Top 10 Times Family Guy Said What We Were All Thinking
#10: Pizza Salad
“Grumpy Old Man” At some point or another, we’ve all ordered a takeout that comes with a salad. Sometimes it’s good, sometimes it’s bad, and others it’s just… fine. But whenever you order one from a pizza place, you’re probably in for a dreadful time. In this episode, “Family Guy” captures the regular misery of the situation. In a cutaway, the show parodies a pizza place making the horrific salad. A whole head of lettuce, a carrot cut lengthways, whole black olives, tomatoes cut into thirds, and hot peppers are lobbed on to make up the smorgasbord of vegetable badness. Finally, it's completed by being placed under hot items to give the people what they need: warm, moist salad. Yum?
#9: A Kid & a Dog
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“Brian & Stewie” Brian and Stewie are one of the greatest double acts in animated TV history. The two bounce off each other really well. And in this episode, it was really highlighted as the two speak about life, their friendship, and loss. Stewie and Brian are locked in a bank vault and attempt to survive the experience. After jokes such as Stewie needing changing in the grossest way possible, things became more poignant. Stewie asks Brian about the firearm he keeps in his security box. And the dog tells him the reason that gets incredibly real. The episode does a great job of showcasing the relationship between a child and his dog. But it also tackles difficult subjects that sometimes need to be discussed.
#8: Hotel Buffets
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“The Marrying Kind” If you’ve ever had the experience of a hotel breakfast buffet, you know it’s often pretty, pretty… underwhelming. Well, “Family Guy” spent a whole episode mocking the practice when Peter and Chris become obsessed with the buffets and heist themselves into them. As the father and son travel to various hotels, the episode mocks the complimentary offerings for their guests that many of us have experienced, such as yogurt you didn’t know came in such a small size and orange juice that doesn’t taste like good ol’ OJ. Speaking of food, in the episode “Hot Pocket-Dial,” the show targets the bread and butter offered by many restaurants. The decorative butter is often way too cold and does nothing but ruin the spreading.
#7: Pet Problems
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“Fecal Matters” If you’ve ever had a pet, sometimes it can be tricky to love them. You try your best to get the animal to hang out with you, but since they’re their own being, they might not want that. And even if you get a slight chance to bond with the critter, they can strike at any time. In this episode, Lois does her best to get Brian to join her on the couch. When he’s eventually dragged up, she pets him, only for the dog to bite her. Lois, now annoyed, states she’ll buy him a $70 toy she knows Brian will hate. Ah, we’ve all been there - attempting to bribe love from your pet to only be met with indifference.
#6: Numbers, Numbers, Numbers
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“And I’m Joyce Kinney” Giving someone a phone number or spelling a name on the phone is clearly one of the nine circles of torment in a modern retelling of Dante’s “Inferno.” It feels like a never-ending nightmare that does nothing but make everyone involved feel really annoyed. In this episode, Peter has a cutaway with everyone’s favorite housekeeper, Consuela. He tries to give her his cell phone number, only for it to be an incredibly confusing affair. Consuela struggles with the numbers, while Peter is frustrated it’s taking so long. Obviously, there’s an added language barrier there, but the conversation is filled with universal misunderstandings that really resonate.
#5: Pet Grief
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“Boys & Squirrels” Kids looking after animals is one of the most adorable things in life. It’s also a bit of a rite of passage for the young’uns as they show they’re grown up and responsible. In this episode, Chris and Stewie find an injured, orphaned baby squirrel from a fallen tree and go on a quest to rehabilitate it. Besides the jokes comparing them to new parents, it also shows the bond between the brothers in caring for the nut-loving creature. But eventually, after helping the squirrel recover, it all goes horribly wrong. The two watch on as Brian savagely attacks the squirrel. Now, the brothers get another, a more unfortunate rite of passage: the grief of losing a pet.
#4: Uber Issues
“Chris Has Got a Date, Date, Date, Date, Date” Uber is a bit of a controversial company. While it’s convenient and easy to use with a simple phone app, the firm has been known to be a bit dodgy when it comes to its hiring practices and the allegations of some of its staff. Well, in this episode, Peter decides to sign up to be an Uber driver, and the process is incredibly satirical but also makes you wonder, “…is that what it’s really like?” Straightaway, he’s given the job after walking into the room. After some more tongue-in-cheek jokes at the company’s hiring policy, Peter is officially signed on as he meets the basic criteria of having a car, a phone, and a face.
#3: Needing Meaning
“Not All Dogs Go to Heaven” Ready to get philosophical? Well, in this episode, “Family Guy” perfectly captures an existential problem. After being stuck in bed by her family not bothering to get her a mumps shot, Meg watches Christian TV and becomes a devout evangelical. At one point, she takes an unsuspecting Brian to a book-burning event. Considering he thinks of himself as a literature lover, Brian can’t let Meg continue down this path. He uses her dreadful life situation to reason with her. And it works as Meg stops her book-destroying ways. However, the loss of community also leaves Meg feeling lost about the meaning of life. A rut many of us have also experienced at some point.
#2: Streaming Sadness
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“Saturated Fat Guy” Netflix is an easy comedy target. After all, they regularly cancel shows after barely one season. As such, it became a victim of “Family Guy.” In the opening of this episode, we see the Griffins watching an advertisement for the streaming service. It begins by mocking the quality issues with HD streaming. It continues by saying if you enjoyed the “golden year of movies, 2003,” then Netflix is the service for you! Which is quite rude to classic cinema like “Holes” and “Agent Cody Banks.” The joke advert finishes by claiming the audience will wait for a film to buffer for twenty minutes before switching to one starring Jason Statham for thirty-five. We feel very seen.
#1: Meg’s Explosion
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“Seahorse Seashell Party” For years, we’ve watched Meg be mistreated, humiliated, and made the butt of many jokes from her family. Granted, sometimes it’s been hilarious. Other times, it’s uncomfortable and only produces nervous laughter from us. In this iconic episode, Meg verbally lays waste to the Griffins by taking them apart one-by-one by showcasing their flaws. While we cheer at the acknowledgement, it doesn't last. The family soon descends into chaos as they attack each other. Brian listens as Meg decides to take one for the team. She goes back to being the punching bag to keep everyone happy, like a kind of punchline lightning rod. If only Meg had rested on her laurels.
