A Hero Sits Next Door

"A Hero Sits Next Door" is the fifth episode in the first season of the American animated television series Family Guy.^[3] It originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on May 2, 1999.^[3][1] The episode features the introduction of Joe Swanson, who would become a main character in the series. Peter Griffin must find a replacement player for an upcoming softball game. Peter eventually convinces Joe to play for the team after learning that he played baseball in college. When Joe shows up the following morning, Peter realizes that Joe is in a wheelchair. Joe turns out to be a great player, and the team wins the game. Peter becomes jealous of Joe and tries to become a hero. In a subplot, Meg Griffin tries to get Joe's son Kevin to notice her.

"A Hero Sits Next Door" was directed by Monte Young^[3][1] and written by the writing team of Mike Barker and Matt Weitzman.^[3][1] It featured guest performances by actress Suzie Plakson, figure skater Michelle Kwan, as well as actors Wally Wingert and Carlos Alazraqui. Much of the episode features a cutaway style of humor that is typically used in Family Guy, many of which feature cultural references and include Super Friends, Pez, Teletubbies, and the assassinations of John F. Kennedy and Robert F. Kennedy.

The episode received praise from television critics, who considered it to be a memorable introduction for the character of Joe Swanson; certain critics praised the fight sequence between Joe and the Grinch, while others criticized the episode's cutaway gags as well as its plot twists, which they regarded as "odd" and "counter-intuitive".