A Hero Sits Next Door

"A Hero Sits Next Door" was directed by Monte Young[3][1] and written by the writing team of Mike Barker and Matt Weitzman.

[3][1] It featured guest performances by actress Suzie Plakson, figure skater Michelle Kwan, as well as actors Wally Wingert and Carlos Alazraqui.

At the Happy-Go-Lucky Toy Factory, safety inspector Peter Griffin is working when his boss Mr. Weed introduces Guillermo, a ringer who will attempt to assist the company in winning the annual softball game.

Later that night, Peter thinks about who can replace Guillermo, and Lois, hearing her husband's dilemma, reveals that Bonnie told her that Joe played baseball in college.

That night, Joe has a celebratory party in his house, where he reveals that he is a police officer who was crippled after fighting the Grinch on the roof of an orphanage[a] and soon becomes very popular with the neighbors, including Peter's family.

Stewie tries to unlock the "power of the wheelchair," but Lois manages to remove him and puts a pacifier in his mouth, so he quickly falls asleep.

After the hostage situation, Peter is disappointed, but his family consoles him by telling him that, even though he can't compare to Joe's regular heroics, he is their hero.

[1][4] "A Hero Sits Next Door" was written by Mike Barker and Matt Weitzman, the first time writing for the series for both, and directed by Monte Young, also his first Family Guy episode.

[6] The guest cast for the episode featured actress Suzie Plakson, figure skater Michelle Kwan, as well as actors Wally Wingert and Carlos Alazraqui.

[10] "A Hero Sits Next Door" is notable as it is the first episode of Family Guy not to feature words in its title pertaining to "Death" or "Murder".

The Super Friends make an appearance in the episode when Peter references a time when he played strip poker in the Hall of Justice.

[8] The episode also makes a historical reference when a boy is showing his friend a Pez dispenser that looks like John F. Kennedy's head.