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FAMILY GUY “Road To The North Pole” Review

FAMILY GUY Road to the North Pole (FOX)

FAMILY GUY Season 9 Episode 7 “Road To The North Pole” – Starting off with a wonderful title homage to the old technicolor Christmas cartoons (including the chipmunks and the fit to burst Santa bag), this Road To The… episode of Family Guy started off as Ron McFarlarne introduced the episode and narrated it which featured Stewie’s plan to kill Santa, who was rude to him at the mall.

After insulting a five year old girl with cancer, Brian and Stewie head to the North Pole to avoid lending her support at the hospital. It was one of the classic examples of ‘the line’ which Family Guy delights in leaping over. Call me an idiot for not ‘getting’ the humor, but yeah, I just didn’t get it. It just didn’t register as one of the more hilarious moments of Family Guy.

The opening musical moment as all of the characters of Quahog sang what they wanted for Christmas? Hilarious. Poster of Nick Jonas? Gold. David Boreanz appearing in the Aurora Borealis to guide Stewie and Brian to the North Pole? Moderatly amusing ode to an earlier Bones episode.

The human eating reindeer and and deformed elves and the toxic North Pole were strangely scary as they find out that Christmas time is killing Santa and his helpers.

Tempting the reindeer with elf flesh was a tad too far. The consumerism social commentary was more entertaining than actually meaningful. Budgeoning the father, wrecking the house, and beating the mother to death in front of her daughter before tying the child to the chair as they cleaned up her parents blood was not exactly humorous.

All in all it was a good episode, marred only by the incidents where Brian and Stewie just went too far. The ending was quite touching though.

What did you think of this episode? Did Family Guy go too far? Sound off in the comments below!

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Author: | December 13, 2010 | 29 Comments

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  • Just call me Joe

    Mixed feelings – agree with the over all message – the songs were great – the whole sticke of the ‘toon has never really worked for me – Seth’s dad stuff was indulgent and stupid – still, while not for little kids, I’d give it a 7 of 10. MHO.

  • http://formspring.me/muffinman8641 The Muffin Man 8641

    I loved the episode. I didn’t think it went too far, although I’m sure little kids would be horribly disturbed by it. :P
    I found it to be one of the best Family Guys in a long time.
    5/5 stars from me.

  • Berezan

    Get off your PC high horse. This was the funniest Christmas Special ever, and it was funny for all the reasons you did not like it. All you Socialist Libs make me sick with your judgmental attitudes on everything. If for no other reason than the heavy-handed anti-greed message delivered in this episode you should be recommending it with all praise.

    • http://www.thehungersite.com Squeak

      You’re ridiculous. Nothing about the episode review touches on occupational, gender, racial, cultural, sexual orientation, disability, and age-related contexts. Deciding that something is more violent than funny in one’s own opinion has nothing to do with political correctness, and telling someone else what is or is not funny as though it were a matter of fact and not opinion is asinine. I have no idea what’s up with people lately blaming every opinion they don’t agree with as “All you X political party-types,” but it’s disgusting.

    • Berezan

      U R insane! The entire review like the comment that followed this one (see Matt) are based totally on political correctness. If you had been better educated you would know that it was PC that killed the re-runs of the Road Runner and the Bogs Bunny cartoons, and all because the lily-livered (read cowardly)politically correct Betas trying to take over this country did not like the cartoon violence. This is a cartoon. By definition that means do NOT take it seriously! There was no little girl watching her parents being killed, nor tied to a chair with their dead bodies around her. Your comment is as absurd as the cartoon situation that inspired it. It is a cartoon, so just lighten up, or don’t watch it. Better yet, get a life!

    • http://www.thehungersite.com Squeak

      Apologies for the delay – I was out with friends. Amazing thing about the internet – it’s one aspect of my life, and still leaves room for many others. Can you say the same?
      As stated in my initial response, Political Correctness denotes occupational, gender, racial, cultural, sexual orientation, disability, and age-related contexts. Nothing in the review touches on these. If it doesn’t touch on those topics, it has nothing to do with being PC. If you don’t like it, take it up with dictionary authors.
      Something not being real does not automatically make it in good taste or humorous. That is a matter of opinion, and whether or not the reviewer, Matt, or myself find it to be in good taste is up to us. Quit trying to gun down freedom.

    • Um, No

      What? What the frick are you blathering about?

      “All you Socialist Libs make me sick with your judgmental attitudes on everything”

      Saying that graphic murder in a children’s cartoon wasn’t that funny has nothing to do with politics. ANYONE could have said that, conservative, liberal, independent. I think that YOU are the one being judgemental. Anyway, trying to use a cartoon to bash a political leaning when it has nothing to do with it – give me a freaking break.

      Also, I should add that attaching ‘socialist’ to a word just because you want to try and make it seem scarier and more anti-American is childish, so please grow up.

    • JoethemanSD

      Berezan, I couldn’t agree more. Funniest. Christmas. Special. EVER!!!!!!

  • Matt

    This episode went WAY TOO FAR! I stopped watching it after they killed the little girl’s parents and left her ducktaped to a chair. I don’t know if they changed that at all before it ended, but that was more than enough for me.
    I’ve been a GUY fan for years, but after this I resolve never to watch another episode.
    Are you people so desensitized to this stuff that it doesn’t revolt you anymore? THEY KILLED THE LITTLE GIRL’S MOTHER WITH A BAT RIGHT IN FRONT OF HER AND LEFT HER DUCKTAPED TO A CHAIR IN THE SAME ROOM WITH HER PARENT’S DEAD BODIES!
    Enough is Enough!

    • Matt

      Yeah it wasn’t “real.” I get that it wasn’t “real.” It was a “depiction” of a little girl left tied up with her murdered parents. There’s a HUGE difference between this episode and old racist Bugs Bunny cartoons.I’d prefer not to see torture porn on a broadcast network at 9 pm at night.
      Forget about PC and being put on the defensive.Did this spark any emotion in anyone? Are people numb to this sort of thing?
      Up until that point I thought it was one of the best-written eps I’d seen of GUY in a while. That scene just brought it to a screeching halt for me.

      I’m not even talking about the review here, I’m talking about the episode itself. Maybe I overgeneralized with “you people.”

    • Kyle

      Matt I couldn’t agree more. I don’t understand how ANYONE thinks this is funny. I have been a huge fan since season 1 and I have never seen anything like this. I would just like to reemphasize what you said in all caps. I cant believe this was approved for tv. It was totally disgusting and sadistic.

    • AJ

      I felt exactly the same. I thought it was a solid episode, hilarious and very well written up into that point. and yeah, I know it was animated but I honestly couldn’t even watch that scene. I finished the episode but that moment kind of ruined it for me.

  • Lorraine

    I thing that the writers are taking this too far i did not appreciate how you portrayed Santa or the elves or the reindeer and i especially hated the fact that you had stewie kill that man with a bat and kill the mom in front of their daughter that was not right at all and because of what yall did you just lost a viewer yall took it too far and you should be ashamed of what yall did

    • Berezan

      For Pity’s sake. You weak-kneed Socialist-Libs are the living end. First, Matt, Bugs was not sent into the abyss because it was racist, it was boycotted by the Women’s Group because it was too violent. Next, you all sound like Marge Simpson in that episode where she says–and I quote–’Because I find this unacceptable then no one should be able to watch it’. If you do not like the Show or the Episode then please do stop watching it. Oh, you know maybe instead of watching tv you could join up with the Army and get some balls. Oh, that’s right the Socialist-Libs have repealed ‘Don’t Ask Don’t Tell’ yet, have they. You p-cats really fry my beans. You are so weak that you insist that everyone around you be as weak. Well, in the REAL world, there are strong people who will eat the weak. Just look around you. I do not see you posting anything to save that poor woman in Iran who is set to be stoned for adultery. Nor do I see you protesting all the Christians they are murdering in Iraq and the other Islamic countries. If your kids are watching Family Guy then you have parenting issues that one of your milquetoast Socialist-Lib Shrinks can help you resolve, and if your kids weren’t watching then what are you complaining for. It was JUST a Cartoon. Keep telling yourself that. Oh, and perhaps you can click your Ruby Slippers together and be transported to the Fairytale world you seek. You know the one, where everyone is nice to each other and no one is bad, and oh, yeah, Ole Yella is still alive.

  • Matt

    If “gunning down freedom” means making a choice not to watch a sadistic, mean-spirited cartoon, then by all means I will gun down freedom every day. I never said nobody should watch this. I made a personal decision based on horrific content and wrote to get the views of others. It had an effect on me and I wanted to share my feelings.
    I’m talking solely about family guy. If you want to bring in persecuted Christians in Iran and how the wolf always eat the sheep, feel free. That’s a tad outside the scope of my comments, I think.

  • w

    terrifying

  • hateluvblogs

    After featuring feral reindeer, inbred retarded elves and a double homicide, Family Guy had the balls to end with a moral? Really? A episode with parents being killed in front of their young, should NOT be the same episode that tells us we should only have 1 gift from Santa! Family Guy should never, ever, have any type of social commentary. That’s like a hooker telling you how to be a better Jew/Christian/Buddhist/etc! Hey Family Guy, stick to trying to remain funny. You guys are in no position to change the world.

    • neil stacy

      have to disagree on one thing, that little girl got two presents, a dead dad and a dead mum

  • Open to opinions just like you mum

    I didn’t know what to think of this episode tbh. I liked several aspects of this episode such as the smart musical numbers, the message that consumerism destroys the true nature of these events and holidays and the fact that there were no pointless cutaway gags (which have become more and more random and unfunny lately). However I felt that the nature of this episode went a little too far in getting its point across. The inbred elves and carnivorous reindeer were truly disturbing and the scene where Stewie mercilessly beat the little girl’s parents was uncalled for and in bad taste. Now, before some family guy die-hard fan reads this and gets the wrong message and writes a idiotic reply about how i can’t take any of this graphic imagery, I applaud shows like Family Guy and South Park for crossing the line and daring to go where most shows don’t even contemplate going but there’s a fine line between controversy and poor taste. The censors should have cut the beating scene out as it was unnecessary and awful. All in all I don’t know where to go with this one, it’s a definite improvement to most of the other new episodes but I still feel that the show has lost its way. Maybe it’s time to let it go before it becomes a show where 4 minutes are dedicated to a plot and the rest of the 20 minutes are just annoying, hit and miss gags.

    • Remember47

      Well put. No matter what type of programing you prefer, in this day and age we should be able to expect the best. Best writers,musicians, graphics, etc. I have been a FG fan for years, but they’ve jumped the proverbial shark here. Seth’s Father’s dialog was totally LAME,the writing was horrible, the story line was pathetic, the violence was ridiculous. I can’t imagine thinking that a vicious home invasion, flesh eating reindeer,
      and Fathers farting is the stuff of our Best and Brightest.
      “They’ve lost their way” is a good way to put it. They’ve exhausted themselves and have reverted to stupidity to fill in the blanks.
      After years of being a big fan…I’m done. And they should be too.
      Seth, you’re embarrassing yourself, your Father and Newburyport!!

    • Open to opinions just like you mum

      I totally agree, especially about Seth’s father. When he introduced himself I thought, “At last maybe we’ll get some good quality wit from someone.” but they could’ve saved some money and put Peter in the sequence for all the good it did. Or instead why not Seth himself? He was probably too busy looking in a mirror and admiring what a ‘hilarious’ guy he was.

  • JoethemanSD

    To all those that refer to Family Guy as a children’s cartoon: are you effing retarded?? Since when was FG ever a childrens show? It doesn’t claim to be, and the content matter alone is enough to testify of that.
    Now, getting back to the review, I thought this episode was extremely funny. It is episodes like that that keep me watching. I kaughed so hard when Stewie tried to get the attention of that elf he was going to use as reindeer bait. And then when he waved goodbye with the severed arm…HILARIOUS! Man, how I love that show. The killing of the parents was extreme, but it was not unexpected. This is, however, FG, and just added to the hijinks of the story. 10 out of 10. No doubt about it.
    to Seth McFarlane, thank you. I will continue to recommend this show to all my college buddies.

  • JoethemanSD

    To all those that refer to family guy as a “children’s cartoon”: are you effing retarded?? Since when has FG ever portrayed itself as a child’s show? It doesn’t claim to be, everyone knows it isn’t, and its content matter alone testifies of this.
    Now, back to the review, I thought this episode was extremely funny. It is episodes like these that keep me watching. The past episodes were lacking, but I am a diehard GUY fan so I was not going to give up on them. And lucky for me, I did not, because this episode was one of my favorites. I laughed so hard when Stewie tried to get the attention of that one elf he was going to use as reindeer bait. And then when he waved goodbye with the severed arm….HILARIOUS! Man, I love that show.
    The killing of the parents in front of the little girl was definitely a little much (not that I didn’t find it funny), but not unexpected. This is Family Guy, remember? It just added to the hijinks. 10 out of 10. No doubt about it.
    And to Seth McFarlane and his crew: thank you. I will continue recommending this show to all my college buddies.

  • rastachez

    I’ve been watching Family guy since it first aired, I’m a huge fan. I’ve found a few things a little disturbing, but this did it for me. The elves and reindeer parts didn’t bother me, those are fictional creatures. However, the double homicide was sick. Who would laugh at a child crying in terror over her mother’s dead body? How is that amusing at all? Yeah, I get it. It’s a cartoon, it’s not real, blah blah blah. But that doesn’t mean I’ll laugh at a cartoon of my daughter getting molested, or a cartoon of someone chopping off my son’s head. Does McFarlane think that because he’s Seth McFarlane, everyone’s going to laugh at whatever he does? Yeah fucking right. So why would I laugh at a homicide? Because someone drew it? I don’t care if it was drawn and scripted, it’s disgusting either way. Allow me to draw a picture of your son or daughter getting raped or murdered and see how much you laugh then.

    • JoethemanSD

      Here’s the thing I don’t understand about your post. Rastachez, you keep telling the viewers that laughed and the makers of the show that they should try and laugh when seeing their children being killed in a cartoon. That is where you seem to be confused. The parents, the little girl, Stewie, Brian, heck anyone there (except Mayor West lol) DONT EXIST! It is purely fictional. So quit telling people to imagine their family members/loved ones in the place off the girls parents.

  • http://yahoo.com Kylie

    I watch animation domination on Sunday nights when I have nothing to do. To be honest, the humor on “Family Guy” is rather dark. I still laugh at some parts, but the scene with Quagmire at the mall and the scene where Brian and Stewie killed a little girl’s parents right in front of her was just morbid.

  • Ray

    Fuckin loved the episode. Exactly what Family guy Christmas is meant to be! Point is this show was not made for kids

  • Josh gregson

    I’m a so called younger viewer, I’m nine. I found this the funniest episode in a very long time. The house break in, the elf eating ah just couldn’t stop laughing. Greatest episode ever. Defiantly in my top 5 of all time.

  • Dee

    I loved this episode. It was awesomely disturbing and very funny in my opinion.

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