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Death Has a Shadow

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"Death Has a Shadow"

"Death Has a Shadow" is the first episode of the animated series Family Guy, originally aired on the Fox network in the United States after Super Bowl XXXIII on January 31, 1999. The episode is based on series creator Seth MacFarlane's original pitch to Fox, The Life of Larry, and is a remake of the original Family Guy pilot. In the episode, Peter loses his job after drinking too much at a stag party and falls asleep at work. He then signs on to welfare to keep his wife Lois from finding out, but gets much more than he expected. Eventually, Lois finds out however, and Peter decides to dump the money from a blimp, at the Super Bowl. He is then arrested, and must await his family's rescue.

The series was initially conceived in 1995, when creator MacFarlane was studying at the Rhode Island School of Design. At the end of his time there, he created his thesis film entitled The Life of Larry, featured a middle-aged slob named Larry Cummings, his cynical talking dog, Steve, supportive wife Lois, and pudgy teenage son Milt. After being hired by Hanna-Barbera, MacFarlane was given a chance in 1996 to direct a sequel entitled Larry and Steve, a seven-minute short broadcast as part of Cartoon Network's World Premiere Toons starring many of the characters from the original cast. MacFarlane conceived the idea for Family Guy in 1999, developing it out of his two short films. His work caught the attention of Fox, who gave MacFarlane $50,000 to make a pilot. McFarlane completed the 11 minute pilot after six months of hand animation. Upon review, Fox gave the green light for the serialization of Family Guy as a series.

The series premiere was written by Seth MacFarlane and directed by Peter Shin, with guest stars Lori Alan, Carlos Alazraqui, Billy West, Fred Tatasciore, Joey Slotnick, Wally Wingert and Butch Hartman. Death Has a Shadow received a Nielsen rating of 40.2, and garnered generally positive reviews from the television critics.

Plot summary

When Peter is invited to a stag party at Quagmire's house, his wife Lois makes him promise not to drink. Peter completely ignores her warning and gets incredibly drunk at the party, and ends up falling asleep on the kitchen table. Lois is very upset, but decides to forgive Peter, since nothing bad had happened. However, Peter falls asleep on the job at the Happy-Go-Lucky Toy Factory the next morning, leading to the release of many highly dangerous "toys" (axes, jackknives, toasters, hazardous pills, etc.), and Peter is subsequently fired for negligence. Realizing that he would only hurt his wife again if he were to tell her of his unemployment, Peter decides not to tell Lois. After Brian tells him to think of his family's well being, he misapprehendingly applies for welfare instead. Peter, however, is shocked to find that his first welfare check is for $150,000, due to a misplaced decimal point.

With his new fortune, Peter begins to buy lavish gifts for his family, such as Michelangelo's David, a moat, and a ski boat. At the same time, however, Peter attempts to keep Meg and Chris, who have found out that Peter is now unemployed, from telling Lois what has happened. Later that day, Lois eventually finds out after she directly receives a new welfare check in the mail. With Lois once again upset with him, Peter decides that he will make it up to her by dropping all of his extra welfare money out of a blimp above Super Bowl XXXIII (complete with a parody of the NFL on Fox main theme music).

Despite his good intentions, Peter is arrested by security guards, called by John Madden (after the blimp is shot down by the guards with a "Just one" gun) and prosecuted for welfare fraud, along with Brian. Realizing he does care for Lois and his family, Lois makes a passionate plea to the judge to forgive her husband, but only succeeds in convincing the judge to let her join him in jail. After being hypnotized by Stewie's mind control device, the judge sees Stewie in the courtroom, and decides that he can not send Peter or Lois to prison because it would leave Stewie without the protection of his parents. Also, due to the mind control device Stewie has created, he forces the judge to reinstate Peter at the Happy-Go-Lucky toy factory. The episode ends with things returning back to normal, with Peter thinking about new ways to make money, supporting the idea that Peter never learns his lesson.[2][3]

Background

Main article: The Life of Larry and Larry & Steve
Three buildings, two of the same stature, and one smaller than the others.
A cartoon version of the image above.
The skyline of Providence, as viewed from the northwest looking southeast, and its animated Family Guy counterpart.

Seth MacFarlane conceived the idea for the Family Guy in the year 1996, while he was studying animation under the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD).[4] During college, he created his thesis film entitled The Life of Larry.[4][5] His professor at RISD submitted MacFarlane's cartoon to Hanna-Barbera, where he was later hired.[6] In 1996, MacFarlane created a sequel to The Life of Larry called Larry and Steve, which featured a middle-aged character named Larry and an intellectual dog, Steve.[5] The short was broadcast as one of Cartoon Network's World Premiere Toons.[5]

Executives at Fox saw both Larry shorts and contracted MacFarlane to create a series based on the characters, to be called Family Guy.[7] At 24, MacFarlane was television's youngest executive producer.[8] Fox proposed MacFarlane complete a 15-minute short, giving him a budget of $50,000.[9] Several aspects of Family Guy were inspired by the Larry shorts.[10] While working on the series, the characters of Larry and his dog Steve slowly evolved into Peter and Brian.[7] MacFarlane stated that the difference between the first short, The Life of Larry, and Family Guy, was that "Life of Larry was shown primarily in my dorm room and Family Guy was shown after the Super Bowl."[10] MacFarlane also claims to have drawn inspiration from several sitcoms, namely The Simpsons and All in the Family.[11] Several premises were also carried over from several 1980s Saturday morning cartoons he watched as a child, namely The Fonz and the Happy Days Gang, and Rubik, the Amazing Cube.[12]

Five voice actors were cast: MacFarlane, Alex Borstein, Seth Green and Lacey Chabert.[13] MacFarlane voices three of the show's main characters, Peter Griffin, Brian Griffin and Stewie Griffin,[14] and chose to voice these characters himself, believing it would be easier to portray the voices he already envisioned than for someone else to attempt it.[12] MacFarlane drew inspiration for the voice of Peter from a security guard he overheard talking while attending the Rhode Island School of Design.[15] Stewie's voice was based on the voice of English actor Rex Harrison,[16] especially his performance in the 1964 musical drama film My Fair Lady.[17] MacFarlane uses his regular speaking voice when playing Brian.[12]

Borstein provides the voice of Lois Griffin,[18] was asked to provide a voice for the pilot while she was working on MADtv. She had not met MacFarlane or seen any of his artwork and said it was "really sight unseen".[19] Green provides the voice of Chris Griffin,[20] and has stated that in auditioning for the part of Chris, he simply did an impression of the Buffalo Bill character from the thriller film The Silence of the Lambs, which he and a friend had come up with just before his audition.[21][22] Chabert provided the voice Meg Griffin for the episode, and the first production season; however, because of a contractual agreement, she was never credited.[23] Chabert left the series due to time constraints with her acting role in Party of Five, as well as schoolwork,[24] and was later replaced by Mila Kunis.[25]

MacFarlane resided in Providence during his time as a student at Rhode Island School of Design, and the show, as a consequence, was chosen by him to be set in Quahog, a fictional district of Providence.[23][26] MacFarlane often borrows the names of Rhode Island locations and icons such as Pawtucket and Buddy Cianci for use in the show. MacFarlane, in an interview with local WNAC Fox 64 News, stated that the town is modeled after Cranston, Rhode Island.[27] Several times every episode, the actual Providence skyline can be seen in the distance.[23] The three buildings that are depicted are, from left to right and furthest to closest, One Financial Center, 50 Kennedy Plaza, and the Bank of America Tower. This ordering of buildings and the angle at which they are viewed indicates that Quahog is primarily west of downtown Providence if it is to have a real-world counterpart. However, in a few episodes Quahog is shown to have a coastline, which only Cranston and Providence possess. This is supported by the fact that the real-world "31 Spooner Street" is located in Providence, immediately west of Roger Williams Park.[28]

Production

A group picture of a cartoon family, with a father, mother, son, daughter, baby and dog on a yard in front of a house.
The Griffin family as they appeared in the original pilot for Family Guy.
A man with black hair and a black shirt, leans forward slightly to speak into a microphone.
Family Guy creator Seth MacFarlane wrote the episode.

MacFarlane stated that the pilot for Family Guy took half a year to create and produce.[6] Recalling the experience in an interview with The New York Times, MacFarlane stated, "I spent about six months with no sleep and no life, just drawing like crazy in my kitchen and doing this pilot".[29] Upon completion of the pilot, the series went on the air.[30]

"Death Has a Shadow" was the first episode of Family Guy to be aired.[31] It was written by creator MacFarlane, and was the first episode to be directed by Peter Shin.[31] The episode guest starred Lori Alan as Diane Simmons, Carlos Alazraqui as Jonathan Weed, Billy West, Fred Tatasciore, Joey Slotnick, Wally Wingert and fellow cartoonist Butch Hartman as various characters.[32][33][34][35][36][31] The episode aired after Super Bowl XXXIII on January 31, 1999.[10][31]

The Family Guy writing staff collaborates on which ideas and characters to use for each episode. If a majority of the writers agree on an episode idea, it is then approved by MacFarlane, who must receive an endorsement from Fox before beginning production. For the first months of production, the writers shared one office lent to them by the King of the Hill production crew.[37] In interviews and on the DVD commentary of season one, MacFarlane explained that he is a fan of 1930s and 1940s radio programs, particularly the radio thriller anthology "Suspense", which led him to give early episodes ominous titles pertaining to death and murder like this one and "Mind Over Murder". MacFarlane later explained that the team dropped the naming convention after individual episodes became hard to identify and the novelty wore off.[38][39]

Cultural references

The episode contains several cultural references. The family is shown in church performing the holy communion.[2][3] There is a scene from the movie Philadelphia.[2][3] The movie Peter and his friends is a reference to the 1942 American romantic drama Casablanca.[2][3] The toy in the Happy-Go-Lucky Toy Factory is a parody to Hasbro's line of military-themed action figures G.I. Joe.[2][3] The first job Peter gets is being the mascot of Cocoa Puffs as Sonny the Cuckoo Bird.[3] When Brian urinates on a fire hydrant it references the dog behavior in pop-culture.[2][3] The sculpture Peter buys is Michelangelo's sculpture David.[40] The cutaway where Adolf Hitler is seen jealous of a Jewish man, it’s a reference of Hitler’s persecution of Jewish people.[40]

Reception

In its original airing, the episode received a total of 22.01 million viewers, attributed mostly to the large audience received by the Super Bowl, which it itself received a rating of 40.2 by Nielsen Ratings.[41] Since airing, the episode has received mostly positive reviews from television critics. Ahsan Haque of IGN in a 2008 review rated the episode an 8.9/10, praising the integration of humor into the episode's storyline. Haque also noted that the episode was "a very strong start to this long running classic series, and revisiting it serves as a reminder that unlike many other television shows, there are very few awkward moments, and much of the show's brilliance is immediately apparent."[40] Alonso Delarte of Bob's Poetry Magazine decided to follow the rule of "going easy on the pilot episode", while criticizing certain technical glitches.[42] It had initially speculated that the series would be "pushing the envelope" prior to the airing of "Death Has a Shadow".[43]

References

  • Callaghan, Steve (2005). Family Guy: The Official Episode Guide, Seasons 1–3. HarperCollins. ISBN 006083305X.

Notes

  1. ^ a b c d Callaghan, p. 14
  2. ^ a b c d e f Plot synopsis information for the episode "Death Has a Shadow" (DVD). 20th Century Fox. 2003.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g Callaghan, pp. 14-17
  4. ^ a b "Seth MacFarlane - Profile". E! Online. Retrieved December 20, 2007.
  5. ^ a b c Lenburg, Jeff (2006). Who's who in animated cartoons: an international guide to film & television's award-winning and legendary animators (Illustrated ed.). New York: Applause Theatre & Cinema Books. p. 221. ISBN 978-1-55783-671-7.
  6. ^ a b "Family Guy Seth MacFarlane to speak at Class Day: Creator and executive producer of 'Family Guy' will headline undergraduate celebration. Harvard Gazette. Retrieved December 21, 2007.
  7. ^ a b Bartlett, James (March 12, 2007). "Seth MacFarlane – he's the "Family Guy"". greatreporter.com. Presswire Limited. Retrieved 2007-12-31.  ... his company, Fuzzy Door Productions ... {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  8. ^ Levin, Gary (2005-02-02). "'Dad' joins 'Guy' for yuks". USA Today. Gannett Co. Inc. Retrieved December 21, 2007. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  9. ^ Andreeva, Nellie (2008-05-05). ""Family Guy creator seals megadeal". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved May 31, 2008. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  10. ^ a b c Callaghan, p. 16
  11. ^ "Interview with Seth MacFarlane". IGN. Retrieved December 9, 2009. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  12. ^ a b c Cruz, Gilbert (September 26, 2008). "Family Guy's Seth MacFarlane". TIME. Retrieved August 28, 2009. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= and |date= (help)
  13. ^ "Family Guy Cast and Details". TV Guide. Retrieved August 24, 2009. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  14. ^ Graham, Jefferson (January 29, 1999). "Cartoonist MacFarlane funny guy of Fox's 'Family' Subversive voice of series is his". USA Today. p. E7. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  15. ^ Smith, Andy (April 30, 2005). "A Real Family Reunion". Providence Journal TV. Retrieved August 28, 2009. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= and |date= (help)
  16. ^ Dean, John (November 1, 2008). "Seth MacFarlane's $2 Billion Family Guy Empire". Fox Business. Retrieved August 24, 2009. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= and |date= (help)
  17. ^ Franklin, Nancy (January 16, 2006). "American Idiots". The New Yorker. {{cite news}}: |access-date= requires |url= (help); Check date values in: |accessdate= and |date= (help)
  18. ^ Miller, Kirk (November 19, 2008). "Q&A: Alex Borstein". Metromix. Retrieved August 28, 2009. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= and |date= (help)
  19. ^ "Alex Borstein (Lois) Laughs at the Once-Dead Family Guy's Longevity". TV Guide. November&nbsp13, 2006. Retrieved August 24, 2009. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= and |date= (help)
  20. ^ Graham, Jefferson (April 9, 1999). "Seth Green fits right in with new Family". USA Today. {{cite news}}: |access-date= requires |url= (help); Check date values in: |accessdate= and |date= (help)
  21. ^ "Fans help 'Family Guy' return to Fox". Observer-Reporter. April 29, 2005. p. E5.
  22. ^ Green, Seth (September 27, 2005). Stewie Griffin: The Untold Story: Audio Commentary (DVD). {{cite AV media}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  23. ^ a b c Epstein, Daniel Robert. "Interview with Seth MacFarlane, creator of The Family Guy". UGO Networks. Retrieved November 23, 2008. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  24. ^ "Sonic the Horndog". Gamespy. Retrieved Octuber 3, 2009. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  25. ^ "Inside Media at MTR (2006): Family Guy 7". Yahoo! Video. Retrieved August 24, 2009. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  26. ^ Bartlett, James (March 12, 2007). "Seth MacFarlane – he's the "Family Guy"". Greatreporter.com. Retrieved November 23, 2008. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= and |date= (help)
  27. ^ "Family Guy writer at Bryant". The Providence Journal. September 24, 2008. {{cite journal}}: |access-date= requires |url= (help); Check date values in: |accessdate= and |date= (help)
  28. ^ Arrow Street Atlas of Rhode Island with Southeastern Massachusetts and Southeastern Connecticut (Map). Arrow Map, Inc. 1999. p. 13. § L5. ISBN 1-55751-405-4.
  29. ^ Weinraub, Bernard (2007-07-07). "The Young Guy Of 'Family Guy'; A 30-Year-Old's Cartoon Hit Makes An Unexpected Comeback". The New York Times. The New York Times Company. p. 2. Retrieved January 6, 2008. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  30. ^ "Inside Media at MTR (2006): Family Guy 2". Yahoo! Video. Retrieved August 24, 2009.
  31. ^ a b c d "Family Guy:Death Has a Shadow". Film.com. Retrieved 2009-09-27.
  32. ^ "Butch Hartman: Credits". TV Guide. Retrieved November 5, 2009. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  33. ^ "Lori Alan: Credits". TV Guide. Retrieved October 27, 2009. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  34. ^ "Phil LaMarr: Credits". TV Guide. Retrieved October 27, 2009. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  35. ^ Steve Callaghan (writer) (2001-09-05). "Mr. Saturday Knight". Family Guy. Season 3. Episode 9. Fox Broadcasting Company.
  36. ^ "Carlos Alazraqui: Credits". TV Guide. Retrieved October 8, 2009. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  37. ^ "Inside Media at MTR (2006): Family Guy 3". Yahoo! Video. Retrieved August 24, 2009. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  38. ^ "William S. Paley TV Fest: Family Guy". ING. Retrieved October 3, 2009. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  39. ^ "Inside Media at MTR (2006): Family Guy 7". Yahoo! Video. Retrieved September 3, 2009. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  40. ^ a b c Haque, Ashan (2008). "Family Guy Flashback: "Death Has a Shadow" Review". IGN. Retrieved September 14, 2009. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  41. ^ "Post-Super Bowl Ratings". Retrieved January 8, 2009.
  42. ^ Delarte, Alonso (2005). "Nitpicking Family Guy: Season 1" (PDF). Bob's Poetry Magazine. Retrieved September 15, 2009. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  43. ^ Bozell, L. Brent III (1999-01-19). "WB: The Very Model of a Modern Network?". MediaResearch.org. Creators Syndicate. Retrieved February 3, 2008. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
Wikiquote has quotations related to Death Has a Shadow.
Preceded by
Pilot 		Family Guy (season 1) Succeeded by
I Never Met the Dead Man
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