So Long, Brian Griffin: Why The 'Family Guy' Writers Did What They Did
Brian is dead, long live Vinny.
Let's get the spoiler alert out of the way, in case it wasn't immediately obvious: this article contains major spoilers for the November 24 episode of Family Guy. On Sunday night, the US audiences went through a traumatic experience – Family Guy’s Brian was killed off. For those of you, who are still oblivious to Family Guy (it’s been on for fourteen years, come on people) Brian is arguably the most clever and likable character and also the Griffins’ dog.
Rest in peace, Brian. You were a good dog.
We wouldn’t be the first to point out that main characters in sitcoms or animation don’t typically get killed off. Charlie Sheen’s character on Two and a Half Men is an exception, but animated dogs aren’t really prone to difficult contract negotiations or PR blunders. According to Family Guy EP Steve Callaghan speaking for E!News, the decision to have Brian hit by a car and prevent any possibility of his return was a creative one (earlier in the episode Stewie not-so-conveniently dismantled his time machine).
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