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The Cleveland Show Season 1 Episode 1

Pilot

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4.6

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Episode Summary

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AIRED: 9/27/09

Cleveland Brown and Cleveland Jr. leave Quahog and take to the road. On their way to California, they stop in Cleveland's hometown of Stoolbend, VA, where he reunites with his old high school crush, Donna Tubbs. Cleveland, still in love with Donna, is determined to start a new life with her, even if Donna's kids aren't exactly angels.moreless

FAN RECAP

Fan Episode Reviews (25)

A bad start for a FG spinoff

3.0

By fsaenz0125, Dec 17, 2011

Cleveland Brown and Cleveland Jr. leave Quahog and take to the road. On their way to California, they stop in Cleveland's hometown of Stoolbend, VA, where he reunites with his old high school crush, Donna Tubbs. Cleveland, still in love with Donna, is determined to start a new life with her, even if Donna's kids aren't exactly angels.I thought this was a bad start for an alright Family Guy spinoff called The Cleveland Show. While the show isn't that bad itself as most people are saying, I do agree that this pilot was bad. I didn't laugh very much in this pilot. The characters that gave me laughs were Peter (he was making that another bathtub gag again) and Tim. Also, I don't think Rallo was funny in this one. He was okay. Overall this pilot of The Cleveland Show was bad. Season 1 wasn't was a good season at all.- 3/10moreless
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this show, is one of the worst shows ever to hit television in history. The cleveland show went really low after the past few episodes and even the creator of this show is starting to hate it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!moreless

1.0

By YonatanSchnee, Nov 18, 2011

this show, is one of the worst shows ever to hit television in history. The cleveland show went really low after the past few episodes and even the creator of this show is starting to hate it. I always see these shows to see if it would get better but that will just never happen will it. this show needs, to be more like "the simpsons" because the simpsons is the best show out of all and the creators of the cleveland show need to create a good episode like the simpsons. and i definately know that this show will be cancelled faster than Garfield trying to get lasagna!moreless
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Quit whining -- it's better than Family Guy

8.0

By dm503, Nov 18, 2011

First of all, someone mentioned that they need to be more like the Simpsons... The Simpsons hasn't been funny since 1997. A lot of people are complaining that the show is too much like Family Guy, because it's a cartoon about a semi-stupid man and his antics with his family. I hate to break it to you, but 99 percent of sitcoms on television have had that same structure. I'm sorry the show doesn't have some mind-blowing, unique plot or structure, but its an animated sitcom.

Family guy has become stale and quite frankly, awful. Two-thirds of the show are gag jokes and there's virtually no plot or actual story worth remembering. Yes, as a spin-off, the Cleveland Show is going to have similarities to Family Guy, but the writing is pretty decent. Not every single joke is the greatest joke ever (that would be impossible) and some do suck, but that's the same with every comedy TV show EVER. The show has gotten better as they develop the characters more and more, and I think people need to stop complaining that it isn't as funny as pre-cancelation Family Guy and learn to like it for what it is. And it's still better than any live action sitcom on television and pretty much any of Adult Swim's original programming.moreless
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A pretty lame start to 'The Cleveland Show'.

5.5

By amazing_race, Aug 18, 2011

I like the concept of a spin-off from the brilliant Family Guy, but this is not what I had in mind. Cleveland is so boring, I can't listen to his voice any longer!

The character of Tim is more interesting than Brian though, at least in my opinion. That is as far the improvements get, I'm afraid.

The episode was quite boring, it just introduced us to Cleveland's new, boring family, and we met most of the characters.

I thought the storyline was weak, and I thought the episode was quite boring. Having said that, there were probably two funny moments, both involving Tim the Bear.

I will continue to watch this show, but after Episode #1, I'm not impressed.moreless
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I think it was a decent start off to the new series

6.0

By nikerocks, May 08, 2011

I think it can work to being a good tv series, and people who hate this, why do you watch it then?

I reckon it is decent start off just needs time to develop. I like the whole storylines of how Peter ruined the house, then Loretta gets the house and drives Cleveland out of his home, and also the whole thing seems really cool. I like how the creators thought of this show. I think the Pilot episode was a decent kick off to the new series just needs time to become solid as i have said. And in the future it could become the family guy we have right now, who knows about Family Guy that show gone all downhill since it's return in 05. I like also how they are gonna get celebrities to play roles in the Cleveland Show too.moreless
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Cast & Crew: STARS

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Mike Henry (VI)	Cleveland Brown/Rallo Tubbs
Sanaa Lathan	Donna Tubbs
Kevin Michael Richardson	Cleveland Brown Jr./Lester Krinklesac
Seth MacFarlane	Tim/Peter/Stewie/Brian/Quagmire
Nia Long	Roberta Tubbs

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Cast & Crew: RECURRING AND GUESTS

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Patrick Warburton	Joe Swanson	Guest Star
Seth Green	Chris Griffin	Guest Star
Mila Kunis	Meg Griffin	Guest Star
Jason Sudeikis	Holt Richter	Recurring Role
Arianna Huffington	Arianna	Recurring Role
Alex Borstein	Lois Griffin/Mrs. Lowenstein	Recurring Role

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Trivia, Notes, Quotes and Allusions

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TRIVIA (2)
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- Cleveland Jr. is now 14 and has gained weight.
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- Robert's license plate on his van says IFKDNA.
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QUOTES (12)
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- Cleveland: Hello everyone, thank you all for coming.
  Quagmire: Oh!
  Cleveland: Haaa.
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- Cleveland Jr.: Dad, when am I gonna get hair around my grits?
  Cleveland: Oh, you'll get there Cleveland Jr. But right now, we got bigger problems than that. You're momma wants this house by tomorrow at sundown!
  Cleveland Jr.: Where we gonna go?
  Cleveland: Exactly.
  Cleveland Jr.: Exactly who?
  Cleveland: This ain't no knock knock joke! We've gotta figure you what we're gonna do!
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- Lester: Ya all OK in having a black guy as a fourth friend?
  Tim: Well we got a black President, it's about time we have a black friend, we could talk him about the President.
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- Cleveland: Nuttybutters and Oreos gone?! DAMN!
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- (When Peter destroys Cleveland's rooftop)
  Cleveland: No, no, no, no, no! (Falls down) Dog gone it! That's it! No more! I'm tired of being kicked around by this world.
  Brian: I'm sorry, Cleveland.
  Cleveland: It's all right.
  Brian: I tried to stop him.
  Cleveland: I don't blame you, Brian! You're a dog! A DOG!!!
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- Cleveland Jr.: I thought pursuing your dreams was supposed to make you happy, not a big douche.
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- Tim: (Offscreen) So, you really showed that kid who's boss, huh?
  Cleveland: Aaah! A bear!
  Tim: (sarcastically) Aaah! A black man! Aaah! You see, that don't feel so good, does it? That's very reductive.
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- Roberta: I gotta go get ready for Federline.
  Donna: It's a school night!
  Roberta: We're studying, mom.
  Rallo: Studying a wiener.
  Donna: Rallo!
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- Peter: Oh my God, I've never seen a black guy cry before. I always thought you guys just got more pissed off.
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- Stewie: What the hell? He's getting his own show?!
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- Rallo: Oh ok, we're having fat people stay at our house and nobody runs it by me
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- Cleveland Jr.: Is she the one that you used to stare at through her bed room window?
  Cleveland: (Fake coughs loudly) I don't even know why I told you about that. (Imitating Cleveland Jr.) Oh! I can keep a secret, Daddy!
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NOTES (3)
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- An earlier version of the opening credits is available on Youtube. It is the same as the final version except the line in the song "My happy mustached face" is instead "My happy black guy face".
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- On the high-def broadcast, the opening scenes in Quahog, on the Family Guy "set" were shown in 4:3 ratio, after the credits roll and for the rest of the show it is presented in the "widescreen" 16:9 ratio. The Cleveland Show is animated in high-def.
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- This series was made due to the cancellation of King of the Hill.
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ALLUSIONS (7)
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- Cleveland: ...but if Peter wants to put together a new A-Team, or overthrow a British Pub, or recreate all the whole damn Star Wars movies, I'm expected to jump on board no questions asked.
  
  Cleveland refers to the Family Guy episodes Brian Goes Back to College, One if by Clam, Two if by Sea, plus the three Star Wars episodes, Blue Harvest, Something, Something, Something, Dark Side, and It's a Trap.
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- Peter: Do it Brian, it's the only way I'm gonna catch that bird.
  
  Peter is seen with a large rocket strapped to his back trying to catch The Road Runner, much like Wile E. Coyote did in the Looney Tunes cartoons.
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- Robert: And Rerun's in, what, sixth grade?
  
  Rerun is a character from the 70's tv show What's Happening?.
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- Donna; Watch your mouth, Rollo!
  
  Rollo takes his character's name from a supporting part in the TV series Sanford and Son.
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- Cleveland: Oh, which way's the bar, Thing?
  
  The disembodied hand that directs Cleveland to the bar is a reference to the TV series The Addams Family, which was made into a movie in 1991.
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- Tim: I hope you packed your liberal shoes, what with their electric cars and their Regal Beagle and all, you know.
  
  The Regal Beagle was the hot spot in the 70's sitcom Three's Company.
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- Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band
  
  Peter, Quagmire, and Joe are seen dressed as The Beatles did during their Sgt. Pepper's days.
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