The 11 Most Unforgettable ‘Family Guy’ Deaths, Ranked
Ever since it first aired in 1999, Family Guy has built a reputation for its gallows humor and off-color gags. As the show marched on, it had no qualms about killing off a character or two to serve a plot or land a punchline, even if that character was a fan favorite.
According to fan tallies from around the internet, Family Guy‘s kill count casually mentions anywhere from 1,000 deaths to over 3,000 in a single season, including mass casualties (like in tragedies such as Hurricane Katrina victims or 9/11), unnamed extras, and one-off characters who casually croak in the background. And that doesn’t include all of the times Peter (Seth MacFarlane) accidentally killed himself in a cutscene. That’s a staggering amount of death for a cartoon. Among those are quite a few recurring characters and beloved supporting roles whose unexpected exits left the fanbase reeling.
Below are some of the most memorable Family Guy character deaths, whether they shocked viewers, made them laugh, or both, depending on how dark your humor.
Paddy Tanniger
“Hell Comes to Quahog” (Season 5, Episode 3)
A caddy manager at a local golf course and a Hummer salesman, Paddy (voiced by Tom Kenny, better known for his voice work as an enthusiastic sea sponge in the fast food industry) was an angry, ornery character who preferred using his fists over his words. He ultimately met his end when Brian and Stewie (both voiced by MacFarlane) ran him over with a tank to save Quahog from the Walmart-esque Superstore USA.
Horace the Bartender
“Save the Clam” (Season 8, Episode 18)
The bartender at the Drunken Clam came shockingly close to death on several occasions, each time putting his beloved bar in jeopardy. Horace (John Brennan) finally met his end during a charity baseball game, when he took a fastball to the head, killing him instantly and leaving the guys scrambling to figure out how to keep the Clam open.
Muriel Goldman
“And Then There Were Fewer” (Season 8, Episode 1)
The wife of Mort Goldman (voiced by Brennan) and mother of Neil (Seth Green), Muriel (Nicole Sullivan) somehow managed to look suspiciously like both, which is saying a lot. Her time on Family Guy ended in true Quahog fashion: She was stabbed by news anchor-turned-serial killer Diane Simmons, who was trying to murder James Woods (voiced by Woods) and pin it all on Tom Tucker (voiced by MacFarlane).
Thelma Griffin
“Mom’s the Word” (Season 12, Episode 12)
The mother of Peter Griffin, and the ex-wife of the curmudgeon Francis Griffin (Charles Durning), Thelma (who has been voiced by Phyllis Diller, Alex Borstein, and Florence Stanley) wasn’t the greatest mother in the world. A chain-smoking gambler, she had an estranged relationship with her son and hid the knowledge of his real father from him most of his life (she was married to Francis, but had an affair with Mickey McFinnigan, another MacFarlane character). Thelma died of a stroke and was buried with her cat Mittens.
Bertram
“The Big Bang Theory” (Season 10, Episode 12)
Stewie’s half-brother was the result of a sperm bank mishap involving Peter Griffin and his former gym teacher. Their battle for dominance began in the womb, when Stewie beat Bertram (Wallace Shawn) to Lois’s (Alex Borstein) egg, and from that moment on, they were bitter enemies. He ultimately perished after attempting to erase Stewie from existence by killing Leonardo da Vinci, which would have ended Stewie’s family line. However, Stewie stopped him by shooting him in the head with his own crossbow.
Diane Simmons
“And Then There Were Fewer” (Season 8, Episode 1)
The co-anchor of Quahog 5 News was a familiar face to fans, having appeared in dozens of episodes before it was revealed that Diane (Lori Alan) was a cold-blooded killer with revenge on her mind. After turning 40 and being replaced at the news desk, she devised a plan to murder her ex-boyfriend, actor James Woods, for dumping her and to frame co-anchor Tom Tucker, who had pushed to get her replaced. In the process, she also killed Muriel Goldman, Derek Wilcox (John Viener), James Woods’ date (and Diane’s collaborator) Priscilla (Ashley Tisdale), and Quagmire’s date Stephanie. She was ultimately shot by Stewie and fell off a cliff.
Francis Griffin
“Peter’s Two Dads” (Season 6, Episode 17)
A grumpy, foul-mouthed religious zealot, Francis Griffin couldn’t stand his son and wasn’t much kinder to his wife, whom he frequently called a “Protestant wh*re.” Known for smacking people with his Bible and idolizing the Pope, he eventually drove his wife into the arms of Tom Tucker. Francis met his end when Peter, dressed as a clown and riding a unicycle, fell on him, crushing him to death. His final words? “Peter, you’re a fat stinkin’ drunk!”
Loretta Brown
The Cleveland Show, “Gone With the Wind” (Season 1, Episode 16)
Cleveland’s slightly disagreeable first wife took his house in the divorce before his marriage to Donna and the events of The Cleveland Show. In a running gag gone awry, Peter accidentally dropped a brontosaurus skeleton onto Loretta’s (voiced by Alex Borstein and Nicole Byer) house, causing it to collapse while she was in the bathtub. It was a gag that her husband would usually shake off, but in Loretta’s case, when the tub fell from the second story, it broke her neck.
Mayor Adam West
“Adam West High” (Season 17, Episode 20)
The longtime mayor of Quahog, famously voiced by actor Adam West, did not die onscreen, but instead, the passing of the Batman actor led the character to be written off the show. His death was acknowledged in the episode “Adam West High” when Brian suggested renaming the local high school after him as a tribute. His passing caused a mayoral race between Brian and Quagmire (yep, MacFarlane again).
Angela
“Pawtucket Pete” (Season 17, Episode 9)
Following the passing of Carrie Fisher, the writers retired the character of Peter’s boss, Angela, with dignity and grace in the only way they knew how: offscreen. The supervisor at the Pawtucket Brewery died after going swimming too soon after eating. At her funeral, Peter delivered the eulogy, and after including a rendition of the Sanford & Son theme, he offered a heartfelt tribute to the legendary actress herself.
“She may be gone, but her voice will live on in DVD and Hulu Plus and tiny droid-projected messages. I may have lost a boss, but heaven has gained a princess.”
Brian Griffin
“Life of Brian” (Season 11, Episode 1)
The Griffins’ white Labrador had the most high-profile death in all the series. A temporary situation, Brian died a long, horrifying and seemingly painful death after being hit by a car. He was quickly replaced by wiseguy-wannabe Vinny (voiced by Tony Sirico, a.k.a Paulie Walnuts from The Sopranos) for an episode before Stewie traveled back in time in “Christmas Guy” and saved Brian from his untimely demise.
It was also revealed in “Stewie Griffin: The Untold Story” that Brian would eventually die from eating chocolate from out of the trash. Bad dog.
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