7.6/104,771 votes#1 - Death Has a Shadow
Season 1 Episode 1 - Aired 1/31/1999
After Peter heavily drinks at a bachelor party, even though he told Lois he would not, he gets fired from his job at the Happy-go-Lucky toy factory for being hung over. Peter soon applies for welfare, but after a mix-up, gets sent a check for $150,000. Eventually, Lois finds out, and Peter decides to return the money by dumping it from a blimp at the Super Bowl. He is arrested as a result, and his family ends up coming to his rescue.
Director: Peter Shin, Seth MacFarlane
Writer: Seth MacFarlane
7.5/103,659 votes#2 - I Never Met the Dead Man
Season 1 Episode 2 - Aired 4/11/1999
While teaching Meg to drive, Peter crashes into the town satellite dish, which knocks out the city's cable. He promises Meg that if she takes the blame, he'll get her a car. Without TV, Peter goes crazy, which drives the family insane. Meanwhile, after refusing to eat the broccoli that Lois gives him, Stewie attempts to build a weather control device that would destroy all vegetables.
Director: Michael Dante DiMartino
Writer: Chris Sheridan
7.5/103,453 votes#3 - Chitty Chitty Death Bang
Season 1 Episode 3 - Aired 4/18/1999
Peter Allows Meg to go to a party with her new friend. This angers Lois because its the same day as Stewie's birthday. What Meg doesn't know is that she's actually attending a cult meeting. Peter comes to pick up Meg, when the Cult Leader follows. Stewie believes him to be the "Man in White", trying to return him to the womb.
Director: Dominic Polcino
Writer: Danny Smith
7.4/103,242 votes#4 - Mind Over Murder
Season 1 Episode 4 - Aired 4/25/1999
At Chris' soccer game, Peter gets into a fight with a woman, that he thought was a man, and punches her in the face. After being placed under house arrest, Peter becomes restless and ends up turning the basement into a full bar. Lois begins singing each night and becomes the main attraction. Meanwhile, Stewie creates a time machine in order to avoid teething pain, but ends up taking back much more than that.
Director: Roy Allen Smith
Writer: Neil Goldman, Garrett Donovan
7.4/103,152 votes#5 - A Hero Sits Next Door
Season 1 Episode 5 - Aired 5/1/1999
When the Griffin Family gets new neighbors that move in next door, Lois quickly becomes friends with Bonnie, Meg soon becomes attracted to their son, Kevin, and Peter becomes annoyed by the entire situation. After Peter injures the best player on his company's baseball team, Mr. Weed forces him to find a replacement, so Peter quickly changes his mind about his neighbors and invites Joe to play. When Joe shows up at the game, Peter learns that he is in a wheelchair. Joe ends up being the star of the game, which makes Peter jealous, as he wants to be a hero too. Peter ends up trying to stop a bank robbery to prove his value, but ends up getting caught up in the whole situation.
Director: Monte Young
Writer: Matt Weitzman, Mike Barker
7.1/103,027 votes#6 - The Son Also Draws
Season 1 Episode 6 - Aired 5/2/1999
Chris loses interest in being a youth scout, as he would rather pursue drawing and art instead. The Scout Master then kicks Chris out of the scouts. Peter then takes the family to the Big Apple to try to get Chris reinstated back into the scouts. After Peter takes a wrong turn on the way, the family ends up at a Native American casino. Lois then gets obsessed with the slot machines while Peter goes on a vision quest to prove that he has Native American blood in him.
Director: Neil Affleck
Writer: Ricky Blitt
7.4/103,066 votes#7 - Brian: Portrait of a Dog
Season 1 Episode 7 - Aired 5/15/1999
When a heat wave hits Quahog, Peter gets Brian to enter a dog show to win $500 so that the family can get a new air conditioner. When they argue over a trick gone bad, Brian walks out on the family and Peter replaces him with a cat. Brian struggles to assert his civil rights and soon ends up at the pound. Luckily, Peter is able to bail him out by bribing the judge.
Director: Michael Dante DiMartino
Writer: Gary Janetti
The Best Episodes of Family Guy Season 1
Every episode of Family Guy Season 1 ranked from best to worst. Discover the Best Episodes of Family Guy Season 1!
Sick, twisted, politically incorrect and Freakin' Sweet animated series featuring the adventures of the dysfunctional Griffin family. Bumbling Peter and long-suffering Lois have three kids....
Genres:AnimationComedy
Network:FOX
Season 1 Ratings Summary
"Death Has a Shadow" is the best rated episode of "Family Guy" season 1. It scored 7.6/10 based on 4771 votes. Directed by Peter Shin, Seth MacFarlane and written by Seth MacFarlane, it aired on 1/31/1999. This episode is rated 0.1 points higher than the second-best, "I Never Met the Dead Man".