" in the 61st Primetime Emmy Awards in 2009. "We picked three of our edgier shows as a choice," he explained, "Ya know, we figured if we are going to be damned, let's be damned for what we really are." The series was ultimately nominated for the award, the first time in 48 years an animated series was nominated for the same category.
References
- "Listings — FAMILY GUY on FOX". The Futon Critic. 2008-10-11. Retrieved 2008-10-11.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - TV Preview: Family Guy Entertainment Weekly
- ^ Haque, Ahsan. "Family Guy: Road to Germany Review", IGN. October 20, 2008. Accessed October 20, 2008.
- ^ Rocha, Alex (2008-10-20). "Family Guy Episode Recap: "Road to Germany"". TV Guide. Retrieved 2008-10-21.
{{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter:|1=(help); Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=(help) - Chuck Raasch, "Landslide would challenge Obama" Sunday Free Press (Detroit) Sunday, October 26, 2008, page 13A. "The same day that Powell hit on his own party, the pro-Obama producer of the TV cartoon, Family Guy, depicted Nazis wearing McCain-Palin campaign buttons."
- Nicholas Graham, "Family Guy: Nazis Back McCain-Palin (VIDEO)" The Huffington Post, 19 Oct. 2008; acc. 30 Oct. 2008
- James Hibberd (2009-07-17). "Family Guy smashes Emmy barrier for cartoons". Reuters. Retrieved 2009-07-18.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help)