Saving Private Brian
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“Saving Private Brian” is the fourth episode of season five of Family Guy. The episode originally broadcast on November 5, 2006.[1] Guest stars on the show were Tom Devanney, Samm Levine and Louis Gossett, Jr.[2] The plot follows Stewie and Brian joining the United States Army and leaving to serve in Iraq, only to return home when the war ends. Meanwhile, Chris joins a gothic-band and develops an anti-social attitude.[3] Overall, the episode was reviewed positively by critics.
Plot
A recruitment officer comes to Chris' school, where he persuades most of the children to join the United States Army through false information. After telling the family over dinner, Lois is disgusted at this. The next day, Brian decides to go to the recruitment office to discuss the issues with the man, making Stewie late for a party he was attending. After going to top-up the parking meter, Stewie is left alone in the office, and willingly signs himself and Brian up to join the army, to Brian's shock when he returns.
To try to stop Chris from joining the army, Peter takes him to look at extra-curricular activities at his school, where he is accepted into a gothic rock-band after screaming loudly when Peter drops a piano on his foot. Meanwhile, Brian and Stewie begin their army training, but Brian becomes too stressed at the discipline within the army after failing to complete a marathon, so he prepares to leave. He is stopped by Stewie, who tells him that he has backed out of everything in life and he should stick in here, which makes him agree to stay.
Chris develops an anti-social and rude attitude after joining the school band, as well as significantly changing his appearance. Worried about his declining behavior, Peter and Lois search his room to find a Marilyn Manson poster with explicit lyrics on. They decide to track down Manson, where they explain how his behavior is affecting Chris, so he returns to the family house with them and explains to Chris he should respect his parents, whether involved in a band or not.
Brian and Stewie complete their army training and are informed they will be sent to serve in Iraq. Upon arrival and after being caught up in a terrorist attack, the pair pretend to be homosexual to be fired and sent home, but this fails. They are then told that democracy has kicked in and the war is over, thus meaning all the soldiers can return back to the United States.[4]
Production
In the first half of the episode, the United States Army is a focus of the plot synopsis. The entire scene of recruitment officers entering public schools in an attempt to recruit children and make them want to join is based on real life, as the army is beginning to do this.[5] Research into the Muddy Water's scene of his attempting to pass a kidney stone had to be performed by Cherry Chevapravatdumrong.[6] The show also featured last (living) appearance of Johnny and Vern, the vaudeville performers; Stewie shoots them because, as MacFarlane comments, "people were getting sick of them", with David Goodman adding that "the show was relying on them too much".[7][5]. The duo return in Back to the Woods, with Vern as a ghost and Johnny in Hell.
Upon the receiving of the news that democracy has come to Iraq, one scene shows some people about to put a knife to a man's throat, which caused controversy after its broadcasting.[5] Stewie also knowingly breaks the fourth wall in the episode, by speaking in a manner as if he were talking to the audience. When Stewie is telling Brian that he should stay in the army to build up his discipline, he recalls an event about Peter in the past, with the expectation of a flashback then occuring. However, nothing happens, and Stewie comments, "Oh, no clip - I thought we had a clip". This scene was described as being a one off.[7][5]
Cultural references
When traveling towards the army recruitment officer, Stewie questions Brian as to why the Emperor is sitting at his desk when Yoda enters the room, to which Brian then informs him that it is not an important matter; this is a reference to Revenge of the Sith. Several scenes from the army training contain real-life references; when the recruits were marching, they begin to sing and dance, as if in a musical play — this is a reference to West Side Story.[7]
Upon discovering that that Brian has brought in a dead bird (a reference to a scene in Full Metal Jacket) into the sleeping area of the army camp, the sergeant (referred to by the production crew as Sergeant angry man) punishes Brian by informing him that he will have to listen to tracks of a Chris Gaines CD. This complete scene was based on a sketch from Saturday Night Live, approximately 10 years ago.[7]. Upon performing the final stage of his army training, Brian has to perform several different tasks; this complete scene is a reference to An Officer and a Gentleman,[6] with the music playing in the background from Stripes. In a flashback when Brian completes the commando course, stewie promptly implies that Brian's achievement was an even greater success than fitting Minnie Drivers head on the screen of a movie set [7]
Reception
IGN commented that the portrayal of "service in the military is a hilarious satire of the current state of our military in Iraq." Iverson was also impressed with the episode's random flashback gags, commenting that "normally they are only groan-worthy," receiving a final rating of 9/10.[8] Brett Love of TV Squad noted that "The Full Metal Jacket/Stripes angle for Stewie and Brian was great, right down to the Stripes music during the obstacle course. And Louis Gossett Jr. as Sergeant Angryman is a nice bit of casting."[9]
References
- ^ "Family Guy": Saving Private Brian. IMDb. Retrieved on 2007-12-04.
- ^ Guests stars. Saving Private Brian. TV.com. Retrieved on 2007-12-04
- ^ Saving Private Brian British Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved on 2007-12-04
- ^ Plot synopsis information for the episode "Saving Private Brian" (DVD). 20th Century Fox. 2007.
{{cite AV media}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter:|1=(help) - ^ a b c d Goodman, David (2006). Family Guy season 5 DVD commentary for the episode "Saving Private Brian" (DVD). 20th Century Fox.
{{cite AV media}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter:|1=(help) - ^ a b Chevapravatdumrong, Cherry (2006). Family Guy season 5 DVD commentary for the episode "Saving Private Brian" (DVD). 20th Century Fox.
{{cite AV media}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter:|1=(help) - ^ a b c d e MacFalane, Seth (2006). Family Guy season 5 DVD commentary for the episode "Saving Private Brian" (DVD). 20th Century Fox.
{{cite AV media}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter:|1=(help) - ^ Iverson, Dan (November 06, 2006). "Family Guy: "Saving Private Brian" Review". IGN. Retrieved 2008-02-16.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ Love, Brett (November 06, 2006). "Family Guy: Saving Private Brian". TV Squad. Retrieved 2008-02-16.
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