Freakin Sweet Forum 05.12.08: There's Something About Paulie

Posted by Jerome Cusson on 05.12.2008

Peter decides to associate himself with the mob, not exactly the best idea.

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
Mila Kunis ... Meg Griffin
Michael Chiklis ... Big Fat Paulie
Bob Costanza ... Biff / Louie
Jon Cryer ... Kevin
Mike Henry ... Additonal Voices
Alan King ... The Don
Brent Michael ... Additonal Voice
Haley Joel Osment ... Additional Voice
Kevin Michael Richardson ... Alex / Fat Man
Diane Robin ... The Bride / Contestant / Woman
Danny Smith ... Additional Voice
Jerry Sroka ... Additional Voice

Written by Ricky Blitt
Directed by Monte Young

Production Number: 1ACX10
Original airdate: June 27, 2000

Stewie hits Lois with a lamp to try and get his mommy to make “the inevitable gruel.” Peter notices his wife napping as well. Lois is quite exhausted, since she’s been running various errands by using a taxi. Seriously, how do these people actually live? Lois says they need a second car, and this serves as good of a chance as any to go to a Taxi parody. Good stuff with Jackie Chan as the foreign guy. Lois wants to buy the car from an ad she saw in the newspaper, while Peter wants to go to a dealer. Naturally, they go to a dealer.

At the dealership, Peter admires a little red number. Lois also finds a nice car, too. The red car is just plain terrible, with a picture of an engine and a cardboard steering wheel. It makes sense then that the car falls apart and Lois is not a happy panda. Peter never listens to his wife. Once again, Peter is acting like a dumb oaf. Then we go to Cleveland’s deli called Cleveland’s Deli. Good to see that deli for the first and only time. Maybe we’ll get to see it again in the spinoff. Peter isn’t happy with this situation and he gets an offer from someone clearly from the Mob. The Mob “takes care” of the car and they have a new car. Don’t they still need two cars?

Cleveland is still worried about how the car will affect Peter’s life, since it was taken care of by gangsters. While Peter is on the can, the Mob does a calling. The don is awaiting his man and Peter. Peter is to take Big Fat Paulie, the don’s nephew, to the movies. Paulie is pretty much the dumbest, most vile person you’d ever want to meet. Of course the two get along swimmingly. It makes perfect sense. Peter then takes Paulie home for dinner, and once again Lois isn’t very happy about him not consulting her on these decisions. This isn’t to mention Paulie is a very disgusting human being and, according to Lois, bad news.

It is at this point that Peter makes it clear he can’t be friends with Paulie. He blames the whole thing on Lois. Paulie takes this as a cue to put a hit on Lois. This is the same logic that would lead you to believe 2+2=5. Lois is, how should I say it, not very pleased with what’s going on, as she figures something is definitely wrong. Peter tries to reassure her, but he’s too dumb to realize what’s going on, too. Peter does explain to Paulie what the deal is, but just as he’s ready to call off the hit, he himself is hit. Irony can be so ironic sometimes.

Lois sees the murder of Big Fat Paulie reported in the newspaper, and this is when her dumbass husband finally comes clean about everything that’s really going on. The family watching Dharma and Greg is quite hysterical. God almighty, that show was wretched. Stewie, Chris, Brian, and Meg learn about the hit on Lois. Stewie has so many people to thank, he doesn’t know where to begin. The solution is Peter and Lois going to the don’s daughter’s wedding and asking a favor, since he cannot a refuse a favor on the day of his daughter’s wedding. Probably in her best interest to get that hit off her head, so she can…you know live.

Peter flashes back to the time when he was on “The Dating Game.” The two head off to the wedding to ask for their favor. Peter decides to royally screw this up by asking for the tiramisu, instead of getting the hit off on his wife. The don’s daughter and fiancée run past a very unhappy Peter and Lois, as they’re arguing about the potential husband going put and whacking someone on their wedding day. That’s just not nice. As it turns out, Lois is the one they’re supposed to whack. Peter manages to convince the don to save the life of his wife by offering his instead. He bailed himself out again. We end with the car blowing up and killing the poor guy who parked the cars.

The “No Fat Chicks” award for best line/moment of the show: No idea why this is actually funny, but it remains an oft-quoted line for me.

Peter: In Soviet Russia, car drives you!

The Meg Griffin award for worst line/moment of the show: Lois is a twit.

Most Random Cutaway: Peter in with a tough crowd, i.e. a cavity.

The 411: I’ve sort of grown tired of Peter constantly acting like an oaf. I realize that it’s part of his shtick, but seeing it week after week starts to get old. I’m really glad a transition toward getting away from this kind of storyline would be made the following season.

Final Score:  6.5   [ Average ]