Family Guy

Family Guy is an American animated sitcom created Seth MacFarlane (also creator of American Dad!). It takes place in the fictional city of Quahog, Rhode Island and centers around the Griffin Family including Peter, Lois, Meg, Chris, Stewie and their talking dog Brian.

A source of the show's humor comes from cutaway scenes and cultural references.

Meet the Quagmires

This looks familiar.

• Brian draws a sketch on a blackboard that parallel's Doc drawing the timeline with 1985A skewing downward.
• Later on in the above mentioned episode, Brian sings "Never Gonna Give You Up" (by Rick Astley) at the country club dance (just after Earth Angel was performed), just like Marty did with "Johnny B. Goode" at the prom in BTTF1.   While he is singing, a boy picks up the phone to let his cousin hear, just like the injured band member did, also in BTTF1.

Something, Something, Something Dark Side

• In the parody for The Empire Strikes Back, Leia says to Luke, "I don't know what it is, but when I kiss you it's like kissing my brother", a line from Back to the Future when Lorraine kisses Marty. Leia and Luke are in fact brother and sister. This line was read as part of an Easter Egg preview of "SSSDS" in the DVD Commentary for "Blue Harvest".
• Also, the ending is a spinoff of the ending to Back to the Future Part II, when Marty receives the letter from Doc, who was in 1885. The voice of the man who delivers the message was performed by Joe Flaherty, the same actor who played the part of the Western Union man in the movie.

Other references to Back to the Future

Mind Over Murder

• Stewie builds a time machine. When someone finds his drawings, they recognize it by noting "A time machine. Sure. Here's where the flux capacitor goes".

If I'm Dyin', I'm Lyin'

• Peter Griffin remembers his cousin Rufus, who starred in a series of blaxploitation films including "Black to the Future" (said to be "from the people who brought you Caddyblack, Blackdraft, and Black Kramer vs. Kramer").

Perfect Castaway

Peter Griffin in a DeLorean time machine.

• Peter Griffin builds a time machine out of a DeLorean and intends to travel to the past. He crashes into a wall right after starting the car and gets out. When people run out of the building in flames, Peter says, "Everyone in 1955 was on fire! I never knew that."

The Courtship of Stewie's Father

Doc, Marty, and Jennifer cameo.

• Stewie imagines Doc Brown at the end of the first film telling Marty and Jennifer "something's gotta be done about your kids." However, Doc goes further, telling them that their daughter marries a black man. This news does little to offend Marty, although Doc's racist attitude alienates Marty and Jennifer.

Road to Germany

• When Brian and Stewie travel back in time to the start of World War II, the familiar light pulse and fire trails are seen, although they have no car. Later, there is a parody of the skateboard chase from the first movie, including use of Alan Silvestri's score, but with Nazis instead of Biff and his gang. The Nazis also crash into manure.

Baby Not on Board

• Peter rides to school on his skateboard. This is basically a shot-by-shot remake of the scene from BTTF1, including the soundtrack The Power of Love.

The Man with Two Brians

• Peter wearing the brain-wave analyzer: "It means that this damn thing doesn't work at all!"

The Juice is Loose

• While Stewie is stuck on the roof, Marty McFly appears, shouting "I have to tell you about the future. On the night I go back-". Stewie interrupts him: "Wait wait wait, no no no, hang on Michael. I have to tell you about your future."

Three Kings (uncut DVD version only)

• During the re-enactment of Stand by Me (which is also set in the 1950s), Cleve Brown (Cleveland) says: "Whaddaya think about the new kid at school, Marty McFly? Seems like he just showed up out of nowhere."

Business Guy

• While Peter and Lois watch the video wills of Lois's Dad, Mr. Pewterschmidt, he says "If you're watching this one, it means the train wasn't able to push the DeLorean up to 88 miles per hour and I am still stuck in 1885." (BTTF part 3)

The Big Bang Theory

• The Western Union letter was parodied again in this episode when Stewie froze himself to the present after becoming trapped in the Renaissance. Stewie sent Brian a letter to tell him where to dig. Flaherty reprised his role once again as the letter's deliverer.

Internal Affairs

• Peter has another fight with the giant chicken. At one point during their fight, they go back in time via Stewie's time machine to 1885 where they ultimately end up on the DeLorean which is currently driven by Marty and being pushed to time travel velocity by the steam train (identical to the climax of the third movie) and en route back to the present.

Finders Keepers

• George McFly notices the coincidence between the Marty he met in 1955 and his son, such as how they both look the same and whom Lorraine insisted on naming him after. He suspects adultery and goes after Marty with a belt after he sets fire to the living room rug, stating that he won't go easy on him.

BTTF actors in Family Guy

• Joe Flaherty - Western Union man in "Something, Something, Something Dark Side" (2010) and "The Big Bang Theory" (2011)
• Elijah Wood - Himself in "Brian Griffin's House of Payne" (2010)
• Dan Castellaneta - Homer Simpson in "Ratings Guy" (2012)
• Lea Thompson - Lorraine Baines McFly in "Finders Keepers" (2013)

Note

• The episode "Stewie B. Goode" is a reference to Johnny B. Goode.

See also

• Family Guy on Wikipedia