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Family Guy Season 1 Episode 5

A Hero Sits Next Door

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8.3

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Episode Summary

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AIRED: 5/2/99

When the Griffin Family gets new neighbors that move in next door, Lois quickly becomes friends with Bonnie, Meg soon becomes attracted to their son, Kevin, and Peter becomes annoyed by the entire situation. After Peter injures the best player on his company's baseball team, Mr. Weed forces him to find a replacement, so Peter quickly changes his mind about his neighbors and invites Joe to play. When Joe shows up at the game, Peter learns that he is in a wheelchair. Joe ends up being the star of the game, which makes Peter jealous, as he wants to be a hero too. Peter ends up trying to stop a bank robbery to prove his value, but ends up getting caught up in the whole situation.moreless

FAN RECAP

Fan Episode Reviews (28)

Superb episode

9.0

By fsaenz0125, Jan 01, 2012

I thought this episode was superb. The plot to it was very interesting and I liked the introduction of Joe, Bonnie, and Kevin. My only problem was the way Peter acted to Joe when he first saw that he is handicapped. There is nothing else to say about this episode, so I'll put what the episode is about. When the Griffin Family gets new neighbors that move in next door, Lois quickly becomes friends with Bonnie, Meg soon becomes attracted to their son, Kevin, and Peter becomes annoyed by the entire situation. After Peter injures the best player on his company's baseball team, Mr. Weed forces him to find a replacement, so Peter quickly changes his mind about his neighbors and invites Joe to play. When Joe shows up at the game, Peter learns that he is in a wheelchair. Joe ends up being the star of the game, which makes Peter jealous, as he wants to be a hero too. Peter ends up trying to stop a bank robbery to prove his value, but ends up getting caught up in the whole situation. Some funny moments include the very beginning, the Wheel of Fortune part, "the holy crap, he's a cripple" line, Joe's flashback of how he got handicapped, and a few more. Overall, this episode was superb. 9/10moreless
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A Hero Sits Next Door

10

By futuramarama, Dec 17, 2011

What I liked- Joe's story about why he is crippled, "Holy crip he's a crapple!", the ending with Peter not caring about that lady's purse being stolen, Peter trying to save the people in the bank, Peter being jealous that his family seemingly likes Joe a lot, amongst other things.

Great episode and a really good introduction to Joe Swanson. A+
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The introduction of Joe Swanson and his wife Bonnie Swanson

9.0

By tigerdude22, Dec 16, 2011

When the Griffin Family gets new neighbors that move in next door, Lois quickly becomes friends with Bonnie, Meg soon becomes attracted to their son, Kevin, and Peter becomes annoyed by the entire situation. After Peter injures the best player on his company's baseball team, Mr. Weed forces him to find a replacement, so Peter quickly changes his mind about his neighbors and invites Joe to play. When Joe shows up at the game, Peter learns that he is in a wheelchair. Joe ends up being the star of the game, which makes Peter jealous, as he wants to be a hero too. Peter ends up trying to stop a bank robbery to prove his value, but ends up getting caught up in the whole situation. I thought that this was a superb episode of "Family Guy". Not the episode from Season 1 and it could have been a little better but it was still enjoyable to watch. The introduction of Joe Swanson and his wife Bonnie Swanson begins in this episode "A Hero Sits Next Door". It was a nice introduction but I didn't like Peter's first impression of Joe by being jealous and making judgemental and offensive comments about crippled people plus a couple of parts were a little boring so that lowered my score. Stewie thinking that Joe is a cyborg because of his wheelchair was hilarious. Joe telling his story on how he became crippled was very good and his story about him trying to stop the Grinch was hilarious. The bank robbery dude saying "Look, she was very brave on her first robbery... everyone give her applause" (or something like that) was funny. The very ending of the episode was funny as well. It was also nice that the family told Peter that he was their real hero. Overall, not the best episode of Season 1 but it was still a superb episode of "Family Guy". 9/10moreless
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Not as good as the other ones, but still another great episode.

8.5

By jmbsonic555, Sep 30, 2011

When the Griffin Family gets new neighbors that move in next door, Lois quickly becomes friends with Bonnie, Meg soon becomes attracted to their son, Kevin, and Peter becomes annoyed by the entire situation. After Peter injures the best player on his company's baseball team, Mr. Weed forces him to find a replacement, so Peter quickly changes his mind about his neighbors and invites Joe to play. When Joe shows up at the game, Peter learns that he is in a wheelchair. Joe ends up being the star of the game, which makes Peter jealous, as he wants to be a hero too. Peter ends up trying to stop a bank robbery to prove his value, but ends up getting caught up in the whole situation.

What I like- Stewie thinking Joe was cyborg, the glasses, the cutaway with Peter singing in church, the roleplaying.

Overall, an okay episode.

8.5/10moreless
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this was a good ep

9.0

By cube2k8, May 24, 2010

in this ep of the show family guy peters company is having a baseball team and so when the griffens get new neibors peter does not like the situation but when he has to come and pick the replacement he goes and asks joe to come and when joe shows up in a wheelchair he becomes the star player becasuse he is good .and peter gets jelious and he wants to become like a hero so he goes and trys to stop the bankrobers he gets caught in the middle of it and it was a good ep i thougt and it had some funny moments.moreless
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Cast & Crew: STARS

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Seth Green	Chris (and various)
Alex Borstein	Lois (and various)
Lacey Chabert	Meg (season 1) [uncredited]
Seth MacFarlane	Peter / Stewie / Brian / Quagmire / Tom Tucker (and various)

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Cast & Crew: RECURRING AND GUESTS

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Michelle Kwan	Herself	Guest Star
Suzie Plakson	Voice	Guest Star
Butch Hartman	Various	Recurring Role
Carlos Alazraqui	Mr. Weed	Recurring Role
Wally Wingert	Various	Recurring Role

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Trivia, Notes, Quotes and Allusions

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TRIVIA (8)
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- In the scene where Peter's family is seen waving at him in the bleachers, Brian is seen with little white circles on the bottom of his feet.
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- The sign outside of the orphanage reads:
  Lucky's Orphanage
  No One Knows You're Here
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- After Peter jumps into the pool, his hair is wet. When he is sitting in the chair on the porch, his hair is dry. When he is talking to Joe and Mr. Weed it is wet again.
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- When the bank robber with the red ski mask turns around after grabbing the gun from Peter, his right sleeve is rolled up, revealing a prosthetic arm.
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- Joe Swanson identifies himself as a "police lieutenant" in this episode, yet in every subsequent episode where he is shown in uniform his insignia rank is only that of a private.
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- When the man loses his eye in bingo, he hits his left eye on the corner of the table, but he is shown screaming and holding his right eye.
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- In the scene when Peter meets Joe, Joe asks for a screwdriver. Peter is so fed up that he walks back to his house, but if you pay close enough attention, you will notice that he walks right past his driveway.
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- The Griffin's neighbors Joe, Bonnie, and Kevin Swanson are introduced in this episode.
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QUOTES (23)
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- Peter: Where am I gonna find a ringer as strong as Guillermo? One time, I walked into the locker room; I swear he was bench-pressing Mr. Weed.
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- Meg: Mom, what do you do when you like a boy, but he doesn't even notice you?
  Chris: Meg loves Kevin!
  Meg: Shut up, you big sack of dog vomit!
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- Old Woman: Help! Someone just stole my purse!
  Peter: Who cares, I don't even know you.
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- Bonnie: The movers tracked grease all over my carpet. I tried everything to get the stain out.
  Lois: What about lemon juice?
  Bonnie: Oh, what about club soda?
  Stewie: What about shutting the hell up?
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- (In a Calvin Klein ad)
  Woman: I don't wanna be just like everybody else.
  Man: But I don't wanna be different.
  Woman: I just wanna be.
  Peter: ...What was the name of that bad guy from Tron? Ugh, this is gonna drive me nuts.
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- Police Radio: Gunfight broke out on main street, three wounded, one dead.
  Brian: Is it just me, or is rap music getting lazier?
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- Peter: Boy, I got myself into a real situation, didn't I? But don't worry, I've got a plan to get us out of this!
  Brian: Oh, good, I was afraid you were just going to improvise.
  Peter: Oh, well actually I was gonna use the little girl as a human shield and run like hell! But uh, yeah, improvise. That'll be easier on my back.
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- Mr. Weed: Peter, make yourself useful, go get Joe a drink.
  Peter: Sheesh, first he takes my friends then he takes my job, and the way I wear my hat... no no, he can't take that away from me.
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- Joe: Say, do you have a screwdriver I can borrow?
  Peter: Man, you neighbors are like viruses, starts with a screwdriver, then before you know it you're using my supermarket, dry cleaner, even my postman.
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- Joe: Who's the little guy?
  Lois: This is Stewie. Honey, say hi to Mr. Swanson.
  Stewie: You will bow to me!
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- Mr. Weed: Unfortunately, Johnson isn't here to pitch today, his wife is in labor.
  Peter: Oh what, is the baby coming out of him? Jeez, I'll pitch.
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- Lois: They might be very nice people.
  Peter: Very nice people, yeah that's what they always say. Then you open up the septic tank and BAM, skeleton city.
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- Stewie: I'm free, free from the spell of those diabolical teletubbies! Thank you! When the world is mine your death will be quick and painless!
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- Stewie: How dare you, that book may hold the key to my enslaving of all mankind!
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- Chris: When the kids at school see this, they're gonna think you're a total psycho, and I could say "that psycho is my dad".
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- Peter: (About Joe) My whole family worships the ground he can't walk on.
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- Peter: You're not supposed to admire wheelchair people. You're supposed to feel sorry for them.
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- Chris: (About Joe) He's cool, Dad…he killed a guy.
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- Joe: I just suggested a line of handicapable toys – ya know, to show the kids the fun of being physically challenged!
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- Lois: Meg, you're a sweet, beautiful girl, he'll come around.
  Meg: That's such a mom answer.
  Lois: Well, have you tried showing him the goods? How's that for a mom answer?
  Meg: Creepy.
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- Peter: (Singing) Jesus loves me, he loves me a bunch, cuz he always puts Skippy in my lunch.
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- Grinch: You think you have won,
  You think all is well,
  But kiss my green ass,
  I shall see you in hell !
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- Peter: Holy crip, he's a crapple!
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NOTES (2)
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- The TV airings of this episode cuts a scene where a policeman shoots the head off of a JFK Pez dispenser while trying to shoot at the robber.
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- This is the first episode in the series where the title does not make a reference to old radio mysteries that have some variation of "death" or "murder" in the title.
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ALLUSIONS (7)
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- When Peter visits Joe's house and after he asks him to play in the ball game, His head transforms into Mickey Mouse the cartoon character created by Walt Disney, as he says "Ho ho, see you at the game Joe, ho ho." using the same voice as Mickey.
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- When Peter, Brian, and Chris are shown watching tv in the living room, The game show they are watching resembles Wheel of Fortune, a tv game show where 3 contestants spin a wheel to solve a puzzle and win prizes.
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- Peter: Sheesh, first he takes my friends then he takes my job, and the way I wear my hat... no no, he can't take that away from me.
  
  The last part of Peter's sentence "the way I wear my hat... no no, he can't take that away from me," is a reference to the musical Crazy for You. The musical has a song called "They Can't Take That Away From Me" where the two protagonists mull over the memories they have of each other. One of the lines in that song is
  "The way you wear your hat,
  The way you sip your tea,
  The mem'ry of all that --
  No, no! They can't take that away from me!"
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- Stewie: Oh, to be the Lindbergh baby right about now.
  
  The Lindbergh baby refers to the famous case involving the abduction and murder of Charles Lindbergh III, the toddler son of world famous aviator Charles Lindbergh, Jr. and Anne Morrow Lindbergh, in 1932. The kidnapping and subsequent trial was described as a media circus. The crime inspired the "Lindbergh Law", which made kidnapping a federal crime, and also inspired the Agatha Christie novel Murder On The Orient Express.
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- Teletubbies
  
  Teletubbies is a BBC children's television series aimed particularly at babies and pre-school toddlers, produced from 1997 to 2001.
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- Full Metal Jacket
  
  Peter: Ummmm... Me Love You Long Time?.
  This is a classic reference from the 1987 film Full Metal Jacket when this phrase was said by a Da Nang Hooker.
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- How The Grinch Stole Christmas
  
  Grinch: You think you have won, you think all is well; but kiss my green ass, I shall see you in hell!
  The Grinch is character from the Dr. Seuss book "How The Grinch Stole Christmas," in which the Grinch tries to steal all the presents from everyone in Whoville.
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