Peter's Two Dads

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“Peter's Two Dads”
Family Guy episode

Peter meets his biological father, Mickey McFinnigan
Episode no. Season 5
Episode 10
Written by Danny Smith
Directed by Cyndi Tang[1]
Guest stars Charles Durning, Phyllis Diller
Production no. 5ACX05
Original airdate February 11, 2007
Season 5 episodes
Family Guy - Season 5
September 10, 2006 – May 20, 2007
  1. Stewie Loves Lois
  2. Mother Tucker
  3. Hell Comes to Quahog
  4. Saving Private Brian
  5. Whistle While Your Wife Works
  6. Prick Up Your Ears
  7. Chick Cancer
  8. Barely Legal
  9. Road to Rupert
  10. Peter's Two Dads
  11. The Tan Aquatic with Steve Zissou
  12. Airport '07
  13. Bill and Peter's Bogus Journey
  14. No Meals on Wheels
  15. Boys Do Cry
  16. No Chris Left Behind
  17. It Takes a Village Idiot, and I Married One
  18. Meet the Quagmires
← Season 4 Season 6 →
List of Family Guy episodes

"Peter's Two Dads" is the tenth episode of season five of Family Guy. Written by Danny Smith and guest starring Charles Durning and Phyllis Diller;[2] the plot follows Peter traveling to Ireland to find his biological father. Meanwhile, Stewie undergoes a phase of selfishness, believing everything belongs to him. This results in Lois spanking him, which makes him realize he is a masochist.[3][4] The episode received mixed reviews; and was nominated for an award in the category of outstanding original music and lyrics for the 2007 Primetime Emmy Awards.[5]

Contents

[edit] Plot

After forgetting Meg's upcoming birthday and having to be reminded about it by Chris, Peter and Lois attempt to get Meg to tell them her age indirectly. This fails and she admits she will be seventeen. Peter and Lois prepare a party, but Meg complains it is not suitable for a girl of her age. After Peter dresses up as a clown, he ends up getting drunk and attempts to ride a unicycle down the steps, but falls off and crushes his father, Francis, who was a guest at the party. Francis is taken to the hospital, but dies shortly after, telling Peter in his last words: "You're a fat, stinking drunk". Upset at his father's death, Peter decides to refrain from drinking alcohol as it was partially responsible for his father's fate. While Peter is not drinking alcohol, he turns to crack, and is confronted about it by Brian. After being referred to a hypnotherapist by Brian, Peter realizes Francis was not his biological father. After discussing it with his mother, Thelma, she admits she had an affair with an Irishman forty years earlier and that Peter's real father resides in Ireland.

Meanwhile, Stewie, after opening Meg's presents at her birthday party, begins to misbehave for Lois, thus leading her to spank him. Horrified at being hit, he confides in Rupert, only to discover that he has masochism and enjoys being physically hit. He attempts to make Lois spank him again, but fails as she is too apologetic about the incident and vows never to hit him again. Eventually, Stewie admits he has serious problems and his addiction to pain dissipates. Brian and Peter travel to a village in Ireland in an attempt to find Peter's real father. The pair discover Peter's father is Mickey McFinnigan, the local town drunk. Shocked by this, Peter soon finds out it is considered an honorable position in Ireland by the locals. McFinnigan refuses to believe Peter is his son; so, in an attempt to persuade him, Peter challenges him to a drinking contest, which Peter eventually wins. After the contest, McFinnigan believes Peter to be his son, as only a member of his family could beat him at drinking.[3]

[edit] Production

This episode marks the third appearance of Francis Griffin.[6] Show creator Seth MacFarlane comments that the episode came together and played great from start to finish.[7] Prior to the making of the episode, there had been several different ideas and disagreements for Peter's father's appearance.[7] MacFarlane comments that he had always pictured Peter's father to be a fat, drunk leprechaun.[7] The negativity of Francis was becoming "dull to write for", hence the storyline of Peter finding his biological father.[8] A deleted scene showed Peter pretending to quit drinking, but continuing quietly: this was one of several scenes which were removed from airing as they were described by the producers to be "not going anywhere."[6]

The scene with Peter in the hypnotherapists office was censored from television as Peter discusses his genitals and reproductive organs.[7] When Peter comes to the realization that Francis is not his real father and when Stewie dreams about being tortured by Lois, a harp sound can be heard; MacFarlane comments that even small things like that take a lot of work to produce.[7] The alcohol bottles being pushed by the airplane which Peter and Brian are traveling on were animated by computer, as is the taxi driving along the street. On the DVD commentary, MacFarlane notes that the scene would not have looked good without computer aid. He said it makes the animations seem more realistic than without a computer.[7] The two men circling each other for fifty years and waiting for the other to throw the first punch was not broadcast for television.[6][9]

[edit] Cultural references

In her bedroom, Meg has a poster of American boy-band 'N Sync, which MacFarlane comments to be from "back when they were around".[7] When Peter goes to see his mother, she asks him if he's come to bring the TV back, and Peter says that he sold it for crack money. This is a reference to the opening sequence of Requiem for a Dream. A reference to Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory was scheduled to broadcast, which consisted of Stewie singing "I want it now", directly after Lois had spanked him, but the scene never aired.[9][7] Peter briefly transforms into Wonder Woman after discovering his biological father is not Francis: this is a reference to Wonder Woman, and although the show could not receive rights to reproduce the original music, the scene was still broadcast.[6] Stewie dreams of Lois torturing him by stretching his body, this is a reference to Little Shop of Horrors.[7] Chris can be heard singing "Both to Each Other" by Eddie Rabbitt and Juice Newton, along with Herbert, who sings the line "and I'll be your lover", due to his ephebophilic nature.

[edit] Reception

A reviewer from Boxxet commented that "when I checked the schedule and saw the title of this episode was Peter's Two Dads, I was a little torn. First, the Peter-centric episodes generally have a much higher chance of going off the rails,"[10] following on to comment that "the episode that we did see still left me with something of a mixed reaction." concluding with a positive comment that the episode "was well constructed."[11] IGN's Ahsan Haque noted that "despite a couple of underdeveloped plotlines and an overabundance of offensive and uncomfortable jokes, this week's episode of Family Guy somehow manages to succeed with just enough truly hilarious moments and actual story elements."[12] MacFarlane has said that this is one of his favorite episodes, alongside "PTV" and "Road to Rhode Island."[13]

[edit] References

  1. ^ Henry, Mike. (2007). Family Guy season 5 DVD commentary for the episode "Peter's Two Dads" [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.
  2. ^ Peter's Two Dads. TV.com (2007). Retrieved on 2008-01-13.
  3. ^ a b (2007). Plot synopsis information for the episode "Peter's Two Dads" [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.
  4. ^ Peter's Two Dads. British Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved on 2008-01-19.
  5. ^ Outstanding Animated Program (for Programming Less Than One Hour). Emmys.org (2007). Retrieved on 2008-01-14.
  6. ^ a b c d Goodman, David. (2007). Family Guy season 5 DVD commentary for the episode "Peter's Two Dads" [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.
  7. ^ a b c d e f g h i MacFarlane, Seth. (2007). Family Guy season 5 DVD commentary for the episode "Peter's Two Dads" [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.
  8. ^ Smith, Danny. (2007). Family Guy season 5 DVD commentary for the episode "Peter's Two Dads" [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.
  9. ^ a b Tang, Cyndi. (2007). Family Guy season 5 DVD commentary for the episode "Peter's Two Dads" [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.
  10. ^ Peter's Two Dads. Boxxet.com (2007). Retrieved on 2008-01-14.
  11. ^ Family Guy: Peter's Two Dads. Tvsquad.com (2007). Retrieved on 2008-01-14.
  12. ^ Haque, Ahsan (2007). Family Guy: "Peter's Two Dads" Review. Tv.ign.com. Retrieved on 2008-01-14.
  13. ^ Seth MacFarlane on Family Guy #100. Craveonline.com (August 25, 2007). Retrieved on 2008-01-14.

[edit] External links

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