Family Guy/Breaking Out Is Hard to Do

Breaking Out Is Hard to Do
Season 4, Episode 9
Airdate	July 17, 2005
Production Number	4ACX12
Written by	Tom Devanney
Directed by	Kurt Dumas
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Family Guy — Season Four

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Breaking Out Is Hard to Do is the ninth episode of the fourth season of Family Guy, and the fifty-ninth episode overall.

Here, Lois is arrested for shoplifting and sentenced to prison. The main action of this episode happens after Peter and the family bust Lois out and flee to a city called Asiantown in an unnamed Asian country (likely China).

Cast

Guest Stars: Jennifer Tilly (Bonnie), Adam West (Mayor Adam West), Mo Collins (Book Club Lady 1)

Plot Overview

At the grocery store, Lois doesn't have enough money to pay for everything. Instead of putting back the ham, she opts to shoplift it. Addicted to the rush it gives her, she continues her thievery until Brian confronts her in a auto parts store. Just before she decides to return the stolen goods, Joe Swanson arrests her. Thanks to Peter's brilliant scheme, they break her out of jail and hide in Chinatown. Peter, finally putting his weight to good use, becomes a sumo wrestler. Joe sees him on TV, and chases them through Chinatown.

Trivia

Allusions and References

• "Breaking Up Is Hard to Do" — The episode title is a pun on the title of a 1962 No. 1 pop hit (and top 10 remake from 1976) by Neil Sedaka.
• CBS station break bumper — A commercial bumper, featuring the slogan "You're watching CBS ... Asiantown!" and the CBS eye changing shape from its U.S. version to one styled like an Asian eye, is a spoof of the CBS logo and bumper.
• The Goonies — Characters from the 1985 comedy action movie appear in the sewer during the Griffins escape scene.
• M*A*S*H — As he is firing rocket missles at the fleeing Griffins, the helicopter pilot remarks that he is pretending that he is shooting at Alan Alda and Jamie Farr, actors who played main roles in the 1972-1983 CBS situation comedy.
• "The Neverending Story" — Peter riding the dragon is a reference to the fantasy novel.
• Raiders of the Lost Ark — The chase scene of Joe using a garden hose to attach himself to Lois' car (as she is fleeing a store where she is caught shoplifting), then pulling himself under the moving car is a spoof of a similar scene in the 1981 movie starring Harrison Ford.
• "Take On Me" — The video from the 1985 A-Ha hit is parodied in a scene where Chris is at the supermarket helping Lois shoplift groceries.
• Three's Company — The Griffins watch an Asian version of the 1977-1984 ABC situation comedy. The gag involves a Chinese man walking into an apartment, seeing two scantilly clad women dancing, and reacts.
• Trix cereal — An Asian commercial for the cereal, featuring an Asian-styled Trix Rabbit (a black belt who beats up three Asian children when they tell him, "Silly rabbit, Trix are for kids!") is a spoof of the U.S. marketing campaign for the children's cereal.