Continuity mistake: In the flashback when Peter fights Ernie the Giant Chicken, Peter gets knocked off the top of an eighteen wheeler and grabs the second rung at the bottom of the truck's ladder. But when the truck driver sees the pair in his side view mirror, Peter is hanging off the top of the ladder. (00:02:00)
Continuity mistake: When the government people are looking at the missiles spelling 'Happy New Year', the 'Y' in 'Year' changes distinctly between shots. (00:06:50)
Continuity mistake: When Peter drinks the water after having all the dehydrated meals, he expands. Then in the next 'shot' he is much bigger, even though there is no time for him to have expanded further. (00:09:05)
Continuity mistake: When Peter and Brian are entering the Channel 5 Studio, we see a far view of Tom and Diane eating. The torn right sleeve (close to her hand) from the far shot shows that it reaches her elbow. In the close up shot, the sleeve doesn't go to her elbow. (00:09:20)
Continuity mistake: The position of the hole on the leg of Meg's pants changes. In the scene where Meg is putting the mouse traps around Joe, the hole is on the right side. When they arrive at the house with Randy Newman and Meg is telling Peter that the Twinkee factory in Natick may not even exist, the hole is on the left side. This happens again throughout the episode. (00:10:55 - 00:12:30)
Continuity mistake: When Meg is putting down traps for Joe, she puts down a lot. Then when the Griffens leave and the giant rat comes, there are only a few. Then when Joe says "bring it on," there are a lot again. (00:11:00)
Continuity mistake: When Lois asks Chris who he's talking to on the phone, she get considerably closer to him between shots. (00:02:25)
Continuity mistake: After Lois accuses Stewie of peeing on the carpet, he asks her to bend down and slaps her with a glove. The glove remains in his hand in that cut, is still there when there is a wide shot of Peter, Stewie, Lois and Brian (you can just see it next to his trousers in his hand), but when it cuts back to Stewie and he starts on about "the outrages" etc, it is gone (the cut is instant, no time for him to put it back in his pocket). A common error, this one just struck me as strange, because the sandwich Stewie threw at Lois is there the entire scene. (00:03:35)
Continuity mistake: Just before Lois suggests they toilet train Stewie, she and Peter move considerably between shots. (00:03:55)
Continuity mistake: When Brian is at the psychiatrist's for the first time, the psychiatrist's chair changes position between shots. (00:08:20)
Continuity mistake: As Lois pats Brian, her elbow changes position. (00:16:45)
Continuity mistake: When Stewie has been picked up by Lois and is being kissed by her, Brian freaks out. When you first see Stewie and Lois, Stewie's hands are on her shirt, next shot, they're on her arms. (00:19:40)
Continuity mistake: In the end of the episode whilst the families are eating lunch at the picnic table there is a lot of plates of food and glasses on the table. Towards the end of the scene Brian says "I guess some mysteries are better left unsolved", there is a wide shot after he says this and every plate and glass from the table has disappeared. (00:21:25)
Continuity mistake: When Spooner St. is announced as the parade's winner, Lois and Loretta hug. In the next shot, they are both waving their hands in the air.
Continuity mistake: At the end of the episode everyone is having a picnic. Joe says what the heck happened to that trophy and everyone's plates disappear. The table is completely empty.
Continuity mistake: When the guys are arguing over the trophy Quagmires teeth disappear for 10 seconds. His mouth is all black then they reappear.
Continuity mistake: In the 'Titanic' spoof, just as Jack says "Yeah, about that, I was pretty sure I was gonna die", his head and body change distinctly between shots. (00:16:25)
Answer: Lacey Chabert was the actress who originally voiced Meg in early episodes. She left of her own accord due to being in school and other acting work; Seth MacFarlane has stated there was no tension with her leaving, but it makes for a handy joke for the show.
Jon Sandys ★