Family Guy (season 2)

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Family Guy
Season 2
DVD cover
Starring
No. of episodes21
Release
Original networkFox
Original releaseSeptember 23, 1999 (1999-09-23) –
August 1, 2000 (2000-08-01)
Season chronology
← Previous
Season 1
Next →
Season 3
List of episodes

The second season of Family Guy first aired on the Fox network in 21 episodes from September 23, 1999, to August 1, 2000. The series follows the dysfunctional Griffin family—father Peter, mother Lois, daughter Meg, son Chris, baby Stewie and their anthropomorphic dog Brian, all of whom reside in their hometown of Quahog, a fictional town in the U.S. state of Rhode Island. The show features the voices of series creator Seth MacFarlane, Alex Borstein, Seth Green, Lacey Chabert and later Mila Kunis in the roles of the Griffin family. The executive producers for the second production season were David Zuckerman and MacFarlane; the aired season also contained eight episodes which were holdovers from season one. During this season, Family Guy relocated from Sunday, with only one episode (Da Boom) airing on a Sunday. The season aired its first two episodes on Thursdays, then aired mainly on Tuesdays between March and August 2000.

By the end of the second season, due to low

ratings, Fox resorted to canceling Family Guy. However, following a last-minute reprieve, it returned for a third season in 2001. The series was canceled again in 2002; however, high ratings on Adult Swim
and high DVD sales renewed Fox's interest in the series. The series returned for a total of 30 new episodes in 2005.

The season received a

Volume One DVD box set was released in Region 1 on April 15, 2003, and Region 2 on November 12, 2001. All twenty-one of the season's episodes are included in the volume. The first season's
seven episodes were also included in the volume.

Production

In 2002, Family Guy was canceled after three seasons due to low

ratings.[2][3] The show was first canceled after the 1999–2000 season, but a last-minute reprieve led to its return for a third season in 2001.[4] During the third season, Fox announced that the show was canceled for good.[5][6] Fox tried to sell rights for reruns of the show, but it was hard to find networks that were interested; Cartoon Network eventually bought the rights, "[...] basically for free", according to the president of 20th Century Fox Television Production.[7]

When the reruns were shown on Cartoon Network's Adult Swim in 2003, Family Guy became Adult Swim's most-watched show with an average 1.9 million viewers an episode.[8] Following Family Guy's high ratings on Adult Swim, the first and second seasons was released on DVD in April 2003.[2] Sales of the DVD set reached 2.2 million copies,[9] becoming the best-selling television DVD of 2003[10] and the second-highest-selling television DVD ever, behind the first season of Comedy Central's Chappelle's Show.[11] The third season DVD release also sold more than a million copies.[8] The show's popularity in both DVD sales and reruns rekindled Fox's interest in it.[12] They ordered 35 new episodes in 2004, marking the first revival of a television show based on DVD sales.[11][13] Fox president Gail Berman said that it was one of her most difficult decisions to cancel the show, and was therefore happy it would return.[7] The network also began production of a film based on the series.[10]

Episodes

No.
overall
No. in
season
TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air dateProd.
code
U.S. viewers
(millions)
81"Peter, Peter, Caviar Eater"Jeff MyersChris SheridanSeptember 23, 1999 (1999-09-23)1ACX087.72[14]
Lois's great-aunt, Marguerite Pewterschmidt, suddenly dies, leaving Lois and the rest of the family her posh summer mansion in a will. However, when Peter becomes convinced that he is rich and ultimately bids $100 million at a charity auction, he attempts to convince the landowners his house is valuable enough to trade instead. After several futile attempts to "prove" that Cherrywood Manor has enough historical value to cover the bid, Peter makes up with Lois and uncovers a set of hidden photographs which show several prominent American figures (including
whores
".
92"Holy Crap"Neil AffleckDanny SmithSeptember 30, 1999 (1999-09-30)1ACX115.40[15]
Peter's devoutly religious, recently retired father Francis (
personnel, much to the Pope's dismay. At the end of the episode, Peter's mom shows up at the door and wishes to live with the family, prompting them to flee the house in an escape pod
.
103"Da Boom"Bob JaquesNeil Goldman & Garrett DonovanDecember 26, 1999 (1999-12-26)2ACX069.37[16]

After a man in a chicken suit warns Peter that the world will end because of

retconning the entire episode, a parody of the Dallas
episode "Blast from the Past".


NOTE: This is the first episode to have
Mila Kunis as Meg.
114"Brian in Love"Jack DyerGary JanettiMarch 7, 2000 (2000-03-07)2ACX017.33[17]
Stewie is blamed for urinating all over the house; however, it is actually Brian who is responsible for it. The next morning, Peter decides to
mid-life crisis
. Brian attempts to entertain himself by exploring the world, but upon returning home, Stewie gets revenge on Brian and frames him by urinating all over the living room. Brian is falsely accused and the family return him to Dr. Kaplan to find the true cause. After revealing that his most recent accident happened after watching Lois and Peter engaging in a water fight on the car, Dr. Kaplan informs Brian that he is most likely in love with Lois. After discussing the situation, both agree to remain friends. Afterwards, Brian decides to live life to the fullest by golfing with Peter on the local golf course.
125"Love Thy Trophy"Jack DyerMike Barker & Matt WeitzmanMarch 14, 2000 (2000-03-14)1ACX136.68[18]

The neighbors fight over a trophy won for the best parade float, and when it ends up getting stolen, everyone in town becomes a prime suspect. Meanwhile, Meg takes a job as a waitress at a pancake restaurant to earn money for a Prada bag, and claims that Stewie is her crack-addicted son for sympathy tips.


NOTE: Due to airing out of order, Meg is voiced by an uncredited Lacey Chabert.
136"Death Is a Bitch"Michael Dante DiMartinoRicky BlittMarch 21, 2000 (2000-03-21)1ACX146.97[19]
Peter gets out of paying a hefty hospital bill by declaring that he's dead, only to get a surprise visit from Death himself. However, Death injures his ankle while chasing Peter and is unable to do his job, which makes everyone on Earth immortal, so Peter must stand in as the new Grim Reaper.
147"The King Is Dead"Monte YoungCraig HoffmanMarch 28, 2000 (2000-03-28)1ACX156.91[20]
Lois is appointed the director of Quahog's theatre company after the former director dies and attempts to produce The King and I. She appoints Peter as the producer to keep him out of her way, but his plans to recreate the play send him on a power trip that replaces her as the show's director.
158"I Am Peter, Hear Me Roar"Monte YoungChris SheridanMarch 28, 2000 (2000-03-28)2ACX027.62[20]
After telling a sexist joke at work, Peter is forced to go to a women's retreat camp and comes back a sensitive feminist. Lois and the others become greatly disturbed by his new attitude, and when his condition worsens, they do everything in their power to restore his manhood.
169"If I'm Dyin', I'm Lyin'"Swinton O. Scott IIIChris SheridanApril 4, 2000 (2000-04-04)1ACX126.24[21]
When Peter and Chris's favorite TV show is cancelled, Peter pretends Chris is terminally ill and tells the "Grant-A-Dream Foundation" that his "final wish" is to get the show back on the air. When Chris does not die, however, Peter goes too far and declares himself to be a healer, starting his own religion.
1710"Running Mates"John HolmquistNeil Goldman & Garrett DonovanApril 11, 2000 (2000-04-11)1ACX096.30[22]

Lois runs for President of the Quahog School Board, but Peter runs against her so he can save the job of his favorite teacher from his high school years, smearing Lois's image and winning by a landslide. But things take a turn for the worse when Chris is caught with pornography in school, so Peter must set all things right.


NOTE: This is the last episode to have an uncredited Lacey Chabert as Meg.
1811"A Picture is Worth 1,000 Bucks"Gavin DellCraig HoffmanApril 18, 2000 (2000-04-18)2ACX076.07[23]
Peter begins to fear that his name will be forgotten, and strives to start a legacy of his own. When he sells a painting Chris gave him to an art gallery, Peter discovers that he can use Chris's talents to fulfill this dream, taking the family to New York to see Chris become famous.
1912"Fifteen Minutes of Shame"Scott WoodSteve CallaghanApril 25, 2000 (2000-04-25)2ACX086.62[24]
After being embarrassed by her family during her slumber party, Meg brings them on a daytime talk show out of revenge, where a TV producer turns the Griffins' dysfunctional life into a reality show titled "The Real Life Griffins". Things go awry and Meg abandons everyone; as a result, an actress is brought in to play Meg on "The Real Life Griffins", and soon Meg finds that the rest of the family have been replaced by celebrity actors Tom Arnold, Fran Drescher, Philip Seymour Hoffman, and Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen.
2013"Road to Rhode Island"Dan PovenmireGary JanettiMay 30, 2000 (2000-05-30)2ACX126.47[25]
Brian volunteers to bring Stewie home from his grandparents' house in California, but the two miss their plane and must travel on foot for a cross-country journey back home. Meanwhile, Peter becomes addicted to watching a collection of marriage counseling videos hosted by a porn star.
2114"Let's Go to the Hop"Glen HillMike Barker & Matt WeitzmanJune 6, 2000 (2000-06-06)2ACX045.70[26]
Peter goes undercover as a high school student named "
toad licking
, making him extremely popular in Meg's school. Meg asks her dad out to the upcoming school dance in the hopes of becoming popular herself, but Peter chooses to go out with popular Connie D'Amico instead.
2215"Dammit Janet"Bert RingMike Barker & Matt WeitzmanJune 13, 2000 (2000-06-13)2ACX097.34[27]
Stewie is sent off to daycare to learn social skills where he falls in love with a girl named Janet. Meanwhile, Lois begins wishing that her life were more exciting, so she gets a job as a flight attendant at Peter's request, who exploits Lois's job position as a means to get free travel for himself.
2316"There's Something About Paulie"Monte YoungRicky BlittJune 27, 2000 (2000-06-27)1ACX106.88[28]
Peter befriends a mob boss's nephew, Big Fat Paulie, while paying off a debt. But when he says that Lois does not want them to hang out anymore, Paulie misinterprets the situation and thinks that Peter wants him to kill her so they can still be friends. When Peter explains this to Paulie, he agrees to call off the hit, but he is suddenly gunned down by rival mobsters before he can place the phone call. As such, Peter must find a way to call off the hit.
2417"He's Too Sexy for His Fat"Glen HillChris SheridanJune 27, 2000 (2000-06-27)2ACX106.56[28]
Chris becomes insecure about his weight and goes on a diet, but Peter opts for plastic surgery and ends up getting it himself. Now thin and handsome, Peter becomes swayed by the special treatment he receives from people he comes across, while Lois, in spite of her morals, finds that she can not resist him. Meanwhile, Stewie starts overeating to taunt Chris, but ends up becoming obese.
2518"E. Peterbus Unum"Rob RenzettiNeil Goldman & Garrett DonovanJuly 12, 2000 (2000-07-12)2ACX135.50[29]
While confronting the mayor about zoning issues around his house, Peter discovers that his house is not anywhere on the map, prompting him to secede his house from the rest of the United States, creating the country "Petoria". His country gains no respect, so he invades the U.S. and annexes Joe's pool.
2619"The Story on Page One"Gavin DellCraig HoffmanJuly 18, 2000 (2000-07-18)2ACX145.66[30]
Meg signs up for the high school newspaper club as Brown University's academic requirement, but Peter replaces her original article with one about Luke Perry's supposed homosexuality. This lands Meg in hot legal water with Perry, so Peter decides to "prove" that the actor is gay.
2720"Wasted Talent"Bert RingStory by : Dave Collard & Ken Goin
Teleplay by : Mike Barker & Matt Weitzman
July 25, 2000 (2000-07-25)2ACX156.82[31]
Peter wins a tour of a magical brewery owned by Pawtucket Pat (à la
its film adaptation
), while Lois desperately searches for a talented piano player to beat her rival at an upcoming talent competition, finding one in the form of her husband, who can only play professionally when he's drunk.
2821"Fore, Father"Scott WoodBobby BowmanAugust 1, 2000 (2000-08-01)2ACX166.15[32]
Peter thinks his son lacks responsibility, so he gets him a job at a golf course. However, when he discovers that Cleveland's son has the potential to become a pro golf player, he forsakes Chris to train the hyperactive Cleveland Jr. instead. Discouraged, Chris finds a new father figure in Quagmire.

Reception

Mila Kunis replaced Lacey Chabert as the voice of Meg from the third episode of this season onwards.

The second season of Family Guy received positive reviews from critics. Aaron Beierle of

Holy Crap" promoted anti-Catholicism.[37]

The

critic of Family Guy, had initially speculated that Family Guy would be "pushing the envelope" before the series' 1999 premiere.[38] In May 2000, in its weekly "E-Alert" email newsletter, the PTC launched a letter-writing campaign to the Fox network to persuade the network to cancel Family Guy following a return from a long hiatus in the show's second season, due to what the PTC claimed were "strong advertiser resistance and low ratings".[39] In addition, Family Guy made the PTC's 2000 "worst prime-time shows for family viewing".[40]

Home media release

The

Family Guy Volume One; this standard four-disc DVD box set debuted in Region 1 on April 15, 2003.[41] Distributed by 20th Century Fox Television, it included several DVD extras such as episode commentaries, behind-the-scenes footage, and online promo spots.[41][42][43] The same episodes, without the special features, were released in Region 2 on November 12, 2001, and in Region 4 on October 20, 2003.[44][45]

See also

References

Specific
  1. ^ a b Beierle, Aaron (March 21, 2003). "Family Guy — Vol. 1". DVD Talk. Archived from the original on November 17, 2015. Retrieved September 27, 2009.
  2. ^ a b Morrow, Terry (August 13, 2004). "Resurrected 'Family Guy' is drawing a growing audience". The San Diego Union-Tribune. Archived from the original on November 13, 2004. Retrieved July 2, 2009.
  3. ^ Erickson, Chris (May 2, 2005). "Family Guy hits air waves again". The Heights. Archived from the original on August 26, 2009. Retrieved July 3, 2009.
  4. ^ Wheat, Alynda (September 5, 2008). "Fall TV Preview: 'Family Guy'". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on April 8, 2022. Retrieved April 8, 2022.
  5. ^ "Family Guy has finally been officially cancelled by Fox". TKtv. May 16, 2002. Archived from the original on November 5, 2015. Retrieved August 24, 2009.
  6. ^ McKinley, Jesse (May 2, 2005). "Canceled and Resurrected, on the Air and Onstage". The New York Times. Archived from the original on January 26, 2020. Retrieved April 8, 2022.
  7. ^ a b Gordon, Devin (April 4, 2005). "Family Reunion". Newsweek. p. 50.
  8. ^ a b Levin, Gary (March 24, 2004). "'Family Guy' un-canceled, thanks to DVD sales success". USA Today. Archived from the original on June 21, 2012. Retrieved July 3, 2009.
  9. ^ Poniewozik, James; McDowell, Jeanne (April 19, 2004). "It's Not TV. It's TV on DVD". Time. Archived from the original on August 25, 2009. Retrieved April 8, 2022.
  10. ^ a b Kipnis, Jill (February 7, 2004). "Successful "Guy"". Billboard. p. 44. Archived from the original on January 17, 2023. Retrieved July 3, 2009.
  11. ^ a b Goodale, Gloria (April 22, 2005). "Cult fans bring 'The Family Guy' back to TV". The Christian Science Monitor. Archived from the original on June 24, 2012. Retrieved April 8, 2022.
  12. ^ Louie, Rebecca (April 28, 2005). "The 'Family' can't be killed. Fox thought it was out, but we pulled it back on. The 'Guy' who wouldn't die". New York Daily News. Retrieved July 3, 2009.[dead link]
  13. ^ Levin, Gary (November 18, 2003). "'Family Guy' may return". USA Today. Archived from the original on March 14, 2012. Retrieved July 3, 2009.
  14. Newspapers.com.Free access icon
  15. ^
  16. ^
  17. ^ Tucker, Ken (April 9, 1999). "Family Guy". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on January 14, 2016. Retrieved April 8, 2022.
  18. ^ Tucker, Ken (December 21, 2001). "Television". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on January 14, 2016. Retrieved April 8, 2022."Here is a worthy successor to Arli$$ as The Awful Show They Just Keep Putting on the Air, a phenomenon as inexplicable as where Larry King gets all his suspenders. As long as they keep bringing back Family Guy, a hunk of ugly animation, I'll keep using it to line the bottom of this barrel."
  19. ^ Graham, Mark (December 4, 2008). "Seth MacFarlane Named 'Smartest Person on TV,' Ken Tucker Promptly Keels Over". Vulture. Archived from the original on April 8, 2022. Retrieved April 8, 2022.
  20. AIDS
    jokes; shoddy animation; stolen ideas: the cartoon as vile swill."
  21. Holy Crap
    ")
  22. ^ Bozell, L. Brent III (January 19, 1999). "WB: The Very Model of a Modern Network?". MediaResearch.org. Creators Syndicate. Archived from the original on June 8, 2011. Retrieved February 3, 2008.
  23. Fifteen Minutes of Shame
    " as example)
  24. ^ "Top 10 Best & Worst Family Shows on Network Television, 1999–2000 TV Season". ParentsTV.org. Parents Television Council. Archived from the original on December 12, 2006. Retrieved December 12, 2006. ...unbelievably foul...
  25. ^ a b "Family Guy – Volume 1". TVShowsOnDVD.com. Archived from the original on October 15, 2012. Retrieved September 4, 2010.
  26. ^ Conrad, Jeremy (March 20, 2003). "Family Guy - Volume 1". IGN. Archived from the original on April 8, 2022. Retrieved April 8, 2022.
  27. ^ "Family Guy – Vol. 1 (Seasons 1 & 2) DVD". Fox Shop. Archived from the original on July 16, 2011. Retrieved July 28, 2010.
  28. ^ "Family Guy  Season 1 DVD". dvdorchard. Archived from the original on July 19, 2011. Retrieved September 23, 2010.
  29. ^ "Family Guy – Season 1". Amazon.co.uk. March 29, 2004. Archived from the original on February 9, 2013. Retrieved November 3, 2009.
General

External links