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-{{Infobox Television episode
-| Title        =North by North Quahog
-| Series       =Family Guy
-| Season       =4
-| Episode      =1
-| Airdate      =May 1, 2005
-| Production   =4ACX01<ref name="IGN"/>
-| Writer       =[[Seth MacFarlane]]
-| Director     =[[Peter Shin]]
-| Guests       =[[Don LaFontaine]] as himself<br />[[Hunter Gomez]] as [[Pinocchio]]<br />[[Bill Ratner]] as [[Flint (G.I. Joe)|Flint]]<br />[[André Sogliuzzo]] as [[Mel Gibson]]
-| Episode list =[[Family Guy (season 4)]]<br />[[List of Family Guy episodes]]
-| Season list  =
-| Prev         =[[When You Wish Upon a Weinstein]]
-| Next         =[[Fast Times at Buddy Cianci Jr. High]]
-}}
-"'''North by North Quahog'''" is the first episode of season four of ''[[Family Guy]]'', following the [[revival (television)|revival]] of the series three years after its cancellation in 2002. Directed by [[Peter Shin]] and written by series creator [[Seth MacFarlane]], the episode was first broadcast on May 1, 2005, on [[Fox Broadcasting Company|FOX]], though it had premiered three days earlier at a special screening at the [[University of Vermont]], [[Burlington, Vermont|Burlington]]. In "North by North Quahog", the show's main characters [[Peter Griffin|Peter]] and [[Lois Griffin]] go on a second honeymoon to spice up their marriage, but are eventually chased by [[Mel Gibson]] after Peter steals the sequel to ''[[The Passion of the Christ]]'' from Gibson's private hotel room. Meanwhile, their [[anthropomorphic]] dog [[Brian Griffin|Brian]] and their infant son [[Stewie Griffin|Stewie]] take care of Peter and Lois's teenage children [[Chris Griffin|Chris]] and [[Meg Griffin|Meg]].
-''Family Guy'' had been canceled in 2002 due to low ratings, but was revived by FOX after reruns on [[Adult Swim]] became the network's most watched program, and more than three million DVDs of the show were sold. Much of the plot and many of the technical aspects of the episode, as well as the title, are direct parodies of the [[1959 in film|1959]] [[Alfred Hitchcock]] movie ''[[North by Northwest]]''; in addition, the episode makes use of [[Bernard Herrmann]]'s theme music from that film. The episode contains many cultural references; in the opening sequence Peter lists 29&nbsp;shows that were canceled by FOX after ''Family Guy'' was canceled and says that if all of those shows were to be canceled, they might have a chance at returning.
-Critical responses to the episode were mostly positive; critics praised the opening sequence in particular. The episode was watched by 12&nbsp;million viewers and received a [[Primetime Emmy Award]] nomination for [[Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Animated Program (for Programming Less Than One Hour)|Outstanding Animated Program (for Programming Less Than One Hour)]]. Shin won an [[Annie Award]] for Directing in an Animated Television Production for this episode.
-==Plot==
-At the beginning of the episode, [[protagonist]] Peter Griffin and his wife Lois are having sex and Lois yells out [[George Clooney]]'s name. Peter realizes that she is imagining him as Clooney to maintain her interest. Lois and Peter decide to take a second honeymoon to enliven their marriage, and leave their anthropomorphic dog Brian to take care of their children Stewie, Chris, and Meg. Brian is unable to control the children, but Stewie offers to help and together they manage the home. The pair chaperone a dance at Chris's school, during which a school staff member catches Chris in the boys' restroom with vodka that belongs to his classmate [[List of characters in Family Guy#Jake Tucker|Jake]]. Although Brian and Stewie punish Chris, they try to clear his name. Jake's father [[List of characters in Family Guy#Tom Tucker|Tom]] refuses to believe Brian and Stewie, so they resort to planting cocaine in Jake's [[Locker (cabinet)|locker]], and Jake is sentenced to community service.
-On the way to their vacation spot, Peter reads a comic book while driving and crashes his car into a tree. They are forced to spend their entire honeymoon money on car repairs and are about to return home when Peter discovers that actor Mel Gibson has a personal suite at a luxurious hotel nearby. He poses as Mel Gibson to gain access to Gibson's room. When Lois yells out Gibson's name during intercourse, Peter, again, decides to return home. As Peter and Lois are about to leave, Peter accidentally stumbles upon Gibson's private screening room and discovers a sequel to ''[[The Passion of the Christ]]'' entitled ''Passion of the Christ 2: Crucify This''. To spare the world from "...&nbsp;another two hours of Mel Gibson Jesus mumbo-jumbo", Peter steals the film. However, when they leave the hotel, they are noticed by two priests, Gibson's associates, who were there to collect the film.
-Pursued by the priests in a car chase that leads them through a [[shopping mall]], Lois and Peter escape from the priests and drive to a cornfield where Peter buries the film. While he is doing so, the priests fly down in a [[aerial application|crop-duster]] and [[kidnapping|kidnap]] Lois. Peter is given a message telling him that if he does not return the film to Gibson at his estate on top of [[Mount Rushmore]], his wife will be killed. Peter arrives at the house and gives Gibson a film can. As Peter and Lois are about to leave, Gibson discovers that the film has been replaced with dog feces, leading to a chase on the face of the mountain. While being chased, Lois slips but hangs on to [[George Washington]]'s lips. Peter grabs her and, while being held at gunpoint, he tells Gibson that the film is in "President Rushmore's" mouth and points to the other side of the monument. Gibson follows Peter's direction and walks off the edge to his death as Peter pulls Lois to safety. Upon climbing back to the top of the mountain, the two make love on Washington's head, bringing the spark back into their marriage.
-==Production and development==
-{{Wikinews|'Family Guy' returns to US television, loses in ratings to 'Housewives'}}
-In 2002, ''Family Guy'' was canceled after three seasons due to low [[Nielsen Ratings|ratings]].<ref name="Diego">{{cite news|url=http://www.signonsandiego.com/uniontrib/20040813/news_lz1c13family.html|title=Resurrected 'Family Guy' is drawing a growing audience|work=[[The San Diego Union-Tribune]]|author=Morrow, Terry|date=August 13, 2004|accessdate=July 2, 2009}}</ref><ref name="Heights">{{cite news|url=http://media.www.bcheights.com/media/storage/paper144/news/2005/05/02/Features/Family.Guy.Hits.Air.Waves.Again-945745.shtml|title=Family Guy hits air waves again|work=[[The Heights (newspaper)|The Heights]]|date=May 2, 2005|author=Erickson, Chris|accessdate=July 3, 2009}}</ref> The show was first canceled after the 1999–2000 season, but following a last-minute reprieve, it returned for a third season in 2001.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20223760,00.html|title=Fall TV Preview: 'Family Guy'|work=[[Entertainment Weekly]]|date=September 12, 2008|author=Wheat, Alynda|accessdate=July 2, 2009}}</ref> Fox tried to sell rights for reruns of the show, but it was hard to find networks that were interested; [[Cartoon Network]] eventually bought the rights, "{{interp|...}} basically for free", according to [[Gary Newman]], president of 20th Century Fox Television Production.<ref name="Newsweek"/> When the reruns were shown on Cartoon Network's [[Adult Swim]] in 2003, ''Family Guy'' became Adult Swim's most-watched show with an average 1.9 million viewers an episode.<ref name="USATodayResurrection">{{cite news|url=http://www.usatoday.com/life/television/news/2004-03-24-family-guy_x.htm|work=[[USA Today]]|date=March 24, 2004|title='Family Guy' un-canceled, thanks to DVD sales success|author=Levin, Gary|accessdate=July 3, 2009}}</ref> Following ''Family Guy''{{'}}s high ratings on Adult Swim, the first season was released on DVD in April 2003.<ref name="Diego"/> Sales of the DVD set reached 2.2 million copies,<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,993880,00.html?promoid=googlep|work=[[Time (magazine)|Time]]|author=Poniewozik, James; McDowell, Jeanne|date=April 19, 2004|title=It's Not TV. It's TV on DVD|accessdate=July 2, 2009}}</ref>, becoming the best-selling television DVD of 2003<ref name="billboard">{{cite news|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=XREEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA44&dq=Family+Guy+cancelled|work=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]|title=Successful "Guy"|author=Kipnis, Jill|date=February 7, 2004|page=44|accessdate=July 3, 2009}}</ref> and the second highest-selling television DVD ever, behind the first season of [[Comedy Central]]'s ''[[Chappelle's Show]]''.<ref name="CSM">{{cite news|url=http://www.csmonitor.com/2005/0422/p12s01-altv.html|title=Cult fans bring 'The Family Guy' back to TV|work=[[The Christian Science Monitor]]|author=Goodale, Gloria|date=April 22, 2005|accessdate=July 2, 2009|page=12}}</ref> The second season DVD release also sold more than a million copies.<ref name="USATodayResurrection"/> The show's popularity in both DVD sales and reruns rekindled FOX's interest in it.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.nydailynews.com/archives/entertainment/2005/04/28/2005-04-28_the__family_can_t_be_killed_.html|title=The 'Family' can't be killed. FOX thought it was out, but we pulled it back on. The 'Guy' who wouldn't die|work=[[New York Daily News]]|author=Louie, Rebecca|date=April 28, 2005|accessdate=July 3, 2009}}</ref> They ordered 35 new episodes in 2004, marking the first revival of a television show based on DVD sales.<ref name="CSM"/><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.usatoday.com/life/television/news/2003-11-18-family-guy_x.htm|title='Family Guy' may return|author=Levin, Gary|work=[[USA Today]]|date=November 18, 2003|accessdate=July 3, 2009}}</ref> Fox president [[Gail Berman]] said that it was one of her most difficult decisions to cancel the show, and was therefore happy it would return.<ref name="Newsweek">{{cite news|title=Family Reunion|work=[[Newsweek]]|date=April 4, 2005|page=50|author=Gordon, Devin}}</ref> The network also began production of a film based on the series.<ref name="billboard"/>
-[[File:Seth MacFarlane by Gage Skidmore 3.jpg|thumb|right|upright|Co-creator Seth MacFarlane wrote the episode.|alt=A man with short black hair and a black shirt in front of a microphone. He touches his chin with his left hand.]]
-"North by North Quahog" was the first episode to be broadcast after the show's cancellation. It was written by MacFarlane and directed by [[Peter Shin]].<ref name="variety-review">{{cite news|title=Family Guy|url=http://www.variety.com/review/VE1117926915.html?categoryid=32&cs=1|work=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]|author=Lowry, Brian|date=April 28, 2005|accessdate=July 3, 2009}}</ref> MacFarlane believed the show's three year hiatus was beneficial because animated shows do not normally have hiatuses, and towards the end of  their seasons "...&nbsp;you see a lot more sex jokes and (bodily function) jokes and signs of a fatigued staff that their brains are just fried".<ref name="JAM!"/> With "North by North Quahog", the writing staff tried to keep the show "...&nbsp;exactly as it was" before its cancellation, and did not "...&nbsp;have the desire to make it any [[wiktionary:slick|slicker]]" than it already was.<ref name="JAM!">{{cite news|url=http://jam.canoe.ca/Television/TV_Shows/F/Family_Guy/2005/05/01/pf-1020572.html|title='Family Guy' returns|author=Williamson, Kevin|publisher=''[[Calgary Sun]]'' & [[Jam!]]|date=May 1, 2005|accessdate=July 3, 2009}}</ref> [[Walter Murphy]], who had composed music for the show before its cancellation, returned to compose the music for "North by North Quahog". Murphy and the orchestra recorded an arrangement of [[Bernard Herrmann]]'s [[film score|score]] from ''[[North by Northwest]]'', a film referenced multiple times in the episode.<ref name="score">{{cite news|url=http://www.soundtrack.net/features/article/?id=144|author=Goldwasser, Dan|title=MacFarlane's Power-Hour|publisher=[[SoundtrackNet]]|date=April 28, 2005|accessdate=July 3, 2009}}</ref>
-Fox had ordered five episode scripts at the end of the third season; these episodes had been written but not produced. One of these scripts was adapted into "North by North Quahog". The original script featured ''[[Star Wars]]'' character [[Boba Fett]], and later actor, writer and producer [[Aaron Spelling]], but the release of the iconic film ''[[The Passion of the Christ]]'' inspired the writers to incorporate Mel Gibson into the episode. Multiple endings were written, including one in which [[List of characters in Family Guy#Jesus, God and Death|Death]] comes for Gibson. During production, an episode of ''[[South Park]]'' was released entitled "[[The Passion of the Jew]]" that also featured Gibson as a prominent character. This gave the ''Family Guy'' writers pause, fearing accusations "{{interp|...}} that we had ripped them off."<ref name="commentary">{{cite video|title=[[Family Guy (season 4)|Family Guy: Volume Three]]: Commentary for "North by North Quahog"|publisher=[[20th Century Fox|Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation]]|format=DVD|date2=November 29, 2005|people=[[Seth MacFarlane|McFarlane, Seth]] (writer); [[David A. Goodman|Goodman, David A.]]; [[Chris Sheridan (writer)|Sheridan, Chris]] (executive producers); [[Peter Shin|Shin, Peter]] (director); [[Seth Green|Green, Seth]] (voice actor)}}</ref>
-Three days before the episode debuted on television, it was screened at the [[University of Vermont]] (UVM) in [[Burlington, Vermont|Burlington]], accompanied by an hour-long question-and-answer session with MacFarlane.<ref>{{cite news|title=Live Readings, Song-and-Dance Herald `Family Guy' Comeback|work=[[Long Beach Press-Telegram]]|date=April 14, 2005|page=U6|last=Barrera|first=Sandra}}</ref><ref name="UVM">{{cite web |url=http://alumni.uvm.edu/2005/ |title=The UVM Connection > Class of 2005 |publisher=The University of Vermont |accessdate=July 3, 2009}}</ref> The UVM's special screening of the episode was attended by 1,700 people.<ref name="UVM"/> As promotion for the show, and to, as Newman described, "expand interest in the show beyond its die hard fans",<ref name="VarietyLive!"/> FOX organized four ''Family Guy Live!'' performances, which featured cast members reading old episodes aloud; "North by North Quahog" was also previewed.<ref name="NYTLive!"/> In addition, the cast performed musical numbers from the ''[[Family Guy Live in Vegas]]'' comedy album.<ref name="VarietyLive!">{{cite news|title=Family Guy Center Stage|work=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]|date=March 10, 2005|author=Adalian, Josef|page=1}}</ref> The stage shows were an extension of a performance by the cast during the 2004 [[Montreal Comedy Festival]].<ref name="VarietyLive!"/> The ''Family Guy Live!'' performances, which took place in Los Angeles and New York, sold out and were attended by around 1,200 people each.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,155143,00.html|title='Family Guy' Returns to FOX|publisher=[[FOX News]]|date=April 30, 2005|accessdate=July 3, 2009}}</ref>
-==Cultural references==
-[[File:Mel Gibson 1990.jpg|thumb|right|upright|alt=A man in a grey suit. Behind him is a small crowd of people.|American actor Mel Gibson is prominently featured as a character in the episode.]]
-The episode opens with Peter telling the rest of the family that ''Family Guy'' has been canceled. He lists 29 shows, including ''[[The Pitts]]'', ''[[Freakylinks]]'', ''[[Titus (TV series)|Titus]]'', ''[[Undeclared]]'', ''[[Andy Richter Controls the Universe]]'', ''[[Wanda at Large]]'', and ''[[The American Embassy]]'', that he says FOX has to make room for.<ref>{{cite news|title=Back in the Fold|work=[[Pittsburgh Post-Gazette]]|date=April 28, 2005|page=W37}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=An amazing comeback cartoon - Why FOX resurrected Family Guy|work=[[The Record (Bergen County)|The Record]]|location=[[Bergen County, New Jersey]]|date=May 1, 2005|author=Rohan, Virginia}}</ref><ref name="SPtimes"/> Lois asks whether there is any hope, to which Peter replies that if all these shows are canceled they might have a chance; the shows were indeed canceled during ''Family Guy'''s hiatus.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.nydailynews.com/archives/entertainment/2005/04/28/2005-04-28__dad__joins_macfarlane_s__fa.html|title='Dad' Joins MacFarlane's 'Family'|work=[[New York Daily News]]|author=Bianculli, David|date=April 28, 2005|accessdate=July 3, 2009}}</ref> ''[[The New York Times]]'' reported that, during the first ''Family Guy Live!'' performance, "...&nbsp;the longer [the list] went, the louder the laughs from the Town Hall crowd [became]".<ref name="NYTLive!">{{cite web|url=http://www.nytimes.com/2005/05/02/arts/television/02fami.html?_r=2&oref=slogin&oref=slogin|title=Canceled and Resurrected, on the Air and Onstage|accessdate=2008-07-19|last=McKinley|first=Jesse|publisher=''[[The New York Times]]''|date=May 2, 2005}}</ref>
-American actor Mel Gibson is prominently featured in the episode;<ref>{{cite news|url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9D02E1DE1331F932A35756C0A9639C8B63|title=The Week Ahead: May 1–7; Television|date=May 1, 2005|work=[[The New York Times]]|author=Stanley, Allesandra|accessdate=July 2, 2009}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Gleeful comeback for 'Family Guy,' as well as for fans|page=8|work=[[Chicago Tribune]]|location=[[Chicago, Illinois]]|date=April 29, 2005|author=Ryan, Maureen}}</ref> his voice was impersonated by [[André Sogliuzzo]].<ref name="TVG">{{cite web|url=http://www.tvguide.com/detail/tv-show.aspx?tvobjectid=100148&more=ucepisodelist&episodeid=4590246|title=Episode Detail: North by North Quahog|work=[[TV Guide]]|accessdate=July 3, 2009}}</ref> Gibson directed the film ''The Passion of the Christ'' and, in the episode, is seen making a sequel entitled ''Passion of the Christ 2: Crucify This''.<ref>{{cite news|title=Warning: Approaching `Family Guy' return zone|author=Duffy, Mike|work=[[Detroit Free Press]]|date=2005-04-28}}</ref> The fictional sequel is a combination of ''The Passion of the Christ'' and ''[[Rush Hour (film)|Rush Hour]]'',<ref name="P-I-review"/> and stars [[Chris Tucker]], who starred in ''Rush Hour'', and [[James Caviezel]] who portrayed [[Jesus]] in ''The Passion of the Christ''.<ref name="JAM!"/>
-The episode contains several references to Alfred Hitchcock's 1959 film ''North by Northwest''.<ref name="P-I-review"/><ref>{{cite news|title=Fans help 'Family Guy' return to Fox|work=[[Observer-Reporter]]|date=April 29, 2005|page=E5}}</ref> Besides the title of the episode, several scenes in "North by North Quahog" are inspired by the Hitchcock film. In the scene in which Lois is kidnapped by Gibson's associates, the two priests chase Peter through a cornfield, flying a crop-duster, parodying the crop-duster scene from the film.<ref name="drawntoTV"/> The final face-off between Peter, Lois and Gibson that takes place on Mount Rushmore is also a reference to ''North by Northwest''.<ref name="TVG"/>
-As Peter and Lois are driving to Cape Cod for their second honeymoon,<ref>{{cite news|title=Resurrecting dead shows: At this rate, who needs ratings?; ''Family Guy'' rises from the grave. Meanwhile, despite praise from its network, 'Arrested Development' is pulled|work=[[Los Angeles Times]]|page=E1|author=Brownfield, Paul|date=April 29, 2005}}</ref> Peter is reading a [[Archie Comics|Jughead comic book]] and their car crashes.<ref name="drawntoTV"/> The fictional Park Barrington Hotel, where Peter and Lois steal Gibson's film, is located in [[Manhattan]].<ref name="drawntoTV"/> The car chase scene through a shopping mall is a recreation of a scene from the 1980 comedy film ''[[The Blues Brothers (film)|The Blues Brothers]]''.<ref>{{cite news|title=http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=CSTB&p_theme=cstb&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=10B52D021570B178&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM|page=8|title=They 'were on a mission from God' // Chicago landed a lead role in 1980 film that celebrated the city's rhythm and soul|work=[[Chicago Sun-Times]]|author=Newbart, Dave|date=June 20, 2005|accessdate=July 4, 2009}}</ref>
-The episode contains a number of other cultural references. [[Pinocchio]] appears in a [[cutaway gag]], in which [[The Adventures of Pinocchio#Characters|Gepetto]] bends over and deliberately sets Pinocchio up to tell a lie in an attempt to emulate [[anal sex]].<ref name="variety-review"/> This was based on a joke MacFarlane's mother had told her friends when he was a child.<ref name="commentary"/> George Clooney's name is yelled out by Lois when she and Peter are having sex.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://media.www.kentnewsnet.com/media/storage/paper867/news/2005/05/05/UndefinedSection/Victory.Is.Mine.family.Guy.Returns.To.Fox-1517211.shtml|title=Victory is mine! 'Family Guy' returns to Fox|author=Schirra, Steve|date=May 5, 2005|work=[[Kent State University#Student media|Daily Kent Stater]]|accessdate=July 3, 2009}}</ref> The 1950s sitcom ''[[The Honeymooners]]'' is also referenced, a fictional episode is shown in which [[The Honeymooners#Ralph Kramden|Ralph Kramden]], the show's main character, hits his wife, something he would usually only threaten to do.<ref name="IGN"/> Lois watches an episode of the [[CBS]] sitcom ''[[Two and a Half Men]]'', which shows three men, one of whom is cut in half.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.projo.com/tv/content/projo_20050430_macfarlan.1d6c9b8.html|title=A real Family reunion|author=Smith, Andy|date=April 30, 2005|work=The Providence Journal TV|accessdate=July 2, 2009}}</ref> Fictional army soldier [[Flint (G.I. Joe)|Flint]] of [[G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero]] appears briefly after Chris is caught drinking vodka, and educates the children on drinking and informs them that "...&nbsp;knowing is half the battle".<ref>{{cite news|work=University Wire|author=Keim, Seth|title=TV Review: The Griffin family makes its triumphant return to prime time TV|date=May 2, 2005}}</ref> Flint's voice was provided by the actor who had voiced the character in the G.I. Joe television series. According to [[Seth Green]], who voices Chris, the reason the ''Family Guy'' cast members did not voice Flint themselves is because if you have the original actor providing the voice "{{interp|...}}&nbsp;you take it with a little bit more gravitas".<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.hulu.com/watch/21641/family-guy-family-guy---the-voices|publisher=[[Hulu.com]]. [[The Paley Center for Media]]|author=MacFarlane, Seth; Povenmire, Dan; Green, Seth|date=2006|title=Family Guy - The Voices|accessdate=July 16, 2009}}</ref>
-==Reception==
-{{Quote box|width=25em|quote="MacFarlane penned the premiere segment, whose storyline largely involves Peter and Lois heading off on a second honeymoon to bring the passion back to a marriage that leaves her fantasizing about George Clooney during sex. As if that isn't offensive enough there's also copulation that occurs atop the carved mountain Mount Rushmore icons. It's funny stuff, sometimes too smugly self-aware of its own outrageousness. But hey, you can bet the DVD is gonna be huge."|align=right|source=Ray Richmond, ''[[The Hollywood Reporter]]''.<ref>{{cite news|title=Back from the dead; The irrevent Family Guy finds new life on TV thanks to monster DVD sales.|work=[[The Toronto Sun]]|page=E12|date=April 29, 2005|author=Richmond, Ray}}</ref>}}
-"North by North Quahog" was broadcast on May 1, 2005 as part of an animated television night on FOX,<ref name="SPtimes"/> was preceded by two episodes of ''[[The Simpsons]]'' (including the show's [[Future-Drama|350th episode]]), and was followed by [[Pilot (American Dad!)|the pilot episode]] of MacFarlane's new show, ''[[American Dad!]]''.<ref name="SPtimes">{{cite news|url=http://www.sptimes.com/2005/05/01/Floridian/Fox_packages_animatio.shtml|title=Fox packages animation creations|author=Squires, Chase|date=May 1, 2005|work=[[St. Petersburg Times]]|accessdate=July 1, 2009|page=8E}}</ref> It was watched by 11.85&nbsp;million viewers, higher than both ''The Simpsons'' and ''American Dad''.<ref name="NYTRatings">{{cite news|url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9507EED71F31F930A35756C0A9639C8B63|title=A Sweeping Weekend |last=Aurthur|first=Kate|date=May 3, 2005|work=The New York Times|accessdate=July 2, 2009}}</ref> The episode's ratings were ''Family Guy''{{'}}s highest ratings since the airing of the season one episode "[[Brian: Portrait of a Dog]]".<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.usatoday.com/life/television/news/2005-05-03-nielsen-analysis_x.htm|author=Levin, Gary|date=May 3, 2005|work=[[USA Today]]|title='Guy' fares better than 'Dad'|accessdate=July 3, 2009}}</ref> ''Family Guy'' was the week's highest-rated show among teens and men in the 18 to 34 demographic,<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/05/03/AR2005050301682.html|author=DeMoraes, Lisa|authorlink=Lisa de Moraes|work=[[The Washington Post]]|title='Family Guy' Back Home; 'Star Trek' Lost in Space|date=May 4, 2005|accessdate=August 2, 2009}}</ref> and more than doubled Fox's average in its timeslot.<ref>{{cite news|title="Family" value pays off for FOX|author=Kissel, Rick|work=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]|date=May 3, 2005|page=1}}</ref> The episode's first broadcast in Canada, on June 5, 2005, on [[CTV Television Network|CTV]], was watched by 1.27 million viewers, making it fourth for the week it was broadcast, behind ''[[CSI: Crime Scene Investigation]]'', ''[[CSI: Miami]]'' and the third series of ''[[Canadian Idol]]''.<ref>{{cite news|title=Stats Entertainment|page=AL1|work=[[National Post]]|date=June 8, 2005}}</ref>
-The reactions of television critics to "North by North Quahog" were mostly positive. In a simultaneous review of the two episodes of ''The Simpsons'' that preceded the episode and the ''American Dad!'' pilot, Chase Squires of the ''[[St. Petersburg Times]]'' stated that "North by North Quahog" "...&nbsp;score[d] the highest".<ref name="SPtimes"/> Multimedia news and reviews website [[IGN]] was pleased to see Stewie and Brian get more screen time as a duo, something they thought had always been one of the show's biggest strengths.<ref name="IGN">{{cite news|url=http://tv.ign.com/articles/607/607843p1.html|publisher=[[IGN]]|author=KJB|date=April 26, 2005|title=Family Guy: "North by North Quahog"|accessdate=July 3, 2009}}</ref> IGN placed Peter's idea to pose as Mel Gibson and steal ''Passion of the Christ 2'' in 8th place on their list of "Peter Griffin's Top 10 Craziest Ideas".<ref>{{cite news|url=http://tv.ign.com/articles/892/892547p2.html|title=Family Guy: Peter Griffin's Top 10 Craziest Ideas|author=Haque, Ashan|date=July 31, 2008|publisher=[[IGN]]|accessdate=July 4, 2009}}</ref> Matthew Gilbert of ''[[The Boston Globe]]'' commented that the episode's material "would wear thin after a while if the character's weren't as distinct and endearing as they are, most notably Stewie, the wrathful infant."<ref>{{cite news|title=Family Guy Returns, as funny as ever|work=[[The Boston Globe]]|author=Gilbert, Matthew|date=April 30, 2005|page=D12}}</ref>
-Critics reacted positively to the opening sequence; in his review of the episode, Mark McGuire of ''[[Times Union (Albany)|The Times Union]]'' wrote: "...&nbsp;the first minute or so of the resurrected ''Family Guy'' ranks among the funniest 60 seconds I've seen so far this season."<ref>{{cite news|title='Family Guy' is back in first home|publisher=''[[Times Union (Albany)|The Times Union]]''|date=May 1, 2005|page=S2|last=McGuire|first=Mark}}</ref> ''[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]'' critic Brian Lowry considered the opening sequence to be the best part of the episode.<ref name="variety-review"/> M. Keith Booker, author of the book ''Drawn to Television: Primetime Television from The Flinstones to Family Guy'', called the opening sequence an "...&nbsp;in-your-face, I-told-you-so rejoinder to the FOX brass&nbsp;{{interp|...}} followed by one of the most outrageous ''Family Guy'' episodes ever".<ref name="drawntoTV">{{cite book|title=Drawn to Television: Primetime Television from The Flinstones to Family Guy|pages=87–88|author=Booker, M. Keith|date=2006|publisher=Greenwood Publishing Group|isbn=0275990192}}</ref>
-However, the episode also garnered negative responses. Melanie McFarland of the ''[[Seattle Post-Intelligencer]]'' stated that "Three years off the air has not made the 'Family Guy' team that much more creative".<ref name="P-I-review">{{cite news|url=http://www.seattlepi.com/tv/222282_tv30.html|title=Time spent off the air hasn't been kind to 'Family Guy'|author=McFarland, Melanie|work=[[Seattle Post-Intelligencer]]|date=April 30, 2005|accessdate=July 2, 2009}}</ref> Kevin Wong of [[PopMatters]] thought the episode made fun of easy targets such as Gibson and ''The Passion of The Christ'', although he felt ''Family Guy'' regained "...&nbsp;its admirable mix of niche nostalgia and hysterical characterizations" after the first two episodes of the new season.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.popmatters.com/tv/reviews/f/family-guy-2005.shtml|date=June 13, 2005|title=Family Guy / American Dad|publisher=[[PopMatters]]|author=Wong, Kevin|accessdate=July 4, 2009}}</ref> Though Alex Strachan, critic for ''[[The Montreal Gazette]]'', praised the opening sequence, he felt "it's all downhill from there".<ref>{{cite news|title=Simpsons celebrate and Family Guy fails|work=[[The Montreal Gazette]]|author=Strachan, Alex|date=May 1, 2005|page=B4}}</ref> Bill Brioux of the ''[[Toronto Star]]'' considered the show to be similar to ''The Simpsons''.<ref>{{cite news|title=Shark Bait; So Long, chumbs: Our Critics Says Goodbye to an Old Friend, The Simpsons|work=[[Toronto Sun]]|page=6|date=May 1, 2005|author=Brioux, Bill}}</ref> Media watchdog group the [[Parents Television Council]], a [[Criticism of Family Guy|frequent critic]] of the show, branded the episode the "worst show of the week".<ref name="PTC">{{cite web| url = http://www.parentstv.org/PTC/publications/bw/2005/0508worst.asp| title = The Family Guy on FOX | archivedate=June 13, 2007|archiveurl=http://web.archive.org/web/20070613130300/http://www.parentstv.org/PTC/publications/bw/2005/0508worst.asp|last = Bowling| first = Aubree| date=May 8, 2005| publisher = [[Parents Television Council]]| quote =  Nearly every second of the May 1 episode of ''Family Guy'' was offensive – from the assaults on [[Catholicism]], to inappropriate jokes about [[human sexual behavior|sex]] and [[excrement]], making it an easy choice for Worst of the Week.|accessdate=July 1, 2009}}</ref>
-"North by North Quahog" was nominated for an [[Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Animated Program (for Programming Less Than One Hour)]],<ref name="2005emmynoms">{{cite news|author=Staff|title=Emmy nominees|work=[[The Star-Ledger]]|page=60|date=July 15, 2005}}</ref> the eventual recipient of the award being ''South Park'' episode "[[Best Friends Forever]]".<ref>{{cite news|title =Complete List of the 57th Annual Emmy Award Winners  |work=[[San Francisco Chronicle]]|date=September 19, 2005|url=http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2005/09/19/DDGDBEPBD01.DTL|accessdate=December 3, 2007}}</ref> Peter Shin, director of the episode, won the [[Annie Award]] for Best Directing in an Animated Television Production. Fellow ''Family Guy'' director [[Dan Povenmire]], was nominated for the same award for directing "[[PTV (Family Guy)|PTV]]".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://annieawards.org/33rdwinners.html|title=Legacy: 33rd&nbsp;Annual Annie Award Nominees and Winners (2005)|publisher=[[Annie Awards]]|accessdate=April 28, 2009}}</ref>
-==References==
-{{reflist|2}}
-== External links ==
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North by North Quahog: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 03:05, 21 September 2009

look at my edit history