Family Guy (season 8)
Family Guy (season 8) | |
---|---|
Region 1 DVD cover art for Volumes 8 and 9 | |
Country of origin | United States |
No. of episodes | 21 |
Release | |
Original network |
Fox BBC Three (episode 21) |
Original release | September 27, 2009 – June 20, 2010 (UK) |
Family Guy's eighth season first aired on the Fox network in twenty-one episodes from September 27, 2009 to May 23, 2010 before being released as two DVD box sets and in syndication. It ran on Sunday nights between May and July 2010 on BBC Three in the UK. The animated television series Family Guy follows the dysfunctional Griffin family—father Peter, mother Lois, daughter Meg, son Chris, baby Stewie and dog Brian, all of whom reside in their hometown of Quahog. The eighth season, which premiered with the episode "Road to the Multiverse" and ended with "Something, Something, Something, Dark Side", was executive produced by Chris Sheridan, David Goodman, Danny Smith, Mark Hentemann, Steve Callaghan and series creator Seth MacFarlane. The season's showrunners were Hentemann and Callaghan.
The season received a mixed reception from critics, who cited a lack of original writing.[1] More positive assessments revolved around the "tail end of the season," which "threw out all its old conventions and tried something remarkably different."[1] Season eight contains some of the series' most acclaimed episodes, including "Road to the Multiverse",[2] "Something, Something, Something, Dark Side"[1] and "Dog Gone",[3] as well as some of the most controversial episodes, including "Extra Large Medium", "Brian & Stewie", "Quagmire's Dad" and "Partial Terms of Endearment," which was banned from being aired on American TV, but has been released on DVD (as both a standalone episode and as part of the complete season set) and saw broadcast in the UK on BBC3.[4][5][6] It was the recipient of a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Individual Achievement in Animation and a Genesis Award for television comedy, and was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Original Music and Lyrics.
The Volume Eight DVD box set was released in Region 1 on June 15, 2010, Region 2 on November 1, 2010[7] and Region 4 on August 17, 2010. Eight of the twenty-one episodes are included in the volume. The remaining eleven episodes of the season were released on the Volume Nine DVD box set in Region 1 on December 13, 2011, and was released in Region 2 on May 9, 2011 and Region 4 on June 15, 2011. Two other episodes were released independently on DVD.
Production
Production for the eighth season began in 2008, during the airing of the seventh season. The season was executive produced by series regulars Chris Sheridan, David Goodman, Danny Smith, Mark Hentemann and Steve Callaghan, along with series creator Seth MacFarlane. The showrunners for the eighth season were Hentemann and Callaghan, who replaced Goodman and Sheridan, following the conclusion of the seventh production season.[8]
As production began, Callaghan, Andrew Goldberg, Mark Hentemann, Patrick Meighan, Brian Scully, Chris Sheridan, Danny Smith, Alec Sulkin, John Viener and Wellesley Wild all stayed on from the previous season. Spencer Porter received his first writing credit for the series. Former recurring writers Kirker Butler and Gary Janetti returned to the series, with Butler leaving immediately afterward to work on The Cleveland Show. Matt Fleckenstein, who wrote two episodes for the show, left the series before the beginning of the eighth season.[9][10]
Joseph Lee received his first directing credit for the series. Dominic Bianchi, Greg Colton, John Holmquist, Brian Iles, Jerry Langford, Pete Michels, James Purdum, Cyndi Tang and Julius Wu all stayed with the show from the previous season. "Blue Harvest" director Dominic Polcino briefly returned to the series to direct the episode's sequel, entitled "Something, Something, Something, Dark Side". Former recurring director Mike Kim left the series.[9][10]
The main cast consisted of Seth MacFarlane (Peter Griffin, Stewie Griffin, Brian Griffin, Quagmire and Tom Tucker, among others), Alex Borstein (Lois Griffin, Loretta Brown, Tricia Takanawa and Barbara Pewterschmidt, among others), Mila Kunis (Meg Griffin), Seth Green (Chris Griffin and Neil Goldman, among others) and Mike Henry (Cleveland Brown and Herbert, among others).[11]
Several new characters were introduced in season eight. The character of Jerome—Peter, Joe and Quagmire's official, yet temporary replacement for Cleveland Brown, who left the series to star in his own spin-off entitled The Cleveland Show—was introduced in the episode "Jerome is the New Black".[12] He was voiced by The Cleveland Show cast member Kevin Michael Richardson. Quagmire's dad, Dan Quagmire, later renamed Ida after undergoing sex reassignment surgery, was also introduced, and voiced by series creator Seth MacFarlane,[13] as well as Quagmire's daughter, named Anna Lee, voiced by Mae Whitman.[14] Other guest stars who made multiple appearances as recurring characters from previous seasons were Carrie Fisher as Peter's boss Angela[15] and Mike Henry as Cleveland Brown, who briefly returned in "The Splendid Source".[16]
During the sixth season, episodes of Family Guy were delayed from regular broadcast due to the 2007–2008 Writers Guild of America strike. Series creator and executive producer Seth MacFarlane sided with the Writers Guild and participated in the strike until its conclusion.[17][18] Because of this the seventh season consisted entirely of hold-overs.[18] "Road to the Multiverse" was the first episode to be produced and aired after the strike ended. The season featured the series' 150th official episode, entitled "Brian & Stewie", which broke from the show's usual reliance on cutaways and cultural references and featured only Brian and Stewie trapped together in a vault.[19] The season included a banned episode, entitled "Partial Terms of Endearment" for the first time since season three's "When You Wish Upon a Weinstein." The episode centered on Lois becoming a surrogate mother and being conflicted over whether or not to abort her best friend's baby, after her best friend dies. The episode was independently released on DVD on September 28, 2010, shortly after the ninth season premiere of Family Guy.[20]
Reception
The eighth season premiere received a 5.2 rating share in the Nielsen ratings among viewers age 18 to 49, attracting 10.17 million viewers overall, the highest rated episode of the season.[21] Both of these figures were significantly higher than those of the seventh season finale.[22] In the weeks following "Road to the Multiverse", viewership ratings hovered around 7 million. Aside from the premiere, "Family Goy", the second episode for the season, garnered the most views with 9.66 million, a high for the remainder of the eighth season.[23] The episode "Dial Meg for Murder" received the fewest viewers for the season with 6.21 million viewers.[24]
Episodes of the eighth season were nominated for and won several awards. On July 8, 2010, the song entitled "Down Syndrome Girl" from "Extra Large Medium" was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Music and Lyrics at the 62nd Primetime Emmy Awards. Series creator Seth MacFarlane and composer Walter Murphy were nominated for their work on the song's lyrics and music.[25] On July 24, 2010, MacFarlane gave a live performance of the song at the San Diego Comic-Con International,[26] to an audience of nearly 4,200 attendees.[27] At the Creative Arts Awards on August 21, 2010, "Down Syndrome Girl" lost to the USA Network series Monk.[28] Greg Colton, director of "Road to the Multiverse", was awarded the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Individual Achievement in Animation for storyboarding the episode.[2] In February 2010, "Dog Gone" won the Sid Caesar Comedy Award, at the annual Genesis Awards, for television comedy.[29]
The Parents Television Council, a frequent critic of Family Guy, branded "Family Goy",[30] "Dial Meg for Murder",[31] "Extra Large Medium",[32] "Go Stewie Go",[33] "Brian & Stewie"[34] and "Quagmire's Dad"[35] as the "worst show of the week," a title frequently given to the series by the group. In response to the group's criticism, executive producer David Goodman claimed that Family Guy is "absolutely for adults", and that he does not allow his own children to watch the show.[36]
The season received varied reviews from critics. Ramsey Isler of IGN wrote mixed comments about the season, saying, "There was a time when [Family Guy] was one of the funniest shows on TV; it was comedy gold. But somewhere along the line, the show's shine faded, its image was tarnished, and the magic disappeared", but added, "That's not to say that FG hasn't been good at all lately. Season 8 certainly had a few good episodes including the season opener, "Road to the Multiverse", which had a clever premise that was executed well. But after the first episode, the quality of the stories started to decline".[37] He listed "Brian's Got a Brand New Bag", "Jerome Is the New Black", "Go Stewie Go", "Peter-assment" and "April in Quahog" as the worst episodes of the season.[37] Isler praised the "tail end of the season", however, citing "Brian & Stewie" as "one of the better efforts the show has ever put out."[37] In his review for the Family Guy volume eight DVD, Frank Rizzo of DVD Talk said, "The episodes stand on their own, whether you care about the dependence on easy gags and gimmicky concepts or not, because they are simply funny." Rizzo commented on the DVD release: "Fans of Family Guy, or any of MacFarlane's series for that matter, have to be concerned that the very reason the series continues to air, the DVDs the fans buy, are getting diluted and weakened, especially when you're getting less extras, less MacFarlane, and, for the first time, less of the commentaries that give you a peek into the show's creation."[38]
Episodes
{{Episode table
|background = #87CEEB
|overall=5 |season = 5
|title = 23
|director = 14
|writer = 19
|airdate = 16
|prodcode = 8
|viewers = 10
|country = U.S.
|prodcodeT = Production
code
|episodes =
Based on a short story by: Richard MathesonMay 16, 20107ACX177.59[57] Chris tells his parents that he has been suspended from school for telling a dirty joke to his friends. Revealing he heard it from Quagmire, Peter questions where Quagmire heard the joke and eventually finds that the joke originated with a Virginia bartender. Setting out from Quahog, the group enters the bar in question and find that it was Cleveland who told the bartender the joke. When Cleveland is asked where he heard it, he reveals that it was from a bellhop in Washington, D.C.. The group, along with Cleveland, then set out on the road and are attacked, captured, and thrown on a plane. The plane lands on an island where they are led to a large stone temple, and enter a large library with all of the world's greatest geniuses studying inside. They are not permitted to leave the island, however, and are locked in a jail cell. The group then breaks out, and set the temple on fire. 14620"Something, Something, Something, Dark Side"Dominic PolcinoKirker ButlerMay 23, 20106ACX21
6ACX226.13[58] While being chased by Darth Vader (Stewie) on the planet Hoth, young Luke Skywalker (Chris) has a vision of his dead mentor Obi-Wan Kenobi (Herbert), who tells him to go to the planet Dagobah and learn the ways of the Force from Jedi Master Yoda (Carl). Luke has a vision of the Empire capturing his friends and forgoes his Jedi training in order to save them by confronting Vader. Luke arrives at Cloud City and engages Vader in a lightsaber duel. Vader cuts off Luke's right hand, and with Luke cornered and defenseless, Vader goads him to join the dark side, and then reveals that he is his father.
{{Episode list/sublist|List of Family Guy episodes | Title = Partial Terms of Endearment | DirectedBy = Joseph Lee | WrittenBy = Danny Smith | OriginalAirDate = June 20, 2010 (BBC Three)[a] | ProdCode = 7ACX10 | Aux4= N/A | EpisodeNumber = 147 | EpisodeNumber2 = 21 | ShortSummary = Lois runs into her old friend Naomi, who reveals that she and her husband are having difficulty conceiving a child. She then asks Lois if she will be a surrogate mother. Lois decides to do so, and Peter becomes upset when he finds out. Despite this, Lois has the procedure performed, and Peter attempts to cause Lois to have a miscarriage. Suddenly, the local news reveals there has been a car crash, with Naomi and her husband pronounced dead. Devastated, Lois must choose whether or not to abort the baby, or put it up for adoption. In an attempt to make a decision, Lois and Peter visit the Family Planning Center, and decide to have an abortion performed. As Peter exits the center he comes across an anti-abortion rally and changes his mind. When they return home, they discuss if they should have the abortion or not. After the discussion, Lois goes ahead with abortion. | LineColor = 87CEEB }} }}
Notes
- a Fox has stated the episode "Partial Terms of Endearment" has been refused airtime on their network.[59] However, it premiered on British television on June 20, 2010 on BBC Three. The episode was later aired on Australian television on April 11, 2011 on 7mate, and on Dutch television on August 7, 2011 on Comedy Central Netherlands. An airdate has not been given for the United States (if the episode will air at all), but it was released on DVD on September 28, 2010.
DVD release
The remaining episodes of the seventh season and the first eight episodes of the eighth season were released on DVD by 20th Century Fox in the United States and Canada on June 15, 2010. The DVD release features bonus material including two featurettes, "Road to "Road to the Multiverse"" and "Family Guy Sings-A-Long Karaoke", along with audio commentaries and deleted scenes.[60]
Family Guy Volume Eight / Season 7 & 8 | ||||
Set details[60] | Special features[60] | |||
|
| |||
Release dates | ||||
Region 1 | Region 2 | Region 4 | ||
June 15, 2010[60] | November 1, 2010[61] | |
Family Guy Volume Nine / Season 8 & 9 | ||||
Set details[60] | Special features[60] | |||
|
| |||
Release dates | ||||
Region 1 | Region 2 | Region 4 | ||
December 13, 2011[63] | May 9, 2011[64] | |
References
- 1 2 3 Isler, Ramsey (2010-06-02). "Family Guy: Season 8 Review". IGN. Retrieved 2010-07-02.
- 1 2 "2010 Creative Arts Emmy Winners Press Release" (PDF). Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. 2010-08-22. Retrieved 2010-08-22.
- ↑ "The Genesis Awards – Winners and Nominees". The Humane Society of the United States. 2010-04-24. Retrieved 2010-07-02.
- ↑ Abramson, Dan (2010-02-15). "'Family Guy' Mocks Sarah Palin's Son Trig For Having Down Syndrome". The Huffington Post. Retrieved 2010-06-20.
- ↑ Roberts, Soraya (2010-05-05). "'Family Guy' creator Seth MacFarlane slammed by Parents Television Council for 'feces-eating' show". New York Daily News. Retrieved 2010-06-20.
- ↑ Cullum, Paul (2009-08-13). "The Banned 'Family Guy' Episode". The Daily Beast. Retrieved 2010-06-20.
- ↑ "Family Guy: Season 9: 3dvd (2010): DVD". hmv.com. 2011-01-03. Retrieved 2012-08-14.
- ↑ Schneider, Michael (2010-09-02). "'Guy's' Goodman reups at Fox TV". Variety. Retrieved 2010-10-23.
- 1 2 "Family Guy – Season 8 Episode Guide". Yahoo!. Retrieved 2010-09-04.
- 1 2 "Family Guy – Season 9 Episode Guide". Yahoo!. Retrieved 2010-09-04.
- ↑ Graham, Jefferson (1999-01-29). "Cartoonist MacFarlane funny guy of Fox's 'Family' Subversive voice of series is his". USA Today. p. E7.
- ↑ Haque, Ahsan (2009-11-23). "Family Guy: "Jerome Is the New Black" Review". IGN. Retrieved 2009-11-24.
- ↑ "Family Guy – Quagmire's Dad Cast and Crew". Yahoo!. Retrieved 2010-05-11.
- ↑ "Family Guy – Quagmire's Baby – Cast and crew". Yahoo!. Retrieved 2010-09-17.
- ↑ "Carrie Fisher: Credits". TV Guide. Retrieved 2009-10-17.
- ↑ Isler, Ramsey (2010-05-17). "Family Guy: "The Splendid Source" Review". IGN. Retrieved 2010-05-17.
- ↑ "Pencils Down". Writers Guild of America, West. Retrieved 2007-12-20.
- 1 2 Haque, Ahsan (2008-05-13). "Family Guy: Season 6 Review". IGN. Retrieved 2010-06-28.
- ↑ Isler, Ramsey (2010-05-03). "Family Guy: "Brian and Stewie" Review". IGN. Retrieved 2010-05-04.
- ↑ White, Cindy (2010-09-29). "Family Guy "Partial Terms of Endearment" DVD Review". IGN. Retrieved 2010-09-30.
- ↑ Gorman, Bill (2009-09-28). "TV Ratings: Sunday Night Football Wins; Cleveland Show Large; Housewives Down". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved 2009-12-15.
- ↑ Gorman, Bill (2009-05-18). "Sunday Ratings: ABC Wins; Desperate Housewives, Survivor Finales Hit Lows". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved 2010-07-02.
- ↑ Gorman, Bill (2009-10-05). "TV Ratings: Sunday Night Football Wins; Three Rivers Runs Dry". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved 2009-12-15.
- ↑ Gorman, Bill (2010-02-01). "TV Ratings Sunday: Grammy Awards Drown Out The Competition". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved 2010-02-01.
- ↑ "62nd Primetime Emmy Awars nominations" (PDF). Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. 2010-07-08. Retrieved 2010-07-08.
- ↑ Collins, Scott (2010-07-24). "Comic-Con 2010: Seth MacFarlane does 'Family Guy' live". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2010-08-09.
- ↑ "Comic-Con Magazine" (PDF). San Diego Comic-Con International. Retrieved 2010-08-21.
- ↑ O'Neil, Tom (2010-08-21). "Emmys Creative Arts: Winners list". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2010-08-21.
- ↑ "Nominees for the Genesis Awards". The Humane Society of the United States. Retrieved 2010-03-26.
- ↑ ""Family Guy" on Fox". Worst TV Show of the Week. Parents Television Council. 2009-10-09. Retrieved 2009-10-09.
- ↑ ""Family Guy" on Fox". Worst TV Show of the Week. Parents Television Council. 2010-02-05. Retrieved 2010-02-05.
- ↑ "Family Guy on Fox". Worst TV Show of the Week. Parents Television Council. 2010-02-26. Retrieved 2010-02-26.
- ↑ "Family Guy on Fox". Worst TV Show of the Week. Parents Television Council. 2010-03-19. Retrieved 2010-03-19.
- ↑ "Family Guy on Fox". Worst TV Show of the Week. Parents Television Council. 2010-05-07. Retrieved 2010-05-07.
- ↑ "Family Guy on Fox". Worst TV Show of the Week. Parents Television Council. 2010-05-14. Retrieved 2010-05-14.
- ↑ Oldenburg, Ann (2005-07-11). "Younger viewers tune in to 'toons aimed at adults". USA Today. Retrieved 2010-11-26.
- 1 2 3 Isler, Ramsey (2010-06-02). "Family Guy: Season 8 Review". IGN. Retrieved 2010-08-21.
- ↑ Rizzo, Francis III (2010-06-15). "Family Guy, Vol. 8". DVD Talk. Retrieved 2010-08-21.
- ↑ Gorman, Bill (2009-09-28). "Updated TV Ratings: Sunday Night Football Wins; Cleveland Show Large; Housewives Down". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved 2009-12-15.
- ↑ Gorman, Bill (2009-10-05). "TV Ratings: Sunday Night Football Wins; Three Rivers Runs Dry". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved 2009-12-15.
- ↑ Gorman, Bill (2009-10-12). "TV Ratings: Of Course, NBC & Football Win; Three Rivers Ratings Flatline". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved 2010-10-20.
- ↑ Gorman, Bill (2009-11-09). "TV Ratings Sunday: Cowboys Point NBC To Win; Housewives, Brothers & Sisters Hit Lows". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved 2010-10-20.
- ↑ Gorman, Bill (2009-11-09). "Cowboys Point NBC To Win; Housewives, Brothers & Sisters Hit Lows". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved 2009-11-14.
- ↑ Gorman, Bill (2009-11-16). "TV Ratings Sunday: Football Wins For NBC; Housewives, Three Rivers, Cold Case All Up". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved 2009-11-16.
- ↑ Gorman, Bill (2009-11-23). "TV Ratings Sunday: American Music Awards Rivals Football; Cold Case No Better At 9pm". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved 2009-11-23.
- ↑ Gorman, Bill. "TV Ratings Sunday: Of Course Football Wins; Fox Animation Bounces Back; ABC Slumps". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved 2009-11-30.
- ↑ Gorman, Bill. "TV Ratings Sunday: Football Wins, Oprah's Christmas Rates Below Brothers & Sisters". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved 2009-12-14.
- ↑ Gorman, Bill (2010-01-04). "TV Ratings: Sunday Night Football Finishes On Top; Simpsons, Housewives Return Up". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved 2010-01-04.
- ↑ Gorman, Bill (2010-02-01). "TV Ratings Sunday: Grammy Awards Drown Out The Competition". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved 2010-02-01.
- ↑ Seidman, Robert. "TV Ratings Sunday: Olympics Take Night, But Undercover Boss Strong in Second Outing". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved 2010-02-15.
- ↑ Seidman, Robert (2010-03-15). "TV Ratings: Undercover Boss Beats Trump's Apprentice; Sons Of Tucson Orphaned". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved 2010-03-15.
- ↑ Gorman, Bill (2010-03-22). "TV Ratings: NCAA Overrun Boosts CBS; Amazing Race, Undercover Boss Strong". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved 2010-03-22.
- ↑ Gorman, Bill (2010-03-29). "TV Ratings: Basketball Elevates CBS; Undercover Boss Still In Charge". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved 2010-03-29.
- ↑ Gorman, Bill (2010-04-12). "TV Ratings: Undercover Boss Still Calling The Shots As CBS Wins". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved 2010-04-12.
- ↑ Gorman, Bill (2010-05-03). "TV Ratings: Conan Boosts 60 Minutes A Little; While ABC Wins A Slow Sunday". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved 2010-05-03.
- ↑ Gorman, Bill (2010-05-10). "TV Ratings: ABC Wins Another Slow Sunday; Amazing Race Lowest Finale Ever; Celebrity Apprentice Up". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved 2010-05-10.
- ↑ Gorman, Bill (2010-05-17). "TV Ratings: Survivor Finale Tops ABC's Finale Sunday, Celebrity Apprentice Ties Series Low". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved 2010-05-17.
- ↑ Gorman, Bill (2010-05-24). "TV Ratings: Lost Finale Ratings Season High, But Not Epic, Celebrity Apprentice Finale Up". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved 2010-05-25.
- ↑ Itzkoff, Dave (2010-07-19). "How 'Family Guy' Tried to Talk About Abortion". The New York Times. Retrieved 2010-08-03.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 "Family Guy – This Just In: Volume 8 DVD Announced to Retailers, with Complete Details". TVShowsonDVD.com. Retrieved 2010-04-03.
- ↑ "DVD – Family Guy: Season 9". Play.com. Retrieved 2010-03-04.
- ↑ "Family Guy – Season 9". EzyDVD. Retrieved 2010-07-03.
- ↑ Lambert, Dave (2011-07-21). "Family Guy – Street Date, Cost, and Other New Info for 'Volume 9' Come Out". TVShowsonDVD.com. Retrieved 2011-07-28.
- ↑ "Family Guy – Season 10". Amazon.co.uk. Retrieved 2011-08-02.
- ↑ "Family Guy – Season 10". EzyDVD.com.au. Retrieved 2011-08-02.
External links
Wikiquote has quotations related to: Family Guy season 8 |