Pilot (The Cleveland Show)
Encyclopedia
"Pilot" is the first episode of the first season
of the animated
comedy series
The Cleveland Show
. Directed by Anthony Lioi and written by series creators Seth MacFarlane
, Mike Henry and Richard Appel
, the episode originally aired on Fox
in the United States on September 27, 2009. The episode follows Cleveland Brown
, and his son, Cleveland, Jr.
, as they begin their journey across the country, with a final destination of California. The two give a final farewell to their friends in Quahog, Rhode Island
, but along the way to their destination, they decide to stop in Cleveland's hometown of Stoolbend, Virginia. While there, Cleveland reconnects with an old crush he had in high school, named Donna Tubbs, and immediately finds love, and eventually a new family. Cleveland and Donna ultimately decide to get married, and the two families begin to accept each other into their new lives.
The series is a spin-off
of the animated comedy series Family Guy
, which was created by executive producer Seth MacFarlane in 1999. Cleveland Brown, voiced by Mike Henry, was a recurring characters on Family Guy, and served as a neighbor to the Griffin family
in Quahog. Prior to the pilot of The Cleveland Show, Cleveland last appeared in the seventh season Family Guy episode "Peter's Progress
"; he has since made infrequent guest appearances since the inception of his spin-off series.
Critical responses to the episode were mixed; critics praised its storyline and numerous cultural references. According to Nielsen ratings
, it was viewed in 9.42 million viewers in its original airing. The episode featured guest performances by Alex Borstein
, Stacy Ferguson, Seth Green
, Mila Kunis
, Jennifer Tilly
and Patrick Warburton
, along with several recurring guest voice actors for the series. "Pilot" was released on DVD
along with all twenty other episodes from the first season on September 28, 2010. The Pilot episode was leaked to the Internet the last week of June 2009.
, Joe, Quagmire and Cleveland sit at a table. Cleveland tells the guys that he has lost his house to Loretta due to their divorce
settlement. He also tells the guys that he now has custody of Cleveland Jr.
(it revealed that Cleveland Jr. is now 14 years old and has become incredibly overweight). After having his house damaged by Peter once again, Cleveland decides to leave Quahog and head to California
to pursue his dream of being a minor league
scout
for a professional baseball
organization. Before he leaves, Cleveland asks if Lois
and Bonnie will kiss each other. They do a simple one at first, but then start to make out. Peter, Joe, Quagmire and Brian
all gaze in shock while Cleveland is happy, and he says it is the first time he has ever asked for something he really wanted. Later, after saying goodbye to all his friends, Cleveland and Cleveland, Jr, leave Quahog.
While passing through his old town of Stoolbend, Virginia
, he sees his old school and heads inside. There, he bumps into his old flame Donna Tubbs. She invites him to stay at her house for a couple of days, where Donna relays to Cleveland how she needs a father figure around for her kids after splitting with her husband, Robert. While at Donna's house, he is introduced to Rallo and Roberta, Donna's kids, and the neighbors, including the local redneck
and the family of bears, which include father Tim, his wife, and son Raymond.
Donna experiences problems with her two kids, and Cleveland agrees to help; this results in him becoming the very person Donna needs around. The inevitable happens, and Cleveland sticks around – after a complication involving the return of her delinquent of an ex-husband, Robert. After a romantic montage, followed by the dismissal of Robert, Cleveland and Donna get married.
.
The A.V. Club
graded the episode a C-, stating "There are a lot of elements that make The Cleveland Show seem like it should work better than it does, but as a whole, it hasn’t quite managed to stand up and differentiate itself enough from its parent show to be taken as its own thing".
The Parents Television Council
, a frequent critic
of The Cleveland Shows parent show, Family Guy
, named the series' premiere episode its "Worst TV Show of the Week" for the week ending October 2, 2009, due to sexually explicit humor. The authors cited a number of scenes, including the send-off scene where Lois Griffin
and Bonnie Swanson oblige Cleveland's request to passionately kiss; Cleveland's remarks to his son about the sexual desires of female students at his alma mater; his demanding to Roberta's date that he bring her home exactly on time (not for her safety, but for his own sexual gratification, the PTC stated); Cleveland — after attempting to reinstate Rallo at school after he was suspended for peeking up his teacher's skirt — encouraging Rallo to continue his behavior; and the episode-closing incest joke that made reference to The Brady Bunch
. "Last year, Britney Spear courted controversy with her song, “If You Seek Amy” – perhaps the clumsiest double entendre in pop culture history. “All of the boys and all of the girls want to – If you seek Amy.” Clearly, she wasn’t even trying to make sense. Cleveland Show (and American Dad, and Family Guy) creator Seth MacFarlane has basically made a career out of incorporating vulgar sexual references into his shows. He seems to comb the Urban Dictionary for arcane sexual terms to inspire his comic bits. For example, the episode also contained the acronym FUPA. Roberta’s substitute teacher holds up the fat suit and admires its quality:
MS. ECK: “Hollywood costume shop. High quality. Look at this FUPA” ["Fat Upper P**** Area". [flips the suit] “Look at this poopa. FUPA, poopa. FUPA, poopa.”
"By basing so much of his comedy on crass, disgusting sexual content, MacFarlane ensures that every middle-school viewer (the group at which the show is marketed) will repeat those terms on the playground the following day. For continuing to pollute the airwaves with adult sexual content targeted at children, The Cleveland Show has one again been named Worst TV Show of the Week." the PTC review stated.
The Cleveland Show (season 1)
The Complete Season 1 of The Cleveland Show, an American Animated television series created by Seth MacFarlane, began airing on September 27, 2009 and ended after 21 episodes on May 23, 2010...
of the animated
Animated cartoon
An animated cartoon is a short, hand-drawn film for the cinema, television or computer screen, featuring some kind of story or plot...
comedy series
Television comedy
Television comedy had a presence from the earliest days of broadcasting. Among the earliest BBC television programmes in the 1930s was Starlight, which offered a series of guests from the music hall era — singers and comedians amongst them...
The Cleveland Show
The Cleveland Show
The Cleveland Show is an American animated television series that premiered on September 27, 2009, as a part of the "Animation Domination" lineup on Fox in the United States...
. Directed by Anthony Lioi and written by series creators Seth MacFarlane
Seth MacFarlane
Seth Woodbury MacFarlane is an American animator, writer, comedian, producer, actor, singer, voice actor, and director best known for creating the animated sitcoms Family Guy, American Dad! and The Cleveland Show, for which he also voices many of the shows' various characters.A native of Kent,...
, Mike Henry and Richard Appel
Richard Appel
Richard "Rich" Appel is an American writer, producer and former attorney. Growing up in Wilmette, Illinois, Appel developed a love of comedy and dreamt of a career as a comedy writer; he attended Harvard University and wrote for the Harvard Lampoon. Following in his mother's footsteps Appel...
, the episode originally aired on Fox
Fox Broadcasting Company
Fox Broadcasting Company, commonly referred to as Fox Network or simply Fox , is an American commercial broadcasting television network owned by Fox Entertainment Group, part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation. Launched on October 9, 1986, Fox was the highest-rated broadcast network in the...
in the United States on September 27, 2009. The episode follows Cleveland Brown
Cleveland Brown
Cleveland Orenthal Brown is a character from the animated television series Family Guy, and its spin-off series The Cleveland Show. He is voiced by Mike Henry. In the first seven seasons of Family Guy, Brown is a frequently recurring character. As one of Peter Griffin's neighbors and friends,...
, and his son, Cleveland, Jr.
Cleveland Brown, Jr.
Cleveland Raj Rerun Dwayne Brown is a character from the animated television series Family Guy, and its spin-off series The Cleveland Show. He is the son of Cleveland Brown and his late ex-wife Loretta...
, as they begin their journey across the country, with a final destination of California. The two give a final farewell to their friends in Quahog, Rhode Island
Rhode Island
The state of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, more commonly referred to as Rhode Island , is a state in the New England region of the United States. It is the smallest U.S. state by area...
, but along the way to their destination, they decide to stop in Cleveland's hometown of Stoolbend, Virginia. While there, Cleveland reconnects with an old crush he had in high school, named Donna Tubbs, and immediately finds love, and eventually a new family. Cleveland and Donna ultimately decide to get married, and the two families begin to accept each other into their new lives.
The series is a spin-off
Spin-off (media)
In media, a spin-off is a radio program, television program, video game, or any narrative work, derived from one or more already existing works, that focuses, in particular, in more detail on one aspect of that original work...
of the animated comedy series Family Guy
Family Guy
Family Guy is an American animated television series created by Seth MacFarlane for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series centers on the Griffins, a dysfunctional family consisting of parents Peter and Lois; their children Meg, Chris, and Stewie; and their anthropomorphic pet dog Brian...
, which was created by executive producer Seth MacFarlane in 1999. Cleveland Brown, voiced by Mike Henry, was a recurring characters on Family Guy, and served as a neighbor to the Griffin family
Griffin family
The Griffin family is a family from the animated television series Family Guy. The Griffins are a nuclear family consisting of the married couple Peter and Lois, their three children Meg, Chris, and Stewie, and their dog Brian. They live at 31 Spooner Street in the fictional town of Quahog, Rhode...
in Quahog. Prior to the pilot of The Cleveland Show, Cleveland last appeared in the seventh season Family Guy episode "Peter's Progress
Peter's Progress
"Peter's Progress" is the sixteenth episode and the season finale of the seventh season of Family Guy. It originally aired on Fox in the United States on May 17, 2009...
"; he has since made infrequent guest appearances since the inception of his spin-off series.
Critical responses to the episode were mixed; critics praised its storyline and numerous cultural references. According to Nielsen ratings
Nielsen Ratings
Nielsen ratings are the audience measurement systems developed by Nielsen Media Research, in an effort to determine the audience size and composition of television programming in the United States...
, it was viewed in 9.42 million viewers in its original airing. The episode featured guest performances by Alex Borstein
Alex Borstein
Alexandrea "Alex" Borstein is an American actress, singer, voice actress, writer and comedian. She is best known for her long-running role as Lois Griffin on the animated television series Family Guy, and as a cast member on the sketch comedy series MADtv.A native of Highland Park, Illinois,...
, Stacy Ferguson, Seth Green
Seth Green
Seth Benjamin Green is an American actor, comedian, voice actor, and television producer. He is well known for his role as Daniel "Oz" Osbourne in Buffy the Vampire Slayer, as Dr. Evil's son Scott in the Austin Powers series of comedy films, Mitch Miller in That '70s Show, and the voice of Chris...
, Mila Kunis
Mila Kunis
Milena "Mila" Kunis is an American actress. Her work includes the role of Jackie Burkhart on the TV series That '70s Show and the voice of Meg Griffin on the animated series Family Guy...
, Jennifer Tilly
Jennifer Tilly
Jennifer Tilly is an American actress and poker player. She is an Academy Award nominee, and a World Series of Poker Ladies' Event bracelet winner. She is the older sister of actress Meg Tilly.-Early life:...
and Patrick Warburton
Patrick Warburton
Patrick John Warburton is an American actor of television, film, and voice. He is best known for his several TV roles, including the title role of The Tick, David Puddy on Seinfeld, the evil Johnny Johnson on NewsRadio, and anchorman Jeb Denton on Less Than Perfect...
, along with several recurring guest voice actors for the series. "Pilot" was released on DVD
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
along with all twenty other episodes from the first season on September 28, 2010. The Pilot episode was leaked to the Internet the last week of June 2009.
Plot
At The Drunken Clam, PeterPeter Griffin
Peter Griffin is a fictional character and the protagonist of the animated comedy series Family Guy and the patriarch of the Griffin family. He is voiced by cartoonist Seth MacFarlane and first appeared on television, along with the rest of the family in the 15-minute short on December 20, 1998....
, Joe, Quagmire and Cleveland sit at a table. Cleveland tells the guys that he has lost his house to Loretta due to their divorce
Divorce
Divorce is the final termination of a marital union, canceling the legal duties and responsibilities of marriage and dissolving the bonds of matrimony between the parties...
settlement. He also tells the guys that he now has custody of Cleveland Jr.
Cleveland Brown, Jr.
Cleveland Raj Rerun Dwayne Brown is a character from the animated television series Family Guy, and its spin-off series The Cleveland Show. He is the son of Cleveland Brown and his late ex-wife Loretta...
(it revealed that Cleveland Jr. is now 14 years old and has become incredibly overweight). After having his house damaged by Peter once again, Cleveland decides to leave Quahog and head to California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
to pursue his dream of being a minor league
Minor league baseball
Minor league baseball is a hierarchy of professional baseball leagues in the Americas that compete at levels below Major League Baseball and provide opportunities for player development. All of the minor leagues are operated as independent businesses...
scout
Scout (sport)
In professional sports, scouts are trained talent evaluators who travel extensively for the purposes of watching athletes play their chosen sports and determining whether their set of skills and talents represent what is needed by the scout's organization...
for a professional baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
organization. Before he leaves, Cleveland asks if Lois
Lois Griffin
Lois Griffin is a character from the animated television series Family Guy. She is voiced by writer Alex Borstein and first appeared on television, along with the rest of the family in the 15-minute short on December 20, 1998. Lois was created and designed by series creator Seth MacFarlane...
and Bonnie will kiss each other. They do a simple one at first, but then start to make out. Peter, Joe, Quagmire and Brian
Brian Griffin
Brian Griffin is a character from the animated television series Family Guy. He is voiced by Seth MacFarlane and first appeared on television, along with the rest of the family, in a 15-minute short on December 20, 1998. Brian was created and designed by MacFarlane himself...
all gaze in shock while Cleveland is happy, and he says it is the first time he has ever asked for something he really wanted. Later, after saying goodbye to all his friends, Cleveland and Cleveland, Jr, leave Quahog.
While passing through his old town of Stoolbend, Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
, he sees his old school and heads inside. There, he bumps into his old flame Donna Tubbs. She invites him to stay at her house for a couple of days, where Donna relays to Cleveland how she needs a father figure around for her kids after splitting with her husband, Robert. While at Donna's house, he is introduced to Rallo and Roberta, Donna's kids, and the neighbors, including the local redneck
Redneck
Redneck is a historically derogatory slang term used in reference to poor, uneducated white farmers, especially from the southern United States...
and the family of bears, which include father Tim, his wife, and son Raymond.
Donna experiences problems with her two kids, and Cleveland agrees to help; this results in him becoming the very person Donna needs around. The inevitable happens, and Cleveland sticks around – after a complication involving the return of her delinquent of an ex-husband, Robert. After a romantic montage, followed by the dismissal of Robert, Cleveland and Donna get married.
The Cleveland Show/Family Guy
The first act (with the exception of the theme song) is meant to look like the beginning of a Family Guy episode. This is achieved in two ways:- The opening credits are designed very similarly to Family Guys opening credits
- The interstitial music sounds like Family Guys interstitial music
- The cutaways
- The main characters take on the same roles; Cleveland BrownCleveland BrownCleveland Orenthal Brown is a character from the animated television series Family Guy, and its spin-off series The Cleveland Show. He is voiced by Mike Henry. In the first seven seasons of Family Guy, Brown is a frequently recurring character. As one of Peter Griffin's neighbors and friends,...
is the naive, carefree breadwinner of the household (PeterPeter GriffinPeter Griffin is a fictional character and the protagonist of the animated comedy series Family Guy and the patriarch of the Griffin family. He is voiced by cartoonist Seth MacFarlane and first appeared on television, along with the rest of the family in the 15-minute short on December 20, 1998....
), Cleveland Jr. can be compared to ChrisChris GriffinChris Griffin is a character from the animated television series Family Guy. He is the son and middle child of Peter and Lois Griffin, brother of Stewie and Meg Griffin. Chris is voiced by Seth Green.-Personality:...
, and the same can be said for Donna to an earlier, saner LoisLois GriffinLois Griffin is a character from the animated television series Family Guy. She is voiced by writer Alex Borstein and first appeared on television, along with the rest of the family in the 15-minute short on December 20, 1998. Lois was created and designed by series creator Seth MacFarlane...
. There is the still the formulaic angry baby/toddler (StewieStewie GriffinStewie Griffin is a fictional character from the animated television series Family Guy. Once obsessed with world domination and matricide, Stewie is the youngest child of Peter and Lois Griffin, and the brother of Chris and Meg....
). The only slight difference is Roberta, who, unlike MegMeg GriffinMeg Griffin is a character from the animated television series Family Guy. She is the eldest child of Lois and Peter and elder sister of Chris and Stewie. Meg is considered as the black sheep of the series due to the lack of attention she receives....
, is attractive, popular and not a living doormat.
Trivia
- Originally, in the theme song, Cleveland sang "My happy black-guy face", but it was rewritten as "My happy mustached face" to be more racially sensitive.
- In a flashback, Cleveland and Donna puke on each other after chugging two beers. This would become the first of many puking gags.
- This is the first of four episodes during the first season to have a cold open before the theme song. The others being A Brown ThanksgivingA Brown Thanksgiving"A Brown Thanksgiving" is the seventh episode of The Cleveland Show. The episode aired on November 22, 2009 on Fox in the United States. In this episode Cleveland celebrates his first Thanksgiving with his new family, including his own parents and Donna's Auntie Momma.-Plot:Cleveland celebrates...
, Brown History Month and You're the Best Man, Cleveland Brown. - It first aired in the US on September 27, 2009, and aired in the UK on February 1, 2010, along with Da Doggone Daddy-Daughter Dinner DanceDa Doggone Daddy-Daughter Dinner Dance"Da Doggone Daddy-Daughter Dinner Dance" is the second episode of The Cleveland Show. The episode aired on October 4, 2009 on Fox. In the episode, Cleveland tries to make inroads with his new stepdaughter Roberta by asking her to accompany him to the school’s father/daughter dance.The episode was...
.
Pop-culture references
Within this episode, many references to Family Guy can be found:- Oscar® nominated American actress Kathleen TurnerKathleen TurnerMary Kathleen Turner is an American actress. She came to fame during the 1980s, after roles in the Hollywood films Body Heat, Peggy Sue Got Married, Romancing the Stone, The War of the Roses, Who Framed Roger Rabbit and Prizzi's Honor...
is featured in this episode as starring in the 1992 baseball film The BabeThe BabeThe Babe is a 1992 biographical film about the life of famed baseball player Babe Ruth, who is portrayed by John Goodman.-Plot:The story begins in 1902 in Baltimore, Maryland, where a young Babe Ruth, troubled and not-so disciplined, is sent to the St. Mary's Industrial School for Boys, a...
instead of John GoodmanJohn GoodmanJohn Stephen Goodman is an American film, television, and stage actor. He is best known for his role as Dan Conner on the television series Roseanne for which he won a Best Actor Golden Globe Award in 1993, and for appearances in the films of the Coen brothers, with prominent roles in Raising...
.
- PeterPeter GriffinPeter Griffin is a fictional character and the protagonist of the animated comedy series Family Guy and the patriarch of the Griffin family. He is voiced by cartoonist Seth MacFarlane and first appeared on television, along with the rest of the family in the 15-minute short on December 20, 1998....
: "Man he aged faster than Kathleen Turner" (Regarding Cleveland Jr.)
- Peter destroying Cleveland's home and subsequently ruining Cleveland's relaxing bath.
- LoisLois GriffinLois Griffin is a character from the animated television series Family Guy. She is voiced by writer Alex Borstein and first appeared on television, along with the rest of the family in the 15-minute short on December 20, 1998. Lois was created and designed by series creator Seth MacFarlane...
asking Cleveland jokingly, "Who's gonna run that deli you never go to?," is a reference to "Cleveland's Deli", which has not been seen since Hell Comes to QuahogHell Comes to Quahog"Hell Comes to Quahog" is the third episode of the fifth season of the animated comedy series Family Guy. It originally aired on Fox on September 24, 2006. The episode follows teenage daughter Meg after she requests that her parents buy her a car. At the showroom, however, her father, Peter,...
.
- During his explanation of why he is leaving, Cleveland references plots to different Family Guy episodes, including Brian Goes Back to CollegeBrian Goes Back to College"Brian Goes Back to College" is the fifteenth episode of Family Guy 's fourth season. The episode originally aired on Sunday November 13, 2005. Guest stars on the show were Ralph Garman, Mark Hentemann and Phil LaMarr. The episode was described by show creator Seth MacFarlane to be "a real treat...
and One If By Clam, Two If By Sea.
- While reminiscing, Cleveland also mentions recreating "all the whole damned Star WarsStar WarsStar Wars is an American epic space opera film series created by George Lucas. The first film in the series was originally released on May 25, 1977, under the title Star Wars, by 20th Century Fox, and became a worldwide pop culture phenomenon, followed by two sequels, released at three-year...
movies". This is a reference to Family Guys Star Wars parodies.
- Stewie'sStewie GriffinStewie Griffin is a fictional character from the animated television series Family Guy. Once obsessed with world domination and matricide, Stewie is the youngest child of Peter and Lois Griffin, and the brother of Chris and Meg....
line, "What the hell?! He's getting his own show?!" is a reference to Cleveland being an unlikely Family Guy character to get a spin-off series.
- Peter: “Light it Brian.” Brian: “Peter, I really don't think we should do this” Peter: “Do it Brian. It's the only way I'm going to catch that bird". Road Runner:"Meep-Meep!" Peter:" Here he comes. LIGHT IT!” The bird in question is none other than the Looney TunesLooney TunesLooney Tunes is a Warner Bros. animated cartoon series. It preceded the Merrie Melodies series and was Warner Bros.'s first animated theatrical series. Since its first official release, 1930's Sinkin' in the Bathtub, the series has become a worldwide media franchise, spawning several television...
character “Road Runner” and Peter, with the rocket strapped to his back, is imitating the other famous character “Wile E. Coyote”.
- Peter, Quagmire & Joe are dressed as The BeatlesThe BeatlesThe Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
as they appeared on the cover of their 1967 album “Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club BandSgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club BandSgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band is the eighth studio album by the English rock band The Beatles, released on 1 June 1967 on the Parlophone label and produced by George Martin...
.” Peter is dressed as George HarrisonGeorge HarrisonGeorge Harrison, MBE was an English musician, guitarist, singer-songwriter, actor and film producer who achieved international fame as lead guitarist of The Beatles. Often referred to as "the quiet Beatle", Harrison became over time an admirer of Indian mysticism, and introduced it to the other...
, Quagmire is dressed as John LennonJohn LennonJohn Winston Lennon, MBE was an English musician and singer-songwriter who rose to worldwide fame as one of the founding members of The Beatles, one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music...
& Joe is dressed as Paul McCartneyPaul McCartneySir James Paul McCartney, MBE, Hon RAM, FRCM is an English musician, singer-songwriter and composer. Formerly of The Beatles and Wings , McCartney is listed in Guinness World Records as the "most successful musician and composer in popular music history", with 60 gold discs and sales of 100...
. They wanted Cleveland to be dressed up like Ringo StarrRingo StarrRichard Starkey, MBE better known by his stage name Ringo Starr, is an English musician and actor who gained worldwide fame as the drummer for The Beatles. When the band formed in 1960, Starr was a member of another Liverpool band, Rory Storm and the Hurricanes. He became The Beatles' drummer in...
.
- Holt: “I gotta go get my dinner on. I'll come by later. Bring the new Dave. Live in Austin. Sick.” This more than likely is a reference to “Live from Austin, Texas”, the 2007 release from former “Talking HeadsTalking HeadsTalking Heads were an American New Wave and avant-garde band formed in 1975 in New York City and active until 1991. The band comprised David Byrne, Chris Frantz, Tina Weymouth and Jerry Harrison...
” front man, David ByrneDavid ByrneDavid Byrne may refer to:*David Byrne , musician and former Talking Heads frontman**David Byrne , his eponymous album*David Byrne , Irish footballer*David Byrne , English footballer...
.
- Roberta's white boyfriend Federline Jones bears a striking resemblance to Kevin Federline, the ex-husband of Pop singer Britney SpearsBritney SpearsBritney Jean Spears is an American recording artist and entertainer. Born in McComb, Mississippi, and raised in Kentwood, Louisiana, Spears began performing as a child, landing acting roles in stage productions and television shows. She signed with Jive Records in 1997 and released her debut album...
.
- The hand in the box Cleveland calls “Thing” is a reference to the character from The Addams FamilyThe Addams FamilyThe Addams Family is a group of fictional characters created by American cartoonist Charles Addams. As named by Charles Addams, the Addams Family characters include Gomez, Morticia, Uncle Fester, Lurch, Grandmama, Wednesday, Pugsley, and Thing....
.
- Holt's line "Yippee ki yay mothe-" before he is knocked off the ladder and cut off is a reference to John McClane's trademark line in the Die Hard series.
- While Cleveland remembers his past moments with Donna, a cut of the song "How Deep is Your LoveHow Deep Is Your Love"How Deep Is Your Love" is a pop song recorded by the Bee Gees in 1977 and released as a single in September. Originally intended for Yvonne Elliman, it was ultimately used as part of the soundtrack to the film Saturday Night Fever. It was a number three hit in the United Kingdom and Australia...
" by Bee GeesBee GeesThe Bee Gees are a musical group that originally comprised three brothers: Barry, Robin, and Maurice Gibb. The trio was successful for most of their 40-plus years of recording music, but they had two distinct periods of exceptional success: as a pop act in the late 1960s and early 1970s, and as a...
has been played.
Reception
Reaction to the pilot was mixed. According to Nielsen, the episode's premiere was watched by 9.42 million viewers and earned a 4.9/12 rating in the 18-49 demographics. Ahsan Haque from IGN gave the premiere 8.3/10. However, it currently has a rating of 57/100 on MetacriticMetacritic
Metacritic.com is a website that collates reviews of music albums, games, movies, TV shows and DVDs. For each product, a numerical score from each review is obtained and the total is averaged. An excerpt of each review is provided along with a hyperlink to the source. Three colour codes of Green,...
.
The A.V. Club
The A.V. Club
The A.V. Club is an entertainment newspaper and website published by The Onion. Its features include reviews of new films, music, television, books, games and DVDs, as well as interviews and other regular offerings examining both new and classic media and other elements of pop culture. Unlike its...
graded the episode a C-, stating "There are a lot of elements that make The Cleveland Show seem like it should work better than it does, but as a whole, it hasn’t quite managed to stand up and differentiate itself enough from its parent show to be taken as its own thing".
The Parents Television Council
Parents Television Council
The Parents Television Council is a U.S. based advocacy group founded by conservative activist L. Brent Bozell III in 1995 using the National Legion of Decency as a model...
, a frequent critic
Criticism of Family Guy
The American animated sitcom Family Guy has been the target of numerous complaints concerning taste and indecency. Parents Television Council has expressed moral opposition to the series, and filed complaints with the Federal Communications Commission....
of The Cleveland Shows parent show, Family Guy
Family Guy
Family Guy is an American animated television series created by Seth MacFarlane for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series centers on the Griffins, a dysfunctional family consisting of parents Peter and Lois; their children Meg, Chris, and Stewie; and their anthropomorphic pet dog Brian...
, named the series' premiere episode its "Worst TV Show of the Week" for the week ending October 2, 2009, due to sexually explicit humor. The authors cited a number of scenes, including the send-off scene where Lois Griffin
Lois Griffin
Lois Griffin is a character from the animated television series Family Guy. She is voiced by writer Alex Borstein and first appeared on television, along with the rest of the family in the 15-minute short on December 20, 1998. Lois was created and designed by series creator Seth MacFarlane...
and Bonnie Swanson oblige Cleveland's request to passionately kiss; Cleveland's remarks to his son about the sexual desires of female students at his alma mater; his demanding to Roberta's date that he bring her home exactly on time (not for her safety, but for his own sexual gratification, the PTC stated); Cleveland — after attempting to reinstate Rallo at school after he was suspended for peeking up his teacher's skirt — encouraging Rallo to continue his behavior; and the episode-closing incest joke that made reference to The Brady Bunch
The Brady Bunch
The Brady Bunch is an American sitcom created by Sherwood Schwartz and starring Robert Reed, Florence Henderson, and Ann B. Davis. The series revolved around a large blended family...
. "Last year, Britney Spear courted controversy with her song, “If You Seek Amy” – perhaps the clumsiest double entendre in pop culture history. “All of the boys and all of the girls want to – If you seek Amy.” Clearly, she wasn’t even trying to make sense. Cleveland Show (and American Dad, and Family Guy) creator Seth MacFarlane has basically made a career out of incorporating vulgar sexual references into his shows. He seems to comb the Urban Dictionary for arcane sexual terms to inspire his comic bits. For example, the episode also contained the acronym FUPA. Roberta’s substitute teacher holds up the fat suit and admires its quality:
MS. ECK: “Hollywood costume shop. High quality. Look at this FUPA” ["Fat Upper P**** Area". [flips the suit] “Look at this poopa. FUPA, poopa. FUPA, poopa.”
"By basing so much of his comedy on crass, disgusting sexual content, MacFarlane ensures that every middle-school viewer (the group at which the show is marketed) will repeat those terms on the playground the following day. For continuing to pollute the airwaves with adult sexual content targeted at children, The Cleveland Show has one again been named Worst TV Show of the Week." the PTC review stated.