Blind Ambition (Family Guy)

Blind Ambition is the third episode of Season 4 of Family Guy. It first aired on May 15, 2005 on FOX. The episode's production code is 4ACX04.

It was written by Steve Callaghan and directed by Chuck Klein. Guest stars Gina Gershon and Judd Hirsch portray themselves.

Plot summary

During a trip to the bowling alley, in which Mort Goldman bowls a 300 game with Peter and his friends, Lois goes to the ladies' restroom. While placing toilet paper on the seat, she repeatedly hears someone muttering "giggidy." She finally looks up to see Quagmire suspending himself from the ceiling and watching her. Lois, Loretta and Bonnie join forces to demand his eviction from the neighborhood, but Peter protests.

After another protracted fight with the giant chicken first seen in a lengthy flashback from the second season episode "Da Boom", Peter convinces the women to allow him to try to reform Glenn. After intensive operant conditioning therapy (consisting of a whirling ceiling fan being placed just above his nude groin), Glenn seems to be able to function in normal society again.

As a test, his friends take him to a local mall, where his is repeatedly tempted by provocative situations such as scantily clad lesbian cheerleaders splashing water at each other and making out and a mother breastfeeding her baby. Overwhelmed, Glenn flees only to find himself in the mall's security control room, staring at dozens of closed-circuit television monitors from women's dressing rooms. He sees a woman collapse and rushes to her location, saving her life and becoming a hero.

Peter grows jealous of his friends' heroic achievements (Joe's continuous medals, Quagmire's heroism, Mort's 300 game, and even Cleveland's job as a Sotheby's auctioneer—in which he was previously a fast-talker—until a totem pole accident rendered his speech into his slow monotone) and attempts to secure his own fame by setting a world record for the most nickels eaten. Unfortunately, he soon loses his sight due to nickel poisoning. Later, the Drunken Clam catches on fire (after God accidentally strikes a woman with lightning while flirting), trapping Horace. The oblivious Peter ties his guide dog, Brutus, to a nearby hobo (which he mistakes for a parking meter) and enters the flaming bar. After hearing Horace's cries for help, Peter pulls him free of the debris and carries him to safety. Peter is hailed as a hero, given an award by the mayor, and regains his vision from an eye transplant (from the hobo who was strangled and dragged to death by his guide dog).

Cultural References

• Peter's victory over the giant chicken with the help of a plane's propeller blades parodies a scene from Raiders of the Lost Ark, and the ship ploughing through buildings mirrors the end of Speed 2: Cruise Control.
• Stewie catches the Keebler Elves plotting against Snap, Crackle and Pop, later on it is implied that Snap was killed during the ambush by the Keebler Elves.
• Gary the No-Trash Cougar's slogan, "Give a larbage, throw out your garbage," is based on Woodsy Owl's "Give a hoot, don't pollute."
• The entire final scene in which Peter receives his award is a reenactment of the ending of the original 1977 Star Wars film (A New Hope), complete with John Williams' music, Chewbacca, C-3PO, and R2-D2. (The episode first aired the Sunday before the release of Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith. In the same fashion, the credits were done to the Star Wars theme and style.
• In Quagmire's mugshot, his prisoner number is BK4454813. This was the same case number given to British actor Hugh Grant, after he got arrested in June 1995 for picking up prostitute Divine Brown.