Outside of The Simpsons or South Park, it can be argued that Family Guy — yes, f*cking Family Guy — is the greatest cartoon, adult-oriented or otherwise — in this history of television.
While one may shudder at the idea of Family Guy making any sort of Mount Rushmore when it comes to comedy, the fact remains that their longevity, quotability, and memorability (yes — Family Guy does wield some serious classics in their archive) makes Seth MacFarlane’s pride and joy one of the most successful cartoons, and comedies, in the history of the medium.
However, having first aired in 1999, it can be difficult for both old fans and new to sift through all of those episodes, so we did you the favor of naming the Top 5 Family Guy episodes of all-time.
5. “Da Boom” – Season 2, Episode 3
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The earliest entry on this list, season 2 episode “Da Boom” showed the initial promise of what Family Guy could — and one day would — be. It also launched what would be Peter’s iconic bouts with various characters, particularly the life-sized chicken.
4. “Blue Harvest” (Season 6, Episode 1) / “Something, Something, Something, Dark Side” (Season 8, Episode 20) / “It’s a Trap!” (Season 9, Episode 18)
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The Family Guy version of the original Star Wars saga, “Blue Harvest, “Something, Something, Something, Dark Side” and “It’s a Trap!” is to Family Guy what “Imaginationland” was to South Park — an iconic three-part pop-cultural moment.
3. Sibling Rivalry (Season 4, Episode 22)
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A Stewie-centric episode if there ever was one, Sibling Rivalry gave the maniacal Stewie distinct humanity that he lacked in the early seasons.
2. “Road to the Multiverse” (Season 8, Episode 1)
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Backed by a high-concept storyline, numerous pop-cultural references, and use of a litany of animation styles, “Road to the Multiverse” is everything that makes Family Guy great all rolled into one acid-trip on an episode.
1. “Back to the Pilot” (Season 10, Episode 5)
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Family Guy at its finest, “Back to the Pilot” is full of mile-a-minute jokes, references, and call-backs that served as a reminder of how far the show had come and a reward to fans who had stuck around so long to see it grow.
Think we missed one? Comment below and let us know what ‘Family Guy’ episode you think should be added to our Top 5!