Family Guy/Hell Comes to Quahog

Hell Comes to Quahog
Season 5, Episode 3
Airdate	September 24, 2006
Written by
Directed by
← 5x02 Mother Tucker	5x04 → Saving Private Brian
Family Guy — Season Five

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Hell Comes to Quahog is the third episode of the fifth season of Family Guy, and the eighty-third episode overall.

The episode is a satire on Wal-Mart and the corporate giant's influence on small, independently owned businesses. The Griffins become involved when Meg gets a job at a new Superstore USA discount store (after Peter buys a tank with money Meg had saved for a car), and rolling blackouts are required to meet the new store's huge power requirements.

Cast

Guest Stars:

Plot Overview

When he is asked to pick up Meg at the local roller rink, Peter loses track of time while drinking with his buddies at the Drunken Clam. When they finally do arrive, Peter, Joe, Cleveland and Quagmire decide to skate instead and wind up forgetting to take home Meg. Meg is forced to walk home in the rain and, after coming home soaking wet, announces her need for a car. Lois makes Peter take his daughter to a used car lot to pick a car out.

Meg settles on a car, but Peter spots an army tank, which the salesman explains is used in commercials. Peter wants the tank and, in an act of selfishness and ignoring Meg's objections, buys the tank with Meg's money! Peter frolics around town in his new tank, blowing up several houses when he tries out the turret; he then attempts to teach Meg to drive the tank, but all he is able to do is run over Joe's legs. Joe has the tank impounded.

Now left with no car and no money, Meg decides her only choice left is to get a job. She does ... at the new Superstore USA, a Wal-Mart type discount store. Everyone is upset that Meg would "sell-out" to a corporation, citing its negative impact on small-town businesses (which go out of business when they can't compete). In quick time, the economy suffers greatly in Quahog, with virtually the entire downtown business district - Goldman's Pharmacy and Cleveland's Deli - forced to go out of business. Even Chris loses his job delivering newspapers, as Superstore USA has been contracted to do the job. The only independent business that does benefit is one operated by a man who makes tumbleweeds.

Things go from bad to worse when Superstore USA's power requirements dangerously stress Quahog's undersized electrical grid ... and this is in the midst of an oppressive heat wave. After a rolling blackout is needed to supply the power to the Superstore USA store, and Peter loses his job when the Pawtucket Brewery closes, everyone has enough and they decide to organize a protest. When Peter goes inside to confront the manager, he becomes enthralled at the merchandise displays, and it isn't long before he manages to get hired, upsetting Superstore USA-opponent Brian.

Peter goofs off at work, embarassing Meg, who has now been promoted to assistant manager. Her boss, Mr. Penisburg, also has been monitoring Peter's poor work performance and directs Meg to fire her father. However, Meg realizes her loyalty to Peter, even if he is often less than kind to her, and instead resigns.

Just as all that that is happening, Brian and Stewie have enough of sweating in their home and — knowing no action will ever be taken to have Superstore USA closed — take matters into their own hands. They break Peter's tank out of the impound yard and drive down to the store, intent on destroying it ... which they do as they crash the tank into the store and force the customers and employees to flee; Peter and Meg escape unharmed, while the fate of Mr. Penisburg (he was last seen hiding in a bathroom stall, and a store "smiley face" discount sign crashes on his head) is unknown. The store is finally reduced to rubble when Brian fires a shell into the store. Power is quickly restored to Quahog, and it appears Meg finally will bond (in a positive way) with Peter ... but that doesn't happen.

Trivia

Allusions and References

• Wal-Mart — The economic and social effects of the corporate giant are satrized, with Superstore USA filling the role of the Rogers, Ark.-based discount store operation.

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