The Thin White Line

For the 1977 novel, see The Thin White Line (novel). For the Millennium episode, see The Thin White Line (Millennium).

"The Thin White Line"
Family Guy episode
Brian is exposed to cocaine, and eventually becomes addicted.
Episode no.	Season 3 Episode 1
Directed by	Glen Hill
Written by	Steve Callaghan
Production code	2ACX17
Original air date	July 11, 2001
Guest stars
Carlos Alazraqui as Mr. Weed Thomas Dekker June Foray as Rocket J. Squirrel Leif Garrett as Himself Haley Joel Osment as the child Nicole Sullivan Wally Wingert
Episode chronology
← Previous "Fore Father" Next → "Brian Does Hollywood"
Family Guy (season 3) List of Family Guy episodes

"The Thin White Line" is the first episode of the third season of the animated comedy series Family Guy, despite the fact that it was produced for season 2. It originally aired on Fox in the United States on July 11, 2001. The episode features Brian after he joins the police force to sniff out drugs, but eventually becomes addicted to hard drugs, and soon finds himself in a downward spiral after attempting to confront his newfound drug addiction.

The episode was written by Steve Callaghan and directed by Glen Hill. The episode featured guest performances by Carlos Alazraqui, Thomas Dekker, June Foray, Leif Garrett, Haley Joel Osment, Nicole Sullivan and Wally Wingert, along with several recurring guest voice actors for the series.

Plot summary

At a company picnic, Mr. Weed, Peter's boss, announces a competition in which he will hunt down the employees with tranquilizer darts. After being shot multiple times by the tranquilizers, but still managing to stay conscious, Peter is the last one standing in the competition and wins a paid vacation. As the family gets ready to go on a cruise, Joe recognizes the strength of Brian's nose and offers him a job as a police dog to look for drugs. Later, after busting a group of midgets posing as Sunday school children, the cops go to the airport, where Brian sniffs out a bystander who is secretly carrying cocaine, furthering Brian's reputation. Brian, however, accidentally inhales the cocaine, after busting the criminal and becomes addicted.

Brian's addiction steadily grows worse, until he finally attacks a man at the airport trying to find "the stash," and is kicked off the police force, when nothing is found. He returns home that night with a hooker named Tina and terrorizes the rest of the family before spending the rest of the night out. The next morning, the Griffins hold an intervention with Brian's psychiatrist, and Brian has an emotional breakdown, eventually deciding to send Brian to a rehab center, by using their vacation money. Peter, however, decides to join Brian at the center because he could not go on vacation. Peter thinks the rehab center is a hotel, so he spends his time drinking beer and acting goofy, even though Brian reminds him that he is in rehab for drugs. Peter causes unrest among the surrounding patients by causing premature births in pregnant teens, and giving drugs to patients in exchange for food. Ultimately, the manager accuses Peter of being Brian's "x-factor", the reason he was a cocaine addict, and a disgusted Brian defends him.

After leaving the center, Brian stuns the family when he announces that he is leaving Quahog, to move in with his cousin, Jasper, in California. Though appalled by this, no one attempts to try to stop him. This next sets the stage for the second part to the episode, "Brian Does Hollywood," where Brian decides to live the life of a filmmaker and writer.

Production

Steve Callaghan wrote the episode.

The episode was written by future showrunner Steve Callaghan, and was directed by Glen Hill, who left the series after the completion of the episode.

This episode was originally intended to air as the second season finale, with the next episode opening the third season; Fox's shuffling of the show's schedule prevented this from happening as planned.

In addition to the regular cast, comedian and voice actor Carlos Alazraqui, actor Thomas Dekker, actress June Foray, actor Leif Garrett, actor Haley Joel Osment, voice actress Nicole Sullivan and voice actor Wally Wingert guest starred in the episode. Recurring guest voice actors Danny Smith and Patrick Warburton also made minor appearances.

The episode was also the first appearance of the Greased Up Deaf Guy, voiced by Mike Henry. The character appears at Peter's company picnic, running away from Peter and his fellow employees.

Cultural references

• The episode's title refers to The Thin Blue Line, a metaphor for police forces. The thin white line is also describing a method in which cocaine can be snorted.
• Brian takes a blind man into a movie theater to see The Blair Witch Project.
• One part spoofs Rocky and Bullwinkle.
• Peter sings to the Charles in Charge theme tune in a flashback (cutaway) of "when he was a security guard for ex-Beatle, George Harrison", completely oblivious to the fact that an intruder is right behind him. This is a reference to the December 31, 1999 attack on Harrison in his home.

External links

• "The Thin White Line" at the Internet Movie Database
• "The Thin White Line" at TV.com

Preceded by Fore Father

Family Guy (season 3)

Succeeded by Brian Does Hollywood