Family Guy/Partial Terms of Endearment

Quagmire's Dad
Season 8, Episode 23
Airdate	unaired
Production Number	8x23
Written by	Joseph Lee
Directed by	Danny Smith
← 8x22 Something, Something, Something, Dark Side (2)	9x1 → And Then There Were Fewer (1)
Family Guy — Season Eight

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Partial Terms of Endearment is the twenty-third episode of the eighth season of Family Guy, and the one hundred fiftieth episode overall.

The episode revolves around Lois agreeing to be a surrogate mother to a couple who were unable to conceive, the couple getting killed in an accident during Lois' pregnancy, and Peter and Lois considering whether to abort the fetus or give birth and put the baby up for adoption. As the two mull over their options, Peter deals with pro-life activists who attempt to warn the Griffins about the social and religious consequences of abortion.

Due to concerns over the episode's portrayal and discussion of abortion, the episode was banned from airing on FOX in the United States, although it has aired in the United Kingdom. Another episode -- "When You Wish Upon a Weinstein" -- was also banned from airing on FOX when originally produced in 2001, but aired several years later after the show aired on Adult Swim (Cartoon Network's adult-oriented programming block).

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

Also Starring: Adam West (Mayor Adam West)

Plot Overview

At a college reunion, Lois meets up with an old friend, Naomi Robinson. As the two catch up on old times, Naomi asks whether Lois would agree to do a favor for her and asks to come over to discuss the matter. Peter -- overhearing the conversation -- concludes they will engage in a three-way (and later, a group orgy when he learns that Naomi is married), but soon realizes that the Robinsons are unable to conceive a child ... and that Naomi wants to ask Lois to be a surrogate mother. Lois agrees, and although this upsets Peter, she goes ahead and undergoes in vitro fertilization performed.

Peter tries to attack Lois (so as to cause her to miscarry the baby), and eventually confronts her about the pregnancy. Just as Lois stands her ground, she and Peter learn that the Robinsons were involved in a car accident and that the two were killed at the scene. A devastated Lois suddenly has a change of heart about her pregnancy and, after a visit to a local family-planning center, ultimately decides to terminate the pregnancy. However, as Peter is exiting the clinic, he is immediately bombarded by anti-abortion activists, who cause him to change his mind about aborting the baby. At home, Peter and Lois argue to both wits' end about the merits of their beliefs about abortion -- he, that Lois has a responsibility to carry the baby to full term; she, that she has a right to control her body. Eventually, Lois talks with the family about "the wonderful new member of the Griffin family," although Peter interjects himself at the very last moment of the episode, revealing that Lois went through with the abortion procedure.

Trivia

Allusions and References

• Maude -- The basic plot of "Partial Terms of Endearment" -- a middle-aged woman becoming pregnant and pondering her options -- is similar to a controversial episode ("Maude's Dilemma") from the 1972 CBS situation comedy starring Bea Arthur.

• Sesame Street -- Meg reveals that she once had a short-lived relationship with Count von Count, who broke off the relationship after learning that Meg had three nipples.

• Wile E. Coyote and Road Runner cartoons -- One of Peter's attempts to cause Lois to have a miscarriage involves a rube-device contraption (a boxing glove attached to a crossbow, intended to punch her in the stomach), a la the ACME devices Coyote used to capture the Road Runner. The device ultimately fails its purpose, and Peter eventually falls off the ledge of a narrow cliff, in a similarly exaggerated manner as the Coyote-Road Runner cartoons.