My wife often accuses me of getting movies on Blu-Ray/DVD, and watching them once and then leaving them on a shelf to collect dust. In an effort to prove her wrong and to also at the same time annoy her, I’ve decided to watch every episode of Family Guy I own. And I own all of them on DVD. All 16 seasons. Plus the Stewie movie and the Star Wars Parodies. I will also review watch episode and share my thoughts here. Each article will most likely be a different length due to not knowing how many I will watch at any given time. I will be watching them in order as well so this should be really fun for me, not my wife.

Season 2, Episode 10 “Running Mates”

Lois is running for school board president but Chris is caught in voyeurism. Peter tries to help Chris by giving him a bunch of porn mags, which he sells to his friends.

One night while Lois is holding a campaign meeting at Chris’ school, Peter runs into his favorite high school teacher, Mr. Fargus. Peter is horrified to learn the crazy fun teacher he had in middle school is no longer. Fargus has been put on medication and is calm and boring. Peter convinces Fargus to stop taking his medication which he does. Lois in the meantime wins the election by default and when she decides not to re-hire Fargus, Peter decides that he is going to run against Lois.

During the campaign Peter releases a provocative photo of Lois, which makes him win the election in landslide. Peter makes some outlandish changes to the middle school, which soon land him in hot water.

Pretty solid episode with Peter getting the best of the jokes. His appearance on the local news station with all the changes he has made is a standout moment. Chris is given a little more to do and Seth Green is really starting to find the character. His delivery has changed significantly from the first few episodes and Green’s added innocence to Chris made him a much stronger character.

Grade: B

Season 2, Episode 11 “A Picture Is Worth a 1,000 Bucks”

Peter is taken to Bob’s Funland and Putt Putt Golf for his birthday. At Funland Peter and his friends get into trouble and are soon asked to leave by the owner, Bob Funland, whom Peter, Quagmire and Cleveland all teased in high school.

Peter depressed that he doesn’t have an amusement park, is not impressed with a painting that Chris gave him for his birthday and uses it to cover up a hole in his cars window. The painting is noticed by an art dealer named Monatti and offers Peter $5,000 for it. Monatti offers Chirs the chance to display his art and work in Manhattan, which Chris reluctantly accepts. Soon Chris is rebranded as “Christobel” and given a makeover to set the New York City art scene on fire.

Lots of funny stuff in this episode, from the show stopping song in the middle to outlandish cut-away gags featuring a Walt Disney and Minnie Mouse. And an amazing exchange involving Meg, Peter and Big Bird and Meg’s “talent” for bird calling. Not everything works in this episode, but it’s solid nonetheless.

Grade: B

Season 2, Episode 12 “Fifteen Minutes of Shame”

Meg, constantly embarrassed by her family, decides to get even with them by having them on a trashy day time talk show, The Diane Simmons Show, where everyone will see how embarrassing her family is.

The plan backfires as the family gets offered a reality TV show where cameras follow them around 24/7. Meg leaves the family and is replaced with a sexy new version of Meg.

This is a classic episode. From the parody of the early 2000 reality TV shows to instantly quotable moments from the whole cast, “Fifteen Minutes of Shame” is Family Guy at its best. One scene always makes me laugh and it is when Peter and Meg are on the Diane Simmons Show:

Peter: I can’t believe you would do this Meg. I guess now I won’t be giving you the antidote.

Meg: To what?

Peter: To the poison you just drank!

Or when Stewie explains to the camera why he got mad at Lois for the eggs she made:

Stewie: The Breakfast thing. Yes. It wasn’t even about the eggs, really. Frankly, I like the yolks. I don’t… I have no problem… it’s just there’s always been a lot of tension between Lois and me. And it’s not so much that I want to “kill” her. It’s just I want her not to be alive anymore. Uh… I sometimes wonder if all women are this difficult. And I think to myself, “My God! Wouldn’t be marvelous if I turned out to be a homosexual?”

Plus naked Peter is just a funny sight gag and he’s naked a lot in this episode.

Grade: A+

Season 2, Episode 13 “Road to Rhode Island”

Brian learns that he was born in a puppy mill and taken from his mother. He explains his feelings to his psychiatrist, where he discovers he needs closure from his past.

Stewie is staying with his grandparents in Palm Springs, and when he needs to be picked up, Brian volunteers. Brian picks up Stewie and they head to the airport. Brian gets drunk and causes them to miss their plane.

Stewie and Brian embark on an adventure across America, learning about Brian’s past and the two soon become good friends.

Back in Quahog Lois wants Peter and her to communicate better,so she orders a videotape for them to watch together. After Lois is told to leave the room Peter is seduced by the doctor in the video.

Maybe the single best episode of Family Guy, “Road to Rhode Island” is a winner throughout its 23 minute runtime. The episode is a real turning point for the series. As it seems every character that is explored in this episode still carries the baggage of this episode with them 20 years later. It is especially a breakout episode for Stewie and Brian as they turn a corner in their character development.

Funny and heartfelt, “Road to Rhode Island” is an episode I would show to someone who has never seen Family Guy.

Grade: A+

Season 2, Episode 14 “Let’s Go to the Hop”

A drug cartel plane carrying toads that if licked cause hallucinations crashes near Quahog. Soon the toads are being used by the cool kids at the High School.

When Lois finds a toad in Chris’ pants she’s horrified, but she soon learns that it belongs to Meg, who was hiding it for the Connie D’Amico.

Peter comes up with a plan to go undercover at the school as “Lando Griffin” a cool kid who breaks out into a song about the dangers of toad licking. Lando becomes ultra popular and agrees to go to the Winter Snow Ball with Meg. However, Meg soon learns that “Lando” is ditching her for Connie D’Amico.

Another winning episode, “Let’s Go to the Hop” features Peter at his stupid best. And yet another episode where a character has a break out and that is Meg. Best jokes involve Peter as “Lando” and his new found popularity. And of course another amazing song in the episode.

Grade: A

Season 2, Episode 15 “Dammit Janet”

Lois decides that Stewie needs to go to daycare because he doesn’t seem to get along with the other kids at the park. Stewie is enrolled in daycare where he soon is smitten with a girl named Janet. Stewie dreams of a life together with Janet and does whatever he can to earn her affection.

Lois decides that with Stewie no longer in the house wants a job. Peter tells his friends about this and Quagmire suggests that she become a flight attendant. Peter is sold on the idea when he learns that significant others get to fly anywhere they want for free.

Family Guy was on a roll. “Dammit Janet” is another really funny, really sweet episode. What makes the sweet especially nice is that it comes from Stewie’s love for Janet and the heartbreak he experiences when he learns that Janet was using him for his cookies.

Peter, once again has the best jokes, like this exchange between him and Tinkerbell:

Peter: Fly for free. Sorry Tink. Looks like I don’t need you anymore.

Tinkerbell: So what? You’re just going to dump me? Just like that?

Peter: You knew what this was.

Also Peter’s one man show “Winston Churchill We Hardly Knew Thee” is comedy gold.

Grade: A

Season 2, Episode 16 “There’s Something About Paulie”

When Peter and Lois need a new car, Peter does not include Lois in the decision. Peter buys a lemon and needs a way to get out from under the car.

Peter makes a deal with the mob for a new car, and must return the favor. The favor that the mob chooses is for Peter to go to the movies with The Don’s obnoxious nephew, Big Fat Paulie. Paulie soon hangs out with the Griffins and Peter is told to make him go away. When Peter tells Paulie that he doesn’t want Paulie to leave but it was Lois who did.

Paulie puts a hit out on Lois and is killed himself in drive-by shooting before he can call off the hit.

Peter gets an invitation to The Don’s daughter’s wedding where he able to ask for a favor, which Lois hopes will be to call of the hit of her.

It was bound to happen, “There’s Something About Paulie” is a bug step back after a string of awesome episodes. Reading IMDB this episode was originally supposed to air in season 1, and the tell-tale signs are there. Voices are not as sharply defined and the animation is not up to par from the standout two previous episodes. Forgettable episode.

Grade: C-