Freakin Sweet Forum 04.21.08: Road to Rhode Island

Posted by Jerome Cusson on 04.21.2008

Brian and Stewie go on the road!

Seth MacFarlane ... Peter Griffin / Brian Griffin / Stewie Griffin / Glen Quagmire / Tom Tucker / Additional Voices
Alex Borstein ... Lois Griffin / Loretta Brown / Tricia Takanawa / Barbara Pewterschmidt / Additional Voices
Seth Green ... Chris Griffin / Neil Goldman / Additional Voices (voice)
Mila Kunis ... Meg Griffin
Mike Henry ... (voice)
Brian Doyle-Murray ... Luke
Victoria Principal ... Dr. Amanda Rebecca
Danny Smith ...Additional Voice
Sam Waterston ... Dr. Kaplan (uncredited)

Writer...Gary Janetti
Director...Dan Povenmire

Production Number: 2ACX12
Original Airdate: May 30, 2000

Now it’s time for me to talk about one of my favorite episodes of Family Guy. It is the first of two, what I like to call, road shows. It usually involves Stewie and Brian going on some sort of road trip. In this case, we ditch the regular opening in favor of something you might see in an old school Warner Brothers or Hanna Barbara cartoon.

We begin with something a little different, as Brian gets taken away from his mother. He’s talking with his therapist about his abandonment issues. The therapist asks if he’s been drinking, since Brian gets agitated rather easily. Even Lois questions him. Brian assures her he’s only on his second glass of wine. Too bad the glass is the size of a big gulp. Chris poses the question to Peter of who he would save, Chris or Meg. Like there’s any doubt (What did Peter actually say? I’m sure someone wants to know.). Lois says he loves all of his children equally.

Then we see Stewie at his grandparents’ home causing some trouble. Brian tells Lois he’ll fly down to Palm Springs to go get Stewie. How the airport will feel about Brian using what we can only assume to be Lois’ ticket is another story. See, I’m always thinking. Not enough to miss Peter distracting Lois’ reading by shooting…yes, shooting a fly. Stewie is very angry at Brian being the one to pick him up.
Lois shows Peter a relationship tape that they will watch to help improve their communication. This ought to be good. Brian leaves Stewie to watch the bags while he runs an errand (gets drunk). Brian is inebriated and hitting on a young lady at the airport bar. Stewie finds him and since their flight is about to depart, they go fetch their bags. But, when you leave an inanimate object like a teddy bear to watch them, more likely than not, they will get stolen. More gay jokes. Stewie tries to get on the plane anyway and fails.

After an act break, Stewie helps Brian get into a hotel room. How they can afford a hotel is beyond me. Lois puts the tape in and Dr. Amanda Rebecca (nice name) asks all the women to leave the room. The good doctor begins to strip and show off her rather ample chest. Yeah, this’ll really help. Back at the hotel, Stewie breaks up a drug deal and the two perpetrators kill each other. The credit card I guess they have is rejected, and Stewie must help Brian regain consciousness after another drunken stupor. The hotel manager seems quite incompetent, as Brian and Stewie find a car to steal. They argue over which kind of car they want to steal. They finally decide on one, but Brian doesn’t know how to hotwire a car. Luckily, Stewie does. Good Lord, what the hell was he doing in that uterus?

Brian calls Lois to let her know everything is alright and that they traded their plane tickets for train tickets. Peter has another relationship tape, and he has a hard time talking without spilling out the words “nipples” or “boobs”. Our two roadies find an airplane while a father and son have an argument. They may or may not also be brothers too. Anyway, Brian immediately crashes the plane. Next, they get on a truck loaded with what can only be described as Mexican immigrants. Brian has the truck driver stop when they’re eight miles away from Austin, after seeing a road sign designating how close they are to Brian’s destination. Now Stewie gets to ride Brian all the way to the farm.

The farmer and his wife welcome our roadies into the house. Stewie immediately needs to be changed. Brian learns that his mom died the previous year. He also learns how good of a life he truly has. Unfortunately, his mom isn’t as lucky, since she’s now a coffee table. Brian refuses to leave his deceased and stuffed mom in the house, and decides to give her an appropriate burial.

Meg and Chris are sucking it up. Peter is watching another relationship tape, and this time Lois surprisingly appears on the tape. And now, Peter and Lois will commence with the sex. Brian gets direction while Stewie has a funny moment with Biscuit, Brian’s dead mom. What a terrible name for a dog. Stewie says a few words that are completely wrong for this moment. He tries to say something else, and that also fails.

After an act break, we get one of my favorite musical numbers of all time. Stewie and Brian sing “Road to Rhode Island.” Hilariously written and I sit here wondering why they can’t create a spin-off of Brian and Stewie going on the road. It might not work for a typical 22-episode season, but I think four to six of these could work. Stewie and Brian finally return home, as Meg and Chris continue sucking it up.

The 411: Like I said, this is one of my favorite episodes ever because Stewie and Brian are clearly the two best characters on this show. How amazing is it that the baby and pet are the two most entertaining aspects of a family animated comedy, especially when you consider Maggie’s and Santa’s Little Helper’s roles on The Simpsons?

Final Score:  10.0   [ Virtually Perfect ]