Peter-assment: Difference between revisions

| production = 7ACX16<ref name="prodcode">{{cite web|url=http://www.foxinflight.com/tv/15/ |title=20th Century Fox&nbsp;– Fox In Flight&nbsp;– Family Guy |publisher=20th Century Fox |accessdateaccess-date=2010-04-26 |url-status=dead |archiveurlarchive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110711021928/http://www.foxinflight.com/tv/15/ |archivedatearchive-date=2011-07-11 }}</ref>

The episode was written by ''Family Guy'' executive producer [[Chris Sheridan (writer)|Chris Sheridan]], who joined the show in its [[Family Guy (season 1)|first season]], writing the second episode of the series "[[I Never Met the Dead Man]]".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://movies.amctv.com/movie/288479/Family-Guy-I-Never-Met-the-Dead-Man/credits |title=Family Guy: I Never Met the Dead Man Credits |publisher=AMC |accessdateaccess-date=2011-11-15}}</ref> It was directed by series regular [[Julius Wu]], who joined the show in its [[Family Guy (season 5)|fifth season]], directing the episode "[[The Tan Aquatic with Steve Zissou]]".<ref>{{cite web |url=https://tv.yahoo.com/family-guy/show/the-tan-aquatic-with-steve-zissou/episode/122497 |title=Family Guy – The Tan Aquatic with Steve Zissou – Cast and crew |publisher=Yahoo! |accessdateaccess-date=2011-11-15}}</ref> Series regulars [[Peter Shin]] and [[James Purdum]] served as supervising directors, with [[Andrew Goldberg (writer)|Andrew Goldberg]] and Alex Carter working as [[staff writer]]s for the episode.<ref name="cast"/> Composer [[Walter Murphy]], who has worked on the series since its inception, returned to compose the music for "Peter-assment".<ref name="episode">{{cite episode |title=Peter-assment|series=Family Guy |serieslinkseries-link=Family Guy |credits=Sheridan, Chris; Wu, Julius; MacFarlane, Seth|network=Fox |airdate=2010-03-21 |season=08 |number=14}}</ref> Actress [[Carrie Fisher]], who is most famous for her role as [[Princess Leia]] in ''[[Star Wars]]'',<ref name="hr">{{cite web |url=http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/carrie-fishers-5-iconic-roles-227244 |title=Carrie Fisher's 5 Most Iconic Roles |work=The Hollywood Reporter |accessdateaccess-date=2011-11-15 |date=2011-08-24 |last=Fernandez |first=Sofia}}</ref> first joined the series as Peter's boss, Angela, in the [[Family Guy (season 4)|fourth season]] episode "[[Jungle Love (Family Guy)|Jungle Love]]".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://movies.amctv.com/movie/342162/Family-Guy-Jungle-Love/credits |title=Family Guy: Jungle Love Credits |publisher=AMC |accessdateaccess-date=2011-11-15}}</ref> Fisher has been given high praise for her portrayal of the character, with [[The Hollywood Reporter]] calling it one of her "5 Most Iconic Roles."<ref name="hr"/>

"Peter-assment", along with the eleven other episodes from ''Family Guy''{{'}}s eighth season, was released on a three-disc [[DVD]] set in the United States on December 13, 2011. The sets include brief audio commentaries by various crew and cast members for several episodes, a collection of deleted scenes and animatics, a special mini-feature which discussed the process behind animating "[[And Then There Were Fewer]]", a mini-feature entitled "The Comical Adventures of ''Family Guy'' – Brian & Stewie: The Lost Phone Call", and footage of the ''Family Guy'' panel at the 2010 [[San Diego Comic-Con International]].<ref name="DVDs9">{{cite web |url=http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/news/Family-Guy-Volume-9/15567 |title=Family Guy – Does a Fan Site Message Board Have a List of Volume 9 DVD Contents and Extras? |accessdateaccess-date=2011-07-28 |date=2011-06-24 |last=Lambert |first=Dave |publisher=TVShowsonDVD.com |url-status=dead |archiveurlarchive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110809001311/http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/news/Family-Guy-Volume-9/15567 |archivedatearchive-date=2011-08-09 }}</ref><ref name="release">{{cite web |url=http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/news/Family-Guy-Volume-9/15696 |title=Family Guy – Street Date, Cost, and Other New Info for 'Volume 9' Come Out |publisher=TVShowsonDVD.com |last=Lambert |first=Dave |accessdateaccess-date=2011-07-28 |date=2011-07-21 |url-status=dead |archiveurlarchive-url=https://www.webcitation.org/6BUfd5j0a?url=http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/news/Family-Guy-Volume-9/15696 |archivedatearchive-date=2012-10-18 }}</ref>

In addition to the regular cast and Fisher, voice actor [[Max Burkholder]], actors [[Richard Dreyfuss]], Maurice Lamont, Anthony Skillman, and Steve Urquilla; producer Jim Goldenberg; reporter Max Hodges; media reporter [[Harvey Levin]]; and voice actors Jack Samson and Will Shadley guest starred in the episode. Recurring guest voice actors [[John G. Brennan]] and [[Ralph Garman]], and writers [[Danny Smith (writer)|Danny Smith]], [[Alec Sulkin]] and [[John Viener]] also made minor appearances.<ref name="cast">{{cite web |url=https://tv.yahoo.com/episode/232883/castcrew |title=Family Guy – Peter-assment – Cast and crew |publisher=Yahoo! |accessdateaccess-date=2010-09-05 |archiveurlarchive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121013205854/https://tv.yahoo.com/episode/232883/castcrew |archivedatearchive-date=2012-10-13}}</ref>

"Peter-assment" was broadcast on March 21, 2010, as a part of an animated television night on Fox, and was preceded by ''[[The Simpsons]]'' and also ''[[The Cleveland Show]]'', the spin-off series from ''Family Guy'' creator and executive producer [[Seth MacFarlane]]. It was followed by the short-lived live-action series ''[[Sons of Tucson]]''. It was watched by 6.65 million viewers, according to [[Nielsen ratings]], despite airing simultaneously with ''[[Desperate Housewives]]'' on [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]], ''[[The Amazing Race (U.S. TV series)|The Amazing Race]]'' on [[CBS]] and ''[[The Apprentice (TV series)|Celebrity Apprentice]]'' on [[NBC]]. The episode also acquired a 3.5/8 rating in the 18–49 demographic, beating ''The Simpsons'', ''The Cleveland Show'' and ''Sons of Tucson'', in addition to significantly edging out all three shows in total viewership.<ref name="ratings">{{cite web |url=http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2010/03/22/tv-ratingsncaa-overrun-boosts-cbs-amazing-race-undercover-boss-strong/45587/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140102032300/http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2010/03/22/tv-ratingsncaa-overrun-boosts-cbs-amazing-race-undercover-boss-strong/45587/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=2014-01-02 |title=TV Ratings: NCAA Overrun Boosts CBS; Amazing Race, Undercover Boss Strong |last=Gorman |first=Bill |accessdateaccess-date=2010-03-22 |date=2010-03-22 |publisher=TV by the Numbers}}</ref> The episode's ratings decreased slightly from the previous week's episode, "[[Go Stewie Go]]".<ref name="ratings2">{{cite web|url=http://tvbythenumbers.com/2010/03/15/tv-ratings-undercover-boss-beats-trumps-apprentice-sons-of-tucson-orphaned/44878 |title=TV Ratings: Undercover Boss Beats Trump's Apprentice; Sons Of Tucson Orphaned |publisher=TV by the Numbers |author=Seidman, Robert |date=2010-03-15 |accessdateaccess-date=2010-03-15 |url-status=dead |archiveurlarchive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100322211548/http://tvbythenumbers.com/2010/03/15/tv-ratings-undercover-boss-beats-trumps-apprentice-sons-of-tucson-orphaned/44878 |archivedatearchive-date=2010-03-22 }}</ref>

Reviews of the episode were mostly mixed, calling the storyline "a string of poorly executed jokes with some mild successes sprinkled here and there." Ramsey Isler of [[IGN]] also called out the episode as "a mashed together mess of two stories that would have worked much better separately," in addition to praising actress Carrie Fisher in her returning role as Angela.<ref name="ignreview">{{cite web |url=http://tv.ign.com/articles/107/1078975p1.html |title=Family Guy: "Peter-assment" Review |publisher=IGN |author=Isler, Ramsey |accessdateaccess-date=2010-03-22}}</ref> In a subsequent review of ''Family Guy''{{'}}s eighth season, Isler listed "Peter-assment" as being "full of the lowest of the lowest-common-denominator "jokes", with heavy reliance on toilet humor and the characteristic cutaway gags that have steadily gotten more random and less funny."<ref>{{cite web |url=http://tv.ign.com/articles/109/1093953p1.html |title=Family Guy: Season 8 Review |last=Isler |first=Ramsey |accessdateaccess-date=2010-08-28 |date=2010-06-02 |publisher=IGN}}</ref> In a simultaneous review of ''The Simpsons'' episode "[[Stealing First Base]]" and ''The Cleveland Show'' episode "Once Upon a Tyne in New York" that preceded "Peter-assment", Emily VanDerWerff of ''[[The A.V. Club]]'' called the storyline a "junk drawer," criticizing the writers' overuse of jokes, "in the hopes some of them {{interp|would}} land."<ref name="avclubreview">{{cite web |url=http://www.avclub.com/articles/stealing-first-baseonce-upon-a-tyne-in-new-yorkpet,39393/ |title="Stealing First Base"/"Once Upon a Tyne in New York"/"Peter-assment" |publisher=The A.V. Club |author=VanDerWerff, Emily|accessdateaccess-date=August 2, 2019}}</ref> Jason Hughes of [[Weblogs, Inc.#TV Squad|TV Squad]] also criticized the storyline, saying the interaction between Peter and Angela "went to pretty uncomfortable levels," while praising the episode for "{{interp|showing}} us that harassment can and does go both ways."<ref name="tvsquadreview">{{cite web |url=http://www.tvsquad.com/2010/03/22/sundays-with-seth-race-for-the-punchline/ |title=Sundays with Seth: Race for the Punchline |publisher=TV Squad |author=Hughes, Jason |accessdateaccess-date=2010-03-22}}</ref>

In reaction to the opening musical number about [[Terri Schiavo]], Schiavo's brother, Bobby Schindler, Jr., said, "My family was astonished at the cruelty and bigotry towards our beloved sister, and all disabled people that we witnessed in this show. My first thought was how this attempt at satire must have been enormously difficult and painful for my mother."<ref name="schiavo">{{cite web |url=http://www.christiannewswire.com/news/3538013418.html |title=Five Years Later, Terri Schiavo Mocked on FOX Prime Time |publisher=Christian News Wire |accessdateaccess-date=2011-11-15 |last=Vitadamo |first=Suzanne |date=2010-03-22}}</ref> He continued, "The depiction of Terri in the ''Family Guy'' episode on March 21 is not only inaccurate, it seems to take the position that certain people are simply not worthy of receiving medical care because they are viewed as burdens on the health care system."<ref name="schiavo"/> In addition, Schindler has also stated that he hopes to soon enlist the aid of other advocacy groups to protest the episode, "and perhaps see some sponsors end support of the show."<ref name="schiavo"/> Other pro-life activists, including [[Jill Stanek]], wrote of the opening, "Last night's episode of ''Family Guy'' opened with a truly shocking scene {{interp|...}} This is the same television series that had an abortion episode canceled in August 2009. Creator Seth MacFarlane's goal is {{interp|to}} get buzz by being offensive."<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.jillstanek.com/2010/03/tv-show-family-guy-terri-schiavo-the-musical/ |title=TV show Family Guy: "Terri Schiavo, The Musical" |publisher=Jill Stanek |last=Stanek |first=Jill |accessdateaccess-date=2019-06-01 |date=2010-03-22}}</ref>