Baby, You Knock Me Out
Encyclopedia
"Baby, You Knock Me Out" is the fifth episode of the ninth season
of the animated
comedy series
Family Guy
. It originally aired on Fox
in the United States on November 14, 2010. The episode follows housewife Lois
after she is convinced to become a championship boxer. As she continues fighting, however, she eventually decides to go into retirement, only to be challenged by the top ranked fighter in all of Rhode Island. Deciding to accept the challenge, Lois faces the fight of her life, causing her to unleash pent-up anger.
The episode was written by Alex Carter and directed by Julius Wu
. It received mostly positive reviews from critics for its storyline and many cultural references. According to Nielsen ratings
, it was viewed in 7.00 million homes in its original airing. The episode featured guest performances by Luke Adams
, Carrie Fisher
and Nicole Sullivan
, along with several recurring guest voice actors for the series. It was first announced at the 2009 San Diego Comic-Con International.
eagerly awaits to receive his gifts. After receiving a birthday card from Cleveland
, the group decides to go to the local boxing club, where Peter's wife, Lois
, is volunteered to participate in a fight. Easily beating her competition, the club owner suggests she become a professional boxer. Unable to understand how she won the fight, Lois becomes reluctant to fight anyone else. After Peter takes her blindfolded to the boxing club (even tricking her into wearing a boxing outfit), Lois becomes angered at him for tricking her. By imagining that she is beating up Peter, she is able to win the fight. Returning home, Lois begins taking boxing seriously, and starts working out. Continued to be angered by Peter, Lois aspires to be a championship boxer, and eventually becomes the top-ranked boxer in Quahog. During a fight, however, Lois's nose is broken, and she becomes reluctant to fight any longer. Going on to reveal that the only reason she fought was because of her hatred of her husband's obsession with boxing, and that she imagined she was beating up Peter during her matches because she can't actually beat him up for real, Lois and Peter agree to end her career, and go into retirement.
In a ceremony honoring Lois, held by Mayor Adam West, she is called out by Deirdre Jackson, a championship fighter who was said to have killed three people in the ring, and challenges Lois to a match. After insulting and abusing Peter, Jackson eventually convinces Lois to compete and come out of retirement. In a pre-fight interview, Jackson announces her intention to kill her opponent in Round 6, which only causes Lois to become even more angered. As the match begins, Lois becomes an easy target for Jackson in the first round. Feeling she stands no chance, Lois is convinced to continue fighting, making it to the sixth round. Badly beaten, Lois continues to be beaten by Jackson, who suddenly hits her with a big left hook, causing her to become nearly unconscious. Quickly recovering, Lois then begins unleashing her pent-up wrath, and eventually causes her opponent to become knocked unconscious herself. The next day, Lois begins her recovery as a champion, surrounded by her family, as Peter triumphantly announces he got Dierdre to fill his cereal bowl with her breast milk.
, the episode was written by series regular Alex Carter, and directed by series regular Julius Wu
before the conclusion of the eighth production season
. Series veterans Peter Shin
and James Purdum
, both of whom having previously served as animation directors, served as supervising directors for the episode, with episode writer Alex Carter, along with Andrew Goldberg
, Elaine Ko, Spencer Porter and Aaron Blitzstein
serving as staff writers for the episode. Composer Ron Jones
, who has worked on the series since its inception, returned to compose the music for "Baby, You Knock Me Out".
In addition to the regular cast, actor Luke Adams, actress Carrie Fisher
and actress Nicole Sullivan
guest starred in the episode. Recurring guest voice actors Ralph Garman
, writer Danny Smith
, writer Alec Sulkin
and writer John Viener made minor appearances.
and Rocky III
, with the character of Deirdre Jackson being a female replica of Clubber Lang
from the third film of the series. On his very lengthy audio birthday card, Cleveland can be heard singing Hanson
's "MMMBop
". During Lois' final fight, Peter sings the Survivor
song "Eye of the Tiger
" and is interrupted by Quagmire to focus on the fight.
, and Family Guy creator and executive producer Seth MacFarlane
's spin-off, The Cleveland Show
, and followed by an episode of American Dad!
. It was watched by 7.00 million viewers, according to Nielsen ratings
, despite airing simultaneously with Desperate Housewives
on ABC
, Undercover Boss
on CBS
and Sunday Night Football
on NBC
. The episode also acquired a 3.3 rating in the 18–49 demographic, beating American Dad! and The Cleveland Show in addition to significantly edging out both shows in total viewership. The episode's ratings decreased significantly from the previous week's episode.
Television critics reacted mostly positive toward the episode, calling the storyline "another strong outing, once it got going." In a simultaneous review of the episodes of The Simpsons and The Cleveland Show that preceded the show, and the broadcast of American Dad! that followed it, The A.V. Club
s Todd VanDerWerff wrote, "Family Guy, like The Simpsons last year, is quietly turning out a pretty solid season for what the show has become in its later years." VanDerWerff went on to compliment several elements of the show, including the under reliance on cut-away gags, and its utilization of "such time-honored bits as Brian acting like a dog or Peter acting like a 4-year-old." He ultimately gave the episode a B rating, the second best rating of the night, beating The Cleveland Show episode "Little Man on Campus" and the American Dad! episode "Stan's Food Restaurant
". In a slightly more neutral review of the episode, Jason Hughes of TV Squad praised the episode's "nonsensical humor" and its acknowledgment of Cleveland Brown
and The Cleveland Show. Hughes went on to comment on the episode's ability to focus on the main storyline, writing, "as is becoming more common, were again few and far between as the central plot dominated the episode. In fact, the boxing storyline was the only plot going, which is incredibly rare in any sitcom format."
Family Guy (season 9)
Family Guy ninth season first aired on the Fox network in eighteen episodes from September 26, 2010 to May 22, 2011 before being released as two DVD box sets and in syndication...
of the animated
Animated cartoon
An animated cartoon is a short, hand-drawn film for the cinema, television or computer screen, featuring some kind of story or plot...
comedy series
Television comedy
Television comedy had a presence from the earliest days of broadcasting. Among the earliest BBC television programmes in the 1930s was Starlight, which offered a series of guests from the music hall era — singers and comedians amongst them...
Family Guy
Family Guy
Family Guy is an American animated television series created by Seth MacFarlane for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series centers on the Griffins, a dysfunctional family consisting of parents Peter and Lois; their children Meg, Chris, and Stewie; and their anthropomorphic pet dog Brian...
. It originally aired on Fox
Fox Broadcasting Company
Fox Broadcasting Company, commonly referred to as Fox Network or simply Fox , is an American commercial broadcasting television network owned by Fox Entertainment Group, part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation. Launched on October 9, 1986, Fox was the highest-rated broadcast network in the...
in the United States on November 14, 2010. The episode follows housewife Lois
Lois Griffin
Lois Griffin is a character from the animated television series Family Guy. She is voiced by writer Alex Borstein and first appeared on television, along with the rest of the family in the 15-minute short on December 20, 1998. Lois was created and designed by series creator Seth MacFarlane...
after she is convinced to become a championship boxer. As she continues fighting, however, she eventually decides to go into retirement, only to be challenged by the top ranked fighter in all of Rhode Island. Deciding to accept the challenge, Lois faces the fight of her life, causing her to unleash pent-up anger.
The episode was written by Alex Carter and directed by Julius Wu
Julius Wu
Julius Wu is an American animation director. Wu is most notably known for directing several episodes of the animated series Family Guy.Wu has also served as a director, assistant director and storyboard artist on King of the Hill and The Oblongs, before their cancellation.-Family Guy:Wu joined...
. It received mostly positive reviews from critics for its storyline and many cultural references. According to Nielsen ratings
Nielsen Ratings
Nielsen ratings are the audience measurement systems developed by Nielsen Media Research, in an effort to determine the audience size and composition of television programming in the United States...
, it was viewed in 7.00 million homes in its original airing. The episode featured guest performances by Luke Adams
Luke Adams
Luke Kendall Adams is a male race walker from Australia, who was born in Tanzania. He is a two-time Olympian for Australia. He also guest starred in the Family Guy episode Baby, You Knock Me Out.-Achievements:...
, Carrie Fisher
Carrie Fisher
Carrie Frances Fisher is an American actress, novelist, screenwriter, and lecturer. She is most famous for her portrayal of Princess Leia in the original Star Wars trilogy, her bestselling novel Postcards from the Edge, for which she wrote the screenplay to the film of the same name, and her...
and Nicole Sullivan
Nicole Sullivan
Nicole Julianne Sullivan is an American actress, comedian and voice artist. Sullivan is best known for her six seasons on the sketch comedy series MADtv and five seasons on the CBS sitcom The King of Queens.She has played a recurring character on Scrubs and voices the villainous Shego in...
, along with several recurring guest voice actors for the series. It was first announced at the 2009 San Diego Comic-Con International.
Plot
Announcing his excitement for his upcoming birthday, PeterPeter Griffin
Peter Griffin is a fictional character and the protagonist of the animated comedy series Family Guy and the patriarch of the Griffin family. He is voiced by cartoonist Seth MacFarlane and first appeared on television, along with the rest of the family in the 15-minute short on December 20, 1998....
eagerly awaits to receive his gifts. After receiving a birthday card from Cleveland
Cleveland Brown
Cleveland Orenthal Brown is a character from the animated television series Family Guy, and its spin-off series The Cleveland Show. He is voiced by Mike Henry. In the first seven seasons of Family Guy, Brown is a frequently recurring character. As one of Peter Griffin's neighbors and friends,...
, the group decides to go to the local boxing club, where Peter's wife, Lois
Lois Griffin
Lois Griffin is a character from the animated television series Family Guy. She is voiced by writer Alex Borstein and first appeared on television, along with the rest of the family in the 15-minute short on December 20, 1998. Lois was created and designed by series creator Seth MacFarlane...
, is volunteered to participate in a fight. Easily beating her competition, the club owner suggests she become a professional boxer. Unable to understand how she won the fight, Lois becomes reluctant to fight anyone else. After Peter takes her blindfolded to the boxing club (even tricking her into wearing a boxing outfit), Lois becomes angered at him for tricking her. By imagining that she is beating up Peter, she is able to win the fight. Returning home, Lois begins taking boxing seriously, and starts working out. Continued to be angered by Peter, Lois aspires to be a championship boxer, and eventually becomes the top-ranked boxer in Quahog. During a fight, however, Lois's nose is broken, and she becomes reluctant to fight any longer. Going on to reveal that the only reason she fought was because of her hatred of her husband's obsession with boxing, and that she imagined she was beating up Peter during her matches because she can't actually beat him up for real, Lois and Peter agree to end her career, and go into retirement.
In a ceremony honoring Lois, held by Mayor Adam West, she is called out by Deirdre Jackson, a championship fighter who was said to have killed three people in the ring, and challenges Lois to a match. After insulting and abusing Peter, Jackson eventually convinces Lois to compete and come out of retirement. In a pre-fight interview, Jackson announces her intention to kill her opponent in Round 6, which only causes Lois to become even more angered. As the match begins, Lois becomes an easy target for Jackson in the first round. Feeling she stands no chance, Lois is convinced to continue fighting, making it to the sixth round. Badly beaten, Lois continues to be beaten by Jackson, who suddenly hits her with a big left hook, causing her to become nearly unconscious. Quickly recovering, Lois then begins unleashing her pent-up wrath, and eventually causes her opponent to become knocked unconscious herself. The next day, Lois begins her recovery as a champion, surrounded by her family, as Peter triumphantly announces he got Dierdre to fill his cereal bowl with her breast milk.
Production and development
First announced at the 2009 San Diego Comic-Con International by main cast member Alex BorsteinAlex Borstein
Alexandrea "Alex" Borstein is an American actress, singer, voice actress, writer and comedian. She is best known for her long-running role as Lois Griffin on the animated television series Family Guy, and as a cast member on the sketch comedy series MADtv.A native of Highland Park, Illinois,...
, the episode was written by series regular Alex Carter, and directed by series regular Julius Wu
Julius Wu
Julius Wu is an American animation director. Wu is most notably known for directing several episodes of the animated series Family Guy.Wu has also served as a director, assistant director and storyboard artist on King of the Hill and The Oblongs, before their cancellation.-Family Guy:Wu joined...
before the conclusion of the eighth production season
Family Guy (season 9)
Family Guy ninth season first aired on the Fox network in eighteen episodes from September 26, 2010 to May 22, 2011 before being released as two DVD box sets and in syndication...
. Series veterans Peter Shin
Peter Shin
Peter Shin is the:*supervising director of Stewie Griffin: The Untold Story*director of Big Bug Man.*director of Family Guy episodes:**"Death Has a Shadow"**"Emission Impossible"**"North by North Quahog"**"It's a Trap!"...
and James Purdum
James Purdum
James Purdum is an American animation director. Purdum is most notably known for directing several episodes of the animated series Family Guy....
, both of whom having previously served as animation directors, served as supervising directors for the episode, with episode writer Alex Carter, along with Andrew Goldberg
Andrew Goldberg (TV writer)
Andrew Goldberg is currently a writer for Family Guy, where he has written several episodes. He is also the author of Brian Griffin's Guide to Booze, Broads, and the Lost Art of Being a Man, a book published by HarperCollins focusing on Brian Griffin's beliefs.- Biography :Andrew Goldberg was born...
, Elaine Ko, Spencer Porter and Aaron Blitzstein
Aaron Blitzstein
Aaron Blitzstein is an American television writer. He has written for shows including Family Guy, Mad, The Late Show with David Letterman, the FX series The Riches, The Andy Milonakis Show, Best Week Ever, Crank Yankers, and Ugly Americans. He was also vice-president of World Championship Wrestling...
serving as staff writers for the episode. Composer Ron Jones
Ron Jones (composer)
Ron Jones is an American composer who has written music for TV shows, including Star Trek: The Next Generation, Duck Tales, American Dad!, and Family Guy...
, who has worked on the series since its inception, returned to compose the music for "Baby, You Knock Me Out".
In addition to the regular cast, actor Luke Adams, actress Carrie Fisher
Carrie Fisher
Carrie Frances Fisher is an American actress, novelist, screenwriter, and lecturer. She is most famous for her portrayal of Princess Leia in the original Star Wars trilogy, her bestselling novel Postcards from the Edge, for which she wrote the screenplay to the film of the same name, and her...
and actress Nicole Sullivan
Nicole Sullivan
Nicole Julianne Sullivan is an American actress, comedian and voice artist. Sullivan is best known for her six seasons on the sketch comedy series MADtv and five seasons on the CBS sitcom The King of Queens.She has played a recurring character on Scrubs and voices the villainous Shego in...
guest starred in the episode. Recurring guest voice actors Ralph Garman
Ralph Garman
Ralph Garman is an American actor, comedian, and radio host best known as the host of The Joe Schmo Show, for his voice work in Family Guy, and as the entertainment reporter and impressionist for the Kevin and Bean morning show on Los Angeles radio station, KROQ-FM...
, writer Danny Smith
Danny Smith (writer)
Daniel "Danny" Smith is an executive producer, writer and voice actor on the American animated television series Family Guy. He has been with the show since its inception and throughout the years has contributed many episodes, such as "Holy Crap", "The Father, the Son, and the Holy Fonz", "Chitty...
, writer Alec Sulkin
Alec Sulkin
Alec Sulkin is an American television writer. Most notable for writing and producing several episodes of the animated series Family Guy, he has also contributed to The Cleveland Show, another series by Family Guy creator Seth MacFarlane....
and writer John Viener made minor appearances.
Cultural references
The plot of the episode parodies the films Rocky IIRocky II
Rocky II is a 1979 American film that is the sequel to Rocky, a motion picture in which an unknown boxer had been given a chance to go the distance with the World Heavyweight Champion. Sylvester Stallone, Carl Weathers, Tony Burton, Burgess Meredith, Burt Young and Talia Shire reprised their...
and Rocky III
Rocky III
Rocky III is a 1982 American film that is the third installment in the Rocky film series. It is written and directed by and stars Sylvester Stallone as the title character, with Carl Weathers as former boxing rival Apollo Creed, Burgess Meredith as Rocky's trainer Mickey, and Talia Shire as Rocky's...
, with the character of Deirdre Jackson being a female replica of Clubber Lang
Clubber Lang
James "Clubber" Lang is a fictional character and antagonist that appeared as Rocky Balboa's rival in the 1982 film Rocky III. He was played by the popular "bodyguard to the stars" Mr. T, who was 29 years old when the film was launched...
from the third film of the series. On his very lengthy audio birthday card, Cleveland can be heard singing Hanson
Hanson (band)
Hanson are an American pop rock band formed in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by brothers Isaac , Taylor , and Zac Hanson . They are best known for the 1997 hit song "MMMBop" from their major label debut album Middle of Nowhere, which earned three Grammy nominations...
's "MMMBop
MMMBop
"MMMBop" is a song written and performed by the American pop rock band Hanson from their 1997 album Middle of Nowhere. The song was nominated for two Grammys at the 40th Annual Grammy Awards in February 1998, and is the band's most successful single to date.By any measure, "MMMBop" was phenomenally...
". During Lois' final fight, Peter sings the Survivor
Survivor (band)
Survivor is an American rock band formed in Chicago in 1978. The band achieved its greatest success in the 1980s with its AOR sound, which garnered many charting singles, especially in the United States. The band is best known for its double platinum-certified 1982 hit "Eye of the Tiger", the theme...
song "Eye of the Tiger
Eye of the Tiger
"Eye of the Tiger" is a single by American rock band Survivor, from their third album Eye of the Tiger. It was released as a single on May 29, 1982, the same year as the album. It was written at the request of actor Sylvester Stallone, who was unable to get permission for Queen's "Another One Bites...
" and is interrupted by Quagmire to focus on the fight.
Reception
"Baby, You Knock Me Out" was broadcast on November 14, 2010, as a part of an animated television night on Fox, and was preceded by The SimpsonsThe Simpsons
The Simpsons is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series is a satirical parody of a middle class American lifestyle epitomized by its family of the same name, which consists of Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie...
, and Family Guy creator and executive producer Seth MacFarlane
Seth MacFarlane
Seth Woodbury MacFarlane is an American animator, writer, comedian, producer, actor, singer, voice actor, and director best known for creating the animated sitcoms Family Guy, American Dad! and The Cleveland Show, for which he also voices many of the shows' various characters.A native of Kent,...
's spin-off, The Cleveland Show
The Cleveland Show
The Cleveland Show is an American animated television series that premiered on September 27, 2009, as a part of the "Animation Domination" lineup on Fox in the United States...
, and followed by an episode of American Dad!
American Dad!
American Dad! is an American animated television series created by Seth MacFarlane and owned by Underdog Productions and Fuzzy Door Productions. It is produced in association with 20th Century Fox Television...
. It was watched by 7.00 million viewers, according to Nielsen ratings
Nielsen Ratings
Nielsen ratings are the audience measurement systems developed by Nielsen Media Research, in an effort to determine the audience size and composition of television programming in the United States...
, despite airing simultaneously with Desperate Housewives
Desperate Housewives
Desperate Housewives is an American television comedy-drama series created by Marc Cherry and produced by ABC Studios and Cherry Productions. Executive producer Cherry serves as Showrunner. Other executive producers since the fourth season include Marc Cherry, Bob Daily, George W...
on ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
, Undercover Boss
Undercover Boss
Undercover Boss is a television franchise series that has been released in multiple countries, originating in 2009 on the British Channel 4...
on CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
and Sunday Night Football
Sunday Night Football
Sunday Night Football is a weekly American football game held throughout most of the season by the National Football League. Sunday night games have been played regularly since 1987 and have thus far aired on three different television outlets:...
on NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
. The episode also acquired a 3.3 rating in the 18–49 demographic, beating American Dad! and The Cleveland Show in addition to significantly edging out both shows in total viewership. The episode's ratings decreased significantly from the previous week's episode.
Television critics reacted mostly positive toward the episode, calling the storyline "another strong outing, once it got going." In a simultaneous review of the episodes of The Simpsons and The Cleveland Show that preceded the show, and the broadcast of American Dad! that followed it, The A.V. Club
The A.V. Club
The A.V. Club is an entertainment newspaper and website published by The Onion. Its features include reviews of new films, music, television, books, games and DVDs, as well as interviews and other regular offerings examining both new and classic media and other elements of pop culture. Unlike its...
s Todd VanDerWerff wrote, "Family Guy, like The Simpsons last year, is quietly turning out a pretty solid season for what the show has become in its later years." VanDerWerff went on to compliment several elements of the show, including the under reliance on cut-away gags, and its utilization of "such time-honored bits as Brian acting like a dog or Peter acting like a 4-year-old." He ultimately gave the episode a B rating, the second best rating of the night, beating The Cleveland Show episode "Little Man on Campus" and the American Dad! episode "Stan's Food Restaurant
Stan's Food Restaurant
"Stan's Food Restaurant" is the fourth episode of the sixth season of American Dad!. It aired on Fox on November 14, 2010. This episode — which focused on Stan's dream of opening his own restaurant — is the 100th broadcast episode of American Dad!, an accolade currently bestowed on 100 A.D. for...
". In a slightly more neutral review of the episode, Jason Hughes of TV Squad praised the episode's "nonsensical humor" and its acknowledgment of Cleveland Brown
Cleveland Brown
Cleveland Orenthal Brown is a character from the animated television series Family Guy, and its spin-off series The Cleveland Show. He is voiced by Mike Henry. In the first seven seasons of Family Guy, Brown is a frequently recurring character. As one of Peter Griffin's neighbors and friends,...
and The Cleveland Show. Hughes went on to comment on the episode's ability to focus on the main storyline, writing, "as is becoming more common, were again few and far between as the central plot dominated the episode. In fact, the boxing storyline was the only plot going, which is incredibly rare in any sitcom format."