R.I.P. Brian Griffin

I learned recently that Brian Griffin, the beloved dog character on Family Guy, has been killed off via a dog vs. car accident wherein the dog lost.

They have brought on a new dog, named Vinny played by Tony Sirico of The Sopranos.

I have not seen these new episodes yet, but I am anxious to see them and analyze them, etc.

I have been watching Family Guy since the very beginning, and I have bought DVD sets of various seasons, or used my DVR, etc.

I consider myself a very devoted and loyal fan to the show, and to many of Seth MacFarlane’s creations (American Dad, The Cleveland Show, et al).

Being a loyal fan doesn’t necessarily, in my opinion, mean agreeing with every plot choice or even liking every single episode. It does mean, however, sticking with the show and trusting the writers enough to give them a chance to work through whatever my grievance might be.

I’ve seen a lot of people with an attitude of “I’ll never watch the show again!” because of Brian’s death. These people were not loyal fans to begin with, in my opinion, and are just attention seekers.

I love Brian, many of my favorite episodes involved him and different things he’s said and done, how he’s reacted to situations, etc.

But, it’s not the “Brian Griffin Show” it’s “Family Guy.”

Family Guy contains many characters, many of whom are very enjoyable in their own ways, and the show can and will exist just fine; possibly even better in some ways, without Brian.

Any show that has gone for many seasons runs the risk of becoming predictable and just not as enjoyable as it once was. It runs the risk of having done everything it can possibly do within its present configuration. A lot of people refer to it as “jumping the shark” which I interpret as meaning “continuing forward even though it should have quit.”

This was an attempt, and I believe it to be a brave and smart attempt, to avoid “jumping the shark.”

Now the show can have lots of new dynamics, new interactions, and new back stories to bring forth; the show is fresh once more because we know two things. 1. There are no “darlings” that can’t be killed. 2. Anything can, and will, happen.

The writers respect us enough to know that we can evolve and adapt along with them, and they trust that we can handle change and new directions without (for the most part) being a bunch of whiny babies who want their hand held and want to be spoon-fed more of the same for eternity.

At the end of the day it’s just a show, people. An animated show at that. It’s not the end-all-be-all of existence. It’s not a life-changing experience. It’s not a religion. It’s a cartoon. It’s written and put out for you to either enjoy it or to not enjoy it. If you do not enjoy it, don’t watch it. If you enjoy it, watch it. It’s that simple.

If you want to write it, or tell the creators how to write it, maybe you should instead consider pitching a show to the network yourself and creating that show.

Before anyone gets mad at me, I’m not saying don’t have an opinion. I’m not even saying to keep your opinion to yourself. I’m saying don’t expect your opinion to change something, and then get mad if it doesn’t change and you don’t get your way. I’m also saying that petitioning networks, threatening boycotts and demanding action makes you look like a crybaby who can’t handle change or reality.

I’m basically saying “grow up.” Give the show a chance to run this idea through its course, for good or bad. Be the loyal fan you proclaim yourself to be.