Although the show primarily revolves around Stewie and Brian now, Family Guy was originally conceived in the short Larry & Steve as a show about an idiot and his much more intelligent talking dog, who acted as the voice of reason. Both were voiced by series creator Seth MacFarlane, who used his normal speaking voice for the deadpan dog.
In translating the short into a half-hour primetime series, Larry and Steve became Peter and Brian and Family Guy was born. While Brian’s time-traveling antics with Stewie are undoubtedly his most popular adventures on Family Guy, he’s also shared plenty of memorable storylines with Peter.
Death Has A Shadow (Season 1, Episode 1)
Peter and Brian were introduced as the central duo in Family Guy in the series’ first ever episode, “Death Has a Shadow.” In the episode, Peter accidentally receives a much bigger welfare check than he’s entitled to, and instead of reporting the mistake, he spends all the money.
When Peter realizes the error of his ways, he teams up with Brian to try to make up for it, including dumping a bunch of cash into the middle of the stadium during the Super Bowl.
Turkey Guys (Season 13, Episode 5)
Peter and Brian get drunk and eat the turkey the night before Thanksgiving in season 13’s “Turkey Guys,” so Lois sends them out into the wild to somehow find a turkey on Thanksgiving.
Throughout the day, Peter’s ineptness gets on Brian’s nerves. At one point, they crash the car into a lake (again, due to Peter’s ineptness) and Peter leaves Brian to die because he thinks dogs can breathe underwater. Peter redeems himself when they break into a zoo to steal a turkey and he ends up saving Brian’s life.
Friends Of Peter G. (Season 9, Episode 10)
After making a drunken scene at the movie theater, Peter and Brian are sentenced to attend Alcoholics Anonymous meetings. At first, they hate going to them, but when they start sneaking in booze, they enjoy the meetings a lot more.
When Death shows Peter an alternate universe in which his alcoholism worsens and an alternate universe in which he’s sober and unbearable, Peter learns the importance of moderation.
Perfect Castaway (Season 4, Episode 12)
The first half of season 4’s “Perfect Castaway” revolves around Peter and the guys as they go out on a fishing trip and their boat is destroyed and they’re all stranded on a desert island.
However, after they’re saved, Peter is shocked to learn that in the months he was gone, Lois married Brian. This creates a rift between the two friends as Peter hopes to win back his wife.
Brian: Portrait Of A Dog (Season 1, Episode 7)
In season 1’s “Brian: Portrait of a Dog,” the Griffins encourage a reluctant Brian to take part in a dog show so they can use the prize money to buy a new air conditioner. He finds the dog show humiliating and reaches the final straw when Peter tries to force him to do a trick.
Realizing he’s a second-class citizen, Brian runs away – and ends up in the pound, awaiting death. As the Griffins frantically try to save Brian, the episode solidifies that he is ultimately a full, valued member of the family.
Our Idiot Brian (Season 13, Episode 8)
Brian finds himself relating more to Peter than Stewie when he tries to take the SATs for Meg, fails miserably, and realizes he may not be as smart as he thought in season 13’s “Our Idiot Brian.”
While Peter and Brian’s friendship is stronger than ever as they proudly embrace idiocy, Stewie is confused by Brian’s change of personality and finds out it was caused by a brain tumor.
To Love And Die In Dixie (Season 3, Episode 12)
When Chris identifies a criminal in a police line-up and then Peter gives the criminal all his personal information, the family is placed in the Witness Protection Program and relocated to a town called Bumblescum in the deep South.
The Griffins have no problem fitting in with the townspeople: Meg becomes popular at school, Stewie joins a jug band, and Peter and Brian take jobs as the local sheriff and his deputy.
Dead Dog Walking (Season 17, Episode 2)
In the season 17 premiere “Married with Cancer,” Brian falls for a cancer patient who is expected to die soon and marries her so she can cross off the last item on her bucket list. However, after they’ve gotten married, she makes a speedy recovery, and Brian is stuck married to someone he doesn’t really love.
In the next episode “Dead Dog Walking,” Peter teaches Brian the joys of marriage, namely the ability to let oneself go and acquire a bunch of sheds.
Peter’s Got Woods (Season 4, Episode 11)
In season 4’s “Peter’s Got Woods,” Brian and his new African-American girlfriend launch a campaign to get James Woods High named after Martin Luther King, Jr., but the decision is blocked when Peter brings in Woods himself to testify. Peter and James Woods become close friends, squeezing Brian out until Peter realizes his new movie star friend isn’t as cool as he thought.
Peter and Brian end up reteaming to trap Woods with a trail of candy leading to a crate: “Ooh, piece of candy... ooh, piece of candy... ooh, piece of candy...” When Woods returns to steal Peter’s identity, they were able to use the exact same gambit to trap him.
New Kidney In Town (Season 9, Episode 10)
In season 9’s “New Kidney in Town,” Peter’s toxic homemade Red Bull leaves him in need of regular dialysis. When he skips one of the sessions to watch Charles in Charge at the bar, his kidney fails and he finds himself in need of a donor.
Brian is a match, but Dr. Hartman says that because Brian is a dog with smaller kidneys, he’ll need to donate both to save Peter (he later admits he isn’t sure it’ll work). Brian making the ultimate sacrifice for Peter – or at least being willing to – resulted in one of their sweetest storylines.