Family Guy/Not All Dogs Go to Heaven

Not All Dogs Go to Heaven
Season 7, Episode 11
Airdate	March 29, 2009
Written by	Danny Smith
Directed by	Greg Colton
← 7x10 FOX-y Lady	7x12 → 420
Family Guy — Season Seven

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Not All Dogs Go to Heaven is the eleventh episode of the seventh season of Family Guy, and the one hundred twenty-second episode overall.

The episode centers around conflicts that develop between Meg and Brian when Meg becomes a born-again Christian and begins acting rudely toward Brian, who retains his atheistic beliefs. The subplot deals with the Griffins attending a Star Trek convention, where Stewie spends time with the cast of Star Trek: The Next Generation, who are guests at the event.

Starring: Seth MacFarlane, Alex Borstein, Mila Kunis, Seth Green, Mike Henry

Also Starring: Lori Alan (Diane Simmons), Alexandra Breckenridge (), John Brennan (), Max Burkholder (), LeVar Burton (Himself), Steve Callaghan (), Chris Cox (), Denise Crosby (Herself), Michael Dorn (Himself), Jonathan Frakes (Himself), David A. Goodman (), Mark Hentemann (), Rob Lowe (), Gates McFadden (Herself), Marina Sirtis (Herself), Danny Smith (), Brent Spiner (Himself), Patrick Stewart (Himself), Alec Sulkin (), John Viener (), Adam West (Mayor Adam West), Wil Wheaton (Himself)

Plot Overview

At the annual Quahog Star Trek convention, Meg catches the mumps after Peter forces her to stand next to an attendant who is contagious with the illness (Peter having stupidly concluded that the worker is in-costume as an alien). While recovering at home, Meg becomes a born-again Christian after watching reruns of Growing Pains and hearing special messages by series star Kirk Cameron. She quickly drives the family crazy with her new beliefs.

Brian becomes annoyed with Megan and after he can take no more, he reveals that he is an atheist. While this affirmation upsets the Catholic Griffins, Meg crosses the line and insults Brian. In between, she tries to convince Brian to repent and convert to Christianity, but he refuses. When threats don't work, Meg finally takes things up another level when she spreads word that Brian is an atheist. Quahog residents and business people quickly make Brian a social outcast, banning him from every tavern and convenience store. After suffering from alcohol withdrawal, Brian finally plays ball with Meg, announcing that he is a convert to Christianity. But his goal is not to get Meg to cease her hostile behavior toward him, but to convince her of his belief about the bad things about the religion. Meg takes Brian to a book burning where goers are destroying books that are deemed "harmful to God" (including On the Origin of Species by Charles Darwin, A Brief History of Time by Stephen Hawking, and Logic for First Graders). Brian becomes disgusted by all this and admits he was bluffing in order to get Meg to see things his way, but Meg continues to argue her point. Brian then claims that if there were truly a loving God, things would be much better for Meg (e.g., she would not be so hideously ugly to the point of being an outcast; she would not be so disparaged by her own family that they refuse to have her immunized for the mumps). Meg concedes to Brian's reasoning, and is then told that that the answers are inside herself, and the real meaning of their existence is out there somewhere.

Afterwards, it is revealed that the entire Family Guy universe takes place within the molecules of a lampshade, in the bedroom of actor Adam West, who appears with Rob Lowe in a live-action scene wishing each other a good night.

Subplot

Stewie is upset when he is unable to ask a question to the Star Trek: The Next Generation cast at the convention; instead, they fielded totally irrelevant questions. Stewie builds an "authentic 'Star Trek' transporter and beams the cast over to interview them. Stewie decides to spend the whole day with the cast, taking the role of a camp counselor/father and the Star Trek: TNG cast as children. The action unfolds at a McDonald's restaurant, a bowling alley and a carnival. But when they begin acting like children, an annoyed Stewie beams everyone back to their TNG universe, hoping the all die.

Trivia

Allusions and References

• All Dogs Go to Heaven — The episode title is a pun on the title of the 1989 animated Disney film.

• Growing Pains — Meg's behavior toward Brian after learning he is an atheist is based on Kirk Cameron's influence on the storylines and casting of the 1980s-early 1990s ABC situation comedy (in which he starred) after converting to Christianity. Meg's behavior results from her watching reruns of the show.

• St. Elsewhere — The ending gag — the entire Family Guy universe shown to take place in the molecules of a lampshade at Adam West's home (in live action) — is similar to the ending scene in the final episode of the 1980s medical drama (the universe of that entire series existing in a snow globe, and the imagination of an autistic boy).