By Cailin Acosta in San Diego, California
For those unfamiliar with Family Guy, the long-running animated sitcom was created by Seth MacFarlane for the Fox Broadcasting Company and premiered in 1999. The series centers on the dysfunctional Griffin family—parents Peter and Lois, their children Meg, Chris, and Stewie, and their talking pet dog Brian—in the fictional town of Quahog, Rhode Island.
Over the years, Family Guy has become one of television’s most recognizable animated comedies. At the same time, it has often generated controversy for its irreverent style of humor. The show has faced criticism for storylines and jokes that some viewers consider offensive, including allegations of relying on stereotypes, shock humor, and graphic violence. Despite the criticism, the series has maintained a devoted fan base for more than two decades.
As a parent, I remember when Family Guy would air on Sunday nights. Because it was animated, my twins were naturally drawn to it and were disappointed whenever we changed the channel. While my husband and I appreciated the show’s adult humor, it certainly wasn’t appropriate for them when they were around five years old. Now that they are older, they understand the satire and enjoy watching it.
The Family Guy panel at San Diego Comic-Con featured Alex Borstein (voice of Lois Griffin), Seth Green (voice of Chris Griffin), Arif Zahir (voice of Cleveland Brown), Jennifer Tilly (voice of Bonnie Swanson), supervising director Peter Shin, and showrunner and executive producer Rich Appel. Together, they previewed what lies ahead for television’s most irreverent family, sharing exclusive footage and discussing the future of the series.
Audience members were treated to an advance screening of an upcoming episode from the show’s 25th season, which is scheduled to premiere later this year. While the panel included discussion of new storylines and character developments, I’ll avoid spoilers. Fans should simply be excited that plenty of new adventures are on the way.
One of the highlights of the presentation came when Alex Borstein serenaded the packed room by singing while accompanying herself on the ukulele, an instrument she recently began learning. Hearing her seamlessly transition into Lois Griffin’s distinctive voice during the performance delighted the audience.
Borstein has spoken openly about her Jewish heritage. Born into a Jewish family, she has shared in interviews that she celebrates Shabbat every Friday evening. While she describes herself as someone who primarily attends synagogue on the High Holidays, she remains deeply committed to preserving Jewish traditions. With both her mother and grandmother having survived the Holocaust, Borstein has expressed feeling a profound responsibility to carry on her family’s heritage and to pass those traditions to her children.
Seth Green was also raised in a Jewish family and celebrated his bar mitzvah.
Although not present at the panel, Mila Kunis, who voices Meg Griffin, also has a Jewish background. Born in what is now Ukraine, she immigrated to the United States with her family after experiencing antisemitism in the former Soviet Union. Kunis has also spoken about her family’s Holocaust history.
The panel celebrated not only the longevity of Family Guy but also its continued evolution after more than 25 years on television. Judging by the enthusiasm of both the cast and the audience, the series shows no signs of slowing down, and fans can look forward to many more outrageous adventures from the Griffin family.
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Cailin Acosta is the assistant editor of the San Diego Jewish World.