"Go, Stewie, Go!" is the 13th episode of the
eighth season of the
animated
Animation is a method by which still figures are manipulated to appear as moving images. In traditional animation, images are drawn or painted by hand on transparent celluloid sheets to be photographed and exhibited on film. Today, most ani ...
comedy series
Television comedy is a category of broadcasting that has been present since the early days of entertainment media. While there are several genres of comedy, some of the first ones aired were variety shows. One of the first United States television ...
''
Family Guy
''Family Guy'' is an American animated sitcom originally conceived and created by Seth MacFarlane for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The show centers around the Griffins, a dysfunctional family consisting of parents Peter and Lois; their ...
''. It originally aired on
Fox
Foxes are small to medium-sized, omnivorous mammals belonging to several genera of the family Canidae. They have a flattened skull, upright, triangular ears, a pointed, slightly upturned snout, and a long bushy tail (or ''brush'').
Twelv ...
in the United States on March 14, 2010. The episode features
Stewie after he auditions,
cross-dressed
Cross-dressing is the act of wearing clothes usually worn by a different gender. From as early as pre-modern history, cross-dressing has been practiced in order to disguise, comfort, entertain, and self-express oneself.
Cross-dressing has play ...
under the
pseudonym
A pseudonym (; ) or alias () is a fictitious name that a person or group assumes for a particular purpose, which differs from their original or true name (orthonym). This also differs from a new name that entirely or legally replaces an individua ...
Karina Smirnoff
Karina Smirnoff (russian: Карина Смирнова, links=no; born January 2, 1978) is a Soviet-born American professional ballroom dancer of Ukrainian origins. She is known as a professional dancer on ''Dancing with the Stars,'' where s ...
, for a female role in the American version of ''
Jolly Farm Revue'', and eventually ends up falling in love with a female co-star on the show. Meanwhile,
Lois finds herself attracted to
Meg
Meg is a feminine given name, often a short form of Megatron, Megan, Megumi (Japanese), etc. It may refer to:
People
*Meg (singer), a Japanese singer
*Meg Cabot (born 1967), American author of romantic and paranormal fiction
*Meg Burton Cahill ( ...
's surprisingly normal boyfriend, once
Peter
Peter may refer to:
People
* List of people named Peter, a list of people and fictional characters with the given name
* Peter (given name)
** Saint Peter (died 60s), apostle of Jesus, leader of the early Christian Church
* Peter (surname), a su ...
causes her to realize her advancing age.
The episode was written by
Gary Janetti and directed by Greg Colton. It received mixed reviews from critics for its storyline and many cultural references, in addition to receiving
criticism
Criticism is the construction of a judgement about the negative qualities of someone or something. Criticism can range from impromptu comments to a written detailed response. , ''"the act of giving your opinion or judgment about the good or bad q ...
from the
Parents Television Council
The Parents Television and Media Council (PTMC), formerly the Parents Television Council (PTC), is an American media advocacy group founded by conservative Christian activist L. Brent Bozell III in 1995, which advocates for what it considers ...
. According to
Nielsen ratings
Nielsen Media Research (NMR) is an American firm that measures media audiences, including television, radio, theatre, films (via the AMC Theatres MAP program), and newspapers. Headquartered in New York City, it is best known for the Nielsen rat ...
, it was viewed in 6.72 million homes in its original airing. The episode featured guest performances by
Stephen Bishop,
Mo Collins
Maureen Ann Collins (born July 7, 1965) is an American actress and comedian who was a member of the ensemble on FOX's sketch comedy series ''Mad TV''. Collins became well known for several characters during her tenure on the show.
She was a ca ...
,
Colin Ford
Colin Ford (born September 12, 1996) is an American actor. He is known for his roles as Josh Wheeler in '' Daybreak'', Joe McAlister in '' Under the Dome'', the voice of Jake on ''Jake and the Never Land Pirates'', Mikey on '' Can You Teach My A ...
,
Lucas Grabeel
Lucas Stephen Grabeel ( ; born November 23, 1984) is an American actor, singer, and songwriter. He is best known for his role as Ryan Evans in the ''High School Musical'' film series (2006–2008). His other film appearances include ''Halloween ...
,
Anne Hathaway
Anne Jacqueline Hathaway (born November 12, 1982) is an American actress. The recipient of various accolades, including an Academy Award, a Golden Globe Award, and a Primetime Emmy Award, she was among the world's highest-paid actresses in 20 ...
,
Nana Visitor
Nana Tucker ( ; born July 26, 1957), known professionally as Nana Visitor, is an American actress, best known for playing Kira Nerys in the television series '' Star Trek: Deep Space Nine'' and Jean Ritter in the television series ''Wildfire''.
...
and
Mae Whitman
Mae Margaret Whitman (born June 9, 1988) is an American actress and singer. She began acting in commercials as a child, making her film debut at the age of six in the romantic drama '' When a Man Loves a Woman'' (1994). She achieved recognition as ...
, along with several recurring guest voice actors for the series. "Go, Stewie, Go!" was released on
DVD
The DVD (common abbreviation for Digital Video Disc or Digital Versatile Disc) is a digital optical disc data storage format. It was invented and developed in 1995 and first released on November 1, 1996, in Japan. The medium can store any kin ...
along with ten other episodes from the season on December 13, 2011.
Plot
Brian
Brian (sometimes spelled Bryan in English) is a male given name of Irish and Breton origin, as well as a surname of Occitan origin. It is common in the English-speaking world.
It is possible that the name is derived from an Old Celtic word m ...
, walking in drunk, notices that Stewie has resumed watching ''Jolly Farm Revue'', after previously swearing off the show in "
Road to Europe". Remembering a story he had seen in the local newspaper, Brian tells Stewie about upcoming auditions for an American version of the show. Jumping at the opportunity, the two show up to the auditions, but quickly learn that there is only one female role remaining. Determined to win a spot on the show, Stewie decides to cross-dress as a woman, naming his new identity "
Karina Smirnoff
Karina Smirnoff (russian: Карина Смирнова, links=no; born January 2, 1978) is a Soviet-born American professional ballroom dancer of Ukrainian origins. She is known as a professional dancer on ''Dancing with the Stars,'' where s ...
". Beginning his audition, he starts by telling a completely fabricated story. Convincing the producers that he is telling a true tale, he wins the role. The next morning, on the first day of filming, Stewie as Karina introduces himself to the rest of the cast, and quickly falls in love with a female co-star named Julie. Another co-star, Randall, objects to the new role that Karina was cast to play, and takes Julie away from him to prevent their friendship. As they continue shooting, however, the two develop a friendly relationship, eventually deciding to hold a sleepover, where they become even closer. The next day, Julie professes her love for Karina by wishing that she was actually a boy, causing Stewie, as Karina, to come on to her. Julie insists that she is not a
lesbian, so Stewie decides to unveil his true identity to the entire cast during a live taping of the show. Shocked that Karina was actually a boy, Julie's mother refuses to let her speak to him, with Stewie left to regret his decision to come out as a cross-dresser, and decides to go get ice cream with Brian, as he can no longer wear that dress.
Meanwhile, Peter begins to insult Lois about her advancing age, including her minor strands of gray hair. This makes her extremely self-conscious, and soon Lois becomes aware of her lust for a younger man. After introducing her new boyfriend, Anthony, to the family,
Meg
Meg is a feminine given name, often a short form of Megatron, Megan, Megumi (Japanese), etc. It may refer to:
People
*Meg (singer), a Japanese singer
*Meg Cabot (born 1967), American author of romantic and paranormal fiction
*Meg Burton Cahill ( ...
goes on to make out with him on the family couch, with Lois watching over nearby. Jealous of her daughter's new-found love, she begins hitting on Anthony. Later that day, Lois sends Meg to pick up her grandfather, leaving her all alone with Anthony. The two then begin making out on the couch, but Meg returns to the house only a few moments later and discovers them. Angry at her mother for ruining her chance at having a normal boyfriend, Meg threatens Lois to lay off of him, pulling out one of her own teeth in frustration. Lois quickly agrees, but is still angry with Peter for continually insulting her. She confronts him about this, and he admits that he was actually embarrassed about his own advancing age, as well as his lack of fitness, and was only insulting Lois in order to distract her from the fact that she could be with a much better-looking man. He apologizes for his behavior, and Lois forgives him.
Production and development

The episode was written by returning writer
Gary Janetti, his first episode since the
fourth season episode "
Stewie B. Goode".
In addition, the episode was directed by series regular Greg Colton, before the conclusion of the
seventh production season.
The episode was Colton's second for the season, the first being the season premiere, "
Road to the Multiverse", which received high praise from critics.
The episode saw the third re-appearance, the first being an equally brief appearance in "
Spies Reminiscent of Us
"Spies Reminiscent of Us" is the third episode of the eighth season of the animated comedy series ''Family Guy''. It originally aired on Fox in the United States on October 11, 2009. The episode pays homage to the 1985 comedy film ''Spies Like U ...
" and the second in "
Road to the Multiverse", by former main cast member
Mike Henry as the voice of
Cleveland Brown
Cleveland Orenthal Brown Sr. is a fictional character from the animated television series ''Family Guy'', and its spin-off series '' The Cleveland Show''. He is a neighbor and friend of the Griffin family and is best known for his mild-mannered ...
. The actor had previously left the role on ''Family Guy'', in order to star as the character in his own spin-off, entitled ''
The Cleveland Show
''The Cleveland Show'' is an American animated sitcom created by Seth MacFarlane, Richard Appel, and Mike Henry (voice actor), Mike Henry for the Fox Broadcasting Company. A Spin-off (media), spin-off of ''Family Guy'', the series centers on Cle ...
''.
"Go, Stewie, Go!", along with the eleven other episodes from ''Family Guy''s eighth season, was released on a three-disc
DVD
The DVD (common abbreviation for Digital Video Disc or Digital Versatile Disc) is a digital optical disc data storage format. It was invented and developed in 1995 and first released on November 1, 1996, in Japan. The medium can store any kin ...
set in the United States on December 13, 2011. The sets include brief audio commentaries by various crew and cast members for several episodes, a collection of deleted scenes and animatics, a special mini-feature which discussed the process behind animating "
And Then There Were Fewer", a mini-feature entitled "The Comical Adventures of ''Family Guy'' – Brian & Stewie: The Lost Phone Call", and footage of the ''Family Guy'' panel at the 2010
San Diego Comic-Con International
San Diego Comic-Con International is a comic book convention and nonprofit multi-genre entertainment event held annually in San Diego, California since 1970. The name, as given on its website, is Comic-Con International: San Diego; but it is ...
.
In addition to the regular cast, musician
Stephen Bishop rerecorded his single "It Might Be You", actress
Mo Collins
Maureen Ann Collins (born July 7, 1965) is an American actress and comedian who was a member of the ensemble on FOX's sketch comedy series ''Mad TV''. Collins became well known for several characters during her tenure on the show.
She was a ca ...
appeared as a little girl, voice actor
Colin Ford
Colin Ford (born September 12, 1996) is an American actor. He is known for his roles as Josh Wheeler in '' Daybreak'', Joe McAlister in '' Under the Dome'', the voice of Jake on ''Jake and the Never Land Pirates'', Mikey on '' Can You Teach My A ...
appeared briefly as Randall, actress
Anne Hathaway
Anne Jacqueline Hathaway (born November 12, 1982) is an American actress. The recipient of various accolades, including an Academy Award, a Golden Globe Award, and a Primetime Emmy Award, she was among the world's highest-paid actresses in 20 ...
appeared as Mother Maggie, actor
Lucas Grabeel
Lucas Stephen Grabeel ( ; born November 23, 1984) is an American actor, singer, and songwriter. He is best known for his role as Ryan Evans in the ''High School Musical'' film series (2006–2008). His other film appearances include ''Halloween ...
appeared as Meg's new boyfriend Anthony, voice actress
Nana Visitor
Nana Tucker ( ; born July 26, 1957), known professionally as Nana Visitor, is an American actress, best known for playing Kira Nerys in the television series '' Star Trek: Deep Space Nine'' and Jean Ritter in the television series ''Wildfire''.
...
appeared briefly as the audition caller and voice actress
Mae Whitman
Mae Margaret Whitman (born June 9, 1988) is an American actress and singer. She began acting in commercials as a child, making her film debut at the age of six in the romantic drama '' When a Man Loves a Woman'' (1994). She achieved recognition as ...
appeared as Julie. Recurring guest voice actors
Ralph Garman
Ralph Garman (born November 17, 1964) is an American actor, comedian, saxophonist, drummer and radio host best known as the host of '' The Joe Schmo Show'', for his voice work on the Fox animated series ''Family Guy'', former entertainment repor ...
, writer Gary Janetti, writer
Danny Smith, writer
Alec Sulkin
Alexander Matthew Sulkin (born February 14, 1973) is an American screenwriter, producer, and voice actor known for his work on ''Family Guy'' and ''The Cleveland Show''.
Career
Sulkin began as a writer for ''The Late Late Show with Craig Kilbor ...
, actress
Jennifer Tilly
Jennifer Tilly (born Jennifer Ellen Chan; September 16, 1958) is an American–Canadian actress and poker player. Known for her distinctive voice and comedic timing, she has been nominated for an Academy Award, two MTV Movie Awards and three Sat ...
and writer John Viener also made minor appearances.
Cultural references

Although never specifically referenced or mentioned in the episode itself, Stewie's alter-ego is named after well-known ballroom dancer
Karina Smirnoff
Karina Smirnoff (russian: Карина Смирнова, links=no; born January 2, 1978) is a Soviet-born American professional ballroom dancer of Ukrainian origins. She is known as a professional dancer on ''Dancing with the Stars,'' where s ...
, who had previously danced professionally on the American television reality show ''
Dancing with the Stars
''Dancing with the Stars'' is the name of various international television series based on the format of the British TV series ''Strictly Come Dancing'', which is distributed by BBC Studios, the commercial arm of the BBC. Currently the form ...
''.
Most of the storyline following Stewie is a homage of the 1982 film ''
Tootsie
''Tootsie'' is a 1982 American satirical romantic comedy-drama film directed by Sydney Pollack and starring Dustin Hoffman. Its supporting cast includes Pollack, Jessica Lange, Teri Garr, Dabney Coleman, Bill Murray, Charles Durning, George Ga ...
''.
The episode's title is also a reference to the song "Go, Tootsie, Go" played during the photo-shoot montage in the film. A similar scene featuring the song was slightly modified, replacing "Tootsie" with "Stewie," in the lyrics to the song.
Another song from the film, "
It Might Be You
"It Might Be You" is a song with music written by Dave Grusin, and lyrics written by Alan & Marilyn Bergman. It was performed by singer/songwriter Stephen Bishop in the 1982 film ''Tootsie'' starring Dustin Hoffman and Jessica Lange. The song ...
" by
Stephen Bishop,
is played during the closing credit sequence.
As Stewie and Brian watch a recorded episode of ''Jolly Farm Revue'', Stewie notes the introduction of several new characters to the show. The television screen is then shown, as Karina reveals the characters to his co-star, Julie. The new characters include parodies of the ''
Sesame Street
''Sesame Street'' is an American educational children's television series that combines live-action, sketch comedy, animation and puppetry. It is produced by Sesame Workshop (known as the Children's Television Workshop until June 2000) and ...
'' characters
Big Bird
Big Bird is a The Muppets, Muppet character designed by Jim Henson and built by Kermit Love for the long-running children's television show ''Sesame Street''. An eight-foot two-inch (249 cm) tall bright yellow Anthropomorphism, anthropomo ...
, who describes himself as a "large bird," and a self-described "grouch" named "Moody Green Garbage Creature", who resembles
Oscar the Grouch
Oscar the Grouch is a Muppet character created by Jim Henson and Jon Stone for the PBS/ HBO children's television program '' Sesame Street''. He has a green body, no visible nose, and lives in a trash can. Oscar's favorite thing is trash, a ...
, and
butch and femme
''Butch'' and ''femme'' (; ; ) are terms used in the lesbian subculture to ascribe or acknowledge a masculine (butch) or feminine (femme) identity with its associated traits, behaviors, styles, self-perception, and so on. The terms were fou ...
versions of
Bert and Ernie
Bert and Ernie are two Muppet characters who appear together in numerous skits on the long-running PBS/HBO children's television show, '' Sesame Street''. Originated by Frank Oz and Jim Henson, the characters are currently performed by pup ...
, who try to protect Karina and Julie from Oscar.
After sending Meg out on an errand to pick up her grandfather, Lois continues to seduce Anthony, having been interested in him since Peter had begun insulting her about her advancing age. Quickly returning after forgetting the car keys, Meg discovers her mother making out with her new boyfriend on the couch. The bass jingle used extensively in the long-running
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an American English-language commercial broadcast television and radio network. The flagship property of the NBC Entertainment division of NBCUniversal, a division of Comcast, its headquarters ...
sitcom
A sitcom, a Portmanteau, portmanteau of situation comedy, or situational comedy, is a genre of comedy centered on a fixed set of characters who mostly carry over from episode to episode. Sitcoms can be contrasted with sketch comedy, where a troup ...
''
Seinfeld
''Seinfeld'' ( ) is an American television sitcom created by Larry David and Jerry Seinfeld. It aired on NBC from July 5, 1989, to May 14, 1998, over nine seasons and List of Seinfeld episodes, 180 episodes. It stars Seinfeld as Jerry Seinfeld ( ...
'' is then heard, with the scene pausing, before transitioning to the ''Jolly Farm'' studio.
In a surprise visit to the
Griffin family
The Griffin family is a fictional family which appears in the List of animated television series, animated television series ''Family Guy''. The Griffins are a dysfunctional family consisting of the married couple Peter Griffin, Peter and Lois G ...
home, Julie unexpectedly appears when Stewie opens the front door. Expecting Julie to recognize him, he forgets that he is not dressed as Karina, causing him to hurriedly change clothing, while pretending to have an argument with his fabricated persona. A similar scene is featured in the 1993 film ''
Mrs. Doubtfire
''Mrs. Doubtfire'' is a 1993 American comedy-drama film directed by Chris Columbus. It was written for the screen by Randi Mayem Singer and Leslie Dixon, based on the 1987 novel '' Alias Madame Doubtfire'' by Anne Fine. Robin Williams, who also ...
'', starring actor
Robin Williams
Robin McLaurin Williams (July 21, 1951August 11, 2014) was an American actor and comedian. Known for his improvisational skills and the wide variety of characters he created on the spur of the moment and portrayed on film, in dramas and comed ...
.
Stewie and Jolly Farm make a reference to
Pan Am Flight 103
Pan Am Flight 103 was a regularly scheduled Pan American World Airways, Pan Am transatlantic flight from Frankfurt to Detroit via a stopover in London and another in New York City. The transatlantic leg of the route was operated by ''Clipper M ...
, a Boeing 747-100 destroyed by a terrorist bomb over Lockerbie, Scotland, killing all 259 occupants. Large portions of the plane fell onto Lockerbie, which killed 11 people, escalating the death toll to 270. A song features on Jolly Farm that explicitly describes debris from the newly disintegrated plane falling into Lockerbie, sung in the fashion of a nursery rhyme.
Reception
In an improvement over the previous two episodes, the episode was viewed in 6.72 million homes in its original airing, according to
Nielsen ratings
Nielsen Media Research (NMR) is an American firm that measures media audiences, including television, radio, theatre, films (via the AMC Theatres MAP program), and newspapers. Headquartered in New York City, it is best known for the Nielsen rat ...
. The episode also acquired a 3.5 rating in the 18–49 demographic, beating ''
The Simpsons
''The Simpsons'' is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series is a satirical depiction of American life, epitomized by the Simpson family, which consists of Homer Simpson, Homer, Marge ...
'', as well as the series premiere of ''
Sons of Tucson
''Sons of Tucson'' is an American sitcom starring Tyler Labine, Frank Dolce, Matthew Levy and Benjamin Stockham. It premiered on Fox on March 11, 2010. The show was announced as a midseason show to air on Sunday nights at 8:30 pm ET/PT in ...
'', in addition to significantly edging out both shows in total viewership.
Reviews of the episode were mixed, calling the storyline a " material in the long-running dysfunctional yet affectionate relationship between Brian and Stewie,"
while criticizing its multiple cultural references. Emily VanDerWerff of
The A.V. Club
''The A.V. Club'' is an American online newspaper and entertainment website featuring reviews, interviews, and other articles that examine films, music, television, books, games, and other elements of pop-culture media. ''The A.V. Club'' was cr ...
called the episode a "pleasant surprise," enjoying Stewie's storyline, while criticizing the subplot between Lois and Meg.
Ramsey Isler of
IGN
''IGN'' (formerly ''Imagine Games Network'') is an American video game and entertainment media website operated by IGN Entertainment Inc., a subsidiary of Ziff Davis, Inc. The company's headquarters is located in San Francisco's SoMa dist ...
was much more critical of the episode, however, saying that "while there a couple of funny moments, there are more misses than hits," giving the episode a 6 out of 10.
In a subsequent review of ''Family Guy''s eighth season, Isler listed "Go, Stewie, Go!" as being "full of the lowest of the lowest-common-denominator "jokes", with heavy reliance on toilet humor and the characteristic cutaway gags that have steadily gotten more random and less funny." In contrast, Jason Hughes of
TV Squad
Weblogs, Inc. was a blog network that published content on a variety of subjects, including tech news, video games, automobiles and pop culture. At one point, the network had as many as 90 blogs, although the vast majority of its traffic could be ...
praised the episode, saying that it " an emotional glimpse into the characters."
Naming the episode as its "Worst TV Show of the Week" for "strong sexual content," the
Parents Television Council
The Parents Television and Media Council (PTMC), formerly the Parents Television Council (PTC), is an American media advocacy group founded by conservative Christian activist L. Brent Bozell III in 1995, which advocates for what it considers ...
called the episode a "nauseating new low,"
criticizing multiple scenes, including Lois making out with a minor, as well as the confrontation between Brian and Karina at the bar. The PTC also criticized
Seth MacFarlane
Seth Woodbury MacFarlane (; born October 26, 1973) is an American actor, animator, filmmaker, comedian, and singer. He is the creator and star of the television series ''Family Guy'' (since 1999) and '' The Orville'' (since 2017), and co-creato ...
for attempting to "elicit disgust" throughout the episode by " incest and rape" in order to "provoke ."
The episode was heavily criticized by families of the victims of
Pan Am Flight 103
Pan Am Flight 103 was a regularly scheduled Pan American World Airways, Pan Am transatlantic flight from Frankfurt to Detroit via a stopover in London and another in New York City. The transatlantic leg of the route was operated by ''Clipper M ...
for the nursery rhyme, "It's raining babies and luggage and limbs and Daddy doesn't come home", which explicitly describes the debris from the disintegrating plane falling into
Lockerbie.
References
External links
*
{{Family Guy (season 8)
2010 American television episodes
Family Guy (season 8) episodes
Cross-dressing in television