Saving Private Brian
| "Saving Private Brian" | |
|---|---|
| Family Guy episode | |
| Episode no. | Season 5 Episode 4 |
| Directed by | Cyndi Tang |
| Written by | Cherry Chevapravatdumrong |
| Production code | 4ACX34 |
| Original air date | November 5, 2006 |
| Guest appearance(s) | |
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"Saving Private Brian" is the fourth episode of season five of Family Guy, an episode produced for Season 4. The episode originally broadcast on November 5, 2006. The episode follows Stewie and Brian after they unintentionally join the United States Army, and end up leaving to serve in Iraq, only to return home when the war ends. Meanwhile, Chris joins a heavy metal band, and develops an anti-social attitude, which requires Marilyn Manson to intervene.
The episode was written by Cherry Chevapravatdumrong and directed by Cyndi Tang. It received mostly positive reviews from critics for its storyline and many cultural references. According to Nielsen ratings, it was viewed in 8.45 million homes in its original airing. The episode featured guest performances by Gary Cole, Louis Gossett, Jr., Juanita Jennings, Phil LaMarr, Samm Levine, Rachael MacFarlane, Denis Martel, Enn Reitel, Stacey Scowley, Fred Tatasciore and Wally Wingert, along with several recurring guest voice actors for the series.
A U.S. Army recruitment officer comes to the high school to hold an assembly and entices the students with a glamorized, deceptive video presentation, which impresses every one including Chris. Chris returns home and tells the family during dinner that he wants to enlist, but Lois attempts to dissuade him, for the military is not a place for him. The next day, while driving Stewie to Gymboree Play & Music for parachute day, Brian decides to take a detour to the recruitment office to scold the recruiting officer for trying to trick Chris through devious means. The two arrive at the office but the wait is long; when Brian goes to top-up the parking meter Stewie walks into the office. Stewie ends up enlisting in the Army and signs Brian up as well when told there "is a $100 bonus for signing up a buddy." Brian returns and is shocked. Brian and Stewie begin basic training, but Brian becomes stressed from the discipline and decides one night to leave. Stewie wakes up and finds Brian packing his suitcase, but he manages to talk him out of leaving, insisting that he had never finished anything significant in his life and that the Army will provide him the discipline. With this, Brian decides to stay. After they complete their training, Stewie and Brian are deployed to Iraq. Meantime, the two are patrolling the streets of a village, commenting on the "good situation so far"; however, after the pair get caught up in a terrorist attack, they become dissuaded and decide to find a way to get out of the Army. They first attempt to be discharged by pretending to be homosexual (only to discover that one of their superiors is gay). As a last resort, they attempt to get "Wounded in Action" by shooting each other in the foot; they do this only to find out that the Army now takes anyone no matter what, going so far as to allow two corpses to guard the ammunition. They are then told that democracy has kicked in and the war is over, thus meaning all the soldiers can return to the United States.
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