Airdate: January 29, 2012
Stewie befriends a boy named Scotty who has a treatable form of cancer, but his parents are standing in the way of his getting well as they're Christian Scientists (not Scientologists, as Peter implies) and don't believe in doctors or medicine. It's up to Lois to get Scotty the treatment he needs.
"Livin' On A Prayer" contains examples of (YMMV goes here):
- Animation Bump: The Little House opening contains fluider animation than the episode itself at first, then returns to the standard animation once Stewie trips over a rock and begins expressing his displeasure about it.
- Attention Whore: Lois, according to Chris and Meg.
- Bowdlerization: Some lines and scenes have been cut between the TV version and the DVD version:
- Peter confusing Christian Science with Scientology: His line on TV is "Is that [Christian Science] that thing all them gaybo Hollywood actors do to keep their stuff away from other guys' butts?" On DVD, it's "Is that [Christian Science] that thing all them homo Hollywood actors do to keep their stuff out of other guys' butts?"
- Peter on Jeopardy: When he loses, he says on the TV version: "Well, (bleep) me in the (bleep) with a big, black (bleep)!" On DVD, the line is completely changed to, "Well, if that doesn't suck a big, black cock."
- Bait-and-Switch: The audience would normally expect this to be another gratuitously anti-religious episode, reflecting Seth MacFarlane’s atheist views. But shockingly, Scotty’s Christian parents are not demonized as pathetic morons for their faith, and Lois ends up making a genuine point that science and religion can (and often do) peacefully co-exist.
- Couch Gag: The typical Family Guy theme song and title sequence are replaced with an almost shot for shot recreation of The Little House On the Prairie title sequence.
- Deconstruction: During the Little House opening spoof, Stewie deconstructs the opening when he trips on a rock covered by grassStewie: There's a rock right there! There's a huge rock right there, and it's covered up by grass and there's no way you can see it. And I got lucky. But someone else could hurt themselves, and, and a small cut is a, is a death sentence in these times, so let's just, you know, let's... let's get these rocks out of here.
- Everyone Has Standards: Lois may be a jerk to her kids and husband in recent episodes, but she shows genuine concern for Scotty's well being.
- The Kindnapper: Peter and Lois kidnap Scotty so he can get treatment for his Hodgkin's lymphoma.
- Out-of-Character Moment: While the family is talking about Christian Scientists, Chris has a sudden outburst, lashing out at Brian and ranting that when he dies, they're going to get a new dog that acts like a normal one and isn't a Soapbox Sadie.Chris: If you die tomorrow, you think we're gonna be devastated, but you know what? We're just gonna go out and buy another dog. And maybe this dog will fetch a stick and bring me my slippers instead of prattling on about the pros and cons of various religions!
Lois: Chris, I think you've had too much sugar cereal.
Chris: I THINK I HAVEN'T HAD ENOUGH! (guzzles the rest of the cereal) - Shout-Out:
- "Hey, everybody! We're all gonna get laid!"
- The opening spoofs the opening to Little House, only the opening sequence goes wrong when Stewie trips over a rock.
