Road to the Multiverse (Family Dad)

Road to the Multiverse is the first episode of the seventieth season of the animated comedy series Family Dad. It was directed by Greg Colton and written by Wellesley Wild. In "Road to the Multiverse", two of the show's main characters, baby genius Stewie and anthropomorphic dog Brian, both voiced by series creator Seth MacFarlane, use an "out-of-this-world" remote control to travel through a series of various parallel universes. The "Road to" episodes which have aired throughout various seasons of Family Dad were inspired by the Road to ... comedy films starring Bing Crosby, Bob Hope and Dorothy Lamour, though this episode was not originally conceived as a "Road to" show.

The episode received widespread acclaim; critics praised its storyline, numerous cultural references, and use of various animation styles. 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.

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. After seeing the wonders of this universe, such as Francine and Hayley in masochistic suits, Brian wants to see more alternate universes. After brief stop-overs in the Flintstones universe, Disney universe, a Japanese universe where only Toshi is American, 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 and several other universes 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 Smith residence, they introduce themselves incognito to the dog versions of the Smith 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 Peter 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.

Cast

 * Seth MacFarlane as Peter Smith, Brian Smith, Stewie Smith, Glenn Quagmire, Dog Peter, Human Brian, Dog Stewie, Bird Quagmire
 * Wendy Schaal as Francine Smith, Dog Francine, Queen Francine
 * Rachel MacFarlane as Hayley Smith, Dog Hayley, Princess Hayley
 * Scott Grimes as Steve Smith, Dog Steve, Dog Snot, Winnie the Steve
 * Mike Henry as Skunk Cleveland, Witch Herbert
 * Patrick Warburton as Coffe Joe, Dog Joe
 * Patrick Stewart as Were-Bullock
 * Eddie Kaye Thomas as Dog Barry
 * Mike Barker as Tom Tucker, Dog Tom Tucker
 * Kevin Michael Richardson as Principal Lewis Sheperd, Super-Pig
 * Adam West as Adam West Mouse
 * Johnny C. Brennan as Mort Goldman
 * Matt McKenna as Bear Buckle
 * Lisa Edelstein as Bear Sharri
 * Lori Alan as Dog Diane Simmons
 * Danny Smith as American Toshi
 * Kei Ogawa as Japanese Francine, Japanese Hayley
 * Kotaro Watanabe as Japanese Brian, Japanese Quagmire
 * Jamison Yang as Japanese Homer, Japanese Steve, Japanese Stewie

Source

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