One of television’s most iconic adult animated shows, Family Guy has made a name for itself since its premiere in 1999. Following the antics of the Griffin family — Peter (Seth MacFarlane), Lois (Alex Borstein), Meg (Mila Kunis), Chris (Seth Green), Stewie (MacFarlane) and their dog, Brian (also MacFarlane) — the show is renowned for referencing pop culture, making fun of celebrities and its crass humor. Viewers can stay up-to-date with every episode of the quintessential comedy via Hulu.

Winning 37 awards from Primetime Emmys to Teen Choice Awards, the series has a charm for producing an adult cartoon with epic comedic ventures. With 20 seasons of laughs, controversy, and weird cutaways, Family Guy has had its highs and lows in terms of season quality – though this hasn’t deterred fans from the lovable series.

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21 Season 17

No. of episodes: 20

Season 17 of Family Guy, airing from 2018 to 2019, premiered with 20 episodes. In this season, Meg competes at the Olympics, Peter fights with Donald Trump (Josh Robert Thompson), Lois takes the Marie Kondo method too far, and Brian marries Jess (Casey Wilson) — a woman who has cancer. Earning its place as the worst season of Family Guy, it relies on cutaway gags, old jokes and themes, and Peter’s ignorance to get through the episodes.

The season also falls back into its roots of episodic nature, where no clear storyline seems to appear for the next season, with the only positive being that it awards Meg with more screen time. While some chuckle-worthy moments exist, Season 17 does little to stand out, leaving it insignificant and stagnant.

20 Season 12

No. of episodes: 21

Featuring 21 episodes in 2014, Season 12 leads astray, becoming a parody of what Family Guy used to be. Standout plots this season include a Quahog-wide treasure hunt, Stewie destroying his time machine, Brian favoring his career over his son and Cleveland (Mike Henry) and Peter being separated when their wives get into an argument.

However, when discussing Season 12, the topic will always change to the most controversial finale episode, "Life Of Brian," which depicts the death of Brian after being hit by a car. Audiences were made that the humanized dog was killed in such a mundane way but were even more angered by the fact that it happened at all. Season 17 encapsulates self-contained episodes rather than developing over time, reminding viewers of Season 1 all over again. Random rather than calculated, the season lacks a freshness, where it favors shock factor over the typical humor it was once known for.

19 Season 18

No. of episodes: 20

Airing on FOX between 2019 and 2020 with 20 episodes was season 18. The season shows Quagmire’s dad’s (Seth MacFarlane) sex change, Meg pretending to be dead, Peter in a coma, and Principal Shepherd (Gary Cole) moving in with the Griffins after being fired.

The humor takes a back seat with a sharp focus on pop culture references. While the episodes are creative as always, the direction they end up taking became ineffective at entertaining the audience in the typical Family Guy way. This season unfortunately has some of the most skippable Family Guy episodes.

18 Season 19

No. of episodes: 20

Season 19 contained 20 episodes, spanning from 2020 to 2021, with segments such as Stewie saying his first word, Joe (Patrick Warburton) asking Peter to be his daughter’s godfather, Meg going to college, and the Griffin family dealing with Christmas for the first time without Lois.

Following the likes of Season 18, Family Guy is still struggling with its quality in its later seasons — particularly by becoming a show that keeps breaking the fourth wall, which fans argue shouldn’t happen in the series. Dry and bland, the series has turned into a meta-humor show that makes rather basic and underwhelming political commentary instead of showcasing the idiotic behaviors of the Quahog community.

17 Season 13

No. of episodes: 18

Season 13 of Family Guy was televised from 2014 to 2015, with 18 episodes. The season follows misadventures such as Lois and Peter opening a cookie store (Breaking Bad style), Jesus (Alec Sulkin) attempting to lose his virginity, Stewie impregnating himself with Brian’s DNA and Meg becoming a foot model.

Opening with a crossover with The Simpsons, the first episode of the season promised a zappy, fun thread to reoccur throughout the rest of the episodes. However, the audience quickly realized that Season 13 was in the same downward spiral as the handful of seasons before it. Season 13 left audience members feeling uncomfortable with the contrived writing and its offensive (but not laughable) humor.

16 Season 16

No. of episodes: 20

The 16th installment of Family Guy aired from 2017 into 2018, containing 20 episodes. Fans follow the members of Quahog, where Brian is outed for posting an offensive tweet, Stewie goes to a psychologist, Peter and the boys join the U.S Coast Guard, and Chris goes on an adventure around town to find a rare dollar bill given to him by Carter (Seth MacFarlane).

Season 16 distinguished itself as an inconsistent season, teasing fans with excellent episodes such as "HTTPete," and then disappointing them with ones such as "The Unkindest Cut." Its inconsistency stems from predictable jokes, filler moments, and episodic plots. On the other hand, it offers viewers character development, fewer cutaways, and glimmers of the best of what Family Guy can produce.

15 Season 15

No. of episodes: 20

Season 15 premiered in 2016 to 2017, with 20 episodes. The season produced zany storylines such as Taylor Swift (Ursula Taherian) agreeing to go to prom with Chris, Lois, and Peter leading an anti-vax movement in Quahog, Quagmire becoming obsessed with dating apps and Meg joining a roller derby team.

Season 15 is regarded in the same realm within the later half of the series, where audiences are not satisfied with the comedic/dark humor/character development trifecta that made Family Guy so popular in its earlier days. It may rediscover character traits that were left behind from the earlier seasons (and featured some of Family Guy's most memorable cameos), but it’s overall a hit-and-miss season of Family Guy.

14 Season 14

No. of episodes: 20

Airing from 2015 to 2016, Season 14 contained 20 episodes in total. Some of the standout episodes focus on plots such as the tension between Peter and Quagmire when Quagmire declares his love for Lois, Stewie becoming a star thanks to a peanut butter commercial, Chris becoming subject to a homecoming prank, and Brian and Stewie traveling to India to meet Brian’s newest love interest.

Just like its following season, Season 14 falls into a slump. Trying to tackle issues such as substance dependency for children with ADHD for parental ease doesn’t have the same impact without hard-hitting humor and worse consequences for the character’s actions. While there are glimmers of humor, the episodes lacked inspiration for anything impactful to come out of them.

13 Season 20

No. of episodes: 20

Season 20 was released in 2021. In this season, fans are invited into episodes following both wacky and sometimes wholesome Family Guy adventures such as Lois becoming addicted to painkillers, Meg working as a getaway driver, Peter and Chris heading on a road trip to prove the existence of Chris’ girlfriend, and Stewie believing he has gotten his first period.

The indifferent reception to the episodes allows for season 20’s low ranking among the series. Fans seem to be at odds with season 20: in one way, the humor has been praised for being a redeeming quality, but in the same vein, it has been critiqued for its "newfound wokeness," allowing the audience to reminisce a time when Family Guy pushed past boundaries to produce a unique shock-factor.

12 Season 21

No. of episodes: 20

With high points like a satirical portrayal of legendary Oscar-nominated movies and Lois' knack for hypnotism, there's no denying that Family Guy's latest season offers some gut-busting moments. It also has some boring and predictable storylines, like Stewie's political campaign and Cleveland's new job.

Some episodes lean too heavily on political satire and end up sacrificing the comedy, while others manage to strike the balance just right. Season 21 isn't the return to form or renaissance fans wanted it to be, but it's not terrible enough to completely ignore.

11 Season 1

No. of episodes: 7

Family Guy began in 1999, and consisted of only seven episodes. The season became known for episodes such as Peter losing his job and blowing welfare money, Brian arguing for his rights after entering a dog show, Lois becoming a singer in Peter’s basement bar, and Stewie running away from home. Even though it was a short introduction, it was well-received as a fresh take on the nuclear family on TV — a cruder version of The Simpsons but a sillier version of South Park.

Its political incorrectness is known for walking the (thin) line between poignancy and dark humor, but in a way that does not always hit the sweet spot. While Season 1 was not the best of the Family Guy series, it should be commended for its ability to bring a fresh perspective to adult animation.

10 Season 11

No. of episodes: 22

Season 11 of Family Guy aired from 2012 to 2013 with 22 episodes. The season follows the Griffins as they traverse through Lois’ midlife crisis, Peter’s retelling of the Nativity story in a Christmas episode, Chris’ space cadetship, Brian and Stewie’s writing rivalry and Quagmire marrying a sex worker while drunk.

Fans were left torn as Family Guy changed their tone to a more sadistic style of humor this season, which didn’t sit well with everyone who was used to their usual dark humor. In addition, while it seems to settle back into well-timed cutaway segments, Season 11 played with some darker themes that didn’t blend with the humor, making it susceptible to scrutiny.

9 Season 10

No. of episodes: 23

2011-2012 brought together a collection of 23 episodes to mark Family Guy season 10. The season celebrates its rowdy misadventures with plots such as the hilarious Ryan Reynolds becoming obsessed with Peter, Quagmire taking a shot with Meg, Brian dating a blind woman and Joe cheating on Bonnie (Jennifer Tilly).

This season is known as the start of the "demise" of Family Guy for avid viewers, Season 10 shocked fans with a drop in their writing quality. Incontrovertibly, however, Family Guy still made fans laugh and rejoice at moments in the show.

8 Season 7

No. of episodes: 16

Season 7 of Family Guy was televised from 2008 to 2009, with 16 episodes. The season showcased episodes such as Peter’s iconic obsession with the "Surfin' Bird" by the Trashmen, Brian and Stewie teleporting to Nazi Germany, Lois becoming a FOX News presenter, and Brian’s attempt to legalize marijuana.

Season 7 became well-known for its clever pop culture references, its ability to use dark humor without going over the edge, and its creation of the catchy song "Everything’s Better With A Bag Of Weed." It kept viewers satisfied with its brazen episodes, making it one of the preferred seasons of the series.

7 Season 9

No. of episodes: 18

Featuring 18 episodes from 2010 to 2011 was Season 9 of Family Guy. The season expressed unique plots such as Quahog’s murder mystery, Lois becoming a professional boxer, Brian donating his kidney to Peter and Meg attempting to be involved with Joe (in what was bound to be one of the worst TV relationships).

Season 9 produced insights into the main characters to give them dimension, which was well received by viewers, carrying on the positive reception from Season 8. The opening episode — "And Then There Were Fewer" — remains a fan favorite throughout all the Family Guy episodes due to its standout plot and entertaining humor.

6 Season 8

No. of episodes: 21

Known for its newfound creativity, Season 8 ran from 2009 to 2010, with 21 episodes. Season 8 has storylines such as Brian and Stewie traveling into the multiverse, Quagmire dealing with his infant, Meg hiding her criminal boyfriend in the house, and Peter and the gang going on a trip to find the source of a dirty joke.

Compared to its older seasons, this season stepped out of the box, with a darker tone blending in with the usual brazen, silly comedy. The darkness primarily comes from the development of Brian’s character, which allows the audience to feel sorry for him instead of hating him. Season 8 is also known for being the last season that is enjoyable and one that is still the "same old" Family Guy.

5 Season 2

No. of episodes: 21

The long-awaited second season of Family Guy aired from 1999 to 2000, defining viewers' 2000s nostalgia with a much longer run of 21 episodes. Shown in this season were adventures such as Brian realizing that he loves Lois, Peter taking on the role of Death (Norm MacDonald), Chris becoming a talented painter and Meg earning extra cash when she pretends that Stewie is her son.

Memorable and entertaining, Season 2 is one of Family Guy's best seasons and has been well-regarded in the community. The season every fan was waiting for, Season 2 will not disappoint those seeking childish antics and dark humor.

4 Season 3

No. of episodes: 22

Airing from 2001 to 2002, Season 3 contained 22 episodes in total. These episodes include when Lois becomes a blackbelt in martial arts, Brian directs a porno film, Peter converts Chris to Judaism, and Joe is trained for the disabled decathlon with the help of Peter.

After a brief cancellation of Family Guy due to low ratings, Season 3 was released. The jokes in Season 3 are related to the episode’s plot, the cutaways are perfectly timed, and the Griffin family is the perfect balance of zany and offensive without it being insulting or childish.

3 Season 5

No. of episodes: 18

The fifth season of Family Guy encapsulated 18 episodes that ran from 2006 to 2007. Among the best Family Guy seasons, it premiered episodes showing Lois teaching sex-ed in the kid’s high school, the Griffins opening their restaurant, Stewie becoming obsessed with Lois after she saved Rupert and Meg crushing on Brian after he goes to prom with her.

Political incorrectness runs rampant in this season, yet in the way that it somehow manages to offend everyone to the point where it offends no one — filled with episodes depicting the already iconic animation duo, Stewie and Brian, getting into all sorts of mishaps, Season 5 pleased viewers with more screen time for their friendship, which in turn developed their individual characters.

2 Season 6

No. of episodes: 12

Family Guy Season 6 came out in 2007-2008, releasing only twelve episodes due to the Writers Guild of America strike. Featured in Season 6 were plots such as a Star Wars re-enactment, Joe getting a leg transplant, Brian finding out that he’s a father and Peter acting like a pirate when he gets a pet parrot.

Earning its place as one of the best seasons of Family Guy, Season 6 encapsulated pop-culture references, odd storylines that highlight the weird characteristics of each member of Quahog, and of course, the most controversial episodes in the history of the series (which is a good achievement, or a bad one, depending on individual humor tastes).