Peterotica
"Peterotica" | |
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Family Guy episode | |
Episode no. | Season 4 Episode 24 |
Directed by | Kurt Dumas |
Written by | Patrick Meighan |
Production code | 4ACX27 |
Original air date | April 23, 2006 |
Guest appearances | |
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"Peterotica" is the 24th episode from
The plot follows
Plot
Barbara divorces Carter and marries Ted Turner. Peter attempts to teach Carter how to live as a "regular person", but Carter does not acclimate well. Peter and Carter attempt to make money, robbing a train after several other failed attempts, but the robbery is unsuccessful also. Carter punches Peter into the Kool Aid Guy's house after many repairs. As Peter and Carter begin to accept that they will never be rich, Barbara returns and informs Carter that they are rich again, because she has divorced Ted Turner and taken half his assets. Despite Peter's help, Carter abandons him. Lois informs Peter she refused $10 million that her parents offered her 10 years ago as she believed that the family did not need money; as she explains this, Peter fantasizes about killing her.
Meanwhile, Stewie trains in gymnastics to compete in the Olympics.
Production
"Peterotica" was written by Patrick Meighan and directed by Kurt Dumas.[1] The episode ran into multiple objections from broadcasting standards and the show's producers. For instance, the original title of the episode was "A Connecticut Yankee and King Arthur's Butt", but broadcasting standards objected.[3][4] A sequence showing all of the different erotic novels written by Peter was edited for the television version; one entitled Catcher in the Eye was removed from the television version as broadcasting standards disliked the cover, which implied her eye was a target for semen during ejaculation.[3][5][6] The scene of Peter reading his new erotic novel to Lois was never cut from airing, although the producers of Family Guy had some trouble with it, as it is the second semen joke of the episode.[4][7] When Lois's father, Carter, sits down at the breakfast table, Lois states: "Daddy, did you remember to clean up?" Originally, she was meant to say, "Daddy, did you remember to wipe yourself?", but broadcasting standards objected, so it was modified to "Daddy, did you remember to clean yourself?" However, standards still objected, so it was changed to its current version.[3]
Stewie is seen practicing for the Olympics and is disturbed by Chris; this scene was originally meant to be the start of a subplot in which Stewie would build a machine to make Chris intelligent. Although it would be successful, Chris would become more clever than Stewie. The subplot was scrapped because it was deemed not funny enough.[3] The gag in which Peter is a landlord over a rat family in the Griffin family basement was removed from television broadcasting for timing purposes.[5] The "thinking grenade" sketch, in which Peter uses live grenades to help him think, was originally intended to be used in "PTV" in a scene in The Drunken Clam, but there were no windows in the Clam nearby for Peter to throw the grenades through, so instead of adding windows to the building's design for that episode, the gag was moved to this episode.[3] The "naughty flapper girl" gag was included in the original draft of the episode.[7]
Cultural references
The episode features multiple references to popular culture. The song Quagmire sings in the sex shop is a part of "
After returning from the porn shop, Peter is shown watching an episode of
A reference to The Simpsons' appearance in The Tracey Ullman Show is made when the Griffins are shown as characters in the show. Family Guy producer David A. Goodman comments that, contrary to what some think, the show was not trying to criticize The Simpsons, but, rather, trying to show the differences in voices and character appearance.[3][7]
Reception
In a review of the Family Guy, Volume Four DVD collection, Mike Drucker of IGN singled out "Peterotica" and "PTV" as "new classics."[8] In a review of the episode, Bob Sassone of TV Squad commented on the scene where Peter acts as a landlord over a rat, writing, "to be honest, I'm not even sure what the hell was going on there, it was so disturbing."[9] Geoffrey D. Roberts of Real Talk Reviews criticized the episode, writing that "the story is thin and the laughter absent."[10] The episode sparked controversy over a depiction of the Charwoman cleaning character, a character used by Carol Burnett in The Carol Burnett Show that was used in the episode without her consent.[11][12] Burnett sued, but the case was later dismissed.[13][14] In the Court's opinion, United States District Court for the Central District of California District Judge Dean Pregerson wrote, "Carol Burnett is an icon in American culture as is her character the 'Charwoman.' The Court has no doubt that she is, and rightly so, well known, respected, and beloved by a large segment of the American public based upon her persona and her outstandingly successful entertainment career. The Court fully appreciates how distasteful and offensive the segment is to Ms. Burnett. (...) However, the law, as it must in an open society, provides broad protection for the defendant's segment."[15]
References
- ^ a b "Episode Cast and Crew". Yahoo! TV. Archived from the original on 2011-03-02. Retrieved 2008-06-22.
- ^ "Peterotica". British Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 2008-06-23.
- ^ a b c d e f g MacFarlane, Seth (2006). Family Guy season 4 DVD commentary for the episode "Peterotica" (DVD). 20th Century Fox.
- ^ a b Meighan, Patrick (2006). Family Guy season 4 DVD commentary for the episode "Peterotica" (DVD). 20th Century Fox.
- ^ a b c Elias, Mike (2006). Family Guy season 4 DVD commentary for the episode "Peterotica" (DVD). 20th Century Fox.
- ^ Fertman, Kim (2006). Family Guy season 4 DVD commentary for the episode "Peterotica" (DVD). 20th Century Fox.
- ^ a b c d Goodman, David (2006). Family Guy season 4 DVD commentary for the episode "Peterotica" (DVD). 20th Century Fox.
- ^ Drucker, Mike (November 8, 2006). "Family Guy — Volume Four". IGN. Retrieved 2008-06-22.
- TV Squad. Retrieved 2008-06-22.
- ^ Roberts, Geoffrey D. "All in the Family". Real Talk Reviews.com. Retrieved 2010-02-23.
- ^ "Comedian Burnett sues Family Guy". British Broadcasting Corporation. March 17, 2007. Retrieved 2008-06-22.
- ^ Kilkelly, Daniel (March 17, 2007). "Burnett sues over 'Family Guy' spoof". Digital Spy. Retrieved 2008-06-22.
- ^ Nathan, Deborah (June 15, 2007). "Carol Burnett Loses Infringement Fight With 'Family Guy' Show". News.lp.findlaw.com. Retrieved 2008-08-02. [dead link]
- ^ De Leon, Kris (June 6, 2007). "Carol Burnett Loses Family Guy Lawsuit". BuddyTV. Retrieved 2016-10-11.
- ^ "Burnett v. Twentieth Century Fox Film Corp". Archive.org. Retrieved 22 March 2024.
External links
- "Peterotica" at IMDb
- Peterotica on Amazon