Top 20 Saddest Moments on Family Guy

Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’ll be looking at the most upsetting and heart-wrenching scenes from “Family Guy.” Some spoilers are bound to follow. Did any of these sequences get to you? Let us know in the comments below!

#20: Stewie Learns the Truth About Jolly Farm Revue

“Road to Europe”
There are few things sadder than watching a child getting their hopes and dreams utterly dashed. And while we don’t often sympathize with Stewie, we can't help but feel bad for the little guy here. In “Road to Europe,” Stewie develops a fascination with a children’s show called “Jolly Farm Revue.” It’s adorable to see Stewie so invested in the show, and he runs away from home to live on the farm with his favorite characters. But upon getting there, he discovers that the farm is actually a set and that the characters aren't real. He’s left so heartbroken that he cries, and our hearts can’t help but break as well. Of course, this being Stewie, he leaves behind a little something for his troubles.

#19: Cleveland Moves On

“Love, Blactually”
In the season seven premiere, Brian and Cleveland fight over a woman named Carolyn. Hoping to get Cleveland out of his hair, Brian sets up a reunion between him and his estranged wife, Loretta. Cleveland insists that he still loves Loretta but declines the opportunity to get back together, stating that he wants to put their relationship behind him. However, he still wishes her happiness and gives her a loving peck on the cheek before leaving. Aside from one quick joke about Loretta’s clothes, this moment is played entirely straight, which is quite rare for “Family Guy.” Furthermore, it shows great maturity on the parts of Cleveland and the writers. “Family Guy” gets a little sentimental, and it works.

#18: Quagmire’s Daughter

“Quagmire’s Baby”
With how many women Quagmire’s slept with, it’s no surprise that a few of his “kids” are bound to pop up. One of them, a little baby girl he names Anna Lee, ends up on his doorstep. Unable to balance raising a child and his sex life, Quagmire gives her up for adoption… only to deeply regret it later. When he goes to take her back, he sees how happy young Anna is with her new family and decides against it –wanting what’s best for his only daughter. It’s rare for a sex-crazed womanizer like Quagmire to get us misty-eyed, but this adds a rather tearful level of depth to an essentially one-dimensional character.

#17: Meg & Eli

“Amish Guy”
Seeing Peter stand up for Meg is like witnessing a double rainbow - it doesn’t happen often, so you better savor it when it does. The Griffins’ car breaks down in Amish country, so the family is forced to stay for the weekend. While in the village, Meg befriends and falls for a boy named Eli. However, Eli’s father Ezekiel forbids them from interacting. It’s actually quite a sad scene, as it shatters a budding relationship and leaves Meg utterly devastated. Luckily, Peter is there to save the day in a very rare moment of compassion. It’s hard to see a crying teen running for their father. It’s even harder when that father is Peter.

#16: Brian & Dylan’s Heart to Heart

“The Former Life of Brian”
As the title suggests, “The Former Life of Brian” concerns the untold past of the Griffin dog. Both Brian and the viewers learn that he is actually the father of a 13-year-old son named Dylan. At first, Brian and Dylan do not get along. Brian doesn’t feel like a father, and Dylan is a rambunctious kid who doesn’t respect Brian’s authority. That is, until they find common ground with the help of some wacky tobacky. The two clear the smoky air, with Dylan expressing his hurt and Brian apologizing for not being present. They both shed some tears and maybe we let a couple go as well.

#15: Stewie’s Collapsing Marriage

“Chick Cancer”
Stewie falls in love with his old stage partner Olivia and the two eventually get hitched. However, the relationship is not a happy one. The two constantly bicker and it’s obvious that there is a major rift between them. The tension culminates with Stewie finding Olivia in the playhouse with another kid named Victor. And, uh, let’s just say that it doesn’t end well for them. While their sham marriage is often played for laughs, it nevertheless touches on some serious subjects like romantic discontent and infidelity. It’s actually quite sad seeing Stewie deteriorate - especially for those who have shared a similar experience.

#14: Joe Wants Bonnie Back

“Foreign Affairs”
After Bonnie’s seven-season pregnancy finally ends, Joe and Bonnie’s marriage starts to crumble. Bonnie feels bored and distant from Joe, so she tries to have an affair with a man she meets in France – willing to abandon her husband and their baby girl for a romantic fling. But Joe’s not willing to give up on her yet; he flies out to France to convince her to come home with him… and proves his love for her by standing and walking. OK, so he faked being able to walk. But he still went out of his way to show how much he loves her. Too bad she doesn’t feel the same when the tables are turned . . .

#13: Meg Stands Up for Herself

“Seahorse Seashell Party”
Season ten’s “Seahorse Seashell Party” is notable for the trippy sequences in which Brian hallucinates on magic mushrooms. But the true standout here is Meg, who finally stands up for herself against the family. It all starts during a hurricane, with the bored family taking their frustrations out on the tormented teenager. Having had enough of their abuse, Meg finally unleashes her anger on the family and strikes more than a few nerves in the process. She brings up many valid points, and Mila Kunis does a great job in conveying her long-awaited release. It’s quite sad, as the exploding inner pain is hard to witness. But we also can’t help but feel a little proud.

#12: Meg’s 18th Birthday

“Meg and Quagmire”
Of course, Meg goes right back to being a sad sack punching bag. She is turning 18, but no one shows up to her surprise party. The image of those decorations sitting inside an empty house is just heartbreaking. Even sadder is the fact that Meg doesn’t have any friends - rather, Lois tasked Chris with paying kids from school to attend the party. And even sadder than that is Meg seeing all the cars outside her house and briefly, just briefly, getting her hopes up. Oh, no, wait, we’re not done. Even sadder than that is Quagmire showing up to the party, having obviously counted down the days. It’s sick, and it serves as a disturbing cap to an awful night.

#11: Joe Goes Over the Side

“#JOLO”
It’s no secret that Joe is an unhappy man. He’s often enraged about being in a wheelchair, and he never seems particularly thrilled with his home life, either. All this discontent comes to a head in #JOLO, which sees Joe leaving his life in Quahog behind and heading to Niagara Falls. Joe grabs the railing and admires the view before leaping over the side, much to the horror of his friends. Luckily, a tree was there to catch him. The guys try to cheer him up, but he simply hops over the side again. This attempt doesn’t work either, and while it injects some humor into the proceedings, this is still a very difficult and sensitive subject for many to address.

#10: The Family Loves Brian

“Dog Gone”
Is an animal’s life equal to that of a human’s? That’s the question at the heart of “Dog Gone,” and Brian tries to prove that it is. The dog has an existential crisis when he realizes that the citizens of Quahog don’t particularly care about the lives of animals. Feeling sorry for his buddy, Stewie fakes Brian’s death in a fire, and a firefighter arrives at the Griffin house to inform the family. The Griffins show great sadness, with even Peter spilling tears over his lost pet. The viewer obviously knows that Brian is alright, but seeing the family in such pain is still greatly distressing. Losing a beloved pet is a tough experience for everyone.

#9: Karen Comes to Visit

“Peter's Sister”
And finally, we come to the root of Peter’s continued mistreatment of Meg - an estranged sister named Karen Griffin. Karen comes to visit for Thanksgiving and immediately makes her presence known by farting in Peter’s face. Sound familiar? As Karen continuously torments Peter, Meg comes to the realization that Peter was victimized by Karen throughout their childhood and that he passed on this harassment to his daughter. It’s often hard to sympathize with Peter, but we can’t help but pity him when faced with Karen’s aggression. It’s also very mature for Meg to absorb this fact and help Peter stand up for himself. She knows exactly how it feels.

#8: Brian & Pearl

“Brian Wallows and Peter's Swallows”
For his community service, Brian must take care of a bitter, elderly woman named Pearl who hasn’t left her house in years. While it seems like a nightmare at first, the two eventually form a strong bond, and Brian convinces her to finally venture outside… only for her to be hit by a truck. With such little time left, Pearl reassures a guilt-stricken Brian that this was the best day of her life, and the two share a virtual reality look at the life they could’ve had together before she peacefully passes on. While Brian only had good intentions, it cost him the closest he may ever have to true love.

#7: “Heaven Has Gained a Princess”

“Pawtucket Pete”
When tragedy strikes and Angela, Peter’s boss at the Pawtucket Brewery, dies off-screen, Peter prepares a eulogy for her funeral. At first, his speech starts off as typical “Family Guy” tongue-in-cheek humor, but the tone quickly shifts halfway. It becomes obvious that his eulogy isn’t just a tribute to Angela, but to her voice actress, the late Carrie Fisher - who passed away two years before the episode aired. What really drives this heartfelt tribute home is the ending, when Peter says: “I may have lost a boss, but heaven has gained a princess”. It’s his way of giving one last goodbye to a legendary actress and human being… before realizing he’s at the wrong funeral.

#6: Baby Brian

“Chris Cross”
When Stewie becomes obsessed with Canadian singer Anne Murray, Brian doesn’t show much interest. Until, that is, Stewie performs a cover of “You Needed Me”, and Brian finds himself tearing up as the melancholy lyrics bring back memories of his puppy days – simpler times when he could frolic with his siblings and cuddle with his mother. Brian hasn’t seen his family for years, and found his own mother, Biscuit, dead and taxidermied. So it’s extra heart-wrenching to watch him recall a time when he could be with them again.

#5: Brian’s Self-Sacrifice

“New Kidney in Town”
After becoming addicted to Red Bull, Peter tries to make his own energy drink… which results in extreme kidney failure. Brian offers one of his own… but because he’s a dog, he’d have to give up BOTH of his kidneys - meaning he’d die. Even knowing this, Brian still volunteers, wanting to save the life of the man who took him in and gave him a home. Even when Stewie tries kidnapping Brian to save him, Brian won’t budge. Thankfully, another donor steps in –saving both Peter AND Brian’s lives; but this is unquestionably Brian at his most loyal – willing to sacrifice himself for one of his best friends.

#4: Rupert’s Funeral

“Dog Bites Bear”
Rupert was Stewie’s beloved teddy bear and most cherished confidant. But in Season 16’s “Dog Bites Bear”, Brian rips him apart out of jealousy – which puts a massive strain on his own friendship with Stewie. To make amends, Brian takes Stewie to the top of a cliff to spread Rupert’s ashes, after delivering a heartfelt eulogy – complete with a duet of “It's So Hard to Say Goodbye to Yesterday”. Part of what made Rupert so important to Stewie was that he could’ve lasted forever, while Brian sadly won’t be around forever. . . . We’ll come back to that one later.

#3: Brian’s Gun

“Brian & Stewie”
With Brian and Stewie locked in a bank vault all weekend, Stewie decides to press Brian about something that’s been on his mind. Why does his canine friend have a gun in his safety deposit box? Brian reveals that he keeps the gun… in case he wishes to end things. Although “Family Guy” usually makes light of this subject, it’s taken extremely seriously here, filling us with dread over the idea of Brian succumbing to his depression. Horrified, Stewie reminds him that Brian gives his life purpose – showing just how strong their friendship has become.

#2: Brenda Quagmire’s Story

“Screams of Silence: The Story of Brenda Q.”
Quagmire’s sister Brenda has an abusive boyfriend named Jeff who bullies and hits her for the stupidest of reasons. During a failed intervention, Quagmire confronts his sister with a broken voice and tears in his eyes as he begs her to leave that monster. Again, you’d never expect to see QUAGMIRE this emotionally broken and genuinely compassionate for someone he didn’t want to sleep with, and you can’t help but sympathize with him. When she won’t budge, Quagmire is left to take matters into his own hands, and honestly, we were rooting for him!

#1: Brian’s Death

“Life of Brian”
After one too many incidents, Stewie destroys his time machine… but the timing couldn’t be worse as Brian is suddenly run over by a car. His injuries are too severe and we’re forced to endure him telling the Griffins how much he loves them as he passes on. Not only were fans blubbering like babies over Brian’s death, but petitions were made demanding they bring him back. Some fans even quit the show altogether over this horrific loss. While it turned out to be a ratings trap, and Brian’s miraculous revival two episodes later kind of cheapened the whole ordeal, we can’t deny how shocking and heartbreaking our favorite talking dog’s death was at the time.