Airdate: November 13, 2005
The plot consists of Peter, Joe, Cleveland and Quagmire winning a costume contest dressed as characters from The A-Team, and deciding to improve their community by continuing to act like the characters of the show. Brian is hired by The New Yorker, but is later dismissed after he admits that he never actually graduated from college (as The New Yorker requires all employees to be college graduates).
Later on, Brian explains the situation to the rest of the family and admits that when he was in college, he was just class short of graduating but ended up cracking under the pressure. After talking things over with the family, Lois encourages Brian to go back to school in order to complete his education (especially since it was only just the one class). Stewie ends up tagging along with Brian as well, having Gary Coleman serve in his place at home while he's at college with Brian.
This episode contains examples of:
- Cat Up a Tree: As part of them acting like The A Team, Peter and the guys try to rescue one. They fire at the base of the tree with machine guns until it falls over and the cat runs away.
- Cheaters Never Prosper: Subverted—the only way Brian could pass his class was if he cheated, and at the very end of the episode when he comes home to the Griffins, he explains that he failed his test, but he's proud of himself for not cheating. The Griffins, on the other hand, are disappointed in their dog and tell him that he probably should've cheated in order to pass.Chris: "I hate you!"
(Runs off in shame) - Ivy League for Everyone: Most of the people who work at The New Yorker are former students at Ivy League-schools (one of them is a graduate of Harvard University, for example) and Brian reveals that he was a student at Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island. The person interviewing him has no problem with what amounts to an easier/low-tier IL school... until Brian mentions that he dropped out.
- Paper-Thin Disguise: Stewie has Gary Coleman substitute for him while he's at college with Brian, resulting in this trope.
- Shout-Out: Noooooooooo doooooooogs allooooooooooowed...
