Family Guy Finally Recognizes Its Secretly Best Character

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In a remarkable continuation of its long-running journey, the animated sitcom “Family Guy” is currently airing Season 23, and with this new season comes a welcome nod to one of the series’ unsung heroes. Unlike some characters in “Family Guy,” who are often mere sources for one-liners when they reappear on screen, many residents of Quahog, Rhode Island have undergone character development over time, revealing facets of their personality that make them a delightful contrast to characters like Peter Griffin. These well-rounded characters, initially introduced as simple jokes, have grown into hilarious entities in their own right.

Joe Swanson serves as the most notable example of this trend. Initially depicted as Peter’s neighborhood antagonist during the early seasons of Family Guy, Joe has since evolved into an essential member of Peter’s friendship circle. Despite frequently being the target of jokes, his unwavering optimism amidst so much adversity makes him even more endearing. This character trait has become increasingly prominent in recent episodes, culminating in one where Stewie acknowledges just how significant Joe’s impact truly is.

Family Guy Finally Shows Love to Joe

In the 16th episode of Family Guy’s Season 23, titled “Row v. Wade,” I watched as Stewie and Brian sneaked their way into the audience of The Price is Right. During the show, Stewie snapped a selfie and pondered over a caption. One suggestion from Brian was “Scorching it.” It turned out to be quite amusing since Stewie had never used this phrase before. Brian then went on to expose that Stewie had actually picked up the term from Joe, who had also never been heard uttering those words in the series prior. Trying to refute this claim, Stewie argued that it was absurd for him to mimic Joe’s speech habits. However, Brian wasn’t done yet and unveiled another example – Stewie often says “Rip it up,” which is also a phrase borrowed from Joe.

In this place, Stewie comes to understand that he indeed picked up “Rip it up” from Joe. This realization leads him to ponder if Joe might have a more significant impact on him than he previously thought. His thoughts are, “Could he be a colossal influence on me? Am I fond of Joe?” The humor lies in the fact that although Joe hasn’t explicitly said these things, Stewie suggests that he would have been saying them so frequently that Stewie seems to have unintentionally absorbed them. This aligns with how Family Guy has cleverly utilized Joe’s character in recent years, particularly in a humorous context.

Family Guy Changes How It Sees Joe

Despite being the subject of many melancholic gags in “Family Guy,” and some jokes carrying over to subsequent episodes within a season, Joe has been on an upswing in terms of his character development with the show. Although he’s frequently mocked by his friends or portrayed as awkwardly corny, it’s these very traits that have become rich sources for humor. In fact, “Family Guy” has taken things a step further by incorporating Joe into various situations specifically because it’s funny – such as in the reboot episode where he jokes about the audience demanding more of him, saying they “wanted more Joe.

In the broader context of the season, a brief interaction between Stewie and Brian in Family Guy serves to highlight the growing importance of Joe as a utility character. Over the years, Joe’s scenes have gained significant popularity, such as his Fiona Apple tribute and singing answering machine message, which have even gone viral. Given this, it seems fitting that Joe is now receiving more recognition for the significant impact he has on the series. We eagerly anticipate seeing more of Joe in the future.

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2025-07-13 19:12