Road to Europe

Last updated

"Road to Europe"
Family Guy episode
Episode no.Season 3
Episode 20
Directed by Dan Povenmire
Written by Daniel Palladino
Production code3ACX13
Original air dateFebruary 7, 2002 (2002-02-07)
Guest appearances
Episode chronology
← Previous
"Stuck Together, Torn Apart"		Next →
"Family Guy Viewer Mail #1"
Family Guy season 3
List of episodes

"Road to Europe" (originally called "European Road Show" [1] ) is the 20th episode of the third season of the animated comedy series Family Guy , and the 48th episode overall. It originally aired on Fox in the United States on February 7, 2002. The episode follows baby Stewie, who becomes obsessed with the fictional British children's television series "Jolly Farm Revue". He decides to run away from home to become part of the cast and his anthropomorphic dog Brian decides to chase him down in an attempt to bring him back home. Meanwhile, Peter and Lois go to a Kiss concert, where Lois reveals she knows nothing about the band, much to Peter's embarrassment.

Contents

"Road to Europe" was written by Daniel Palladino and directed by Dan Povenmire. It received mostly positive reviews from critics for its storyline and its many cultural references. The episode featured Kiss members Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley. It also featured guest voices by comedian Andy Dick, actor and director Jon Favreau, actor Sean Flynn, actress and singer Lauren Graham, actress Michelle Horn, and voice actor Wally Wingert.

Plot summary

Stewie is obsessed with a British television program called Jolly Farm Revue, a colorful children's TV show featuring several imaginary characters. Reluctant to stay in Quahog, Stewie decides to travel to "Jolly Farm" in London and live there forever. Desperate, he goes to the local airport and stows away on a transatlantic flight, intending to travel to Britain, and to find the BBC studios where Jolly Farm Revue is filmed. Brian tries to stop Stewie from leaving Rhode Island, and follows him on board the plane. By the time he finally finds Stewie, the plane has taken off. It then lands in the Middle East.

Brian begins to search for a way to get back to the United States, but Stewie refuses to leave with him and insists they continue to London. Brian and Stewie search for a camel to use as transportation, and they perform a musical number as a diversion in order to steal one. They begin their journey, but the camel dies in the middle of the desert. They soon find a nearby Comfort Inn, however, in which to stay. They steal a hot air balloon from the hotel premises and make their way to Vatican City, embarrassing the Pope upon landing, then traveling by train from Switzerland to Munich, and end up in Amsterdam. Upon finally arriving at the BBC Television Centre, Stewie is shocked to discover that the farm is a set, and his beloved characters are merely burnt-out, vulgar actors. Heartbroken, Stewie decides to travel back home with Brian to Quahog after getting revenge on the Mother Maggie actress for kicking him by defecating in her shoes. He loses interest in Jolly Farm and takes up a new obsession - "funky fruit hats" a la Carmen Miranda.

Meanwhile, Peter is overjoyed to hear about Kiss-stock, a five-night set of concerts in New England by his favorite band, Kiss. He and his wife, Lois, dress in face paint and leather just like the band members in Kiss, as does the rest of the crowd, and they manage to stand in the front row. Gene Simmons points the microphone at Lois as a way to prompt her to sing the next line in the chorus of "Rock and Roll All Nite," only to discover that she doesn't know the words, shaming Peter. Deeply saddened by this, Gene and Paul Stanley leave the stage, leaving Ace Frehley and Peter Criss to perform "Chattanooga Choo Choo" to cheer up the displeased audience.

After the concert, Peter accuses Lois of only pretending to be a Kiss fan, and they leave the concert venue in disgrace. Later that night, Peter and Lois stop at a Denny's on the way home from the concert. The Kiss members are seated at another table, and Lois recognizes Gene without his "Demon" make-up as Chaim Witz (Gene Simmons' birth name), an old boyfriend. Peter's faith in Lois is restored, and he proudly shares the news on public-access television that "my wife did Kiss." [2]

Production

Dan Povenmire, who also directed the first "Road to" episode, directed "Road to Europe". Dan Povenmire Comic-Con 2009.jpg
Dan Povenmire, who also directed the first "Road to" episode, directed "Road to Europe".

The episode was written by Daniel Palladino, his first official episode for the series, an executive producer for the show. [2] In addition, the episode was directed by series regular Dan Povenmire, [2] in his fourth episode directing for the season; the first three being "One If by Clam, Two If by Sea", [3] [4] "To Love and Die in Dixie", and "Brian Wallows and Peter's Swallows". [5] [6]

"Road to Europe" is the second episode of the "Road to..." hallmarks of the series, which have aired throughout various seasons of the show, and is the second "Road to..." episode to be directed by Povenmire. [7] [8] The episodes are a parody of the seven Road to ... comedy films starring Bing Crosby, Bob Hope and Dorothy Lamour. [9] The episode was inspired by the 1941 film Road to Morocco , including its musical number "(We're off on the) Road to Morocco", which was previously parodied by the two characters, then with alternate lyrics, in the Family Guy episode "Road to Rhode Island". [9] Fans originally believed that the original title of this episode was "Road to Baghdad", but in an interview with IGN MacFarlane stated that it was not the case. [9]

In addition to the regular cast, the episode featured guest appearances by comedian Andy Dick, actor and director Jon Favreau, actor Sean Flynn, actress and singer Lauren Graham, actress Michelle Horn and voice actor Wally Wingert. It also guest starred Kiss members Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley as themselves. [10] [11]

Cultural references

"Road to Europe" features several cultural references. Brian compares Stewie's look with Charlie Brown; Stewie responds by comparing him with Charlie Brown's dog Snoopy; both these characters are from the comic strip Peanuts . [2] At the Kiss concert, the song that the band plays, and the one that Lois does not know the lyrics to, is the single "Rock and Roll All Nite". [2] In the song Stewie and Brian sing, the Marquis de Sade, singer Ricky Martin and actress Phylicia Rashad are mentioned. Brian also uses Triumph the Insult Comic Dog's catch phrase, "For me to poop on" to insult Stewie. [2]

While riding a tour bus in Germany, Brian looks at a German history book and notices that has no information regarding Germany from 1939 – 1945. When he questions the tour guide about this, the guide denies that anything happened in those years. Brian points out that Germany invaded Poland during that time, until the guide yells "Sie werden sich hinsetzen! Sie werden ruhig sein! Sie werden nicht beleidigen Deutschland!", literally meaning "You will sit down! You will be quiet! You will not insult Germany!" while making the Nazi salute with his left hand. [2] The last sentence is grammatically incorrect, as the proper German statement would be, "Sie werden Deutschland nicht beleidigen!" At the beginning of the episode, the credits are presented with title cards containing images of Brian and Stewie passing by various iconic places in Europe. These include France's Eiffel Tower, Italy's Leaning Tower of Pisa and a venetian gondola, the United Kingdom's Stonehenge and Greece's Parthenon. [2] Other iconic items shown include the Union Flag and the Pope. [12]

Reception

"Brian and Stewie once again reunite for a memorable duet titled, "You and I Are So Awfully Different." If that's not enough, Stewie and Brian also manage to offend the Pope on their way to the Jolly Farm Revue set. While not as exciting as some of their other adventures, the musical number alone makes this episode worthy as one of Stewie and Brian's best adventures."

Ahsan Haque, IGN. [12]

Reviews of the episode by television critics were mostly positive. Critic Ahsan Haque of IGN placed "Road to Europe" in the top ten of Stewie and Brian's Greatest Adventures, ranking it fifth. Haque noted that the episode is not as entertaining as many of the other Stewie and Brian adventures, but the song included in the episode, "You and I Are So Awfully Different" made it worthy of an appearance on the list. [12] "Road to Europe" is the lowest ranked Road to ... episode on the list with "Road to Germany" at number four, "Road to Rupert" at number three, "Road to the Multiverse" at number two and "Road to Rhode Island" ranked as the best. [12] Television critic Ramsey Isler, also of IGN, commented positively about the episode in his review of the eighth-season episode "Go Stewie, Go," which contained an American version of Jolly Farm Revue. Isler went on to note, "for the most part the Jolly Farm concept is much less interesting than it was in the much more amusing and classic Family Guy episode, 'Road to Europe.'" [13]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Peter Griffin</span> Fictional character from the Family Guy franchise

Peter Löwenbräu Griffin Sr. is a fictional character and the protagonist of the American animated sitcom Family Guy. He is voiced by the series' creator, Seth MacFarlane, and first appeared on television, along with the rest of the Griffin family, in the episode "Death Has a Shadow" on January 31, 1999. Peter was created and designed by MacFarlane himself. MacFarlane was asked to pitch a pilot to the Fox Broadcasting Company based on Larry & Steve, a short made by MacFarlane which featured a middle-aged character named Larry and an intellectual dog, Steve. For the series, Larry was renamed Peter.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brian Griffin</span> Fictional character from the Family Guy franchise

Brian Griffin is a fictional character from the American animated sitcom Family Guy. He is one of the main characters of the series and a member of the Griffin family. Created, designed, and voiced by Seth MacFarlane, he is an anthropomorphic white labrador retriever who is the best friend of both Peter and Stewie and comic foil with the ability to speak, drive, and stand on two legs.

"Chitty Chitty Death Bang" is the third episode of the first season of the animated comedy series Family Guy. It was originally shown on Fox in the United States on April 18, 1999. The episode follows Peter after he tries to make amends for his son, Stewie's, first birthday party when he loses their reservation at a popular kids' restaurant known as Cheesie Charlie's. Meanwhile, Meg becomes friends with an excitable girl named Jennifer, who leads her to join a death cult in an attempt to fit in.

"Mind Over Murder" is the fourth episode of the first season of the animated comedy series Family Guy. It originally aired on Fox in the United States on April 25, 1999. The episode features Peter after he is placed under house arrest, and decides to open his own bar in the family's basement. The bar immediately becomes a success among Peter's male friends when his wife, Lois, begins to sing and dance in front of them while wearing revealing clothing. Meanwhile, Stewie attempts to create a time travel device in order to escape the pain of teething.

"To Love and Die in Dixie" is the 12th episode of the third season of the animated comedy series Family Guy, and the 41st episode overall. The episode aired on Fox on November 15, 2001. Country music singer Waylon Jennings, who died three months after the episode aired on television in the United States, guest-stars in his last appearance on the show. Dakota Fanning also guest starred on the episode. The title is a reference to a line in the traditional Southern song "Dixie".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Road to Rhode Island</span> 13th episode of the 2nd season of Family Guy

"Road to Rhode Island" is the 13th episode of the second season, and the first episode of the Road to ... series, of the American animated television series Family Guy, and the 20th episode overall. It originally aired on Fox in the United States on May 30, 2000. In the episode, Brian volunteers to bring Stewie home from his grandparents' house in Palm Springs, but the pair miss their flight and must embark on a cross-country journey home. Meanwhile, Peter becomes addicted to watching a series of marriage counseling videos hosted by an adult film star.

"A Hero Sits Next Door" is the fifth episode in the first season of the American animated television series Family Guy. It originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on May 2, 1999. The episode features the introduction of Joe Swanson, who would become a main character in the series. Peter Griffin must find a replacement player for an upcoming softball game. Peter eventually convinces Joe to play for the team after learning that he played baseball in college. When Joe shows up the following morning, Peter realizes that Joe is in a wheelchair. Joe turns out to be a great player, and the team wins the game. Peter becomes jealous of Joe and tries to become a hero. In a subplot, Meg Griffin tries to get Joe's son Kevin to notice her.

"The Son Also Draws" is the sixth and penultimate episode of the first season of the animated comedy series Family Guy. It originally aired on Fox in the United States on May 9, 1999. The episode follows Chris as he is ejected from the Youth Scouts, and Peter drives the family to Scout headquarters to get him readmitted. During a rest stop at a Native American casino, Lois gambles away the family car. Peter pretends to be a member of the tribe in an attempt to get it back, and is sent on a vision quest to prove his heritage, giving him and Chris an opportunity to bond.

Patriot Games is the 20th episode of the fourth season of the animated television series Family Guy. It originally aired on Fox on January 29, 2006, a week before Super Bowl XL, fitting the theme of the episode. In it, Peter goes to his high school reunion and meets Tom Brady. After Peter runs to the bathroom and tackles most of the people in his way, Brady hires him for the New England Patriots. Peter wins many games for the Patriots but is fired for showboating and is traded to a team in London called the Sillinannies. Peter plays versus the Patriots and loses, but still receives Brady's respect before he and the Griffin family return home. Meanwhile, Stewie becomes a bookie who violently attacks Brian until he pays off his debt.

"Road to Rupert" is the ninth episode of the fifth season of Family Guy. It originally aired on Fox in the United States on January 28, 2007. It is the third episode in the Road to... series of episodes in Family Guy. The episode follows Stewie after Brian accidentally sells Stewie's beloved teddy bear, Rupert, during a yard sale. In an attempt to retrieve him, Stewie and Brian discover that the family Rupert was sold to are former neighbours who had since moved to Aspen, Colorado. As a result, Stewie and Brian travel across the United States to get Rupert back. Meanwhile, Peter has his driving license revoked for careless driving and is forced to be driven around by Meg, which annoys him.

"Bill & Peter's Bogus Journey" is the 13th episode of season five of Family Guy; originally airing on Fox on March 11, 2007. The plot follows Peter feeling depressed at the prospect of becoming old. Former U.S. president Bill Clinton appears and takes him out in Quahog, giving him a new outlook on life. Meanwhile, Stewie and Brian attempt to be toilet trained by buying an instructional video, but Brian persists on leaving his feces in the garden, forcing Lois to make him wear a diaper.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Meet the Quagmires</span> 18th episode of the 5th season of Family Guy

"Meet the Quagmires" is the 18th and final 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 to live the single life a little longer, before he meets future wife Lois. This causes Quagmire to make his own move on Lois, and they ultimately end up marrying and having children; Peter is horrified by this "alternate timeline" and resolves to go back in time again and set things right.

<i>Family Guy</i> season 1 Episode list for a season of an animated series

The first season of Family Guy aired on Fox from January 31 to May 16, 1999, and consisted of only seven episodes, making it the shortest season to date. The series follows the dysfunctional Griffin family—father Peter, mother Lois, daughter Meg, son Chris, son Stewie and their anthropomorphic dog Brian, all of whom reside in their hometown of Quahog, a fictional city in the U.S. state of Rhode Island. The show features the voices of series creator Seth MacFarlane, Alex Borstein, Seth Green, and Lacey Chabert in the roles of the Griffin family. The executive producers for the first season were David Zuckerman and MacFarlane. It is also the only full season to feature Chabert, before she was replaced by Mila Kunis for the rest of the series' run, starting with the season two episode "Da Boom".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stewie Kills Lois and Lois Kills Stewie</span> 4th and 5th episodes of the 6th season of Family Guy

"Stewie Kills Lois" and "Lois Kills Stewie" is a two-part episode of the sixth season of the animated comedy series Family Guy, which was originally produced for the end of the fifth season. Respectively, both parts are the fourth and fifth episode of their season, and they premiered in the United States on Fox on November 4 and 11, 2007. In the former, housewife Lois receives cruise tickets as a birthday present from anthropomorphic dog Brian, and invites her husband, Peter, on the cruise with her. This upsets Stewie, and he ultimately appears to murder Lois while she is on the cruise, only to find out that she had survived the attack as the year passes. In the latter, Lois is able to expose Stewie as the villain that he is, but he soon accomplishes his dream of world domination.

<i>Family Guy</i> season 5 Season of television series

The fifth season of Family Guy 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". The series follows the dysfunctional Griffin family—father Peter, mother Lois, daughter Meg, son Chris, baby Stewie and Brian, the family pet, who reside in their hometown of Quahog, a fictional city in the U.S. state of Rhode Island. The executive producers for the fifth season were David Goodman, Chris Sheridan, Danny Smith and series creator Seth MacFarlane. Sheridan and Goodman served as showrunners for the fifth season.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Road to the Multiverse</span> 1st episode of the 8th season of Family Guy

"Road to the Multiverse" is the first episode of the eighth season of the animated comedy series Family Guy. Directed by Greg Colton and written by Wellesley Wild, the episode originally aired on Fox in the United States on September 27, 2009, along with the series premiere of The Cleveland Show. In "Road to the Multiverse", two of the show's main characters, baby genius Stewie and anthropomorphic dog Brian, both voiced by series creator Seth MacFarlane, use an "out-of-this-world" remote control to travel through a series of parallel universes. They eventually end up in a world where dogs rule and humans obey. Brian becomes reluctant to return to his own universe, and he ultimately ends up breaking the remote, much to the dismay of Stewie, who soon seeks a replacement. The "Road to" episodes which have aired throughout various seasons of Family Guy were inspired by the Road to ... comedy films starring Bing Crosby, Bob Hope and Dorothy Lamour, though this episode was not originally conceived as a "Road to" show.

"Dog Gone" is the eighth episode of the eighth season of the animated comedy series Family Guy. It originally aired on Fox in the United States on November 29, 2009. The episode features Brian, the family pet, attempting to prove that a dog's life is just as important as that of a human, after he accidentally kills another dog with no consequences. Meanwhile, the Griffin family hires Consuela, a stereotypical Hispanic woman, as the household maid, which they each end up regretting once she takes advantage of the family's home.

The "Road to ..." episodes, also known as the Family Guy Road shows, are a series of episodes in the animated series Family Guy. They are a parody of the seven Road to ... comedy films, starring Bing Crosby, Bob Hope, and Dorothy Lamour.

"Stewie Goes for a Drive" is the fourth episode of the tenth season of the animated comedy series Family Guy, and the 169th episode overall. It originally aired on Fox in the United States on November 6, 2011. The plot depicts actor Ryan Reynolds moving into the house across the street, and Peter Griffin befriending him. Ryan flirts with Peter, making Peter uncomfortable, and their friendship ends. Meanwhile, Stewie takes Brian's car for a joy ride, and crashes it into a lamp post. Fearing the consequences, Stewie runs away from home, but then needs Brian's help when he ends up in a bad part of town.

"Go, Stewie, Go!" is the 13th episode of the eighth season of the animated comedy series Family Guy. It originally aired on Fox in the United States on March 14, 2010. The episode features Stewie after he auditions, cross-dressed under the pseudonym Karina Smirnoff, for a female role in the American version of Jolly Farm Revue, and eventually ends up falling in love with a female co-star on the show. Meanwhile, Lois finds herself attracted to Meg's surprisingly normal boyfriend, after she is asked by Peter to realize her advancing age.

References

  1. ↑ "Listings | TheFutonCritic.com - The Web's Best Television Resource". www.thefutoncritic.com.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Callaghan, Steve (2005). "Road to Europe". Family Guy: The Official Episode Guide, Seasons 1–3 . New York City, New York: HarperCollins. p.  204. ISBN   0-06-083305-X.
  3. ↑ "Family Guy — One If By Clam, Two If By Sea". Yahoo! . Retrieved July 20, 2011.
  4. ↑ Callaghan, Steve (2005). "One If by Clam, Two If by Sea". Family Guy: The Official Episode Guide, Seasons 1–3 . New York City, New York: HarperCollins. p.  140. ISBN   0-06-083305-X.
  5. ↑ "Family Guy — Brian Wallows and Peter's Swallows". Yahoo! . Retrieved July 20, 2011.
  6. ↑ Callaghan, Steve (2005). "To Love and Die in Dixie". Family Guy: The Official Episode Guide, Seasons 1–3 . New York City, New York: HarperCollins. p.  171. ISBN   0-06-083305-X.
  7. ↑ "Family Guy — Road to Rhode Island". Yahoo!. Archived from the original on January 26, 2007. Retrieved July 20, 2011.
  8. ↑ Callaghan, Steve (2005). "Road to Rhode Island". Family Guy: The Official Episode Guide, Seasons 1–3 . New York City, New York: HarperCollins. p.  90. ISBN   0-06-083305-X.
  9. 1 2 3 "Interview with Seth MacFarlane". IGN . July 21, 2003. Archived from the original on December 3, 2011. Retrieved December 13, 2009.
  10. ↑ "Gene Simmons: Credits". TV Guide . Archived from the original on May 9, 2016. Retrieved December 12, 2009.
  11. ↑ "Family Guy — Road to Europe — Cast and Crew". Yahoo! . Retrieved December 3, 2009.
  12. 1 2 3 4 Haque, Ahsan (January 11, 2010). "Family Guy: Stewie and Brian's Greatest Adventures". IGN. Archived from the original on November 5, 2011. Retrieved August 12, 2010.
  13. ↑ Isler, Ramsey (March 15, 2010). "Family Guy: "Go Stewie Go" Review". IGN. Archived from the original on November 5, 2011. Retrieved March 15, 2010.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.