Gary Janetti Movies
- 2001
In the conclusion of a two-part story, the Griffins' talking, martini-drinking dog Brian has determined that his master Peter is the cause of his addictive personality, and thus he has left Quahog to seek his fortune elsewhere. Brian ends up in Hollywood, where through certain connections he finds working directing porno films. Meanwhile, malevolent infant Stewie Griffin auditions for the TV show "Kids Say the Darnedest Things" (the better to put in motion his latest scheme to take over the world). Winning the audition, Stewie also wins his family an all-expense-paid trip...to Hollywood. This week's obscure pop-culture references include "guest appearances" by actor Ray Liotta and porn star Jenna Jameson (who, as usual, is bound to please!) ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 2000
This episode has a special Bob Hope and Bing Crosby-style opening credits sequence. The story begins with a flashback to Brian's (voice of Seth MacFarlane) puppyhood in Austin, TX, where he was taken from his mother at a puppy mill. Brian's shrink urges him to confront his feelings about his mother. When someone needs to go pick up Stewie (MacFarlane) at Lois' (voice of Alex Borstein) parents house in Palm Springs, Brian volunteers. While Brian gets blitzed at the airport bar, Stewie leaves their bags unattended, and soon the pair are stranded in Florida with no plane tickets and no cash. The pair have a series of misadventures: hot-wiring a car, flying a crop-dusting plane, and hitching a ride with migrant workers. They pass by Austin, and Brian, with Stewie in tow, takes the opportunity to investigate his past. His former owner, Luke (voice of Brian Doyle-Murray), doesn't remember Brian at first. "I was the one who could talk," Brian reminds him. Brian is distraught to learn that his mother, Biscuit, has passed on, but Luke and his wife have found a rather disquieting way of keeping her memory alive. Meanwhile, Lois and Peter (MacFarlane) try to help their marriage by watching a series of "relationship tapes" featuring the lovely Dr. Amanda Rebecca (voice of Victoria Principal), which Peter oddly seems more enthusiastic about than Lois. The episode features a musical number from Brian and Stewie. This episode, which aired in May 2000, originally featured a gag involving Stewie getting onto an airplane with a bag of weapons and making a reference to Osama bin Laden. That segment was cut from repeat airings of the show, and does not appear on the Region One DVD. ~ Josh Ralske, All Movie Guide
- 2000
Lois (voice of Alex Borstein) is worried when she finds that someone has had an accident on the carpet. "How dare you sully my good name by spreading your slanderous filth!" is Stewie's (voice of Seth MacFarlane) response to the accusation. While Peter (MacFarlane) feebly works on potty training Stewie, we learn that a guilt-ridden Brian (MacFarlane) is actually responsible for the recurring messes. The truth comes out during a family visit to the supermarket. "Geez, Brian," a disgusted Peter asks, "where do you think you are, Payless?" Brian goes to see a shrink, Dr. Kaplan (voice of Sam Waterston), who believes that the poor pooch is having a midlife crisis. After traveling the globe fulfilling all his dreams, Brian returns home a new man. But when the vengeful Stewie urinates all over the house and frames Brian for the deed, the depressed dog returns to the couch, where he is told that the root of his problem is his secret love for Lois. This episode features an opening sequence in which Stewie destroys Mister Rogers' Neighborhood, but it turns out to be a dream. FOX cut this sequence from the initial airing, but it was restored when the episode was shown in reruns. ~ Josh Ralske, All Movie Guide
- 1999
In the pre-credit sequence, the family watches a horrifying Eight is Enough reunion show, featuring the actual voice of Dick Van Patten. As the title of this episode indicates, it's modeled after one of those "social problem" TV movies that were prevalent in the 1980s. Quahog is suffering a heat wave, and the Griffins want to enter Brian (voice of Seth MacFarlane) in a dog show, hoping to win enough money to buy an air conditioner. Brian reluctantly agrees for the sake of the family. He does a great job on the obstacle course (running the whole route on his hind legs, stopping only for a quick smoke), but refuses to beg for a treat at the end. When Peter (MacFarlane) upbraids him for his disobedience, Brian disgustedly walks out on the whole thing. "I refused to demean myself by perpetuating the stereotype of the 'good dog'," Brian explains on the way home. The argument continues, until Brian has Peter stop the car so he can get out. The police bring him home after stopping him for breaking the leash law. There's a flashback to when Peter first found Brian, who was a lowly stray dog, eking out a living squeegeeing the windshields of passing motorists. Brian runs away again, and the Griffins make an ill-fated effort to replace him with a kitty. The dog runs into hard times. At one point, he gets kicked out of a fancy Italian restaurant, and runs into Lady and the Tramp in the back alley. Unaware that the Griffins are determined to bring him home, Brian loses control and attacks a passerby. The county is ready to put him to sleep until Peter comes to his rescue. ~ Josh Ralske, All Movie Guide
This gay culture variation on the old theme of plucky kids looking for fame and fortune in the Big City concerns three recent college grads trying to make a name for themselves in Manhattan. Marc (Michael Shawn Lucas) is an aspiring actor who works a day job taking phone orders for tickets to the shows he wishes he was in. He shares an apartment in Greenwich Village with Cynthia (Mara Hobel), who wants to work for Vanity Fair and keeps leaving phone messages for Tina Brown that, to the surprise of Cynthia and no one else, never get returned. In the meantime, Cynthia supports herself with the help of her father's charge card. Robert (Aaron Williams) is another struggling actor who also dreams of getting a break as a writer and composer of Broadway musicals. He is also in love with Marc, but the rather ordinary-looking Robert doesn't meet the standards of hunky Marc, who is looking for a perfect 10. Marc thinks he might have found his dream man in the person of David (Hugh Panaro), until he discovers that David is not all he seems to be. Fans of high camp please note: one of Mara Hobel's more notable previous credits was playing the young Christina Crawford in the film version of Mommie Dearest. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Mara Hobel, Michael Shawn Lucas, (more)
