Season 3, Episode 19 “Stuck Together, Torn Apart”

Lois has had it with Peter’s jealousy, that he’s even jealous of her gynecologist. Worried that it will only get worse, Lois forces Peter to go to marriage counselor. He recommends that they see different people. Lois goes out with Quagmire, Peter is set up by Mort with Jennifer Love Hewitt.

Elsewhere, Brian and Stewie glue their hands together and are stuck with each other for two weeks while they wait for the solvent to set them free.

A fine episode, and delivering some good laughs. Stewie and Brian being stuck together works great, the A-Story of Peter and Lois is funny and a nice reminder why they love each other. The flashbacks of Peter’s jealousy hits the comedic charm, especially when he yells at Hugh Grant at a movie theater and Chris shouts, “Don’t do it dad! He’s bigger than you!”

Grade: B

Season 3, Episode 20 “Road to Europe”

Obsessed with the British TV show, “Jolly Time Revue” and wishing to leave Quahog, Stewie makes his way to the airport. Brian tries to stop Stewie but they both end up as stowaways on a plane, that lands not in England but the Middle East.

After a musical number to distract while they steal a camel, Stewie and Brian make their way across Europe by hot air balloon and train.

Stewie finally makes it to Jolly Time Farm and is heartbroken that its all fake and the actors on the show are not the characters he loves.

While Stewie and Brian are on their adventure, Peter and Lois attend a KISS concert. Peter is heartbroken when he learns that Lois isn’t a fan and embarrasses him at the concert by singing the wrong lyric to a song. Peter still upset decides to go to Denny’s. When he gets there KISS is also there. Peter is shocked to learn that Lois dated Gene SImmons and earned the nickname “Loose Lois”.

The Road to…, episodes are all winners. Hats off to the writers and Seth MacFarlane for crushing a parody of “You and I Are So Awfully Different”. Any chance the writers of Family Guy try and offend a culture or a person they usually succeed without being overly offensive, and no one is safe in this episode. From the Pope to the English, the writing is sharp in this episode.

Grade: A-

Season 3, Episode 21, “Family Guy Viewer Mail #1”

Introduced by Ron MacFarlane (Seth’s dad) “Family Guy Viewer Mail #1” is three short episodes that play as what if’s. Peter finds a genie and gets three wishes, The Griffins get super powers and a Family Guy version of Little Rascals.

Each short has nothing to do with the last or the show for that matter but they are really funny. One of Peter’s wishes to have his own theme music is great (and catchy). So too is the introduction of the super powers that they all get, except Meg. And it is really cute to see the Griffins with really big heads and cute in The Little Rascals parody.

Grade: B+

Season 3, unaired “When You Wish Upon a Weinstein”

After losing their “rainy-day” money to a scam artist for Volcano Insurance, Lois demands Peter get the money back for new glasses for Meg. Peter who is at a loss of what to do turns to his friends. He learns from Quagmire and Cleveland that their finances are handled by men with Jewish-sounding names.

Peter lucks into Max Weinstein after he sings the song, “I Need a Jew” who after Peter chases down in a foot chase agrees to help him get his money back.

“When You Wish Upon a Weinstein” was originally supposed to air in 2000. But fearing that it was too anti-Semitic Fox scrapped it. It made it’s debut on Adult Swim and on the Special Features of Volume 2 of the DVDs.

I am not sure how offensive it is, but the episode isn’t the best Family Guy has to offer. There is fun to be had, but the premise doesn’t sustain itself for the whole episode. Mark Hamill appearing as a laser eye surgeon with his light saber is a highlight.

Grade: C

Season 4, Episode 1 “North by North Quahog”

Family Guy returns after being off the air for over 2 years. Peter runs through all the shows Fox cancelled in the cold opening in the time Family Guy has been gone.

The episode really starts after that with Lois yelling out George Clooney’s name during sex. Lois believes that they need to rekindle the fire in their marriage and she and Peter decide to go on a second honeymoon.

While they are gone, Brian is put in charge of the kids. Brian struggles with it and enlists Stewie for help. They end up chaperoning at the middle school where they bust Jake and his upside down face with alcohol.

Peter wrecks his car on the way to their honeymoon because he is distracted by reading a Jughead comic (it’s a great use of animation) and the Griffins get tangled up with the Catholic Church and Mel Gibson’s sequel to The Passion of the Christ.

Although it was off the air for two years, Family Guy did not miss a beat. In fact, the pressure was all on them to deliver and for the most part they do. I had to look it up, Peter names 29 shows that were cancelled on Fox since Family Guy last aired and watching this episode again recently, I couldn’t even remember 80% of them. It also has clever lines like when the news cuts to Tricia Takanowa who says “I’m standing outside Manhattan’s new Park Barrington Hotel because they don’t allow Asians inside.”

Family Guy did not lose its bite.

Grade: A-