Amish Guy

{{Infobox television episode | series = Family Guy | image = | caption = | season = 10 | episode = 7 | airdate = {{Start date|2011|11|27}} | production = 8ACX22 | writer = Mark Hentemann | director = John Holmquist | guests = * Christine Lakin as Joyce Kinney * Ari Graynor as Woman * Bobby Lee as Chinese Man * Bailey Gambertoglio as Japanese Girl * Missi Pyle as Woman * Kevin Michael Richardson as Roadblock * John Viener as Ezekiel/Duke | season_article = Family Guy season 10 | episode_list = List of Family Guy episodes | prev = Thanksgiving | next = Cool Hand Peter }} "'''Amish Guy'''" is the seventh episode of the tenth season of the animated comedy series ''Family Guy'', and the 172nd episode overall. It originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on November 27, 2011. The episode follows the Griffin family after their car breaks down in Amish country on their way back from a vacation. The family must then learn to adjust to the community for the weekend, until they are able to fix their car at a mechanic's. However, when Meg falls in love with an Amish boy named Eli, and his father forbids the two from ever seeing each other again, a Romeo and Juliet conflict arises between the two families. This results in a battle between the families, with the victor determining Meg and Eli's ultimate fate.

The episode was written by Mark Hentemann and directed by John Holmquist. It received mostly positive reviews from critics for its storyline and numerable cultural references. According to Nielsen ratings, it was viewed in 5.5 million homes in its original airing. The episode featured guest performances by Christine Lakin, Ari Graynor, Bobby Lee, Bailey Gambertoglio, Missi Pyle and Kevin Michael Richardson, along with several recurring guest voice actors for the series. It was first announced at the 2011 San Diego Comic-Con.

==Plot== The Griffin family decide to travel to the Six Flags amusement park. When Peter is barred from riding ''The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen''-themed roller coasters because he is too overweight, he becomes disappointed. Peter's friends Joe and Quagmire then convince him to go on a diet in order to be able to ride the coaster. He is unable to lose any weight and decides to wear a girdle instead. The family then travels to Ohio in order to ride a new roller coaster called The Holocaust. This time Peter is allowed to ride the roller coaster, but it is unable to make it up the first hill, and collapses under his weight.

As the family begin driving home, the car suddenly breaks down in Amish country, with no mechanic or any signs of modern civilization in sight. The family approaches a group of Amish workers, asking if they can stay in the workers' village for the weekend. When Meg complains about the lack of electricity and other modern conveniences, a local Amish boy named Eli decides to take her on a tour of the village. The pair then begin to kiss, but the boy's overprotective, abusive, fanatical, and strict father Ezekiel interrupts them, and instructs the two never to see each other again over fears that Meg may corrupt his son. Upon hearing of this, Peter tries to talk to Ezekiel, but unintentionally turns the Amish community against him after trying to introduce Ezekiel to rock music with the song "Highway to Hell", prompting him to demand that the Griffin family leave, arranging for two horses to pull the car back to their home. Eli decides to follow Meg, and the group then returns to Quahog.

Later that day, the Amish follow the family to Quahog and vandalize the Griffins' home – painting "Ye Suck" and doing all of the outside chores – Furious, Peter declares war against the group. A battle ensues, with both sides equally matched. Peter and Ezekiel then have a fist fight in order to settle the matter on their own, but Eli stops his father and tells him that he is truly in love with Meg. Eli decides to stay in Amish country, and tells Meg that it is his true home. The two then embrace in one final hug. Peter and Ezekiel call a truce, deciding to remain friends and making plans to visit each other.

==Production and development== [[File:Mark Hentemann by Gage Skidmore 2.jpg|right|thumb|145px|Mark Hentemann wrote the episode.]] The episode was directed by series regular John Holmquist, shortly after the conclusion of the ninth production season, his first episode of the season.<ref name="episode">{{cite episode |title=Amish Guy|series=Family Guy |series-link=Family Guy |credits=Holmquist, John; Hentemann, Mark; MacFarlane, Seth|network=Fox |airdate=2011-11-27 |season=10 |number=06}}</ref> Holmquist joined the series in its second season, directing the episode "Running Mates".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://movies.amctv.com/movie/292407/Family-Guy-Running-Mates/credits |title=Family Guy: Running Mates - Cast and crew |publisher=AMC |access-date=2011-11-27 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120406095128/http://movies.amctv.com/movie/292407/Family-Guy-Running-Mates/credits |archive-date=2012-04-06}}</ref> The episode was written by executive producer and showrunner Mark Hentemann, who joined the show as a writer in its third season, writing the episode "The Kiss Seen Around the World".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://movies.amctv.com/movie/299549/Family-Guy-The-Kiss-Seen-Around-the-World/credits |title=Family Guy: The Kiss Seen Around the World Cast and credits |publisher=AMC |access-date=2011-11-27 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120406095029/http://movies.amctv.com/movie/299549/Family-Guy-The-Kiss-Seen-Around-the-World/credits |archive-date=2012-04-06 |url-status=dead }}</ref> This was also Hentemann's second episode of the season, after first writing the Brian and Stewie adventure episode "Back to the Pilot".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.aoltv.com/2011/11/14/seth-macfarlane-was-last-nights-family-guy-his-9-11-catharsi/ |title=Seth MacFarlane: Was Last Night's 'Family Guy' His 9/11 Catharsis? |publisher=AOL |access-date=2011-11-28 |date=2011-11-14 |last=Ryan |first=Mike |archive-date=2012-01-31 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120131041416/http://www.aoltv.com/2011/11/14/seth-macfarlane-was-last-nights-family-guy-his-9-11-catharsi/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> Series regulars Peter Shin and James Purdum served as supervising directors, with Andrew Goldberg, Alex Carter, Spencer Porter, and Elaine Ko serving as staff writers for the episode.<ref name="episode"/> Composer Ron Jones, who has worked on the series since its inception, returned to compose the music for "Amish Guy".<ref name="episode"/> "Amish Guy" was first announced at the 2011 San Diego Comic-Con on July 23, 2011, by series showrunners and executive producers Steve Callaghan and Hentemann.<ref name="ign">{{cite web |url=http://tv.ign.com/articles/118/1183897p1.html |title=Comic-Con: 10 Outrageous Things Coming in Family Guy's 10th Season |last=White |first=Cindy |access-date=2011-12-06 |date=2011-07-23 |publisher=IGN |archive-date=2011-11-05 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111105054827/http://tv.ign.com/articles/118/1183897p1.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

In addition to the regular cast, guest stars included actress Christine Lakin, actress Ari Graynor, actor and comedian Bobby Lee, singer and actress Missi Pyle, and voice actor Kevin Michael Richardson, who notably portrays Cleveland Brown, Jr. on ''Family Guy'' creator Seth MacFarlane's spin-off series ''The Cleveland Show''.<ref name="episode"/> Recurring guest voice actors Alexandra Breckenridge, writer Chris Sheridan, writer Danny Smith, writer Alec Sulkin and writer John Viener made minor appearances throughout the episode.<ref name="episode"/>

The DVD release features an extended cut of a scene in the Drunken Clam, where Peter openly criticizes ''Garfield: His 9 Lives''.

==Reception== "Amish Guy" was broadcast on November 27, 2011, as a part of an animated television night on Fox, and was preceded by ''The Simpsons'' and ''Allen Gregory'', and followed by ''Family Guy'' creator and executive producer Seth MacFarlane's second show, ''American Dad!''. It was watched by 5.50 million viewers, according to Nielsen ratings, despite airing simultaneously with the ''Hallmark Hall of Fame'' on ABC, ''The Amazing Race'' on CBS and ''Sunday Night Football'' on NBC. The episode also acquired a 2.8/6 rating in the 18–49 demographic, beating ''The Simpsons'', ''Allen Gregory'' and ''American Dad!'', in addition to significantly edging out ''Allen Gregory'' and ''American Dad!'' in total viewership.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2011/11/29/sunday-final-ratings-big-adjustment-up-for-amazing-race-no-adjustment-for-once-upon-a-time-steelers-chiefs/112088/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111202194802/http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2011/11/29/sunday-final-ratings-big-adjustment-up-for-amazing-race-no-adjustment-for-once-upon-a-time-steelers-chiefs/112088/|url-status=dead|archive-date=2011-12-02|title=Sunday Final Ratings: Big Adjustment Up for 'Amazing Race'; No Adjustment for 'Once Upon a Time' + Steelers-Chiefs|last=Seidman|first=Robert|publisher=TV by the Numbers|date=2011-11-29|access-date=2011-11-29}}</ref> The episode's ratings decreased significantly from the previous week's episode, "Thanksgiving".<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2011/11/22/sunday-final-ratings-csimiami-amazing-race-family-guy-adjusted-up-60-minutes-adjusted-down/111472/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111125053730/http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2011/11/22/sunday-final-ratings-csimiami-amazing-race-family-guy-adjusted-up-60-minutes-adjusted-down/111472/|url-status=dead|archive-date=2011-11-25|title=Sunday Final Ratings: 'CSI:Miami,' 'Amazing Race,' 'Family Guy' Adjusted Up; '60 Minutes' Adjusted Down|publisher=TV by the Numbers|last=Gorman|first=Bill|date= 2011-11-22|access-date= 2011-11-23}}</ref>

The episode received mostly positive reviews. Kevin McFarland of ''The A.V. Club'' wrote of the episode, "The main plot actually did quite a good job of mirroring the usual ''Simpsons'' trope of starting in one place, going to another, and then taking a left turn into the actual central plot of the episode."<ref name="avclub">{{cite web |url=http://www.avclub.com/articles/amish-guy,65599/ |title=Family Guy - Amish Guy - Review |publisher=The A.V. Club |access-date=2011-11-29 |date=2011-11-28 |last=McFarland |first=Kevin |archive-date=2011-11-29 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111129235614/http://www.avclub.com/articles/amish-guy,65599/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> He also compared it to a comic strip, noting, "If I didn't think the funnies lived up to their nickname, I did what everyone does with a newspaper. I threw it away. {{interp|...}} Then I read the strip again the next day, as if the previous one hadn't existed. That's how I tried to watch this episode, paying some attention to the Griffins in Amish country, but mostly isolating each joke setup, figuring out what I liked, and then moving on to the next one."<ref name="avclub"/> He concluded his review of the episode by giving it a grade of B−.<ref name="avclub"/> Terren R. Moore of Ology praised Peter's role in the episode, writing, "even though the arguments and evidence that this show is past its prime grow increasingly larger, Peter manages—for me, anyway—to still be hilarious in nearly everything he does as he becomes more and more outlandish in the various situations the show puts him in."<ref name="ology">{{cite web |url=http://www.ology.com/tv/family-guy-recap-amish-guy |title='Family Guy' Recap: "Amish Guy" |publisher=Ology |access-date=2011-11-29 |date=2011-11-27 |last=Moore |first=Terren R. |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130131032713/http://www.ology.com/tv/family-guy-recap-amish-guy |archive-date=2013-01-31 |url-status=dead }}</ref> He concluded his review, however, by stating, "for the most part, I arrive at the same point I do at the end of nearly every episode this season: there's just nothing new happening here."<ref name="ology"/> Moore gave the episode a rating of 7.5 out of ten.<ref name="ology"/>

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== {{Wikiquote|Family_Guy/Season_10#Amish Guy|<br />"Amish Guy"}} {{Portal|Television}} * {{IMDb episode|2040804}}

Category:2011 American television episodes Category:Family Guy season 10 episodes Category:Television episodes set in Ohio Category:Amish in popular culture Category:Works about feuds