--- title: "A Hero Sits Next Door (S01E05) | familyguy.co.uk" canonical: "https://familyguy.co.uk/episodes/s01e05-a-hero-sits-next-door/" updatedDate: 2026-09-06 author: Alex Moss description: "A Hero Sits Next Door: Family Guy season 1 episode 5 (S01E05), first aired 2 May 1999. Writer and director credits." --- # A Hero Sits Next Door Episode 5 of Family Guy season 1 (S01E05), the 5th Family Guy episode overall. Written by Mike Barker and Matt Weitzman and directed by Monte Young. First broadcast on 2 May 1999. ## Story Mr Weed brings in Guillermo, a ringer, for the toy factory's annual softball game. Peter, filling in as pitcher, injures him with a wild throw and must find a replacement or be sacked. Lois wants Peter to befriend the new neighbours, the Swansons, but he is rude to them. Meg develops a crush on their son Kevin. When Lois mentions that Joe Swanson played baseball at college, Peter apologises and recruits him. Peter learns at the ballpark that Joe uses a wheelchair. Joe plays well and the team wins. At his party Joe reveals he is a police officer, paralysed fighting the Grinch on an orphanage roof. Jealous, Peter tries to stop a bank robbery; he and Brian end up as hostages, and Joe talks the robbers down. Peter is deflated until his family tells him he is their hero. ## Production and reception - The episode introduces Joe Swanson, voiced by Patrick Warburton, his wife Bonnie, voiced by Jennifer Tilly, and their son Kevin. ([Wikipedia: A Hero Sits Next Door](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Hero_Sits_Next_Door)) - Mike Barker and Matt Weitzman wrote the episode, their first for the series, and Monte Young directed for the first time. ([Wikipedia: A Hero Sits Next Door](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Hero_Sits_Next_Door)) - It was the first episode without death or murder in its title, ending a convention Seth MacFarlane had started as a fan of the radio thriller Suspense. ([Wikipedia: A Hero Sits Next Door](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Hero_Sits_Next_Door)) - A gag involving a John F. Kennedy Pez dispenser was removed from later reruns, and in 2012 Seth MacFarlane told Entertainment Weekly he would not do that joke now. ([Wikipedia: A Hero Sits Next Door](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Hero_Sits_Next_Door)) - Ahsan Haque of IGN rated it 7.9 out of 10 in 2008, while Robin Pierson of The TV Critic gave it 55 out of 100. ([Wikipedia: A Hero Sits Next Door](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Hero_Sits_Next_Door)) ## Facts | Fact | Detail | | --- | --- | | Season | 1 | | Episode | 5 of 7 | | Overall | No. 5 | | Code | S01E05 | | First aired | 2 May 1999 | | Directed by | Monte Young | | Written by | Mike Barker and Matt Weitzman | | Production code | 1ACX05 | | Source | Wikipedia: Family Guy season 1 | | Wikidata | Q279836 | | IMDb | tt0576911 | | Verification | Checked against Wikidata and IMDb: title, date, numbering and credits agree | | US viewers | 12.61 million | ## Voices | Voice | Characters | | --- | --- | | Seth MacFarlane | Peter Griffin, Brian Griffin, Stewie Griffin | | Alex Borstein | Lois Griffin, Woman on Game Show, Woman | | Seth Green | Chris Griffin, Calvin Klein Model #2 | | Carlos Alazraqui | Mr. Weed | | Butch Hartman | Baseball Player, Robber #2 | | Michelle Kwan | Michelle Kwan | | Suzie Plakson | Tammy, Little Girl, Teletubbies | | Jennifer Tilly | Bonnie Swanson | | Patrick Warburton | Joe Swanson | | Wally Wingert | The Grinch | Principal voice credits as recorded by IMDb, which lists up to ten credits per episode, so recurring characters can be missing here. Guest voices below come from Wikipedia and TVmaze. ### Guest voices - Michelle Kwan as herself - Suzie Plakson as various characters - Wally Wingert as The Grinch/various characters - Carlos Alazraqui as Mr. Weed, Mr. Jonathan Weed - Butch Hartman as various characters - Patrick Warburton as Joe Swanson - Jennifer Tilly as Bonnie Swanson - Seth MacFarlane as Kevin Swanson ## Links - Season: [1](https://familyguy.co.uk/episodes/season-1/) - Source: [Wikipedia: Family Guy season 1](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Family_Guy_season_1) - Wikidata: [Q279836](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q279836) - IMDb: [tt0576911](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0576911/) - US viewers: [12.61 million](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Family_Guy_season_1) ## Navigation - Previous: [S01E04 Mind Over Murder](https://familyguy.co.uk/episodes/s01e04-mind-over-murder/) - Next: [S01E06 The Son Also Draws](https://familyguy.co.uk/episodes/s01e06-the-son-also-draws/) - Season hub: [Season 1](https://familyguy.co.uk/episodes/season-1/) - All episodes: [Family Guy episode guide](https://familyguy.co.uk/episodes/) ## Season 1: episode 5 of 7 - S01E01 [Death Has a Shadow](https://familyguy.co.uk/episodes/s01e01-death-has-a-shadow/) - S01E02 [I Never Met the Dead Man](https://familyguy.co.uk/episodes/s01e02-i-never-met-the-dead-man/) - S01E03 [Chitty Chitty Death Bang](https://familyguy.co.uk/episodes/s01e03-chitty-chitty-death-bang/) - S01E04 [Mind Over Murder](https://familyguy.co.uk/episodes/s01e04-mind-over-murder/) - S01E05 A Hero Sits Next Door (this entry) - S01E06 [The Son Also Draws](https://familyguy.co.uk/episodes/s01e06-the-son-also-draws/) - S01E07 [Brian: Portrait of a Dog](https://familyguy.co.uk/episodes/s01e07-brian-portrait-of-a-dog/) --- Unofficial fan resource. 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