9. Road To The Multiverse
Undoubtedly an example of the huge comedy void killing off this central character will leave, Brian's dynamic with Stewie is one of the most lamentable losses of the character's death. The episodes dedicated to the pair are some of the most popular and enjoyable the show has to offer, and Road to the Multiverse is no exception, mixing both great jokes and varying animation styles to make it one of the most interesting Family Guy episodes created. The story begins as Stewie reveals he is able to travel to parallel universes using a remote control, and the premise and pleasure of the episode is that each universe shows Quahog in the same time and place but in differing conditions. This then essentially gave the writers free rein to create unrelated humorous situations for Brian and Stewie to fall into, reacting as only they can bickering like a married couple but bonded by an unbreakable friendship. There are some funny sight gags like Brian's reaction to parallel universe Meg and particularly the sequence that emulates the animation of Disney, but it's what is at the heart of the story that matters. Brian and Stewie play perfectly off each other and this helps ground such a ridiculous concept as hopping through universes including a live-action universe, the Flintstones universe and even a Robot Chicken themed universe. Crucially, we can watch these unrelated situations and enjoy them because of the two characters at the center and the relationship they have, which gave the show a lot of heart that will be sadly lacking.