Best Episodes
Family Guy is an animated series created by Seth MacFarlane for the FOX network, which first aired in 1999. It follows the adventures of the Griffin family, featuring Peter, Lois, Stewie, Meg, Chris, and Brian. The show has been praised for its sharp humor and its ability to tackle tough topics. With 23 seasons, there is no shortage of great episodes. Here is a list of the best Family Guy episodes, ranked by fans and critics alike.
From Stewie's time-travelling escapades to Peter's misadventures in Quahog, the show has a wide variety of memorable episodes. One of the most beloved episodes is "Road to the Multiverse," which sees Stewie and Brian travel to alternate universes. Another classic is "The Fat Guy Strangler," where Peter takes on a superhero persona in an attempt to stop a serial killer.
For fans of the show, there are countless episodes to choose from. But these are the ones that stand out from the rest. Whether you're a long-time fan or just getting into the show, these are the Family Guy episodes you should watch first.
Written by Sophie and last updated on dec 30, 2024.
PS: The following content contains spoilers!
PPS: I will admit that parts of this page was written with the help of AI - it makes my work so much easier to not start from a blank page!
Lois and her mom, Babs, have a relaxing spa day, leaving Peter to entertain Lois’ father, Carter. The boys fall for an email scam, and have to go to Africa to get their money back. Meanwhile, Brian pursues Meg’s friend, Patty.
The episode was rated 7.30 from 1634 votes.
For Father’s Day, the guys track down Joe’s estranged father. But when Joe explains that his dad is intolerant of people with disabilities, Peter steps in and pretends to be Joe. Meanwhile, Stewie’s doctor tells him that he’ll only grow to be 5’1”, so he hangs out with Tiny Tom Cruise to understand what it’s like to be short.
The episode was rated 7.31 from 1915 votes.
When Peter’s couch is stolen from his front lawn, the guys form a neighborhood watch group. While on duty, Peter sees someone trying to climb into Cleveland’s house and he shoots him. Peter is then arrested and charged with a hate crime. Meanwhile, Cleveland is touched when Peter finally admits to the accident, so he takes the fall for the crime and Peter is exonerated.
The episode was rated 7.32 from 1704 votes.
The guys go to an abandoned asylum seeking inspiration for a new horror movie idea, but end up accidentally killing a man they think is keeping them hostage. Wracked with guilt, they each try to pin the murder on someone else. Meanwhile, Stewie is on a mission to destroy Brian's glasses because he's annoyed by how pretentious Brian's been acting when he wears them
The episode was rated 7.32 from 1991 votes.
When their bank accounts begin to run dry, the Griffins look for ways to make money. Stewie gets cast in a peanut butter commercial and becomes the money maker for the family. Meanwhile, Lois and Peter become crazy show business parents and Brian helps Stewie realize that he does not want to be a child actor.
The episode was rated 7.34 from 1814 votes.
To everyone’s surprise, Chris wins homecoming king. However, Meg finds out that the cool kids plan to prank him during the homecoming ceremony, so they go to the school to investigate. Meanwhile, Cleveland starts hanging out with Jerome, the bartender. So Peter and the guys try to replace him.
The episode was rated 7.36 from 1831 votes.
Brian falls in love with a tech support worker in India, so he and Stewie travel there to find her. Meanwhile, Joe invites Peter to his bingo night, but when Peter becomes the new center of attention, Lois helps Joe reclaim the group.
The episode was rated 7.36 from 1957 votes.
Peter, Cleveland and Joe come across a VHS tape called “Winter/Summer” an Asian soap opera that Quagmire starred in when he was living in Korea. Unable to find the final episode of the series, the guys travel to Korea to find it and Quagmire is reunited with his old lover. Meanwhile, Stewie worries he might become a redhead.
The episode was rated 7.38 from 1714 votes.
Peter gets lost in the mall overnight after his family abandons him. Meanwhile, Brian pretends to be a millionaire to win over a girl.
The episode was rated 7.39 from 1848 votes.
Peter overloads his phone with apps. He buys a new phone with more memory, gives his old phone to Chris, and hilarity ensues. Stewie joins a tennis club and invites Brian to be his tennis partner.
The episode was rated 7.39 from 1948 votes.
Stewie doesn’t like Brian’s stand-up comedy jokes, so the two of them fight. To get back at Brian and make him jealous, Stewie builds a robot friend. But when the robot outsmarts Stewie and dumps him, Brian and Stewie reunite. Meanwhile, Lois forces Peter to get a new mattress.
The episode was rated 7.41 from 2026 votes.
Mayor West raises the drinking age to 50. Because of dog years, Brian is the only one old enough to buy alcohol, so Peter makes him buy all of his booze.
The episode was rated 7.41 from 1811 votes.
To pay for Stewie’s private school, Lois becomes a postal worker. She finds a letter from Peter that was never sent to his old fling, Gretchen, dated a week before their marriage. When Gretchen tries to come between Lois and Peter, Lois has a plan of her own.
The episode was rated 7.42 from 1964 votes.
Stewie is diagnosed with ADD and prescribed Adderall, which Brian takes to write a 2000-page proposal to pitch to author George R.R. Martin at a book convention. Meanwhile, Quagmire and Peter compete, Iron Chef-style, to determine which of them gets to keep his new cooking show.
The episode was rated 7.43 from 2363 votes.
When Stewie refuses to sleep in his own bed because of nightmares, Peter can’t stand it, so he goes to sleep in the attic. Peter turns the attic into a man cave and all of the guys begin hanging out there, which makes Lois incredibly angry. Meanwhile, Brian helps Stewie overcome his fears by building a device to go into his nightmares and defeat his demons.
The episode was rated 7.57 from 1828 votes.
