A Tribute to Brian Griffin from Family Guy

Today we mourn the tragic loss of Brian Griffin, the beloved alcoholic, pot smoking, talking dog from Family Guy.  After appearing on every episode for the past 15 years, the smartest member of the Griffin family died last night after being run over by a car.

Thousands of Family Guy fans from all over the world are flocking to social media sites wondering  why the writers didn't just kill off Meg?  To add insult to injury, the Griffin family has replaced Brian with a new dog named Vinnie.  But real Family Guy fans know, Brian is irreplaceable.  Brian definitely marked his territory in television history.

His bout with cocaine addiction, his love affair with a ditsy blonde named Jillian, his close bond with Stewie, his longstanding feud with Glenn Quagmire, his search for his biological mother, his ill fated writing career, his failed attempts to seduce Lois and his successful conquest of a post op transsexual are all unforgettable moments.  Not only was Brian the Griffin family's voice of reason, but he will go down as the greatest dog in the history of television.

Sure, there have been many legendary tv canines, including actual dogs like Lassie, Rin Tin Tin, Spudz McKenzie and Sarah Jessica Parker.  There have also been many great movie dogs like Beethoven, Benji, Hooch, Old Yeller and Sarah Jessica Parker.  And, of course, there's a long list of classic cartoon dogs, including:  Snoopy, Astro, Clifford, Underdog and Sarah Jessica Parker.  But how many of those dogs could talk?  The answer is only Sarah Jessica Parker.

Brian and Scooby Doo are the most famous talking dogs of all time.  The difference between them is, Scooby couldn't sing, dance, drink or write novels.  For this reason, Brian Griffin stands alone as the greatest canine character in modern television history. R.I.P. Brian.  You will be missed.