Review: Family Guy “Row V. Wade”

Overview

After winning a boat, Brian decides to sail to Texas to help women seeking legal abortions.

Cutaways

Wheel of Fortune, Stewie Grivaldi

Our Take

Over 15 years ago Family Guy released an abortion-themed episode called “Partial Terms of Endearment”, an episode so deep in the waters concerning the abortion argument that FOX was too chicken-shit to air it and instead the episode went straight-to-DVD and Disney is still too chicken-shit to stream it making it an episode you’ll probably have to ride the open seas if you really want to watch it. The topic showcases both the extreme censorship nature of both conservative leaning (FOX) and liberal leaning (Disney) companies, and the fact that even BBC in the UK has previously aired the episode should tell just how extreme that topic really is in the States.

So, when I first heard this episode title I thought “could the producers of Family Guy be trying to go for the jugular again?” Could the Mike Desilets-written episode reopen those conversations that was once had about abortion especially during this difficult time when women’s reproductive rights are under constant attack and are increasingly random depending on which state you live in?

Unfortunately it doesn’t. At best, it’s a quick comment in a plot that spends more time on the boat that Brian eventually uses to try and take on a worthy cause but ultimately falls through throwing more shade at the game show industry than anything worthwhile at the conversations around abortion. We almost get another side of the abortion conversation when Meg and Chris opt to start a babysitting business, but three plots in a 22-minute episode is tough to pull off and I guess the producers had to cut the cheese elsewhere. Possibly the most original idea of three plots listed was by far Banksy inking up Peter as he passed out in an alleyway there by making Peter the object of an eventual art auction. It’s the kind of shit that reminds you why you love Peter Griffin and moreso when Lois has to put up with his bullshit.

Not a lot of cutaway gags to speak of this week, but overall, a mostly standard episode of Family Guy that gets a little extra shine due to the Banksy bit which gets extra points for originality.