Family Guy

I Dream of Jesus

Season 7, Episode 2, Aired 10/5/08

Episode Summary

When Peter becomes completely obsessed with "Surfin' Bird", a 1963 hit song from the Trashmen, Brian and Stewie are determined to destroy every last copy of it. When Peter goes searching every record store in Quahog for it, he runs into Jesus, who decides to make his second coming.moreless

7.0

EPISODE RATING: Good

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"Abysmal"
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"Abysmal"

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Cast & Crew

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Seth MacFarlane

Peter / Stewie / Brian / Quagmire / Tom Tucker (and various)
Mike Henry (VI)

Cleveland/Herbert/Performance Artist/Greased-Up Deaf Guy (and various)
Alex Borstein

Lois (and various)

Fan Episode Reviews (47)

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ATROCIOUS. Their was no real premise, and portraying Christ in this fashion is totally out of line. As if Jesus was immature, right, like he would have died a sacrificial death if he was. McFarlane says "I'm irreverent, that makes me funny". Disappointingmoreless

1.0

"Abysmal"

By edgesitter, Jan 21, 2012 Report Abuse

THIS WAS ATROCIOUS. Their was no real premise, and portraying Christ in this fashion is totally out of line. As if Jesus was immature, right, like he would have died a sacrificial death if he wasn't. The only funny section was the "Office Space" reference. Seth McFarlane should give up now. Rather than being inventive and funny he relies on disgusting people to show how "nonconformist" and "edgy" he is. As if anybody cares about what he thinks, when he clearly produces such crap. I hope that the rest of this season isn't some ridiculous shock fest that is void of any real humor. Distasteful to say the least.moreless

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17 16
Great idea, but an awful execution once again proves Seth's lack of creativity in this show.

2.0

"Terrible"

By That_TV_Dude, Jan 01, 2012 Report Abuse

It's amazing how Seth can be able to turn a good idea of an episode so bad in so little time. When I saw promos for this episode it looked like an amazing episode, but sadly it was all hyped up with very little substance. In this episode of Family Guy, the Griffins go to a 50s style restaurant and while eating Peter hears his favorite song, Surfing Bird. He goes on a dance montage, and after being able to take the record home he plays it all the time, sings it, and makes jokes about it that leads to him singing it. Now it was funny the first couple of times, but it got irritating fast and lost it's humor. To make things worse this episode uses this joke for the first 10 minutes of this show, that's almost half an episode right there. Stewie and Brian decide to take the record and destroy it in an Office Space reference joke that was pretty good. Peter decides to go find a new record of Surfing Bird, and in one record store finds Jesus Christ himself. Now you would think that this would be an excellent plot device. Peter meeting Jesus Christ and having fun together sounds so great, but Seth proves again how he can waste such a good plot idea. Peter and Jesus decide to hang out together and eventually word is spread of Jesus' return and Jesus hangs out more with celebrities instead of Peter. Now I can understand that they wanted to portray Jesus as a flawed person, but honestly this was such a poor attempt to make him one. I will admit I am a Christian and I can fund religious jokes funny, but how this episode portrays Jesus Christ as a person who abandons his friends for better ones is an awful parody. If Jesus was tempted by like a reincarnation of the Anti-Christ then that would make an excellent use of plot device, but Jesus acting like an uncaring person in most of the episode was dreadful, and unfunny. Eventually Peter finds Jesus in jail and scolds him for his behavior. Jesus understands and decides to leave Earth again knowing that the people aren't ready for him. Why he thinks that when there are so many people who want to see him is beyond me. The episode ends with Peter being granted a gift from Jesus, another record of Surfing Bird and him dancing again. This plot had such good potential in it, but it was such a waste of effort, and shows Family Guy's continuing downfall from grace. The jokes got really old fast, Jesus was portrayed as a jerk instead of a kind man, and the episode relied too much on the Surfing Bird gag. I know several friends who saw this episode and some were Atheists and even they said that the way Jesus was portrayed was awful. Hopefully Seth will never try something like this ever again, and you are advised to steer clear of this episode.moreless

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4 2
This is just plain boring

1.0

"Abysmal"

By jmbsonic555, Oct 10, 2011 Report Abuse

When Peter becomes completely obsessed with "Surfin' Bird", a 1963 hit song from the Trashmen, Brian and Stewie are determined to destroy every last copy of it. When Peter goes searching every record store in Quahog for it, he runs into Jesus, who decides to make his second coming.

This has to be one of the worst episode of family guy, please avoid this episode.

1/10

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0 0
Once again, a boring ep of Family Guy

5.5

"Mediocre"

By fsaenz0125, Sep 29, 2011 Report Abuse

Parts I liked:
* Surfing Bird gag
* Brian and Stewie destroying the Surfing Bird CD
* Chris pointing the water gun at Peter
* Lois' breast grew and Brian's reaction to it.
* Mayor West's cameo
Parts I liked:
* Eh, I don't really think an episode about Jesus isn't a good idea. It is religious related.
* Most of the parts during the Jesus plot was kinda boring.
Overall score: 5.5/10 (Got boring after Peter finds Jesus)

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0 0
Started funny, became terrible

2.0

"Terrible"

By Southparkfa, Sep 04, 2011 Report Abuse

In this episode of Family Guy, the Griffins go out to dinner at a 50's diner, and while there Peter's all-time favorite song, Surfin Bird by the Trashmen, plays and he loves it, and he eventually gets the copy of it. Excluding many of the bad racist and handicapped jokes at the diner, I actually enjoyed the Surfin Bird jokes, I found pretty funny. What I didn't find funny was everything after Peter meets Jesus at a record store. I'm Christian and usually I don't let religious jokes get to me, but when half the episode is about jesus becoming a total jerk, it's very hard for me to laugh at it. I will say though I liked the very end when Peter got another copy of Surfin Bird from Jesus. Overall, I liked the premise of Surfin Bird and Peter's obssesion with it, but the deciption of Jesus ruined the rest of it for me. One of the worsts for sure. 2/10 F------------------moreless

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Trivia, Notes, Quotes and Allusions

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Trivia
- Help by adding trivia to this episode. Add trivia
Notes
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- Seth MacFarlane was nominated for the 2009 Primetime Emmy Award for "Outstanding Voice-over performance" for playing Peter in this episode. Edit
Quotes
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- Peter: Look at this place. They never serve any of this food anymore! Hamburgers, french fries, Coke...ha ha. I bet you kids have no idea what I'm talking about. Edit
- Meg: So Jesus, finish that story you were telling us. Jesus: Oh, all right. So there I was. They just beaten me senseless. Stuck thorns in my head. Nailed me to the piece of wood. Showed the sponge full of vinegar in my mouth and killed me. Then they put me into hole with a rock in front of it for two whole days. And come Sunday, bam! I rise from the dead. Peter: Okay, that's a naughty weekend but I can trump it. So me and Cleveland and Joe are just wrecked on certain comfort right? We know we gonna puke but Joe says "Hey let's see Chronicles of Riddick" Sat through the whole thing without puke and when I get home wouldn't you know I lost my glasses. Huh? Peter 1 - Jesus 0. Edit
- Peter: Who did it?! Stewie: Who did what, pop? Brian: Yes, Peter. What has you upset? Peter: Surfin' Bird is gone! I took it to bed, had sex with it, it fell asleep in my arms, and this morning, it's gone! Lois: Well Peter, nobody here would steal from you. Peter: Oh, no-one had a motive, Lois? You all had a motive! Every one of ya! You knew that I changed my will and left everything to the record, and that's why you wanted the record out of the way. Meg wanted to get a passport for her twin sister, to get her out of the country, but the record wouldn't allow it. But Meg didn't count on me discovering that she has no twin sister, and that Meg herself was recently released from the sanitarium, and that's where Chris came into the picture. Chris: (points a gun at Peter) So, you got it all figured out, do ya? You couldn't leave well enough alone? Peter: You won't fire at me, Chris. You don't got the stomach for it. (Chris pulls the trigger, and the gun fires water at Peter) Chris: (laughs) I'm sorry, Dad. I've no idea what you're talking about. Edit
Allusions
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- Records The covers of the albums In Utero by Nirvana, Automatic For The People by R.E.M. and The Dark Side Of The Moon by Pink Floyd are seen on the background of Jesus Christ's record store. Edit
- George W. Bush: The American people may have turned against the war but I answer to a higher power. I answer to a power of Jesus Christ.
  Peter: Oh, that's funny, because I happen to have Jesus Christ right here.
  Jesus: I've heard what you're saying. You know nothing of my work. How you ever got to be president of anything is totally amazing.
  Peter: Wouldn't it be great if life would be like this?
  
  The scene is a parody of the movie Annie Hall, when Alvy and Annie are waiting in line to see a movie and the man behind them is criticizing Marshall McLuhan.
  Edit
- Keeping up appearances When Peter answers the phone saying: "Griffin residence Peter speaking!" it's a reference to the British series Keeping up appearances. Edit