History Recap / FamilyGuyS9E1AndThenThereWereFewer

* TwoDVisualsThreeDEffects: Diane's SlasherSmile and Lois's [[OhCrap reaction]] briefly (and noticeably) swap out the hand-drawn characters for crude CGI puppets to making animating them in slow-mo easier.

* VillainousBreakdown: Diane Simmons reveals to Lois, she was the one behind the five murders and started becoming a terrorist to get revenge on Tom Tucker and James Woods in a furious meltdown shouting "There's no way she could have known that I planned to kill James Woods and frame Tom Tucker. Thereby destroying the two people who cast me aside '''and ruined my life!'''" just moments before almost killing off Lois Griffin.

* SuspiciouslyPrescientPlanning: As the police prepare to arrest Tom Tucker for the previous night's murders, Lois realizes that Diane Simmons is the real killer and had set everything up to frame Tom. Diane is wearing a shirt her mother made for her first solo newscast, something she wouldn't have packed in her luggage unless she knew that Tom would no longer be her coworker by the time they all went home.

Once everyone settles down at the dining room table, Creator/JamesWoods reveals himself as the host. Everyone thinks he has the worst intentions, but Woods claims to have become a born-again Christian thanks to his new girlfriend, Priscilla; as such, he wants to make amends with everyone he hurt. Woods and Priscilla leave the room to check on dinner, after which Quagmire's embarrassing girlfriend Stephanie gets shot in the chest and dies. Everyone tries to escape the mansion by driving over a stone bridge, but a bolt of lightning strikes a tree, which falls over and destroys the bridge. Fears that James Woods might kill one of them next makes the entire group paranoid, so when Woods and Priscilla return to the dining room, everyone accuses him of killing Stephanie, but when they return to the dining room, Stephanie's body has vanished. As Woods proclaims his innocence, the lights go out--and when they come back on, Woods lies dead on the floor, a knife in his back. Priscilla faintss, and everyone realizes that Woods could not have been the killer.

During a search of the dining room, Joe discovers the gun that killed Stephanie -- it was timed to go off when Woods was in his chair, so Stephanie's death was a case of wrong place, wrong time. The group starts searching for Woods's killer, but soon realize that everyone in the group has a motive for killing him. Mort's wife Muriel becomes the prime suspect when the group finds out how Woods blackmailed her into giving him prescription drugs. After Peter puts on a suit of armor and accidentally knocks out Joe, everyone splits into groups.

The next morning, construction crews and police arrive to repair the bridge and arrest Tom. As everyone prepares to head home, Lois tries to comfort Diane and asks what she will do after Tom goes to jail. Diane says she will probably anchor the news solo, then shows off a shirt her mother made in honor of her first solo newscast. Lois wonders why Diane would have a shirt for the occasion before she even knew she'd do the news solo...at which point Lois puts two and two together: ''Diane is the killer''.

** Derek and Jillian's unborn child, only mentioned in the extended version, is never brought again after this episode.

* WhatHappenedToTheMouse: The younger anchor Tom had hired to replace Diane is never seen again after this episode. Instead, we get Joyce Kinney (unless she was the "young" anchor who was given a redesign later).

* CallBack: Of course, considering that a main plot point is that James Woods is trying to atone for what he’s done to much of the main cast in the past. While some of the cast isn’t explicitly shown to have been wronged by him (like Carl, Seamus, Jillian, and others), there are a few examples brought up:

** The incident where Woods ruined Brian’s television show is also discussed.

* TwoDVisualsThreeDEffects: Diane's SlasherSmile and Lois's [[OhCrap reaction]] briefly (and noticeably) swap out the hand-drawn characters for crude CGI puppets to making animating them in slow-mo easier.

* EveryoneIsASuspect: Everyone invited to the manor has been wronged by James Woods in some way. Lois and Mayor West note how ''everyone'' has a motive.

** Diane is the first to make an accusation against someone--specifically Tom--while everyone else ponders who had a big enough motive to want revenge on James Woods. Considering that her goal is to frame Tom for her murder of James Woods, it makes sense for her to immediately cast all suspicion on him at the first possible opportunity. Though she does cover her tracks with the Dan Rather[=/=]Danny Bonaduce story and then immediately accusing Herbert.
*** Plus, Tom and Diane were at each other's throats more than usually. Underlying the fact that Diane hates Tom for replacing her, while Tom simply can't stand Diane and is more than glad she'll be out of his life.

* FrameUp: Diane's plan was to frame Tom Tucker for James' murder, so as to destroy both of the men who ruined her life.

* KarmicDeath: Diane’s karma in this episode comes in the form of being killed by Stewie.

* NothingIsTheSameAnymore: [[DownplayedTrope Well, some things.]] James Woods' death was reversed later on, but [[KilledOffForReal Muriel Goldman, Derek, and Diane Simmons haven't come back.]]

* OutOfCharacterAlert: Lois tries to invoke this to get Peter to realize she's in danger, saying "Don't put a gun in my back" and calling him "Pete". Peter just ends up confused and leaves.

* SkewedPriorities: After Diane explains her plans to Lois, Lois does indeed comprehend what Diane just told her... but it's the fact that [[OlderThanSheLooks Diane is 40]] that Lois gets hung up on first.
* SlashedThroat: When Priscilla comes across Diane pulling the knife out of James Woods' back, Diane kills her this way.

* TrophyViolence: When Derek attempts to call for help, the killer steals James Woods' Golden Globe Award and caves in his head.

* VerbalTic: Consuela calls everyone "Mister" regardless of their gender. Stewie makes an aside to Brian that she does not know the meaning of the word "Mister".

** Diane, a character we've known since the beginning of the series, is revealed to be a deranged murderer. She kills several recurring characters before being killed herself, Tom Tucker is falsely arrested and Stewie reveals that he still has plans to kill Lois.
** ''And Then There Were Fewer'' also acts as a jumping off point for several later episodes that explore the secondary effects of Diane's rampage killing, such as [[Recap/FamilyGuyS9E2ExcellenceInBroadcasting Channel 5 hiring a new anchorwoman]] [[Recap/FamilyGuyS9E9AndImJoyceKinney that has it out for Lois]], [[Recap/FamilyGuyS10E15BurningDownTheBayit Mort's pharmacy going bankrupt because Muriel was no longer around to fleece customers]], [[Recap/FamilyGuyS10E13TomTuckerTheManAndHisDream Tom Tucker's exploration of his Hollywood career and James Woods' resurrection]], and the [[Recap/FamilyGuyS9E14TiegsForTwo newly-widowed Jillian being available for Quagmire to seduce]].

->'''Stewie:''' If anyone's taking that bitch down, it's gonna be me.

Once everyone settles down at the dining room table, Creator/JamesWoods reveals himself as the host. Everyone thinks he has the worst intentions, but Woods claims to have become a born-again Christian thanks to his new girlfriend, Priscilla; as such, he wants to make amends with everyone he hurt. Woods and Priscilla leave the room to check on dinner, after which Quagmire's embarrassing girlfriend Stephanie gets shot in the chest and dies. Everyone tries to escape the mansion by driving over a stone bridge, but a bolt of lightning strikes a tree, which falls over and destroys the bridge. Fears that James Woods might kill one of them next makes the entire group paranoid, so when Woods and Priscilla return to the dining room, everyone accuses him of killing Stephanie. As Woods proclaims his innocence, the lights go out--and when they come back on, Woods lies dead on the floor, a knife in his back. Priscilla faints, Stephanie's body disappears, and everyone realizes that Woods could not have been the killer.

** Tom Tucker's dream of being an actor comes up again. He was apparently up for the role of [[Franchise/NightmareOnElmStreet Freddy Krueger]], which references him having played [[Franchise/{{Halloween}} Michael Meyers.]]

* {{Blackmail}}: Becomes Muriel's motive for killing James Woods. She had been supplying him and his young girlfriend prescription drugs and threatened to expose her when she tried to back out.

* SkewedPriorities: After Diane explains her plans to Lois, Lois does indeed comprehend what Diane just told her... but it's the fact that [[OlderThanSheLooks Diane is 40]] that Lois gets hung up on.

* SkewedPriorities: After Diane explains her plans to Lois, Lois does indeed comprehend what Diane just told her... but her first hang-up on the fact that [[OlderThanSheLooks Diane is 40]].

** Tom Tucker's dream of being an actor comes up again. He was apparently up for the role of [[Film/NightmareOnElmStreet Freddy Krueger]], which references him having played [[Film/{{Halloween}} Michael Meyers.]]

* ArsonMurderAndJaywalking: Joe points out the murderer is someone in the room... ''and'' "someone just ate the last goat cheese tartlet."
-->''(everyone yells angrily)''\\

-->'''Peter:''' Hey, what are you guys doin' here?\\

-->'''Peter:''' All right, let's split up and search the house. I'll go with Lois. Chris, you check the basement with Herbert. Meg, you go with Brian and Stewie.\\

-->'''Diane Simmons:''' You shouldn't have stopped to say hi to me. You would've lived longer.\\

--> '''Stewie:''' If anyone's taking that bitch down, it's gonna be me.

-->''(everyone yells angrily)''
-->'''Peter''': Now I ''hope'' I die next!

--> '''Lois:''' Oh my God, Peter, back it up!\\

** Carl references ''Film/{{Labyrinth}}, Film/NoWayOut'' and ''Film/TheGreatOutdoors''. In the DVD extended edition, he also references ''Film/HardRain'' and ''Film/DaysOfThunder''.

* TakeThat: Diane compares Creator/DannyBonaduce to a midget turning 30. Also, when arresting Tom, Joe punishes him by having Creator/AdrienBrody play him in the movie. Also, in the extended version on the DVD, Stewie goes on a whole diatribe against the Golden Globes.