In case you missed the November 24th episode of Family Guy, Seth MacFarlane decided to off everyone's favorite narcissistic pooch.
The episode, entitled "Life of Brian," begins in medias res of a time-traveling adventure with Brian and Stewie to remind us how much we love their chemistry.
The consequences of said adventure forebode an irreversible event when Stewie decides to dismantle his time machine. Sure enough, a mysterious Mercedes sedan swerves onto Spooner street and fatally wounds Brian in deus-ex-machina fashion. The clip can be seen here:
You guessed it. Fans have unsurprisingly reacted negatively toward this creative decision. The feedback ranges from hate tweets directed at the creators to an online petition to bring Brian back from the dead. A website displaying cryptic countdown to an announcement from Brian proved to be a hoax once the timer elapsed.
Nonetheless, many viewers, myself included, find this decision unfathomable. Some bloggers even hypothesize that Brian's death is an act of sabotage, justified by the fact that Seth himself has said the show has aired for too long. Is this sabotage? Judging from the reaction, it certainly seems plausible.
So what's next for Family Guy? We can say goodbye to the pulpy adventures through time and parallel universes, which sucks because these were my favorite episodes. Also buried are all the awkward dating encounters that Brian had, which were reminiscent of Archer. Now we're left with Peter Griffin's escapades as an overweight and negligent father, effectively making Family Guy an edgier version of The Simpsons.
At least we have Brian's replacement, Vinny (voiced by Tony Sirico, The Sopranos). He's a wise-guy canine of Italian descent complete with a heavy a northeastern accent and shady past. It's a fresh idea because we've never seen characters like this from movies or shows like Casino, Goodfellas, The Sopranos, Analyze This, A Bronx Tale, My Cousin Vinny, The Godfather, Donnie Brasco…
Despite the fans' skepticism, Family Guy deserves our attention for at least a few more episodes. Introducing mortality into cartoons can make the difference between a good show and a great show. The death of Maude Flanders certainly added dimensionality to the long-running sitcom The Simpsons. Perhaps Family Guy will blossom into a show that redefines early 21st century television. Still, I can't help but think the show lost one of its comedic gears, and this is the beginning of the end.
What do you think about Brian Griffin's death? How do you think it will affect the show? Let us know and discuss in the comments!
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