‘Family Guy’ Fans Agree Stewie Griffin Changed — for the Better

Family Guy is one of the most successful and long-running adult animated TV shows. Full of sarcastic humor and double entendres, Family Guy debuted on television in 1999 and, after returning from its initial cancelation, has been going strong ever since. One of the show’s most iconic characters is undoubtedly Stewie Griffin, the infant evil genius who often serves as the show’s narrator. While Stewie remains a beloved part of the show, his character has changed over time — something some fans don’t necessarily think is bad. 

Stewie Griffin is one of the most popular ‘Family Guy’ characters

Family Guy focuses on the Griffin family, a middle-class family unit. There’s Peter, the dim but well-intentioned patriarch; Lois, the stay-at-home mom; Meg, the underdog teenage daughter; Chris, an awkward teenager with body image issues; and Stewie – the baby who fashions himself as a criminal mastermind and brilliant archvillain.

Not long after Family Guy debuted, Stewie became the show’s runaway star. Fans couldn’t get enough of the tough-talking infant who seemed disinterested in typical baby activities. And, more than 20 seasons in, Stewie remains a vital part of the Family Guy lineup. 

How did the character of Stewie Griffin change in ‘Family Guy’?

While the show that made creator Seth MacFarlane famous is still going strong, some characters have changed slightly. This is especially noticeable in the case of Stewie Griffin. According to IGN, during the first few seasons of Family Guy, Stewie was comparable to a “psychopathic potential supervillain. Later seasons of the show have seen Stewie’s character mellow out slightly, becoming a “flamboyant, sarcastic comedian.”

A few things about Stewie haven’t changed, however. The infant is still prone to prodding the fourth wall at every opportunity. He points out implausible situations and jokes about how certain unrealistic things in the world of television might seem. Stewie’s quick wit and impeccable comedic timing make him indispensable to fans. And many viewers don’t even mind how his personality seems to have changed over the years. 

What did fans say about Stewie Griffin changing?

In a Reddit thread, Family Guy fans discussed the differences between Stewie’s character in the show’s early seasons and how he is currently written. While the original poster expressed regret for Stewie’s “crazy scientist” persona, others decided they prefer Stewie now. “Stewie as an evil genius was so one dimensional and boring,” one fan wrote. “The shtick got old fast. I really prefer the effeminate genius who hated his mom but had better things to spend his time with. He became a lot more interesting and his jokes had a wider range.”

Another fan wrote, “Stewie was the character who developed the most and now it’s the one I like the most.” Others pointed out how his character has been given much more depth in recent seasons, noting that they appreciate that the writers chose to develop Stewie’s persona into something more flexible and entertaining. 

As one fan said, “he’s more impactful as a character now , he’s funnier now in my opinion then he was in the earlier seasons, the ‘kill lois’ thing was definitely overkill.” While every viewer has their take on what makes a character “work,” it’s clear that Family Guy has been able to keep many fans happy.