Our Top 12 Best Family Guy Episodes [RANKED]

Family Guy is everywhere these days. From TikTok to YouTube Shorts and even Instagram Reels, you will find snippets of the best Family Guy episodes. However, these 15-second clips don’t do justice to Family Guy and the comedic geniuses involved in the show.

In a world full of animated sitcoms, Family Guy does stand out for its use of crude and unhinged humor. However, not all Family Guy episodes are the best. The show has over 400 episodes, so it is understandable.

If you plan to watch the best Family Guy episodes, you’ve landed at the right spot. We have picked the top 12 best Family Guy episodes. We have also ranked these episodes based on their ratings.

Series Overview

Seth MacFarlane and David Zuckerman created Family Guy back in 1995. The show was picked up by Fox and premiered on January 31, 1999. Family Guy has been going on for 21 seasons and has been airing for more than 23 years. 

Over these years, there have been around 400+ episodes, and we are here to select the best Family Guy episodes among them.

Best 12 Family Guy Episodes

We have ranked the best Family Guy episodes based on their ratings and popularity among the audience. So, let’s jump right into it.

12. Season 5, Episode 1 

We are kicking this list off with the first episode of season 5. This episode is titled “Stewie Loves Lois.” As the title suggests, this episode revolves around Stewie beginning to appreciate Lois – a little too much.

On the other hand, Peter feels harassed after his prostate exam and sues Dr. Hartman. Now, that’s something only Peter could do, honestly. Overall, this episode is pretty hilarious and a little on edge, which is quite iconic.

11. Season 4, Episode 6

The next entry on our list of the best Family Guy episodes comes from season 4. The 6th episode of this season is titled “Petarded.” In this episode, Peter thinks he’s a genius after winning a game of trivial pursuit. All this leads to Peter applying for a MacArthur grant. 

However, the results tell that Peter, indeed, is a genius but also mentally ill. We aren’t really surprised here. This is, again, one of those episodes that tend to push the envelope a bit. However, many people have said to enjoy this episode because it features some funniest jokes. 

10. Season 2, Episode 6

“Death Is a Bitch” is the 6th episode of season 2 of Family Guy. A visit to the hospital never comes cheap in America. This episode is based on that idea. Peter declares he’s dead on the sign-out sheet to avoid paying a costly medical bill. 

Eventually, Death strains his ankle while pursuing Peter, forcing Peter to take his place. The entire episode is pretty hilarious. More specifically, the tiny Hitler bit was quite hysterical. “Death Is a Bitch” certainly deserves to be on this list of the best Family Guy episodes.

9. Season 11, Episode 4

What’s Family Guy spelled backward? Yug Ylimaf, which is also the title of the 4th episode of season 11. We have decided to include it on this list of the best Family Guy episodes because it revisits some of the show’s past moments.

This episode centers around Brian and Stewie. Brian breaks Stewie’s time machine and causes time to go backward. This results in Stewie tapping into Benjamin Button mode, and they must fix this problem before Stewie gets unborn.

8. Season 6, Episode 4

The next entry on our list of the best Family Guy episodes is “Stewie Kills Lois.” It is the 4th episode of season 6. In this episode, Stewie supposedly murders Lois, and Peter is accused of her murder one year later.

Stewie Kills Lois is the 100th episode of Family Guys. This episode is extremely interesting with its unique plot and the opportunities it provides for humor. Seth Macfarlane doesn’t disappoint with the writing on this episode, as it is one of the boldest and funniest episodes. 

7. Season 6, Episode 5

The follow-up to “Stewie Kills Lois” is aptly named “Lois Kills Stewie.” As you might’ve guessed, Lois causes Stewie to get on the run, and he escapes to Washington, DC, alongside Brian. However, Stewie plans to take over the world now.

This episode features a very iconic cameo from American Dad. Overall, it is one of the best Family Guy episodes thanks to the special writing, the perfect blend of humor, and that epic fight scene in the end.

6. Season 13, Episode 1

Family Guy’s 13th season started off with a bang. Two enormous animated sitcoms have a crossover in this episode titled “The Simpsons Guy.” The episode sees Peter fleeing Quahog and getting stuck in Springfield.

Even though most crossover episodes are produced for the sole purpose of fan service and gaining more attention, this episode proves that crossover episodes can be so much more than that. We can’t emit this once-in-a-lifetime event from this list of the best Family Guy episodes. 

5. Season 5, Episode 18

Alternate reality episodes tend to be slightly unsettling, but “Meet The Quagmires” takes the lead. In this episode, Death fulfills Peter’s wish to return to 1984. However, once he abandons Lois, he soon discovers that he has altered the present, in which Lois is married to Quagmire.

This Back to The Future-inspired episode is so weird that it is good. It can rightfully be called one of the best Family Guy episodes. Meet The Quagmires is full of 80s callbacks and intelligent humor to keep you entertained. 

4. Season 4, Episode 14

The 14th episode of season 4 takes the next spot on our list of the best Family Guy episodes. This episode is titled “PTV.” It revolves around Peter starting his own TV Channel, but the FCC shuts him down and starts censoring his life. 

Making fun of the FCC was quite a bold move, but we expect nothing less from MacFarlane. Filled with good humor, an engaging storyline, and some subtle messaging, this episode is one of the best Family Guy offers.

3. Season 9, Episode 1

“And Then There Were Fewer” is a unique episode. It is the premiere of season 9. In this episode, the people of Quahog are invited to James Woods’ mansion, where a murder mystery is being played out.

This episode is a take on the classic murder-mystery trope. Even if it weren’t a comedic episode, it would’ve still been extremely entertaining. Fortunately, it is still comedic, and we get a whole package of mystery, humor, and so much more in this episode. 

2. Season 10, Episode 5

Another time travel episode makes its way on our list of the best Family Guy episodes. “Back to the Pilot” is the 5th episode of season 10. In this episode, Brian and Stewie travel back in time to 1999 in order to change history, only to have their actions have disastrous effects.

This episode is quite nostalgic for people who have been watching the show since the start. Overall, it has a lot of humor and some callbacks to previous episodes. If anything, this episode proves what intelligent writing can do for a comedy show.

1. Season 8, Episode 1

Season 8 premiered with an episode called “Road to the Multiverse.” It is the highest-rated episode of Family Guy. So, we had to include it in the first spot on this list of the best Family Guy episodes.

Before Dr. Strange, it was Stewie and Brian that explored the multiverse. The writers get really creative in this episode. It is quite interesting to see Stewie and Brian visiting several universes, such as the Flintstones, Disney, Robot Chicken, and many more.

Conclusion

So this was our list of the best Family Guy episodes. We hope you found some of your favorite episodes in this list.