Brian: Portrait of a Dog

I really enjoyed this one.

For a show that revolves around silly gags and puerile jokes, this episode has a surprising amount of heart and emotion. We really feel for Brian and his struggle to be accepted and the lick he gives Peter at the end is heartbreakingly sweet.

The most hilarious scene for me is when Peter & Brian are transported back into an old timey cartoon about fixin' the shed. It's great & adorable.

A superb episode that expertly balances the laughs with a genuine story.

The first episode of Family Guy to feature Brian as a standout character, before he was purely a voice of reason who set Peter in the right direction but from this episode onwards he's given his own personality and worldview as we see things from his perspective more often. Brian episodes always tend to be more grounded than other characters and they are usually some of my favorites and this one sets a good precedent for Brian as a character which the next few seasons would continue to develop.

A heatwave hits Quahog, and a dog show is coming to town. Peter sees an opportunity to win $500, but Brian is reluctant to help and ends up leaving home. The Griffins replace Brian with a cat, but they realize how important a part of the family he is.

A successful first series of Family Guy comes to a close. This is possibly the funniest episode in Series 1, it's an out and out classic.

It's very slick, with some great dialogue; everyone's on top form: the Griffins, Tom, and Diane. However, it's very much a Peter and Brian story. The Jessica Fletcher scene is still one of the funniest scenes to this day.

A great way to round off Series 1.

9/10.

If you're a big Brian Griffin fan, there's no doubt that you consider this among your favorite episodes. We get a lot of character development in this episode for Brian, learning about his feelings, his strengths and weaknesses, and the vital presence he brings to the Griffin table.

Great episode one of my favorites. The first episode with Brian going against Peter's wishes.