Episode no. Season 3
Episode 3 Written by Ricky Blitt Original air date July 25, 2001 | Directed by Brian Hogan Production code 2ACX11 | |
"Mr. Griffin Goes to Washington" is the third episode of the third season of the animated comedy series Family Guy, even though it was produced for season 2. It originally aired on Fox in the United States on July 25, 2001. The episode features Peter after his employer, the Happy-Go-Lucky Toy Factory, is taken over by new management, a power hungry cigarette company, who uses the toys to instill smoking habits in children. Peter is immediately hired by the company to reach out to political leaders in Washington, D.C., but soon realizes the deadly effects of the habit.
Contents
The episode was written by Ricky Blitt and directed by Brian Hogan. The episode featured guest performances by Carlos Alazraqui, Gary Cole, Louise DuArt, Olivia Hack, Meredith Scott Lynn, Alyssa Milano, Brian Doyle-Murray and Jack Sheldon, along with several recurring guest voice actors for the series.
Plot
Peter skips work to attend a Boston Red Sox baseball game. When he is at the game, he encounters his boss Mr. Weed who calls him a liar for missing work. Later, Mr. Weed tells Peter that the El Dorado Cigarette Company is taking over the toy factory, but Peter's job will be retained. Peter shows his family the new toys being made by the company, but Lois and Brian see them as encouraging children to smoke. Peter takes their advice and takes the issue to his new bosses. They deny that they want children to smoke, and appoint Peter as President of the company.
Lois enjoys Peter's presidency, especially because the company sent Martha Stewart to be a maid at the Griffins' house. Brian, annoyed with the company's ideas, quits smoking. Peter enjoys being the President of the El Dorado Cigarette Company when he gets special privileges. After receiving an anti-smoking bill, El Dorado holds a meeting and decide that the only way to communicate with the idiots in Congress is to send someone just as stupid, and they decide to send Peter. He makes friends from Congress of both parties in order to win the dispute. Meanwhile, Lois is horrified when she catches Stewie smoking, and they go to Washington, D.C. to find Peter.
Peter wins over the Congressmen with his speech, but when he hears Stewie's smoker's cough, he remembers the evils of smoking and tells Congress to reject El Dorado's proposal. Congress agrees and fines the company $100 million, bankrupting it.
Production
The episode was written by series regular Ricky Blitt, and directed by Brian Hogan, in his first episode for the series, before the conclusion of the third production season.
In addition to the regular cast, voice actor and comedian Carlos Alazraqui, actor Gary Cole, comedian Louise DuArt, voice actress Olivia Hack, actress Meredith Scott Lynn, actress Alyssa Milano, comedian and actor Brian Doyle-Murray and actor Jack Sheldon guest starred in the episode. Recurring guest voice actors Ricky Blitt, writer Danny Smith and voice actor Wally Wingert also made minor appearances.
In the episode a memorable cutaway gag in which after Peter declares that since he's been president profits "have been higher than Alyssa Milano". this leads to a live action shot of an angered Milano ordering her lawyer (played by Ricky Blitt) to sue. According to the DVD commentary the gag was originally targeted at Barbara Mandrell but was changed. Despite the change at the taping the script given to Milano had not been updated and the error was pointed out by Milano leading to an embarrassment.