Family Guy Celebrates Milestone with Special Blended-Episode

Family Guy marked its 150th episode with a plot that surprisingly departed from the usual side plots and flash back interruptions, which have made the animated television series so popular.

No longer are we greeted with Peter Griffin’s familiar line “like that one time when,” insert ridiculous cut-away gag, which has absolutely nothing to do with episode–here. This time around, viewers are given a full hour of mostly serious dialogue between Brian, the martini-loving anthropomorphic atheist family dog, voiced by the shows creator, Seth MacFarlane and Stewie, the maniacal matricidal British accented baby of Peter and Lois Griffin, who is also voiced by MacFarlane. The episode, blandly titled, “Brian and Stewie,” focuses on none other than Brian and Stewie, in one room, in a style similar to a one-act play. With this episode, it appears as if MacFarlane was trying to prove to critics that his characters personalities have enough depth and gusto to capture its audience’s attention for a full hour. If this was his plan, it was executed successfully.

In this episode, the pair, for reasons unknown, are accidentally locked in the Quahog Bank vault as Brian makes a deposit in his safety box. In what seems to pan out into one or two days, Brian and Stewie’s friendship is tried as they are forced to deal with each other and hash out some personal differences never once before revealed. For instance, Stewie admits that Brian is the only “person” he likes to spend time with and he loves him, while Brian confesses that he has been keeping a gun in the banks safety deposit box, because he one day believes he will end up committing suicide because he can’t find his purpose in life.

Don’t worry; the whole episode wasn’t that “lifetime-esque.” Viewers are still given traditional “pushing the envelope” Family Guy humor, but this time it doesn’t feel so forced. Be warned though, what happens next in the next scene is not for weak stomachs. For starters, when the vault door mysteriously slammed shut, Stewie became frightened and soiled his diaper. After pointing a gun at Brian, Stewie “convinces” him not only to eat the contents of his diaper but also persuaded him to eat and lick things only meant for baby wipes and Brawny paper towels.

After the fiasco, Brian and Stewie share an eye-opening conversation, work out some personal differences, and learn more about each other. This of course is due partly to a bottle of Scotch Brian kept hidden in his safety deposit box. After having one too many, Stewie ends up getting his ear pierced back alley style and we are given another round of hilarious laughs as the antics of the two make things weirder and funnier.

As time in the vault passes, Stewie reveals that the poop eating was just for his entertainment, which made Brian livid. After an ensuing screaming match and some heart-felt admissions from both sides, the scene closes with Stewie falling asleep at Brian’s lap. The following day, the vault opens as mysteriously as it has once closed and the duo walk away with memories for a life time.

Even though you would expect to see the ending credits at this point, the episode isn’t entirely over as Brian and Stewie state. The pair, now standing on stage explain that the show will now revisit some familiar and never before seen musical stints from episodes past. Wave after wave of comedic nostalgia is revisited as pieces like: Peter doing the Jerry Lewis cigar mime from “The Errand Boy” and the ever popular nonsensical song “Shipoopi,” are presented as commemoration. The musical numbers are a pleasure to watch, but seem like obvious time fillers which neither add nor subtract from the episode.

It’s a possibility that the average Family Guy viewer may or may not enjoy this episode, but number 150 gave Family Guy the opportunity to transcend its usual predictable humor. It actually delivered an interesting and complex glimpse into the relationship between Brian and Stewie, who, through this episode, have proven themselves to be the strongest most three-dimensional characters in Quahog. With this episode MacFarlane proved to critics that he doesn’t need 15 minute long chicken fighting scenes or a constant flow of crass humor to keep Family Guy afloat. A conversation between a dog and a baby will do just fine.