Road to the Multiverse (Simpsons)

Road to the Multiverse is the first episode of the eighth season of the animated comedy series Simpsons. This and most of the Season 8 episodes were produced for season 7. It was directed by Greg Colton and written by Wellesley Wild. In Road to the Multiverse, Stewie and Brian use an "out-of-this-world" remote control to travel through a series of various parallel universes. They eventually end up in a world where dogs rule and humans obey. Brian becomes reluctant to return to his own universe, and he ultimately ends up breaking the remote, much to the dismay of Stewie, who soon seeks a replacement. The "Road to episodes which have aired throughout various seasons of Simpsons were inspired by the Road to ... comedy films starring Bing Crosby, Bob Hope and Dorothy Lamour.

Responses to the episode were highly positive; critics praised its storyline, numerous cultural references, and use of various animation styles. According to Nielsen ratings, it was watched by 10.17 million people during its original airing in the United States. The episode featured guest performances by Kei Ogawa, Kotaro Watanabe and Jamison Yang, along with several recurring guest voice actors for the series. Greg Colton won a Primetime Emmy Award for Individual Achievement in Animation, for storyboarding the episode, at the 62nd Primetime Emmy Awards. Road to the Multiverse was released on DVD along with seven other episodes from the season on June 15th, 2010.

Plot
While at the Quahog Clam Day Fair, Stewie wins an animal contest using a pig with an exaggerated amount of muscle (and fists). After Brian inquires how he came about attaining the genetically modified pig, Stewie explains how he got it from a farm that breeds those specially mutated pigs. Brian insists on seeing this farm, and Stewie brings them both home where he divulges on the "Multiverse" Theory and shows him a remote control that allows the user to travel between alternate universes.

He takes him to the universe where he got the pig, one where Christianity never existed and therefore no dark ages to inhibit scientific advance for a thousand years (despite the existence of the Sistine Chapel in that universe). After seeing the wonders of this universe, the least of which being an extremely attractive Marge, Brian wants to see more alternate universes. They pass through the alternate universes, all half of which have their own portrayals of the Simpsons family, Quahog and its citizens, consisting of the Flintstones universe, Disney universe, a Japanese universe, a universe where everyone needs to poop right at that instant, a bipolar double-headed universe, Quahog in the Ice Age, a Robot Chicken universe, the live action universe, a universe inhabited only by a guy in the distance who gives out compliments, the political satire universe, and several others, in a vain effort to get home, they stumble upon a universe where humans are subservient to dogs. Brian, enjoying himself in the new universe, gets into a scuffle with Stewie over the remote, and accidentally drops it on the sidewalk, breaking it.

Finding their way back to the Simpsons residence, they introduce themselves incognito to the dog versions of the Simpsons family, including a human Brian. Dog Stewie asks to play with human Stewie, where he takes him into the living room and explains his similar situation, that he has also discovered the ability to travel through universes, albeit with precise co-ordinates in mind, which involves turning off the shuffle feature of the remote. He offers to take him back to his own universe, but unfortunately before he can retrieve the device, Dog Homer enrages human Stewie, causing Stewie to bite his hand, a detestable offence witnessed by Dog Joe, who locks Stewie up and takes him to the pound to be euthanized. Brian, Human Brian and Dog Stewie sneak into the prison where they break Stewie out and transport both him and Brian back to their universe. As the portal closes, Human Brian, realizing the limitless potential he can hope to achieve in that universe, jumps in. After reaching their destination, Human Brian says his goodbyes, hoping to "be somebody" somewhere in the world, which unfortunately does not work out, because he is hit by a car shortly after leaving.

Voice cast

 * Dan Castellaneta as Homer Simpson/Dog Homer, Abe Simpson
 * Julie Kavner as Marge Simpson/Dog Marge
 * Nancy Cartwright as Bart Simpson/Dog Bart, Neil Goldman, Nelson Muntz, Ralph Wiggum
 * Yeardley Smith as Lisa Simpson/Dog Lisa
 * Seth MacFarlane as Stewie Simpson/Dog Stewie, Brian Simpson/Dog Brian, Glenn Quagmire, Dog Tom Tucker
 * Patrick Warburton as Dog Joe
 * Adam West as Mayor Adam West

Guest stars

 * Kei Ogawa as Japanese Marge and Lisa
 * Kotaro Watanabe as Japanese Brian and Quagmire
 * Jamison Yang as Japanese Bart, Stewie and Homer

Cultural references
The episode opens with Stewie revealing his ability to travel across parallel universes to Brian. The first universe that they decide to visit, after having questioned the origin of Stewie's pedigree pig, is said to exist in a world where Christianity is absent. In this universe, everything is seemingly years in advance of the 21st century; Quagmire is able to take a single pill and be instantly cured of the AIDS virus, and flying cars and buildings surround them. As the two travel through the universe, they come upon Stewie's mother Marge, who has become significantly even more attractive. While they watch her walk down the street, the 1984 single Drop Dead Legs by Van Halen plays. Playing on the nonexistence of Christianity, Brian and Stewie visit the Sistine Chapel and discover that a large collection of photos of American actress Jodie Foster has been substituted for The Creation of Adam painting by Michelangelo, who was fired and replaced by John Hinckley.

Seeking to explore more alternative realities, Stewie takes Brian to a universe resembling the 1960 animated sitcom The Flintstones. Homer and Marge are shown dressed in a manner similar to Fred Flintstone and Wilma Flintstone respectively. Becoming tired of this universe, the two then transport themselves to a universe where the atomic bombing of Japan never occurred, allowing Japan to conquer the United States in World War II.

Another universe references many works by Walt Disney. Lisa appears as Alice from the 1951 film Alice in Wonderland and Mr. Herbert appears as the Evil Queen from the 1937 film Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. Walt Disney's alleged antisemitism is also referenced by having the universe's occupants attack the Disney version of Mort Goldman when he enters a room, brutally beating him to death off-screen. Discouraged, Brian and Stewie transport themselves to a universe resembling the Adult Swim series Robot Chicken, a show executive-produced by Simpsons cast member Nancy Cartwright. The sequence reveals several action figures of cartoon characters: He-Man, Optimus Prime, Lion-O and Duke from G.I. Joe.

Continuing their travels, the two come across a universe where singer and performer Frank Sinatra was never born, resulting in the loss of the 1960 presidential election by President John F. Kennedy to then-Vice President Richard Nixon, which causes World War III. Brian questions whether Lee Harvey Oswald shot Kennedy, and Stewie responds that he shot Mayor McCheese instead. A sequence similar to the Zapruder film, which shows the assassination of Kennedy, is shown, with Jacqueline Kennedy also appearing. Brian and Stewie next discover a universe completely depicted as a political cartoon. The next reference occurs in the dog universe when Stewie says, "Take your stinking paws off me you damn, dirty dog!" which is a reference to the famous quote "Take your stinking paws off me you damn, dirty ape!" from the first Planet of the Apes movie. The final reference of the episode also occurs in the dog universe when Stewie mentions, "Gosh, Brian, I sure hope this next leap, will be the leap home," a nod to the opening narration of the time travel series Quantum Leap.

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