Fox
Once the province of high school boys and 20-somethings who should know better, Seth MacFarlane's sometimes sophomoric and ever-irreverent "Family Guy" has now become an institution of American animation. First introduced in 1999, it was canceled in 2002, but its syndicated reruns and DVD sales were successful enough that Fox resurrected the show in 2004, and it's been on ever since. It's spawned everything from video games to the spin-off series "The Cleveland Show," and — believe it or not — has collected quite a few awards, including Primetime Emmys and Annies (an accolade created by the International Animated Film Association). While it's still the kind of show you either love or hate, you have to admit that they occasionally do things really right.
According to IMDb voters, these are the 30 episodes "Family Guy" did really, really right. There are some prime classics on here, some unlikely suspects, some complete surprises, and a ton of nostalgia. In the unlikely event you don't see your fave on the list, get voting! You just might see it here next time. Until then, enjoy our take on the best "Family Guy" episodes Seth MacFarlane et al have to offer.
40. Petergeist (Season 4, Episode 26)
Fox
In this episode-length parody of the 1982 horror classic "Poltergeist," Peter gets so jealous of buddy Joe's home theater that he tries to one-up him by building a movie theater in his backyard. During construction, he finds the skull of a deceased Native American, which quickly becomes his favorite toy / thing he can desecrate. His disturbance of a burial site angers spirits, who invade the Griffin home — TV static hypnotizes Stewie (who gets sucked into another dimension), and Peter helplessly rips off his own face skin to reveal he's "really" Hank Hill from "King of the Hill." To find and retrieve Stewie, the Griffins bring in soft-spoken Bruce, who apparently works as a medium, and since Stewie won't emerge from the exit (Meg's rear end), Lois gets him herself, only for the spirits to steal the Griffins' house. To get it back, they have to rebury the skull, which Peter threw out, subsequently claimed by prop comedian Carrot Top.
39. Barely Legal (Season 5, Episode 8)
Fox
Meg Griffin is almost always the butt of the joke and the target of seething derision on "Family Guy." In the 2006 episode "Barely Legal," Meg gets to be the star of the episode, and viewers realize the darkly funny depths of just how starved she is for attention and affection. Meg can't get a date for the junior prom, and Brian, in a rare moment of sympathy, offers to take the person who is essentially his sister to the dance. Brian gets extremely drunk at the prom and unleashes a barrage of putdowns so cruel and accurate to Meg's bully that Meg falls in love with Brian. They make out a little and Brian moves on, but Meg grows obsessed, cured of her inappropriate crush only after a surprisingly earnest heart-to-heart with Quagmire. In the episode's other storyline, Joe Swanson becomes Quahog's sole active police officer after unhinged Mayor West sends the rest of the force to Colombia to search for the kidnapped woman from the '80s movie "Romancing the Stone." Peter, Cleveland, and Quagmire thus step in to become temporary (and incompetent) cops.
38. Road to Rupert (Season 5, Episode 9)
Fox
"Road to Rupert" just might be the quintessential "Family Guy" episode because it revolves around two things at which the show excels and is best known for: a Brian and Stewie adventure, and Peter doing something recklessly stupid and immature inspired by popular culture. Brian accidentally gets rid of Rupert, Stewie's beloved teddy bear (and implied partner) at a yard sale, and they go on a wide and wild chase to retrieve him while hitchhiking to Aspen, Colorado, which somehow also involves a helicopter flight and a dance number with archival footage of Gene Kelly. To get Rupert back, Stewie must defeat the owner's son in a ski race, '80s movie style. Back in Quahog, Peter buys a pair of Evel Knievel gloves and engages in a car jump stunt that goes horribly wrong. His driver's license is revoked and a road rage-prone Meg has to drive him around. Father and daughter bond, and Peter admits that he actually likes Meg — but he'll still publicly treat her like garbage.
37. Halloween on Spooner Street (Season 9, Episode 4)
Fox
The average "Family Guy" episode usually involves some kind of barely controlled chaos, much like Halloween can feel like for the rest of the world. In "Halloween on Spooner Street," very little goes right as each Griffin has their own nightmarish experience with the holiday. Chris attempts to hit Quahog dressed as Bill Cosby (complete with blackface makeup), but winds up at a party and makes out with a girl in a dark closet ... who turns out to be his sister Meg. Already apprehensive about costumed people in the night, Stewie gets his candy stolen by some awful teenagers who spray paint Brian and he tries to kill them with a rocket launcher. Lois steps in to get his candy back by going directly to one of the kids' moms, who she extorts cash from, too. Meanwhile, Peter and his friends start out playing pranks on Quagmire, who exacts revenge with a terrifying flight on a stolen Japanese World War II fighter plane.
36. Roads to Vegas (Season 11, Episode 21)
Fox
The "Road" episodes of "Family Guy" are always a treat, both an homage and parody of the old Bing Crosby / Bob Hope "Road" movies, but centered on the Griffin family dog Brian and baby Stewie going on some kind of tumultuous, chaotic journey. "Roads to Vegas" is a mashup of the "Road" format with one of Stewie's gadget-powered sci-fi mishaps. Brian and Stewie win tickets to see Celine Dion in Las Vegas and fly out, while a different Brian and Stewie, sent via the latter's brand-new teleporter, arrive, which leads to some mistaken identity shenanigans in addition to some bad and dangerous gambling mistakes. At least one Brian and at least one Stewie is going to have to die to make things right with the universe again.
35. Death Lives (Season 3, Episode 6)
Fox
What with its fantastical cutaway gags and talking animals, "Family Guy" eschews realism, embodied by the fact that the personification of the concept of Death — as a scythe-wielding Grim Reaper — is a recurring character. He and Peter are pretty good friends, and in the 2001 episode "Death Lives," Death shows up to collect Peter's soul after he's killed by a falling tree during a golf game. In a twisted take on "It's a Wonderful Life," Death takes Peter on a tour of his life to show him where he strayed, but he's too dim to learn any lessons that would merit him returning to life. Instead, Peter brokers a deal: He can go back and live with Lois in exchange for helping the lovelorn, bad-with-women Death land a date with his crush (who turns out to be extremely dull).
34. I Dream of Jesus (Season 7, Episode 2)
Fox
We could talk about the not-so-subtle critique of modern celebrity that runs through this episode, or the dig at the way some people use religion. But, as far as we're concerned, there's only one reason "I Dream of Jesus" appears on this list. No, it's not the spot-on Jay Leno impression. Or the delicious takedown of Dane Cook. (Who? Don't worry about it. Really. Don't even bother to Google him; you'll only depress yourself). It can only be the glorious shot-for-shot recreation of one of the best scenes in "Office Space." For those of us of, ahem, a certain age, that movie was the perfect collision of workplace satire and Stephen Root (If you've never seen it, when you're done with this list, go find it. You can thank us later). Its inclusion guarantees a place on any best episodes list anywhere, period.
33. Stew-Roids (Season 7, Episode 13)
Fox
"Stew-Roids" from 2009 foisted upon the "Family Guy" audience the cursed images of a muscle-bound infant — it's all about baby Stewie Griffin getting super-shredded following his embarrassment over being beaten up by a girl. To advance his progress, Peter lets a shady trainer at the weightlifting gym inject his baby son with steroids, which do make Stewie all strong and ripped but also turn him into a raging narcissist and violent bully who makes life horrible for Brian the dog. The B plot of the episode involves social misfit Chris dating popular mean girl Connie D'Amico, who surprisingly actually likes Chris because of his sweet disposition. A taste of popularity turns him into a jerk, however, and he callously dumps Connie to date other popular classmates.
32. A Lot Going On Upstairs (Season 14, Episode 15)
Fox
"A Lot Going On Upstairs" finds the ordinarily precocious and jaded Stewie Griffin dealing with actual toddler problems, specifically nightmares about monsters and a Glenn Close-hosted dinner party that are so terrifying he forgets the lyrics in the "Family Guy" theme song. With his vow to never sleep again proving futile, Brian helps Stewie address the subconscious, psychological root of his problem — which, after bringing the dog into his dream, turns out to be a fear of disappointing Brian. Because Stewie is sleeping in his parents' bed for comfort and solace, Peter is forced to bunk down elsewhere and turns the attic into a man cave he calls "Pete's Pad," where he and his friends get stuck inside after angering Lois with their dangerous games of lawn darts and insulation fights.
31. Switch the Flip (Season 16, Episode 17)
Fox
In "Switch the Flip," Brian Griffin, ever the desperately lonely and deluded ladies man, falls in love with Brandee, the voice of an Alexa-esque smart speaker. To impress the A.I., Brian buys a ton of expensive stuff, only to have it repossessed, prompting a concerned Stewie to build a body-swapping device — he'll place his personality into Brian's body and get his life under control. While they're switching back, however, Peter and Chris barge in and get in the way, leading to a four-way swap: Stewie and Peter switch, as do Brian and Chris. And there's a ticking clock to get everybody back where they belong, because an extra-randy Lois is about to go away for a romantic weekend with Peter — or whoever happens to be in Peter's body, and nobody wants that to be Stewie. A high-speed car chase ends with the family crashing into a power pole which makes a transformer malfunction and send the body-switching rays out into all of Quahog, requiring Stewie leading Brian (through others' bodies) to fix the machine and return everyone to their biological home. It works, although not before Brian's greatest fantasy comes true — while stuck in Peter's body, he gets to enjoy the sexy weekend with Lois.
30. Fat Guy Strangler (Season 4, Episode 17)
Fox
Kicking off with a classic, "Fat Guy Strangler" sees the show at the first height of its comedic powers. They even managed to entice Robert Downey Jr. to voice the hilarious Patrick Pewterschmidt, secret brother to Lois. A serial killer with an unusual trigger, Peter's brother-in-law manages to hit that murderous Jackie Gleason sweet spot with alarming regularity. Cue tons of reasons to get rid of Peter, a beautiful dig at Billy Joel, and one of many, many hilarious George W. Bush cutaways. The star, though, is Downey Jr., who gives Patrick that innocent but obviously disturbed persona that can only from Carter Pewterschmidt's repressed-rich-guy genes. We always knew that Peter would eventually turn someone into a homicidal maniac; we just thought it would be Meg.
29. Emission Impossible (Season 3, Episode 11)
Fox
In this episode, "Family Guy" does "Inner Space" via the Enterprise's computer. A hopelessly jealous Stewie tries to thwart his parents' attempt to have another baby by shrinking himself and infiltrating Peter's body in a spaceship to destroy his sperm. The only sperm he can't eradicate is the diabolically clever Bertram. Realizing how much he has in common with his potential future sibling, Stewie abandons his sabotage, only for Lois and Peter to change their minds. The episode also features aforementioned national treasure Wallace Shawn's debut. Is there a voice better suited to being more annoyingly shrill and evil than Shawn's? We think not. Who knew it was so hard being the youngest child?
28. I Am Peter, Hear Me Roar (Season 2, Episode 8)
Fox
Consider yourselves warned: This is the episode that features a newly feminized Peter attempting to breastfeed Stewie, a gag that scarred many a viewer. Luckily, the rest of the episode actually features some fantastic comedy comeuppances, the best being Peter's bottom lip getting pulled to the back of his head as punishment for making sexist jokes at a women's retreat. The experience — purportedly about as painful as childbirth — chastens Peter and makes him less hateable. When he inevitably reverts back to toxic masculinity, for a few seconds it actually feels like a genuine loss, akin to that Simpson's episode where Homer, unable to tolerate the misery of intelligence, sticks the crayon that kept him stupid back up his nose. God knows we could all do without the faux breastfeeding, though, so it's probably for the best.
27. The Thin White Line (Season 3, Episode 1)
Fox
One of the underrated aspects of "Family Guy" is that in between all the fart jokes, they occasionally make a serious point. "The Thin White Line" is an episode where they do just that. Yes, it's about substance abuse — Brian's well-intentioned attempt to become a drug-detecting dog for the Quahog police department inadvertently turns him on to cocaine — but it's also about abuse of power and how easily good intentions can be subverted. There's also the stunning revelation that not only is Peter literate, but he even reads Hemingway. As a bonus, the episode also contains our favorite-ever review of cult camcorder extravaganza "The Blair Witch Project." To whit: " ... Nothing's happening, nothing's happening, something about a map, nothing's happening, it's over, a lot of people in the audience look p*ssed."
26. Wasted Talent (Season 2, Episode 20)
Fox
Peter actually does have a talent, but it's not the casual racism, insulting people, ignoring his kids, or drinking you'd expect (although it is alcohol-adjacent, natch). The mostly useless father-of-three can expertly play obscure TV theme tunes on the piano when intoxicated. Or, as Lois puts it, "You're like the idiot from 'Shine'!" But with less class, obviously. For our money though, this episode also features on this list because Brian's drunken ear is hilarious and stays like that for an age. The Willy Wonka-esque Pawtucket Pat helps, too.
25. Road to Germany (Season 7, Episode 3)
Fox
It came as absolutely no surprise to us here at Looper HQ that "Road to Germany" made this list. Despite the slightly risky central theme, it's full of non-stop gags and film references all the way back to World War 2-era Germany. From the superb "Little Shop of Horrors" set up to "The Blues Brothers," "Back to the Future," and "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade," there's an astonishing array of movie jokes on display here. The episode also features one of the show's many and varied takes on idiotic Nazi leadership. All this and they still have time to muse over how weird French cows sound, how gross Quagmire is, and the vagaries of bacon pants.
24. PeTerminator (Season 19, Episode 13)
Fox
This is one of the most recent episodes on the list. Right from the start, you know it means business. How? The title sequence change! The business doesn't end there — the "Rick and Morty" dig is priceless and in no way sour grapes, or, say, hypocrisy. Then there's the fact that Brian causes the whole sorry mess by being his usual douchebag self on Instagram. When will Stewie learn? The chicken fight might not be the first, but for our money it's by far the best of all the poultry-related battles in the show. As if you'd need any more reasons to love this episode, can we just quickly mention the bluesy version of "Surfin' Bird" from "I Dream of Jesus"? As far as callbacks go, they don't get much cooler than that.
23. The Big Bang Theory (Season 9, Episode 16)
Fox
Stewie really is the center of the universe. Yes, according to "Family Guy" lore, without that evil little genius, nothing would exist. Also, he's responsible for some of the world's best art. But we think the real reason this episode made the list isn't just down to the hilarious time-travel gags. It's really about Brian discovering that he's the Art Garfunkel of the universe, which (almost) completely explains all of his character flaws. Also, any time Wallace Shawn (the voice of Stewie's nemesis, Bertram) appears in the show, you know you're in for a good time. It's almost sad when Bertram is finally dispatched — though we're still not quite sure how Stewie managed to invent cryogenesis during the Renaissance.
22. Forget-Me-Not (Season 10, Episode 17)
Fox
One of the weirder, more mysterious episodes of "Family Guy," "Forget-Me-Not" finds Peter, Brian, Joe, and Quagmire getting drunk at the Drunken Clam, and after encountering some eerie lights, blacking out. They awake in a hospital with extreme amnesia, no memory of who they are or what happened, and in a Quahog that is devoid of all human life. A little investigative work leads the guys to the Griffin house, where they further wrongly ascertain that Brian is Quagmire's dog, that Joe is an exotic dancer, and — based on a fake newspaper printed up at a laser tag arena — that Peter is a laser-wielding alien who annihilated Quahog. A straight-up war breaks out ending in Brian's death, but he's fine, because the whole thing was just a simulation cooked up by techno genius Stewie.
21. Da Boom (Season 2, Episode 3)
Fox
In this episode, Y2K was an actual thing, leaving a complete moron in charge of rebuilding America, or, at the very least, Rhode Island. Yes, following the complete destruction of the U.S. thanks to the new millennium, Peter leads the survivors (ie, the Griffins) on a quest to a Twinkie Factory before founding New Quahog and declaring himself Mayor for Life. Thanks to the throwback "Dallas" ending, though, it was all a dream; no one sleep-walked into letting a moron lead the country (leastways not in "Family Guy" — wish we could say the same for reality). Stewie's surprise egg-laying is somehow the most hilariously disturbing turn of events in a world where Joe is fused to his yard and giant rats abound. Also, Brian's post-apocalyptic stubble is both hilarious and completely unnecessary. Is it a nod to the futile attempts to survive in a world without Twinkies, TV, and martinis? Probably.
20. E. Peterbus Unum (Season 2, Episode 18)
Fox
Peter will go to insane lengths to get his own swimming pool. An allegory for the Iraq War (but mostly an excuse to let Peter annex Joe's yard and rub shoulders with fellow dictators), "E. Peterbus Unum" revels in the overzealous U.S. response to the not-very-threatening Petoria. And we're not just talking about the military; even Tom Tucker can't be trusted to report the truth. Who knew? There's one thing that makes this episode really stand out, though: naked Bill Clinton. "Family Guy"'s Clinton has always been the best of many, many caricatures, standing the test of time.
19. To Love and Die in Dixie (Season 3, Episode 12)
Fox
This episode is a fave for more than the "Dukes of Hazzard" references or Stewie's newfound love of banjos and nappies. In an unusual move, this episode strays into "The Simpsons" territory by including a genuinely sweet moment. In "The Simpsons," heartfelt episodes are generally reserved for Lisa; in the "Family Guy"-verse, it's Chris who has the most potential for genuine emotion. "To Love and Die in Dixie" explores that potential with a surprisingly light touch. Clearly feeling a tad sentimental that week, the writers even let habitual loser Meg briefly experience something akin to popularity. There's also the best bike theft joke ever and the fact that even Peter can tell when a civil war reenactment isn't accurate. Genius.
18. Stewie Loves Lois (Season 5, Episode 1)
Fox
This episode most likely made the list because, frankly, who can blame Lois for attempting to ignore the cloying attentions of her weird-looking progeny? She's clearly happier with a little (or a lot) of distance. Of course, it wouldn't be "Family Guy" if Stewie didn't end up hating his mom again, but we totally get it. There's also Peter running home trouserless after a medical encounter with an extended digit. Despite, or perhaps because of, that utterly ridiculous set-up, the little buns-in-the-breeze run cracked us up. We do not, however, condone suing medical staff for carrying out legitimate medical procedures, no matter how much they sound like Dr. Hartman. Get yourself checked, people.
17. Blue Harvest (Season 6, Episode 1)
Fox
"Blue Harvest" is by far the most original and best of the MacFarlane "Star Wars" reimaginings, a witty, hilarious, and heartfelt love letter to the movie that changed a generation. The entire team is clearly having a blast, no pun intended. But even with "A New Hope" at its core, this is still an essential "Family Guy" episode, which means "Blues Brothers" getaways, Leslie Nielson, Darth Vader's actual theme as elevator muzak, and Meg as the garbage monster. It also features an extended couch gag that would make "The Simpsons"... gag. Sorry. All that plus an extended run time and a crawl written by and for Peter himself. Sublime and essential repeated viewing. It's weird that this episode isn't higher in the rankings, but when you see what's coming, you'll know why.
16. Three Kings (Season 7, Episode 15)
Fox
These "Family Guy" anthology-type episodes can sometimes be a bit hit-and-miss. This Stephen King-themed variation, though, contains what may be the best comedy casting known to humanity. You know we're talking about Adam West as the Kiefer Sutherland equivalent in the "Stand By Me" vignette, along with his oddball gang of random TV characters. All together now: Norm! Quagmire is less likable as the River Phoenix facsimile, but that was probably the point. As for "Misery," having Stewie be Annie but as an actual baby, big wheel and all? That's actually kind of inspired. Think about it: In the movie, Annie really is just throwing an enormous tantrum, throwing it directly at the man responsible for it. "Shawshank" was a little more obvious, but the "Friends" claps allowing Peter to escape on taco night is genius. Thanks, Stephen King.
15. Emmy-Winning Episode (Season 16, Episode 1)
Fox
"Family Guy" once got an Emmy nod in the outstanding comedy series category. It has even won a couple of times over the years for outstanding voice acting, music, and sound mixing. Still, relative to how long it's been airing, it seems like the Emmy committee habitually overlooks the show. That might not seem surprising given the show's flippant, juvenile tone, which isn't exactly typical award-garnering fare. Still, snub apparently stings. This episode, which pokes fun at any and all shows with an Emmy to their name, has plenty going for it, but by far the strongest element is its spot-on tribute to Jon Stewart. It's incredible. We miss him. By contrast, the addition of that aging perma-smirk in a cheap suit commonly known as Bill Maher might have been a step too far. But to be fair, Emmys, isn't it about time "Family Guy" won for Oustanding Comedy or Animated Program?
14. The D in Apartment 23 (Season 16, Episode 6)
Fox
The best thing about this episode isn't the incredibly loud critique of the destructive power of social media. No, for us, it's that Brian deserved it. "The D in Apartment 23" confirms what Quagmire has said for years and what we've all been thinking for almost as long: That Brian is not a nice dog-person. Like, at all. He may have started out as a kind of external conscience a la Jiminy Cricket for Quahog's special dad, but by this point, his amorality has been painfully exposed. Don't hate him because he's a douchebag; hate him because he's proud of it, and then hate Stewie for allowing this crap to keep happening.
13. Death is a Bitch (Season 2, Episode 6)
Fox
In this episode, Peter is allowed to self-declare his death to get out of paying a hospital bill — a disastrous decision, since apparently Death himself takes orders from hospital paperwork. We also learned that middle-aged men actually made up the bulk of the "Dawson's Creek" audience, a program aimed squarely at teenage girls. Plus, the premise that death is a self-serving douche is beautifully executed, perfectly utilizing the whiny tone that naturally comes from stand-up comedian Norm Macdonald. But perhaps the real reason this episode made the list has more to do with the giant squid the entire family is ignoring than anything else.
12. Petarded (Season 4, Episode 6)
Fox
There's really only one thing to say about this episode: It contains one of the best lines of dialogue written anywhere, at any time in human history. Fact. Ready? Describing confusion over his special dad status, quoth Peter, "Black is east, up is white." Yes, we're serious. Think about how frickin' smart that is for a second. Or don't and consider instead the fact that this episode also contains the most surreal cutaway of the show's entire run so far. That's right, folks: fire trucks hunting gazelle on the savannah. "Family Guy" gags do not get any weirder or funnier than that. Then there's the Spooner Street callback at the end, MacArthur grants, soup helmets, and Trivial Pursuit questions that separate the men from the boys. An undeniable classic.
11. Road to Rhode Island (Season 2, Episode 13)
Fox
In which Brian's origin story is partly explained by taxidermy. What isn't explained, however, is how he's getting away with drinking a Big Gulp-sized cup of wine for breakfast and then being trusted with an infant's safety. On the way back from Palm Springs via Texas for some reason, Brian finally meets what's left of his mom, and Stewie makes amazing use of the underappreciated word "slattern." Thus a classic "Family Guy" trope is born and Bob Hope's estate warms up its lawyers. Spawning some of the show's most flamboyant musical episodes, this intro is a surprisingly dark affair, to the point that Brian buries his own stuffed mom in a random park. Never let it be said that "Family Guy" lacks range.
10. Road to the North Pole (Season 9, Episode 7)
Fox
Despite looking for all the world like a traditional holiday special fronted by the jolly face of one Mr. MacFarlane Sr., "Road to: Festive Edition" turns out to be anything but trad. After Quagmire gives Brian the gift of searing honesty, he would, of course, rather drag a baby to the North Pole than face the consequences of his canine thoughtlessness. Cue a Tim Burton-esque treatise on the commercialism of the holidays, as well an uncanny prediction about Gary Busey's actual reality long before the rest of us caught on. Although we still haven't worked out exactly what Stewie has against Mrs. Claus. This episode is a darkly festive romp that leaves you wondering what the hell used to happen in the MacFarlane household at Christmas.
9. Meet the Quagmires (Season 5, Episode 18)
Fox
This episode, hands down, contains the most disturbing of all the "Family Guy" alternate realities. And it's not just the creepy hellspawn that Quagmire's genes produce. It's that Lois is happier as Mrs. Quagmire than she ever was as Mrs. Griffin. Throw in the idea that they now inhabit an almost perfect world, Chevy Chase notwithstanding, and you have grounds for someone putting an end to Peter right there and then. We're looking at you, Brian. This episode represents the height of Peter's pathological need to get his own way, and apparently, everyone is just fine with that — even when giving Peter his own way means going back to a world where literally everyone is unhappy. Hence the Griffin pathology. Having said that, the Axel F-inspired theme callback over the closing credits totally rules.
8. Lois Kills Stewie (Season 6, Episode 5)
Fox
Contrary to Brian's prediction that the "Dallas" ending would upset a lot of people, its position on the list proves that actually, we really did enjoy the ride. And the fact that the whole thing is a simulation allows the episode to send Consuela to the Fortress of Solitude, reveal a smoking Willem Dafoe under Stewie's bed, and turn Stewie into the devil's spawn. Just because he's a murderous infant dictator doesn't mean he's not her murderous infant dictator. Peter finally does something useful, though, and that, surely, is the biggest clue that none of it was real, plus the fact that everyone was suddenly able to understand Stewie, including Simon Cowell of all people. To top it all off, naked Bill Clinton's portrait hangs in Stewie's Oval Office. "Dallas" rules!
7. Stewie Kills Lois (Season 6, Episode 4)
Fox
While Stewie almost immediately regrets getting rid of his dear mama, everyone else seems just fine. Peter's dating and even Meg is incredibly comfortable playing mom to her youngest sibling. The Griffins appear to move on very quickly. For our money, though, this episode made the list purely because when Joe dressed up as Lois to get Chris to go shopping, his commitment to the character did not extend to changing his voice, yet Chris somehow fails to notice that "she" sounds exactly like Joe or that she's now in a wheelchair. It's either that or the old-timey "Say Anything" reference. John Cusack, you know?
6. Yug Ylimaf (Season 11, Episode 4)
Fox
Yes, this is basically an excuse to revisit some classic Griffin moments, add some super-gross new ones, and confirm that children definitely don't save marriages. As Stewie is Benjamin Buttoning it all the way back to that dreaded ovarian fortress, Brian quietly steals the episode, from his discomfiting habit of dating at disaster zones and to the way the writers handed him the best lines. While blaming the time machine malfunction on Meg, Brian says he saw her "leaving a minute ago, going, 'Mwah-ha-ha-ha-ha.'" It's so beautifully thrown away you may well have missed it, but it's genius. And no, we are not going to mention the diaper reversal, because it's 100% the nastiest thing they've ever — EVER — done. EVER.
5. The Simpsons Guy (Season 13, Episode 1)
Fox
This episode occupies some rarefied state indeed. Most crossovers are disappointing affairs, but "The Simpsons Guy" is anything but. It succeeds partly because it doesn't exist solely to advertise another MacFarlane product, though it absolutely does that, thanks to the appearance of Stan Smith et al. But it also manages to perfectly blend the two bigger shows, a feat beautifully encapsulated by Homer's post-fight exclamation of "Roadhouse." Genuinely sweet in places, truly gross in others, and even managing a random dig at "Bob's Burgers," "The Simpsons Guy" lands squarely in once-in-a-generation crossover territory, and we are super-grateful for it. If for no other reason than Meg finally finds a temporary friend ... and some equally temporary talent. Bless. A great idea, beautifully and thoughtfully executed. You couldn't possibly ask for more from your friendly Fox-based animators.
4. PTV (Season 4, Episode 14)
Fox
This is a strong showing for one of the best "Family Guy" episodes of all time. The Federal Communications Commission and the strange standards they force TV shows to adhere to may seem like easy targets, and they are, but this episode puts a fresh spin on time-tested critiques by making a jaunty tune that throws so many unbroadcastable gags at the FCC that they simply couldn't catch them all. It's a genius way to prove how unworkable the system really is. Let's not forget, that tune went out live at the actual Emmys. That's why we love this frickin' show. Might help explain that lack of Emmy wins, though. Also, they called "Jackass" absolutely right.
3. And Then There Were Fewer (Season 9, Episode 1)
Fox
"Family Guy" arguably crossed from comedy into art here. "Fewer" is not only a pastiche of "Clue" and other mysteries, but it's also a successful whodunit in its own right, with a plot that would make Agatha Christie herself proud. Beautiful, funny, and full of twists and turns, the episode confirms that no one is better prepared or more psychotic than Stewie Griffin. A lovingly crafted homage to a bygone era, "Fewer" proves that just because they're good at fart gags doesn't mean they can't do sumptuous murder mysteries or gorgeous Art Deco-inspired vistas.
2. Back to the Pilot (Season 10, Episode 5)
Fox
What better way to celebrate making it to season 10 than with a visit to the episode that started it all? Well, the revelation that the entire show may be based on Stewie's early memories, for a start. Or proving that no matter what's going on, Brian can always be relied upon to make it entirely about him, and, in the process, start Civil War 2. Yes, only in the "Family Guy"-verse can looking for a pee-covered ball kick off the apocalypse and reveal that revolving barber shop signs are life. In the end, it's an ode to humble beginnings and a road well travelled. Thank God for DVD sales, right? Because without them, we'd never have got this far.
1. Road to the Multiverse (Season 8, Episode 1)
Fox
This is possibly the finest of the "Road to" series, and, according to IMDb, the finest of all "Family Guy" episodes. It's packed with gags, what-ifs, and a sickening vision of a future that features flying cars, lightspeed rail travel, and a human race 1,000 years more advanced than ours. Remote bathroom breaks, anyone? Never mind a dig at Disney, the genuinely inspired two-headed universe, eating Mayor McCheese's hamburger brains, and the true role-reversal in the canine universe. Also, Peter works way better as a dog. Gross and hilarious, these 20-odd minutes of TV encapsulate the essence of "Family Guy" in every sense.