| "Back to the Pilot" | |
|---|---|
| Family Guy episode | |
 Stewie unintentionally runs into his old self. | |
| Episode no. | Season 10 Episode 5 |
| Directed by | Dominic Bianchi Peter Shin (pilot) |
| Written by | Mark Hentemann Seth MacFarlane (pilot) |
| Production code | 9ACX08 |
| Original air date | November 13, 2011 |
| Guest appearances | |
| |
"Back to the Pilot" is the 5th episode of the 10th season of the animated comedy series Family Guy, and the 170th episode overall. It originally aired on Fox in the United States on November 13, 2011. In "Back to the Pilot", two of the show's main characters, Stewie and Brian, both voiced by series creator Seth MacFarlane, use a time machine to travel back in time to the first episode of the series, "Death Has a Shadow". Trouble ensues, however, when Brian tells his former self about the September 11 attacks, causing the present to be dramatically changed, and ultimately resulting in an apocalyptic second American civil war. The two must then prevent themselves from travelling back in time in the first place, but soon realize that it will be much more difficult than they had originally thought.
The episode was written by Mark Hentemann and directed by Dominic Bianchi. It received high praise from critics for its storyline and many cultural references, in addition to receiving some criticism for its portrayal of the September 11 attacks, an example of 9/11 humor despite being self-aware. According to Nielsen ratings, it was viewed by 6.01 million people in its original airing. The episode featured guest performances by Lacey Chabert, Chris Cox, Ralph Garman, Christine Lakin, Phil LaMarr and Fred Tatasciore, along with several recurring guest voice actors for the series.