It’s probably not widely known, but Family Guy actually features a surprising amount of science fiction over its almost 30 years on television. While the show primarily focuses on humor, many episodes demonstrate the writers’ creativity and willingness to explore unusual ideas. Because it’s an animated series, Family Guy can easily incorporate fantastical elements, leading to some truly memorable sci-fi moments, particularly involving the characters Stewie and Brian.
What really makes Family Guy special is the dynamic between Stewie and Brian. Stewie’s incredible intelligence frequently leads them into bizarre and unique adventures that no other baby and dog duo could handle. But the show isn’t limited to just their escapades; the sci-fi episodes often involve the whole Griffin family – and sometimes the entire Family Guy world – in completely different and exciting stories.
10). Not All Dogs Go to Heaven
The Season 7 episode of Family Guy, “Not All Dogs Go to Heaven,” is still talked about today, but not for the reasons you might think. While the episode focuses on Meg’s exploration of faith, it gained notoriety for being promoted as a big event featuring the cast of Star Trek: The Next Generation. Though the Star Trek actors do appear in enjoyable guest roles, they mostly show up in a secondary storyline as the source of frustration for Stewie.
I really enjoyed this episode – it’s a playful jab at all things Star Trek and it’s hilarious to see the cast poke fun at themselves! Honestly, though, it didn’t quite deliver everything I was hoping for in terms of the actual plot. But, even so, it’s totally worth watching just for the sheer love of Star Trek that shines through.
9). Stewie Griffin: The Untold Story
Technically, ‘Stewie Griffin: The Untold Story’ started as a DVD release before being edited into three episodes that finished the fourth season of the show. This is the first time time travel plays a major role in the plot – it’s not just a quick fix to reset things. We also meet a much older version of Stewie. The story reveals a future where time travel is so common, people use it for vacations!
Sadly, that’s where the science fiction ends in this idea, but it’s a fun story about Stewie trying to make things better for his future self. It’s enjoyable when sci-fi stories casually include advanced technology as part of everyday life, and this one does that really well.
8). Da Boom
The Season 2 episode, “Da Boom,” is a true standout in Family Guy history. It cleverly uses the anxieties surrounding the Y2K scare, depicting a world destroyed by technology and the Griffin family’s journey to survive in the aftermath. The episode is full of hilarious and memorable jokes that perfectly capture the Y2K theme. Plus, it introduces iconic recurring bits like the epic battles with the Giant Chicken, which alone makes the episode worth watching.
7). Roads to Vegas
I absolutely love the standalone adventures of Stewie and Brian, and the latest ‘Road to…’ special is a real highlight for me! This episode, from Season 11, takes a hilarious approach to time travel. Stewie builds a teleporter to whisk him and Brian off to Vegas, but it doesn’t quite work as planned. It ends up creating two versions of them – one pair successfully teleports, while the other has to travel the old-fashioned way. The episode then cleverly follows both sets of Stewie and Brian on their separate journeys, which is just brilliant!
Initially, one character seems to be doing better than the other, but problems quickly arise for both of them. They unexpectedly reconnect in a funny scene and discover the teleportation device actually works – it’s all just a lighthearted look at the idea of teleportation. It’s a creative concept that’s sure to capture your imagination, and you can find it cleverly woven into an episode of Family Guy.
6). Back to the Pilot
The Season 10 episode “Back to the Pilot” offers a classic time travel story while also celebrating the very beginning of Family Guy. Stewie and Brian travel back to the show’s original pilot and playfully point out how much everything has changed. However, Brian accidentally makes things worse by preventing the September 11th attacks, creating an even more problematic future. The episode culminates in a vote among different versions of Stewie and Brian – from various timelines – to decide whether to allow the tragedy to happen or try to stop it. It’s a surprisingly thoughtful take on time travel that touches on real historical events, all wrapped up in an episode designed to please longtime fans. It’s a tricky balance, and time travel is uniquely suited to explore it.
5). Yug Ylimaf
Season 11’s “Yug Ylimaf” continues the show’s time travel adventures, and it’s arguably the best episode to explore the concept. The chaos begins when Brian keeps tinkering with Stewie’s time machine, accidentally causing time to move backward. This leads to hilarious reveals about the origins of recurring characters – like the story behind the Greased Up Deaf Guy – and provides a fun trip down memory lane with references to classic episodes and moments.
But the most exciting part of this episode for sci-fi fans is definitely how the story wraps up. Things get really intense when time forces Stewie to relive his birth. It’s a thrilling climax that highlights just how clever and imaginative the whole episode is.
4). Big Trouble in Little Quahog
Brian and Stewie’s latest escapade isn’t limited to time travel; in the Season 17 episode “Big Trouble in Little Quahog,” they accidentally shrink themselves to microscopic size. While trying to return to normal, they encounter a quirky group of water bears and find themselves in a lot of trouble. The episode features amusing moments, like Stewie trying to convince Brian to press either a small button or a larger one labeled “tiny.” Despite being based on a simple idea – getting small – the adventure is surprisingly creative and has a clever resolution.
3). Switch the Flip
The Season 16 episode “Switch the Flip” starts with a classic Stewie invention gone wrong: he and Brian accidentally swap bodies. Stewie hopes this will help Brian get his life together, but things quickly become hilariously chaotic when Peter and Chris get involved too. Soon, the whole town is swapping bodies, leading to a series of funny gags. It’s a really clever take on the body-swap trope, and especially enjoyable if you’re already a fan of Family Guy. The episode features some truly funny character pairings, and it’s great to see Peter and Chris take the bizarre situation in stride. Overall, it’s a really fun episode.
2). Family Guy Star Wars Trilogy
This entry is a little different because it actually includes three episodes, but they’re so good they would have easily topped the list. “Blue Harvest,” “Something, Something Dark Side,” and “It’s a Trap” are Family Guy‘s hilarious versions of Star Wars: A New Hope, The Empire Strikes Back, and Return of the Jedi. These episodes perfectly recreate the stories of each film, replacing the original characters with their Family Guy equivalents.
The show does a fantastic job of staying true to the original Star Wars movies while also being really funny and playfully teasing them. It also has that unique, signature humor that only Family Guy can deliver. If you’re even a little bit of a Star Wars fan, you really should check out “Blue Harvest.” It’s generally considered the strongest of the three specials, striking the perfect balance between faithfulness and comedy.
1). Road to the Multiverse
For science fiction fans, the best Family Guy episode is likely Season 8’s “Road to the Multiverse.” While the idea of a multiverse is common now, Family Guy was surprisingly innovative when this episode aired. Brian and Stewie get lost hopping between dimensions thanks to a device Stewie builds – a device he can’t quite control. This leads to a series of funny scenarios in different universes, with some concepts being incredibly imaginative (like the creation of everything) and others simply hilarious (like a character waving from a great distance).
This episode is likely the best of Brian and Stewie’s adventures in the whole series, and it’s a really creative take on their typical sci-fi stories. It’s just a fun, lighthearted episode – even before they start traveling through the multiverse – and any fan of Family Guy should definitely watch it.
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2025-11-06 00:46