the episode that changed Family Guy forever...

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What's the first perfect episode of Family Guy? And how did it change the show forever?
Essay written by Will DiGravio & Adam Tinius
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[@EntertainTheElk]

What do you think is the first perfect episode of Family Guy? Shout it out below!

[@wstine79]

Road to Rhode Island. Stewie and Brian perfect their chemistry. Well each of them has their moment to shine.

[@gary1248]

when will you do the day south park was born

[@justinsidious9772]

I love the title of your channel. I absolutely hate the title of this series. Shows aren’t born and if they were it would be the first episode.

[@pantaloney]

Rhode to Rhode Island is a solid pick. I can do no better.

[@MaximizedAnimation]

I'd probably say Da Boom. It had Mila Kunis playing Meg for the first time, the first iconic chicken fight, and overall was the first Family Guy episode where I felt the story remained consistent and funny enough to make the whole episode memorable instead of just a couple gags from it. The ending parodying the season 7 finale of Dallas was also a highlight

[@katet_33]

"I didn't know Biscuit as a dog, but I did know her... as a table." lol great episode, one of my favorites.

[@brianlbeck]

You unlocked a memory of a friend of mine getting the first 3 seasons on DVD and having a huge watch party at his house. I kind of forgot how big of a show it used to be.

[@ampleparkingTV]

I used to host these parties at mine as a teen 🥹

[@777superlightwater]

That’s awesome

[@austenomar2218]

I just found my old season 1 DVD, crazy to think I got it almost 20 years ago

[@iainronald4217]

You brought me back in time, my friend. When the uncancellation happened, my family was staying at the ski house of my rich cousins. They had this hideaway under the stairs, just big enough for kids 12 and under, and all the brand-new DVDs. So, during dinner, we'd sneak down there and all of us kids would watch the new seasons of Family Guy. I was 10-12 then, and now I'm 31, so I haven't seen clips from those episodes for a long time!

[@777superlightwater]

My friend and I used to watch movies under that at sleepovers too 😂

[@cvdevol]

Meg is not the middle child. She's the first born.

[@lachutequimarche8074]

Yeah I was gonna say.

[@SockieTheSockPuppet]

Plus Chris wasn't even mentioning at all.

[@landoftheninja]

Can't believe you cut the, -I'm not drunk, I just have a speech impediment. 'Hurls' And a stomach virus. 'Falls over' And an inner ear infection 😂😂😂

[@ashtviceland]

Road to rhode island is imo the best episode of the entire show

[@EntertainTheElk]

I think I'd agree.

[@Randomlad.0737]

What about Brian Wallows & Peter Swallows? That's definitely one of my favourites, so it would be fun to see your thoughts on it.

[@martyshwaartz971]

My favourite as well!

[@tigerdactyl6958]

Family guy, the simpsons, spongebob have been zombified. American dad and bob's burgers are getting to that point as well.

[@Hui432]

South Park too, it feels like a husk of the show it used to be

[@lrb662003]

​@Hui432 although it seems South Park has adopted a less is more approach recently which seems to be helping it.

[@JR_Donofrio]

American Dad died when it went from FOX to TBS

[@tatehildyard5332]

@@lrb662003 What's funny is that I'm pretty sure that mostly came about for legal reasons. Time Warner Media owns the streaming rights for all South Park episodes but Viacom isn't going to give up one of their most lucrative IPs without a fight and they DESPERATELY need content to get people to buy Paramount Plus. The workaround is a legal loophole where now Paramount Plus can hold onto the show by advertising it not as "episodes" but as "exclusive special events". The technicality being if they're not the run time of television episodes, if they don't air on CC episode or cable television episode blocks and if they're not developed in episodic season cycles, then they're technically not episodes so the contract with Time Warner is not violated.

[@athousandfeethigh]

​@@JR_DonofrioSad but true. There are still funny jokes and some good episodes but much was lost in the move.

[@Bolbi145]

For me, Family Guy’s prime was from Season 3 to Season 6, it’s the era when the show struck a perfect balance of crude, clever, mean, and nice, and when the show found its own voice.

[@DimsumGarbage]

makes sense because seth left the show creatively sometime after this era

[@yammmit]

its*

[@musicsmith14]

I do love the “road to” series, and you make some great points here. But I also love the first 3 seasons in general. Something about their joke style really gets me laughing. Lots of great episodes there imho.

[@TechSquidTV]

Remember the excellent Brian and Stewie special episodes? They used to be ART

[@wstine79]

Peter: "I haven't had trouble eating supper since that time the Swedish Chef prepared my meal kits from FACTOR." :::cut to Muppet Swedish Chef tossing around the ingredients in all the FACTOR packages::;

[@EntertainTheElk]

Why aren't you writing my copy points?

[@isaacriggs4656]

Meg isn't the middle child. She's the oldest.

[@molliek1079]

Thank you!!!

[@SlapstickGenius23]

@@molliek1079 Meg is in the middle in terms of size because Chris is overweight like his dad Peter and Stewie’s a toddler. She’s the oldest in terms of age however.

[@ariel_warfare]

​@@SlapstickGenius23that's not what middle child means. Don't take it out of context just to prove a non-existent point.

[@TheKorq]

@@SlapstickGenius23that’s not how being a middle child works

[@alaakaMal]

Not a single mention of Chris

[@EntertainTheElk]

Ha. I had a short section dedicated to him, but it didn't feel like anything new or worth mentioning. So he got cut.

[@andyghkfilm2287]

@@EntertainTheElk oh my gahd…

[@ToneTitan]

@@EntertainTheElkI mean, it’s still kinda odd, though.

[@didiercollard]

Heh, just like the show.

[@shadywiskerz]

@@ToneTitanIt’s not a major loss

[@tjtaylor6431]

I think there is a strong argument for "Brian & Stewie" being the best episode of Family Guy; glad you gave it a shoutout

[@secularbelt]

5:20 Meg is not the middle child

[@RYN988]

I miss the first 7 seasons. Those were fantastic and a great part of my adolescence.

[@LucasFielding-js6bj]

Season 8 episode 1 is good

[@vicecityrocks1]

@@LucasFielding-js6bjlol what about after that

[@PurpleGuy661]

@@vicecityrocks1there’s also that one episode with Stewie and Brian (S8E17) that has literally no cutaway gags.

[@ravinraven6913]

miss them? that implies its gone?

[@mikeeballard885]

If you're going to criticize family Guy you should at least know that Meg is the oldest not the middle child.

[@lbesavant]

Who?

[@extremelyonline]

who cares bro

[@justcause_jc5956]

If you dont care, dont watch a video like this, like tf if you don't care, get tf out ​@extremelyonline

[@tompsonsantini2890]

⁠@@extremelyonlinethat’s such a middle school response but apparently 78 people care

[@ChibiSteak]

2:38 sponsor skip

[@PurpleGuy661]

Thank you

[@lachutequimarche8074]

KZbin premium is your friend, friend.

[@ChibiSteak]

@@lachutequimarche8074 I have premium and premium doesn't skip sponsors. And yes I know about sponsorblock

[@jameer7565]

No it's really not ​@@lachutequimarche8074

[@frankrappa4765]

I haven't really been keeping up with Family Guy nowadays, but I love Road To Rhode Island. It's my favorite episode in the whole series.

[@EntertainTheElk]

I agree

[@jaysnk408]

I remember having this episode on a collection disc for my PSP. I think it also had the episode where the family has to relocate to the south which is a clasic for me

[@AmbiguouslyAnonymous]

You made an error, at 5:17 you refer to Meg as "the middle child" even though she is repeatedly shown to be the oldest of the Griffin kids. She even has her 17th and later 18th birthdays in different episodes of the show, making her the only kid who's become an adult. I imagine maybe this error slipped in when you removed the Chris section like you mention in a different comment

[@JonathanReynolds1]

My favourite episode is the one where Stewie puts everyone in a simulation of Quahog and gives them amnesia.

[@sinklar7946]

RtRI is a great pick! My personal favorite is Brian Wallows and Peter Swallows. It does such a good job of balancing the funny moments and gags while also having two emotional storylines and also has an amazing song in “You’ve Got a Lot To See”. It’s easily the episode I would recommend to a first time viewer.

[@voiceofreason2674]

You can talk trash about the Family Guy but there will never be another cartoon as funny as it was for a few years. A gigantic gold mine of Television Culture to tap into and the writing staff absolutely nailed it. Plus decently big budget voice acting. They took it kinda seriously. Idk what my favorite epsiode is but Stewie singing rocket man is legendary.

[@samuraicode4264]

I always looked forward to the "road to" episodes

[@tanman182]

Brian and Stewie caught me off guard in the genuinely greatest way possible. I was going through a major depressive episode at the time and it absolutely flabbergasted me. Here I was trying to distract myself with a stupid cartoon I thought and it fucking slapped me in the face with love. Thanks for every laugh Seth. (And insight Elk)

[@goblin3810]

People who say this prob haven't watched family guy in like 10 years. Calling Meg the middle child really says it all.

[@molliek1079]

Hahaha

[@thewildnine40]

I've watched all 22 seasons about 7 times. Now I don't even watch past season 18. I can see the decline from season 9-22. It becomes completely unfun to watch after season 18 so that's where I restart and go back to watch old family. I had never watched family until a few years ago btw. So it's not nostalgia. The old family guy is much better than new family guy. I don't understand why that they changed characters personality all of a sudden when things were going so well for family guy.

[@goblin3810]

@@thewildnine40 sure

[@mankytoes]

Great to see you uploading mate!

[@EntertainTheElk]

Thank you! Hope you enjoy the newest vid.

[@wavydonjuan]

5:44 meg the oldest

[@Nomadic_Budgie]

I think you've got a real gift for good down-to-earth analysis videos. Keep up the good work!

[@RyanTheDark]

I could watch season 1-3 Family Guy and that's all I would ever need.

[@lordbauer5983]

1-3 was a very different show before the FX revival with 4. 4-9 is my personal golden age, and anything after that point (MacFarlane left the writing room starting at 10) is various different levels of unwatchable.

[@RicG23]

I agree^

[@this_is_diamond_rot]

the latest season is actually really fuckin good

[@dpgwalter]

​@@lordbauer5983I agree 4-9 is peak, but then I think it becomes a repetition of 1 great season, one mediocre season and one season that's genuinely hard to watch at times, followed by a great season and so on.

[@loke3684]

@@this_is_diamond_roti know right

[@Jabberwockybird]

8:50 so true! Just started a re-watch and you picked the perfect example

[@grazyrock]

I remember warm spring nights of 2011, how I rediscovered Family Guy even though having a DVD with early season for years, repeating musical number like Road to Rhode Island and You make me feel so young, then I thought to myself "Why not?" and jumped directly to Sinatra music while cruising empty night towns in GTA San Andreas. Good times

[@gazza8892]

I’d love for you to do a proper breakdown of the Brian and stewie episode as it’s not just a typical family guy episode

[@southerndeth]

The Stewie/ Brian "road" episodes are my favorites. "He's wearing a wire".

[@ravinraven6913]

thats got to be one of the best lines they ever came up with.

[@KayserEin]

Excellent essay!

[@obilesk]

Always love a new elk! And i fully agree; The Road to Road Island was the next level breakthrough episode that cemented it in pop culture for all time. It was beloved by near all and even a few that usually dislike adult or any animation.

[@frankieinjapan]

I agree completely. Im 32, so i grew up with the series. Every few years i binge it from the beginning and catch up on the recent most couple seasons. Everything definitely feels linier and to a formula up until that episode. It's definitely one of the best.

[@Foersom_]

I find episodes where Stewie is main character to be poor episodes. Best episode ever is the food truck.

[@evankummer1629]

You simply do not miss sir, spot on once again. Hope to see American Dad next, that show changed in a similar way.

[@stephennootens916]

I always thought that the Stewie and Brain episodes are not only the best episodes but also the most memorable. They are a perfect duo on the classic sense.

[@raelogan]

Dunno why, but that one cutaway that's a parody of "Six Million Dollar Man" makes me lose it every time. The way Peter just lumbers into view with a foot made out of a plunger, the other leg is a whole trashcan and an arm that's a rake was reeeeeeeally funny to me. 🤣

[@Ceejmm]

I’ve been waiting for this for so long!

[@gnarfarmer]

The part where Brian talks about the gun in his safety deposit box gives me chills everytime. Life is hard, man

[@ChrisMortJr.]

dont forget that brian eats stewies doodoo in "Brian and Stewie"

[@TechSquidTV]

Can you share where that Seth interview came from? I'm collecting old tapes, I wonder if I could find a better copy.

[@josephmeluso2377]

18:30 even just the clip alone gave me goosebumps

[@teddyfurstman1997]

These Family Guy episodes with Brian and Stewie are amazing.

[@SmithSens16]

I actually cried during that bank episode, laughed alot of course but cried hard too

[@lebbyt]

Meg isn’t the middle child

[@gjrodrigueziii]

You didn’t talk about Chris when discussing family members

[@pieguy96]

I used to love family guy

[@memelord4255]

"Yeah, keep it that way" is crazzyyyy

[@LoreLoversRS]

I’m just lightly teasing, but it’s safe* deposit box 🤭

[@mathieuleader8601]

Road to the Multiverse is my fave I like seeing all the different forms Family Guy takes

[@shizzaff8424]

I watched family guys premiere episode when I was a kid when it aired after the superbowl lol

[@TQFMTradingStrategies]

I’ll be real it was the musical numbers for me. Road to Rhode Island was a masterpiece lol.

[@chrispaw1]

Family Guy died when Seth McFarlane left….its a different show now, its actually a hard watch too.

[@dwarftoad]

I just want to pop down here and share that the advertisement I got with this video was an extremely dramatic ad for an elk hunting call (to mimic elk calls).

[@dwarftoad]

It was called the ELK SLAYER.

[@peanutismint]

I have to say, even though they’re not even in the same ballpark of comedy, I still laugh harder at new Family Guy episodes than I do at new Simpsons episodes.

[@colton624]

Great stuff sir!

[@amazingspiderlad]

Road to the multiverse will forever be one of my favourite episodes of any show

[@SheldonT.]

4:12 and he was never mentioned again...

[@SPFinfinity]

My only consumption of Family Guy these days is looking up old clips of them singing showtunes.

[@ATakTakTak]

I was going to point out you forgot the older son... but I don't even feel like looking up his name so touche.

[@drautch]

I was going to mention this but wanted to see if anyone else did and saw this comment...I'm guessing he brings it up later now.

[@EntertainTheElk]

Ha yeah exactly. I had a small section dedicated to him, but it was the most boring part of the video. Nothing revelatory or interesting, so he got cut.

[@molliek1079]

@@EntertainTheElkChris is the middle child not Meg…..

[@nopenotthatguy8678]

Wow first just saying but great vidoes man.But you know be interesting to see one on trailer park boys

[@EntertainTheElk]

You are officially first! The video isn't even listed yet. Haha

[@WyattD03]

Don’t forget Road to Europe, another awesome Road To with another banger song

[@memelord4255]

Megs the oldest!!!!

[@markusbrandhuber9043]

My absolute favorite episode wasn't even mentioned 😢 - road to the north pole

[@EntertainTheElk]

I have a couple shots included!

[@markusbrandhuber9043]

@@EntertainTheElk I know, scenes, but the episode is something very special and deep in my opinion and for me one of the most, if not the most important episode of the whole series. At least in my opinion ✌️

[@aurawolf2221]

Family guy introduced me to Seth MacFarlane proper & I've I've never looked back. I love pretty much everything he's made since.

[@S.1-I-I-1-1]

American Dad sucks though.

[@miscleaf]

It was such a treat to the Evenings with Seth McFarland

[@claudiasolomon1123]

Modern Family Guy is good, when the episode is about how batshit insane & unhinged Lois is❤😂

[@daniel-vn4ql]

The multiverse episode is the second birth of the series. after this, they moved into more science fiction episodes. some of the best episodes of the later seasons.

[@CoachJohnMcGuirk]

You should do "the day entertaintheelk was born" and break down your favorite video youve done.

[@K37-h1z]

The only family guy i watch is the 1st 3 seasons. Im old well this i know

[@wstine79]

I remember seeing the first episode after the Superbowl and watching the reruns on Adult Swim in 2003. I felt that the show came to its own with the Road to Rhode Island episode.

[@Sly88Frye]

This is a very good analysis. It did annoy me that you called Meg the middle child when she's clearly the oldest child and you literally never mentioned anything about Chris, but when you got to the episode you want to talk about you did really well. And actually if I'm not mistaken I swear I remember seeing some episodes in season 2 when Lacey chabert still voiced Meg including one where Meg was the main character when she took Stewie to that pancake place and tricked everybody into thinking that Stewie was her own child so she can get a lot more tips. You can tell when Meg talks that is definitely not Mila Kunis.

[@payableondeath7]

This kind of felt more like "Why Brian & Stewie are so great". My pick would be Brian Wallows, Peter's Swallows; it has a lot of the points you had about Brian, it has McFarlane's love and admiration for the golden age of Hollywood, it had good messages, and even Peter in his idiocy still manages to pull at the heartstrings a bit

[@shakkattack]

Superb stuff ! Thankyou , regards Coll 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🇬🇧 , Road to Rhode Island 4 me ! 💯%👌🏻👍🏻👏🏻

[@manbot47]

I really liked Family Guy in the beginning. It's been so long since I've thought of that show fondly, this was a nice 20 minutes. I also called it pretty early in the video. In the commentary track for Road to Rhode Island they gush about how important that episode is for the characters and the show in general.

[@Lazy_snorlax95]

Road to Rhode Island was peak family guy

[@leobien0717]

Absolutely love your videos. (Haven’t watched yet sure it’s great tho lol)

[@leobien0717]

Quick update I love this video but it just reminds me what Family Guy was and it’s kind of sad because he used to have this quality to it but now it’s this

[@RobertEricJenkins]

I love the relationship between Brian and Stewie. I wonder if Seth McFarlane's only friend when he was a baby was a dog.

[@V-nMontague]

Did anybody else notice how the first 4 episodes are all about death? “Death has a shadow “Chitty Chitty Bang Death” “Mind over murder” “I never met the dead man” I wonder what Seth was going thru🤣

[@JSalonsky]

The first 4 seasons were unbelievable. I am 30 now but when I was 13 my mom had a mercury villager van. We were lucky enough to have a DVD player in the back of the van with TWO pairs of headphones in it and it was a very nice state of the art system for its time. Me & all my best friends would watch ‘The best of SNL’ ect various tapes. But mostly we would watch the FIRST 4 seasons of family guy. They were unbelievable…. I’ll never forget those episodes 😢😢😢😢😢😢😂😂😂😂😂 My favorite episode maybe ever made was when they get relocated to the Deep South

[@mathieuleader8601]

I find it amazing that the Oh What A Cartoon short Steve and Larry birthed Family Guy I did not find that out till much later.

[@joeswarson4580]

Most pointless 20 minutes I've ever wasted. Just milquetoast opinions and summaries of episodes

[@geraldsaucier2507]

I am Peter, hear me roar!

[@MJJ1390]

Ah I totally called it before clicking on the video. Fantastic episode!

[@LookItsCollin]

"Emotionally deep" that episode is so embarrassing I'm surprised people find value in it

[@malachisguides]

Lois: all I wanted was to be loved Also Loose Lois: wore increasingly fewer clothes while Peter's friends hooted at her and pretended it didn't mean anything

[@christhis9597]

I didnt even know family guy was still running

[@pdzombie1906]

00:20 Answer: South Park. Yeah, those Road to episodes are great, but both Stewie and Brian ended up being another stereotype: the ambiguos sexuality guy and the failed author pseudointellectual type... Thanx!!!

[@reek4062]

Old South Park >>>> New South Park

[@nampyeon635]

I still keep up with Family Guy. It may have lost its footing and sense of direction, but it's still reliably funny and entertaining.

[@goblin3810]

Hating on family guy is host popular. It was never great telavision but it's always been funny. That's all it ever needed to be for me

[@thomasmartin4281]

I remember those intros on Adult Swim, damn he looks young in that

[@lrb662003]

The Star Wars episodes should have had Joe as R2D2 and Cleveland as Lando

[@molliek1079]

See, this guy gets it! Aha

[@AxeMain]

Where did you get Meg being the middle child from?

[@stuartm6069]

It probably comes from the idea that the middle child is often the forgotten child. In the early seasons Peter kept forgetting who she was. In the early episodes it really wasn't clear who was older Meg or Chris.

[@rowandunning6877]

you should do a born episode on phineas and ferb