Road to Europe (Family Dad)

Road to Europe is the 20th episode of the third season of the animated comedy series Family Dad. The episode follows baby Stewie, who becomes obsessed with the fictional British children's television series "Jolly Farm Revue". He decides to run away from home to become part of the cast and his anthropomorphic dog Brian decides to chase him down in an attempt to bring him back home. Meanwhile, Peter and Francine go to a KISS concert, where Lois reveals she knows nothing about the band, much to Peter's embarrassment.

"Road to Europe" was written by Daniel Palladino and directed by Dan Povenmire. It received mostly positive reviews from critics for its storyline and its many cultural references. The episode featured KISS members Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley. It also featured guest voices by comedian Andy Dick, actor and director Jon Favreau, actor Sean Flynn, actress and singer Lauren Graham, actress Michelle Horn, and voice actor Wally Wingert.

Plot
Hayley and Steve are watching TV when Stewie turns their program off to see the British TV program called Jolly Farm Revue, which he loves. Lamenting his future in Quahog, Stewie decides to travel to Jolly Farm and live there forever. He sneaks aboard a transatlantic flight, intending to travel to London and find the BBC where Jolly Farm is filmed. Brian chases after him, only to discover that they have landed in Saudi Arabia instead. Stewie and Brian perform a musical number together as a diversion in order to steal a camel, which dies from exhaustion in the middle of the desert.

At a nearby Comfort Inn, they steal a hot air balloon and gradually make their way to Vatican City, offending The Pope for good measure, then travel by train from Switzerland to Munich and get inadvertently stoned in Amsterdam. Upon finally arriving at the BBC studios, Stewie is horrified to learn that there is no actual farm and his beloved characters are mere actors. Disillusioned, he travels back home with Brian and replaces his love of Jolly Farm Revue with a love of “funky fruit hats.”

Peter is overjoyed to hear about KISS Stock, a five-night set of concerts in New England by his favorite band. He and Francine dress in face paint and leather, and stand only feet from the stage. When Gene Simmons points the microphone at Francine, encouraging her to sing the next line of "Rock and Roll All Nite", Peter is humiliated to discover that she does not know the words. He accuses her of only pretending to be a KISS enthusiast, and they leave the concerts in disgrace.

To punish himself, Peter stops at a Denny’s on the way home, where KISS happens also to have stopped. Francine recognizes Chaim Witz, who she dated before he changed his name to Gene Simmons; Gene introduces her to the rest of the band, who have heard Gene’s stories of “Loose Francine.” Peter’s faith in Francine is restored, and he proudly shares the news on public access television that his wife did KISS.

Cast

 * Seth MacFarlane as Peter Smith, Stewie Smith, Brian Smith
 * Wendy Schaal as Francine Smith
 * Rachel MacFarlane as Hayley Smith
 * Scott Grimes as Steve Smith
 * Gene Simmons as Himself
 * Paul Stanley as Himself
 * Andy Dick as Himself
 * Fred Willard as Dave Campbell
 * Jane Lynch as Dottie Campbell
 * Lauren Graham as Mother Maggie
 * Andy Dick as Himself
 * Dwight Schultz as the Pope

Source

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