The fourth wall is a theatre term referring to the audience. This originates from the idea that there are three walls on a stage, one on the back, one to the left, and one to the right, as well as an imaginary fourth wall in front that contains the players within their play. To break the fourth wall means to show awareness of the audience or other things outside of it.
Season 1[]
In Death Has a Shadow[]
After Peter suggests that he apply for a minority scholarship, he winks at the screen.
In A Hero Sits Next Door[]
Peter starts to make a joke with Brian, but is forced to wait until the audience stops laughing in order to complete his line.
Season 2[]
In Peter, Peter, Caviar Eater[]
The episode ends with Peter looking at the screen and giving a thumbs up.
In Da Boom[]
At the end of the show, Victoria Principal tells Patrick Duffy she had a dream about Family Guy and then they both turn slowly as Patrick stares into the camera.
In Love Thy Trophy[]
In the middle of fighting for the trophy they collectively won, Peter, Cleveland, Quagmire, and Joe look at the screen and laugh.
In Death Is a Bitch[]
After Peter is told by Death to kill the kids from Dawson's Creek, he changes his mind and says to Death on the phone, "If they die, I'll have nothing to watch on Wednesdays", he moves his eyes slowly to the viewers saying nervously, "Other than the fine programs on FOX".
In Running Mates[]
Peter becomes annoyed with the live studio audience placed in the middle of the street.
In A Picture's Worth a Thousand Bucks[]
Carter Banks fills in for Brian, but has trouble remembering his lines and prompting of the location of the camera.
In Road to Rhode Island[]
In the musical number, Stewie said "FOX will never let us die", and then said "Please?" toward the camera.
In The Story on Page One[]
After Luke Perry reads Meg's story, we zoom out to Peter's face in front of the scene on television, "singing" the sneaky music while looking at us. In the same episode, Family Guy is mentioned on a TV Guide.
In Fore Father[]
After Lois suggests that Peter help Chris get a job, Peter tells the audience that moments like that show why he married her. He then tells the audience to stop watching them since he is about to "do stuff to her."
Season 3[]
In Mr. Griffin Goes to Washington[]
Peter claims that profits are higher than Alyssa Milano, which is followed by a live-action shot of Milano watching the clip and threatening to sue. Additionally, the episode ends with the Griffins warning the viewers against killing strippers.
In One if by Clam, Two if by Sea[]
Peter mentions Benjamin Disraeli, who appears and accuses the audience of not knowing who he is.
In Lethal Weapons[]
Peter criticizes FOX, but Lois discourages him from doing so. Peter asks what FOX can do them, questioning whether the show's budget would get cut. After saying this, he walks in a sloppily-animated way.
In A Very Special Family Guy Freakin' Christmas[]
The episode ends with the Griffin family wishing happy holidays to the audience, although Lois, who is tranquilized at this point, murmurs unintelligible sounds.
In Road to Europe[]
During the song, "You and I are So Awfully Different", Brian warns Stewie about his language on TV.
In Family Guy Viewer Mail No. 1[]
Stewie and Brian present stories which were supposedly inspired by letters from fans of the show.
Season 4[]
In North by North Quahog[]
Peter and the family discuss the cancellation of Family Guy which occurred between Seasons 3 and 4. Peter lists various shows that FOX must make room for, and decides that Family Guy can only return if all of those shows are cancelled, which all of them had by that time.
In Blind Ambition[]
Peter comments that Bonnie has somehow been pregnant for six years, referencing the time since her first appearance.
In Don't Make Me Over[]
At the end of the episode, Peter, Meg, and Lois walk off of a set of the Griffins living room and stand on a stage with all of the actors in the episode. As the audience applauds them, Peter thanks everyone who participated in making the episode possible. Once Showtime At The Apollo comes on, Brian turns off the TV and tells the audience that he has nothing against Apollo being an African American-oriented series and then proceeds to bark at the audience.
In Brian the Bachelor[]
While watching Chris dance, Herbert raises his eyebrows twice while facing the camera.
In 8 Simple Rules for Buying My Teenage Daughter[]
Peter looks at the camera twice during his "I can't believe it's not butter" quote.
In The Father, the Son, and the Holy Fonz[]
Stewie, at one point, urges the viewer to look at some of the women of Desperate Housewives on ABC, Family Guy's competition in the same time slot, and even waits for five seconds until the viewer switches back.
Season 5[]
In Whistle While Your Wife Works[]
In the opening sequence, the fourth wall is broken when we see a camera next to the stairs, and Stewie advises that we cut to the show while Peter rubs his swelling foot.
In Saving Private Brian[]
After shooting Vern and Johnny dead, Stewie turns to the camera and says "OK, they're dead. Alright? We're not gonna be seeing them again." Later, he tries setting up a cutaway, realizing it's not happening, he hesitatingly finishes talking to Brian about his desertion.
In Boys Do Cry[]
During the credits, Peter directs his poor-parenting speech gradually from Lois to the camera "I agree, Lois. Like, for instance, if you're watching a TV show and you decide to take your values from that... you're an idiot. Maybe you should take responsibility for what values your kids are getting. Maybe you shouldn't be letting your kids watch certain shows in the first place if you have such a big problem with them, instead of blaming the shows themselves." ending it and the episode with a simple "Yeah..."
Season 6[]
In Believe It or Not, Joe's Walking on Air[]
During one of Peter's cutaway gags about how to take out Hitler he looks to the camera and says "See we had a plan for that all along"
In Back to the Woods[]
After Ghost Johnny plays the piano in Hell, Ghost Vern faces the viewer and says, "You're probably wondering why he's in Hell. Johnny liked little boys."
In Padre de Familia[]
After Peter learns that he his actually a Mexican immigrant, he exclaims, "Holy Crap!". They then immediately cut to Peter laughing while standing in front of a purple back drop. He says, "Looks like I got myself in a bind! How will I get out of this one? Stick around." He then sings, "Cause we've got Cleveland, and Quagmire, and Joe, and Mort, and all your Cartoon Pals!".
In Play It Again, Brian[]
Peter and Lois are setting in bed. They turn to each other and say, "I'll start packing!" and start laughing. However, Peter starts laughing in a very exaggerated manner, crawls toward the camera, and laughs directly into it.
Season 7[]
In Love, Blactually[]
Brian and Stewie debate whether Loretta can understand Stewie and a director is heard offscreen saying, "We're filming.". Later when Cleveland runs into Loretta apologizing for betraying him, he looks to the viewer saying "Uh, I'm no meteorologist but I'm pretty sure it's raining bitches."
In I Dream of Jesus[]
After Jesus talks to George W. Bush, Peter looks at the audience and says, "Wouldn't it be great if life were like this?"
Also, when the family and Jesus arrive at the Paris Hilton Party on the uncensored version, the bouncer asks Peter who he is, his reply is "Peter Griffin from Family Guy."
Also, Peter angrily shouts the words of "Surfin' Bird" to the audience in the end of the first act.
In Road to Germany[]
When the boys discover they need uranium to return to the present, Brian tells Mort and Stewie that the only place they can go to get the uranium in Europe during WWII is Berlin. When Stewie realizes that Germany was making weapons of mass destruction and asks why America is not doing anything about it, Brian says he does not know. He then slowly turns towards the audience and says "maybe because they don't have any...oil?" and Stewie flinches and claps in support of the burn.
In Not All Dogs Go To Heaven[]
At the end of the first act, when Meg becomes a born-again Christian, Peter disappointingly tells the audience that this will be a Meg episode and that nobody would blame them if they changed the channel.
In Stew-Roids[]
After Connie is trampled at a party and knocked unconscious, Peter lays on top of her. Annoyed, he looks to the camera and says to the audience, "What are you looking at? It's a cartoon." Then Stewie flies around an outside his bedroom window and lands on the mailbox carefully looking at the camera and says, "And now, here's something we hope you'll really like," in reference to Rocky & Bullwinkle.
In Three Kings[]
Peter is talking to the audience when he told the stories.
The Shawshank Redemption[]
Peter breaks the fourth wall when he says, "Since your Black and I'm White, that's make more a-special for the audience." and looks towards the viewers.
In Peter's Progress[]
King Stewert III sees a promo for 24, a show that used to air on Fox, and gets mad at it for interrupting their show. Later on after seeing Griffin Peterson's act for the talent show, King Stewert III comments that he didn't know that they can rip off a scene from a movie as their act.
Season 8[]
In Spies Reminiscent of Us[]
Stewie gets knocked senseless and is unable to set up a cutaway. He faces the audience and says "Hey, I wonder what Peter is up to." to cut to a scene of Peter and the guys.
In Business Guy[]
In the beginning of the episode, Peter seems to be briefly unaware that they have started filming, so for about four seconds, everyone is silent until he looks at the camera and then says, "Oh, uh, it sure was nice to invite us over to your yacht, Mr. Pewterschmidt."
In Big Man on Hippocampus[]
The Adult Swim bumpers shown during commercial breaks were parodied. After Brian says "uh-oh", the bumpers clarify that the viewers are still watching FOX.The fake bumpers remark that you should be watching it on Adult Swim, rather than Fox, because Adult Swim airs less censored versions. Confusingly enough, this scene is played on reruns on Adult Swim as well.
In Dial Meg for Murder[]
Peter reads a copy of TV Guide in order to know the story of the episode.
In Extra Large Medium[]
Stewie discusses a poem by Henry David Thoreau, pointing out the audience's perceived lack of knowledge when they believe most would attribute it to Thorton Melon, a character in the movie Back to School.
In April in Quahog[]
After Stewie plays with his action figures, Stewie faces the audience saying that parents who buy children "homoerotic" dolls that the gay son is on the parents.
In Quagmire's Dad[]
Stewie tries to tell Brian on a phone that there's an alien in a grass skirt juggling torches in the living room but he doesn't listen and hangs up. Soon as the alien is seen, Stewie faces the audience and says "Ahh? An alien in a grass skirt juggling torches. Yeah."
In The Splendid Source[]
Peter narrates the story to the audience throughout the episode and also reveals that FOX ruined Cleveland's 'surprise' appearance in their promos.
In Something, Something, Something, Dark Side[]
- Han Solo, played by Peter, says he's gonna kiss Princess Leia played by Lois so hard that the "picture's gonna change into something else" and it does.
- Before Darth Vader, played by Stewie Griffin, tells Luke Skywalker, played by Chris, that he is his father, he looks at the audience and tells them "Spoiler Alert!".
- Near the end, while Chewbacca, played by Brian and Lando Calrissian, played by Mort Goldman are sitting in the Millenium Falcon, Brian asks Mort why he is wearing Han's clothes. He looks at the camera and states to the audience that in the real movie Lando wears Han's clothes, suggesting the audience sees it.
In Partial Terms of Endearment[]
Peter calls attention to Family Guy being a show when he threatens to blow up the Family Planning Center to stop Lois from having an abortion. Lois attempts to call his bluff and Peter responds with "You've seen Family Guy! You know I would!" Later in the episode, the family is discussing the pros and cons of abortion without reaching a consensus when Peter looks at the camera and says "We had the abortion."
Season 9[]
In Excellence in Broadcasting[]
After Brian said that he was moving in with Rush Limbaugh, after Stewie says "Ooh, this is a bad idea. But I guess that FOX has bad ideas, huh?", a promotional bumper for Sons of Tucson shows up and Stewie says to the viewers pointing at the bumper, "Let's all just sit here for a moment and remember that this was a thing."
In New Kidney in Town[]
At Peter's checkup, Dr. Hartman admits he saw the "Three Weeks Later" caption.
In And I'm Joyce Kinney[]
After Lois is forced out of church, Peter explains that the churchgoers are only "random background people… half of them don't even move; the other half just blink."
In Friends of Peter G[]
A drunken Peter calls attention to the "Laugh and Cry" urban legend in the show's theme song.
In The Hand That Rocks the Wheelchair[]
Peter, dressed as Meg, acknowledges to the audience that he is stealing Meg's cutaway gag.
In Trading Places[]
At the very end of the episode, Dr. Hartman asks the Griffins what they do "after the screen goes black".
In Tiegs for Two[]
After Peter sets up a cutaway explaining his other white shirt was ruined while wine tasting at Michael J. Fox's house, he instead appears on a blank screen telling the viewer how they originally wanted to show them the actual scene, but decided not to because "It would make us all sad". He then tells the viewer that they decided to just show the cutaway.
In The Big Bang Theory[]
Stewie points out the large promo for The Cleveland Show.
In Foreign Affairs[]
After the music video, Peter looks at the camera and says "That happened, and we let it happen."
In It's A Trap![]
When Darth Vader/Stewie sees Roger from American Dad!, he mentions that the show has run out of their own characters for the episode. Later in the episode, after killing Emperor Palpatine/Carter, Vader/Stewie faces the camera and says "That's the power of please kids." At the end of the episode, the Griffins are arguing about Seth MacFarlane and how the show is run.
Season 10[]
In Lottery Fever[]
During the theme song, Peter has to deal with one of the dancers who informs him that she is pregnant and he has been avoiding her. Peter calls for security to have her removed and sheepishly tries to get the theme back on track.
In Seahorse Seashell Party[]
Meg breaks the fourth wall by pointing out, that if Family Guy would be true, Peter would go to prison. Likewise, Stewie notes that everyone is on Twitter with his "Stewie Just Said That!". At the end, Stewie tells us that to learn more about drugs, we should visit the local library as the guy behind the desk may be selling drugs.
In Screams of Silence: The Story of Brenda Q.[]
Peter triggers a cutaway gag about Portuguese and cuts away to a porch of geese, then tells the audience "And we're just getting started."
In Stewie Goes for a Drive[]
After Stewie says "At least I'm not getting stabbed by a random guy on the street" and it starts to rain, he stares directly at the camera and says, "See, it's the exact opposite", then a guy comes and stabs him and says "Aah! It happened anyway."
In Back to the Pilot[]
Peter looks at the camera setting up a cutaway, the cutaway shows Peter facing the camera and says "Matthew McConaughey is terrible."
In Thanksgiving[]
When Peter's thought process trips up the show directors on a cutaway, they slip in a cutaway of The Cowardly Lion as Lindsay Lohan's gynecologist. Also, when someone dressed as Kevin comes through the door at the end of the episode Peter remarks by looking back saying we don't have time for that.
In Cool Hand Peter[]
Peter's ringtone is the theme to The Cleveland Show which Peter acknowledges needs the viewers. During a fantasy of Mardi Gras beads, Quagmire acknowledges that the audience is well aware that his beads are used for anal insertion. While discussing restaurants, the guys make up similar names to avoid actually naming the restaurants, something that Quagmire regards as stupid but necessary since they're on television, but when the guys make up a dumb name for french fries he draws the line claiming they can't copyright the common name. In the end, Peter acknowledges that they've done a wrap-up of what they've learned hundreds of times and just mumbles the cadence, which is picked up by Lois and the family.
In Grumpy Old Man[]
When Carter ponders how he'll get around without being able to drive, Peter appears in a chauffeur's uniform only to be told by Lois that they weren't doing that. Later when Carter is playing with the thermostat, Peter looks at the camera and notes that Carter is learning.
In Quagmire and Meg[]
When Peter and Lois are stuck in a traffic jam, Lois wonders why the traffic is not moving. Peter looks outside the window and realizes that the road ahead is not finished being colored by the animators yet.
In Be Careful What You Fish For[]
Peter Makes the audience read the episode's first cutaway's script.
In Burning Down the Bayit[]
Quagmire gives the audience a thumbs up after claiming his insurance company refused to pay a claim they judged to be an "act of rod."
In Forget-Me-Not[]
Stewie sets up a cutaway telling Brian that he is fooling himself like ladies that think their best friends are attractive. When he is proven right he looks at the camera and tells ladies that their friends really are not hot.
When Peter, Joe, Quagmire and Brian were trying to figure out who they are Peter thinks that his name might be Earl, which the ending bit of the theme from My Name Is Earl plays. After they hear it Peter acknowledges that he may have made a reference.
In Tea Peter[]
When Carter Pewterschmidt starts laughing maniacally at Tea Party headquarters, Peter shoots nervous glances at the audience.
In Family Guy Viewer Mail No. 2[]
In "Fatman & Robin", Stewie sits on the rooftop noting of all the variations of Robin Williams, they couldn't get permission to do Disney's Genie from Aladdin.
Season 11[]
In Ratings Guy[]
Peter has to prompt the correct music when celebrating becoming a Nielsen family.
Stewie gets a dig at The Cleveland Show by suggesting they watch the "black version of our show."
As Homer Simpson comes in after Peter to the Television Producers Guild to make the same appeal to save television, Peter gets to note that Family Guy finally beat The Simpsons to a storyline.
After charging television producers to create several shows like The Office where the cast talk to the camera, one producer actually talks to the camera until chased off by Peter. Peter follows with his own "do you believe what I have to put up with" look to the camera.
When Herbert requests Zack and Cody to be shown in their underwear, he gives the camera a thumbs up.
In Yug Ylimaf[]
Stewie says to Meg, "Oh my God, you're Lacey Chabert." referencing Meg's original voice actress.
In Jesus, Mary & Joseph[]
Peter plays with Cherry Chevapravatdumrong's name in the credits to make it say "Chemotherapy Vanguard vCr".
In Chris Cross[]
Peter calls Mike Damone using clips taken from the film Fast Times at Ridgemont High after both he and Lois forget their money on a date. After asking Damone to bring his money, Peter hangs up and notes to the audience that it was the last time they saw Damone.
In Call Girl[]
Peter is in the middle of telling the guys about meeting "Classy" when they interrupt him to stop and explain further. Peter apologizes, claiming he thought they were moving ahead a bit to save time.
In 12 and a Half Angry Men[]
The camera pans from the left side of the jury box to the right side as Peter tells the audience, "I switched seats."
In Farmer Guy[]
Arriving to get a farm for the family, Peter tells a farmer that FOX usually calls ahead to help arrange their skits after finding out the price is over $800,000. A few minutes later, the call comes in.
After passing along farming tips laced with sexual innuendo, Peter, Chris and Meg take a bow.
Season 12[]
In Boopa-Dee Bappa-Dee[]
Members of the family file conflicting reports on the applications for American citizenship of working for Family Guy and The Family Guy.
In Christmas Guy[]
Stewie's perpetual age of one is made into a meta-joke when Lois notes that it's his first Christmas, to which Stewie asks "Again?"
When the Asian carolers sing "Deck the Harrs", Peter addresses the camera to point out that A Christmas Story was incredibly racist. One of the carolers points out that the movie is "flom not that rong ago."
In Peter Problems[]
During a cutaway in which Peter shops for records, sexual wordplay is greeted with cheers and flowers from the audience. Angela hires a studio audience to do Peter's job after he is fired. When she rehires him and they hug, the studio audience shows its appreciation. Angela looks into the camera and tells the studio audience they are fired.
In Grimm Job[]
When Stewie and Meg are introduced as the evil stepsisters, Lois comments that Family Guy has quite few female characters to work with.
In Brian's a Bad Father[]
Stewie uses Mike Drunkbeater's catchphrase "Oooo, that dog of mine!" from "Airport '07" and instructs the audience to look him up on the internet.
Peter stops to explain that Joe Pesci was considered a tough guy in the 1990s.
In 3 Acts of God[]
After a line representing a cross-country plane trip explodes in a ball of flame in Kentucky, Peter announces that it wasn't their plane and their line will be along behind it.
Peter calls out the audience after making a pedophile joke by noting that if Modern Family had made the same joke they would have been lauded.
In Secondhand Spoke[]
Peter asks for an outside shot of the house when Lois and Brian point out that the damages he's done as a result of his smoking are irreversible, but the re-do doesn't work.
In The Most Interesting Man in the World[]
After he pulls out his eye and tosses it toward Stewie while he goes into The Drunken Clam, it rolls back underneath of a woman, faces the audience and blinks. Peter explains to the audience that it was a wink, but no one would really know since it is just an eye.
In Baby Got Black[]
Peter talks to the audience throughout a cutaway as a carpet cleaner for a lesbian.
A cutaway shows Tom Cruise as Maverick from Top Gun at a "glory hole" thanking the "pretty lady" on the other side and winking at the camera.
In Meg Stinks![]
When Peter claims he would have rather have been a podiatrist instead of working at the Happy-Go-Lucky Toy Factory, during a cutaway he looks at the camera and claims it isn't a joke.
In He's Bla-ack![]
The entire cold opening breaks the fourth wall while talking about all the flaws of The Cleveland Show after Cleveland Brown walks into the Drunken Clam.
Also, during the theme song Cleveland comes to tell Mort that he being replaced by him.
In Chap Stewie[]
Stewie comments to the audience about blowing their minds when he takes Kermit the Frog's place in the bicycle scene in The Muppet Movie.
Stewie also explains that a joke is intended for a sick member of the staff.
Season 13[]
In The Simpsons Guy[]
- When Stewie asks Bart how long Nelson has bullied him, Bart answers 24 years.
- Peter gets snappish with Lois, and blames it from being tired as most of their episodes are only thirty minutes.
In Brian the Closer[]
Peter acknowledges the Dumb Beaver's occasional contribution to the show.
Chris sets up a mundane cutaway gag and is criticized by Peter and Lois for it.
In The 2000-Year-Old Virgin[]
Peter instructs upset Christians to mail complaints to the "Family Television Council" and provides the mailing address.
In Our Idiot Brian[]
A newspaper headline pokes fun at a tasteless Family Guy joke.
As Chris travels to a primitive town to spread the word that Brian failed Meg's SAT test, the townspeople are happy that the show won't be another Meg episode.
In This Little Piggy[]
Peter sees an animated version of himself and Lois having sex on the internet.
In Dr. C & The Women[]
Near the end of the episode, a trivia bubble pops up which reads "Family Guy fans went ballistic when Brian died. But you don't really miss him in this episode, do you?"
In Roasted Guy[]
Peter reveals that the entire setup of a cutaway is a film project of his enabled by his pull on Family Guy, drugging Quagmire into performing. The cutaway is so long that Peter forgets what his former female friends were insulting him about.
In Take My Wife[]
Peter interrupts a costly cutaway gag to use stock footage of a vintage plane crash.
Season 14[]
In Peter's Sister[]
Peter says that if he dies in the wrestling match with Karen, he wants Stewie to take over the show for him.
After the fight, Stewie drives up in a limo, dressed as a pimp. He then figures out that Peter didn't die and that it's all a false alarm.
In Hot Pocket-Dial[]
After Peter requests a pheasant to lay an egg on the glass, he looks towards the viewers and defies them to say what's wrong with it.
When Quagmire takes Joe parasailing, he looses his legs as they are dragged through the water. Below, Ariel wishes she had a pair of legs just as his drift to her. Ariel hungrily grabs them and starts eating them, admitting that the fish part of her really wanted the legs for food.
In Underage Peter[]
Oliver Platt objects to being the butt of a joke on Family Guy.
In Take a Letter[]
After setting up a cutaway in which a kid is the first one in his school to get his driver's license, all of the girls that flirt with him want him to take them grocery shopping. Stewie joins the gag by admitting that the only thing he knows about cars is what his mom does.
Later, Stewie states his intention to become a rich YouTube star. Tapping the FOX logo in the corner of the screen, he announces that the relationship is over.
In The New Adventures of Old Tom[]
Stewie acknowledges the audience being aware of the fast-food roast beef restaurant being parodied.
Season 15[]
In Bookie of the Year[]
Peter quotes lyrics from the theme song. As Lois chuckles at this, he notes he's been paying attention.
In Inside Family Guy[]
The entire episode highlights that the show is a production, with the characters being actors.
In Hot Shots[]
When Stewie realizes that Lois will have a starring role in the episode, he reminds the audience that Game of Thrones is on. When she continues her actions later, he believes that Sansa finally shows boob in the episode he is watching.
As Lois rants about corporations forcing garbage on children, she eyes a logo for FOX that appears on the screen.
Peter announces the end of a cutaway gag as complete.
As Lois groans about Sean Penn lecture from "liberal" Hollywood, Stewie points out that the entire episode had been a lecture from liberal Hollywood.
In High School English[]
As Peter reads literature to those watching, the characters make numerous references to the audience at home as well.
Brian dies in all three stories. In the second segment, Peter (Huckleberry Finn) kills Brian (pig) in an attempt to fake his own death and in the third segment, Chris (Lenny) squeezes Brian (puppy) to death. Right before he dies in those two stories, he breaks the fourth wall by referencing his death in the previous segment.
In Carter and Tricia[]
Carter Pewterschmidt locks Babs away in a mental hospital when he has an affair with Tricia Takanawa. When her situation remains unresolved by the end of the episode, Peter notes that they will simply bring her back as needed.
In How the Griffin Stole Christmas[]
Following the Farmersonly.com Jingle, Peter points out that while not exclusively for whites, the audience can figure out the rest of statement he would make on their own.
In Passenger Fatty-Seven[]
Peter calls on the animators twice to alter the scene, once to fix his eye, then to change the guys into X-Men characters.
During the last few seconds of the episode, Peter directs his eyes toward the camera and claims the flight was Spirit Airlines.
In Gronkowsbees[]
Peter's drone talks to the camera during it's S&M scene.
Barry Bonds watches Stewie on television when he feeds too much steroids to his bees.
Peter complains about Rob Gronkowski interfering with his cutaway gag and demands the show go to commercials.
In The Finer Strings[]
Stewie decides to move the sappy ending along by pulling a lever to move the plot forward.
In The Dating Game[]
Peter acknowledges H. Jon Benjamin's role of Archer.
In Cop and a Half-Wit[]
When Chris tries to launch a speech about brain injuries in football, he is drowned out by a promotional plug by the NFL.
In Saturated Fat Guy[]
When Lois makes the family eat healthy, Peter points out that looking better doesn't solve problems, using Droopy Dog as an example. Despite a permanent smile, Droopy reports he still isn't happy. He pulls out a gun to shoot himself, asking the viewers to study his brain so that others won't suffer as he had.
When Peter loses his train of thought, he explains to the audience of thinking of "baby man" Billy Corgan being sad at Disneyland. Later, he loses it again and thinks of Brigitte Nielsen being drunk in a park.
In A House Full of Peters[]
When he is prank-called by Donna, Cleveland cries about once having his own show.
Season 16[]
In Emmy-Winning Episode[]
The fourth wall is broken numerous times through the episode as Peter sets out to get an Emmy for Family Guy.
In Foxx in the Men House[]
Peter talks to the audience throughout his hunt for ladies rooms, notably saying "deuce" to the audience while listening to two women at Wimbledon.
In Nanny Goats[]
When he gets in trouble with Lois, Peter tries to bring about the end of the episode by singing the theme song. Later, Peter explains how Family Guy used Mickey Mouse as "Fair use" and when Lois starts to make a fat joke, Peter stops her noting that the show only does jokes from the male point-of-view.
In Follow the Money[]
Meg tries to get in the last joke or word before the commercial break, but is foiled by the announcer.
In Three Directors[]
Peter's hosting of this anthology episode repeatedly breaks the fourth wall as he addresses the audience.
In The D in Apartment 23[]
While at Quahog University, Stewie gives the audience a look after explaining a bit of social media to Brian.
After Brian tweets to join a protest, he finds that everyone has left, including the animators.
Peter does a callback to when the show did Star Wars.
In Petey IV[]
Peter walks the audience though a cutaway gag reference to the 1989 Polaner All Fruit commercial.[1] He also acknowledges passing along the reference when the episode does a callback to it later.
Peter suggests the audience Google Putin's reference to an incident in which baseball player George Brett defecated in his pants.[2]
When Vladimir Putin notes that things in Russia are slightly sub-par to things in America, Peter inquires about The Simpsons, only to find out that they only have Family Guy.
In Crimes and Meg's Demeanor[]
When Peter and Lois find the "set" and themselves upside down before falling to the 'ceiling,' Lois notes that someone must have messed something up.
In Dog Bites Bear[]
In imitation of Deadpool, Peter mentions that he was a fourth wall breaking superhero and a cutaway shows this.
In V is for Mystery[]
Brian finds it is difficult to remember his and Stewie's characters of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson.
Peter suggests that the show should have done 'Hogwarts' instead of Sherlock Holmes.
In Veteran Guy[]
After laughing at a tape deck that imitates Statler and Waldorf from The Muppets, Peter deadpans to the camera that Jim Henson died of treatable pneumonia.
Peter also points out that the food at the Olive Garden was very salty.
At the end of the episode, Peter gives a special goodnight to the coast guard.
In The Woof of Wall Street[]
When Brian expounds on Liberal views of the stock market, Stewie accuses him of reading from a teleprompter, which he denies despite the presence of the teleprompter. When it cuts out, the production team backstage instructs him to improvise which he does by changing the topic.
When the guys agree to take over the Drunken Clam for Jerome, Quagmire acknowledges "B story" subplot.
After being seen at a factory that turns dogs into protein shakes, a subtitle appears and notes that it really isn't true that Eli Manning is a psychopath, but the episode was written by New England Patriots fans.
In HTTPete[]
God watches Family Guy on his smartphone.
In The Unkindest Cut[]
Peter notes that the camera didn't widen enough to give Seamus the complete picture. Dr. Hartman tries his hand at writing the episode and voices Stewie in a scene.
Season 17[]
In Married...With Cancer[]
Brian's old apartment manager Lou Spinazola gets cheers from the studio audience when he arrives on the scene and utilizes a new catch phrase. When entering Brian and Jess' apartment, Stewie has to pause and restart his lines when the studio audience interrupts him. When Brian tries to use the catch phrase later, he is greeted with silence as he looks at the camera.
When Brian asks for 9-1-1 when Jess collapses from choking, a FOX bumper for the show 9-1-1 appears in the corner of the screen to Brian's frustration. When he calls them out for expanding the 'media empire,' another plug for the show Empire appears. When he asks for the then-canceled show Son of Zorn, he is amused when a 'file not found' sign appears.
In Pal Stewie[]
Peter tries to set up a cutaway gag but is stopped by Tony Robbins. Irritated, Peter launches the cutaway without the setup and notes that it won't make sense.
A father and son watch Family Guy, with the father making note of when Stewie uses an old catch phrase.
Stewie teases Brian at the end of the episode by putting him in a gay marriage, noting that is the kind of silly thing they do at the end of episodes.
In Big Trouble in Little Quahog[]
When the Church of Spaceship Beep Boop is accused of torture, kidnapping and extortion, they want a lawyer to sue the show.
In Regarding Carter[]
Peter and several of the characters get their own Netflix stand-up comedy specials. He also shoots at the TV when The Orville comes on and complains that the show interferes with his work on Family Guy, referencing Seth MacFarlane's work on both.
After accidentally shooting her father, Lois' notes the various tropes that are occurring that usually mean a character is dying. After he recovers but at the loss of his memory, she notes some of the bad things he has done such as closing Vine, which causes the video to loop.
There are breaks in the action in the style of Kids in the Hall.
Peter ends the show by mentioning American Dad! is coming up next, but Lois tells him that the show isn't on FOX anymore.
In Stand By Meg[]
Principal Shepherd notes that there will be plenty if Italian jokes as the episode progresses.
"Family Guy writer" is one of the 'benefits' of the vocational school.
Stewie touches his ear as if listening to a headset and tells Brian that he has been told they need to speed up the ending.
In Griffin Winter Games[]
Through a series of altered scenes from previous episodes, Meg demonstrates that she has been training a long time for the Olympics. Meg also finds herself competing against Lacey Chabert, the original voice of Meg as they both try to tell each other "Shut up, Meg."
Cleveland hopes there is time to squeeze in a Jamaican bobsled team joke.
During a practice, subtitles reveals that writer Artie Johann is 31 years old and believe the audience is 6. It goes on to note that have cool parents but they shouldn't be watching the show.
When a bird hits Peter in the nuts in North Korea, he indicates that the show could cut to a commercial.
In Con Heiress[]
When Pipp reveals herself to be Meg in disguise, she tells the audience it was a Meg story.
In Hefty Shades of Gray[]
When Peter gets a job offer from Donald Trump, he pledges to get the writers working on it right away.
In Trump Guy[]
The show opens with Stewie recording his lines expressing surprise at Peter working for the White House.
Several characters, including Brian, Chris and Vladimir Putin take credit for writing various gags in the episode.
When Donald claims that Bob's Burgers is his favorite show, Peter tells the audience to remember that when the Emmy voting comes. Donald also points out that Family Guy is also a show and that Peter is a poor role model, leading Peter to admit that they are a cartoon.
The episode ends with various notes about scandals in the Trump family and administration directed to the audience.
In Family Guy Lite[]
When Peter struggles to climb up a series of stairs at work, he reminds himself that he does so every week in the theme song. He then sings a few lines before cutting himself off as he believes Stewie's line contains a curse word.
Peter, trapped by the guys in a cellar, promises a spin-off show to the first character who helps him out. He then quickly adds that it won't be Cleveland.
Stewie predicts that the show's series finale will feature everyone being able to understand him, which he deems a satisfying conclusion.
As Brian and Stewie discuss Lois' manuscript, Chris ends the episode with a plug for libraries and books, especially Mötley Crüe's The Dirt.
In No Giggity, No Doubt[]
Thinking the show is a rerun, Peter has to be prompted to start the episode and helped with his lines.
In a callback to "Brian the Bachelor" when Chris spray painted a garage with "That's enough, John Mayer," Peter graffitis a rock with "More please, John Mayer", noting that they've changed their minds.
In You Can't Handle the Booth![]
The entire episode premise is that the cast is recording a DVD commentary of an episode. Things get even more meta when Seth MacFarlane and the other real actors inform the cast that they are fictional constructs.
In Island Adventure[]
Peter declines to take part in the episode because he has gotten "real-life pregnant", using bags of groceries to conceal his new belly.
In Throw It Away[]
When Meg asks how Peter knows Lois has gone to Mount Asia, Peter replies that the show excised a scene in which he figured it out.
In Girl, Internetted[]
When Peter questions when 'Streaming Con' is, the announcer reminds him he had already said 'Sunday.'
After Meg comments that everybody needs a pair of feet, Sam Elliott narrates that he used his feet to "mosey on over to the A-story".
In Adam West High[]
At the start of the episode, the announcer says "Family Guy is filmed before a live studio audience."
After hearing Mayor West is dead, Stewie says "Wait, Uncle Adam is dead? Geez. How many people has this show killed?"
Peter is disappointed that the main plot will be about politics, reminding Brian no one enjoys such episodes.
Later, Principal Shepard is standing on top of a wooden plank, looks at the camera and says "I like this episode."
Season 18[]
In Yacht Rocky[]
Peter is accused by an umpire of making an old joke after he references Chris' "whaaat?", and defends himself by saying the joke is a treat to the longtime viewers of the show.
In Disney's The Reboot[]
The episode centers around Family Guy being rebooted for a new audience now that FOX has been purchased by Disney.
In Cat Fight[]
Peter expresses his fondness of a cutaway where he argues with a Christian camp counselor, because it makes him look smart.
Jokes made about bugs being squashed and the Holocaust are shown offending the Bugsteins, a family of bugs watching the episode.
In Peter & Lois' Wedding[]
Peter comments that Meg's suggestion of telling the story of how he and Lois got married is a terrific episode idea.
When Lois' roommates are shown to be just two versions of Bonnie, Peter says the show desperately needs to add more female characters.
Beavis and Butt-Head are seen watching the episode, interpreting Lois' "would" as "wood" and chuckling.
In Heart Burn[]
Peter mentions the Disney-Fox merger, believing it will allow Family Guy to use Hercules, but is promptly told by someone off-camera that the show is only allowed to use Launchpad McQuack of DuckTales fame.
In Christmas is Coming[]
Seamus introduces his son Woody as a new recurring character on the show. In turn, Quagmire retorts that Seamus himself is already barely a character on the show.
Brian tells Stewie he cannot tell him the full details of Meg's orgasm because the show is owned by Disney.
In Undergrounded[]
Meg announces to Spooner Street that the Bad Moms films are available on most streaming platforms, which causes Peter to chide Mila Kunis for using Family Guy as self-promotion.
In Rich Old Stewie[]
An elderly Lois is seen enabling subtitles for the episode. However, much to Stewie's exasperation, they are nearly 30 seconds behind the episode's dialogue.
Peter, lying in bed dying of cancer, lists off a number of deceased Family Guy guest stars he sees in Heaven. He also incorrectly predicts Ed Asner will be dead by the time the episode airs, and claims that Conway Twitty, who he sees in the Darth Twitty atire from "It's A Trap!", is cool with the recurring jokes about him on the show.
In The Movement[]
Carter attempts to recruit Homer Simpson to star in the episode, but Homer informs him he is on vacation.
One of Peter's actions as head coach is trading Meg to American Dad!. At the end of the episode, she is seen in the Smith household attempting to perform the show's theme song before Stan and Roger cut her off.
After Carter assaults Peter in the mall, he expresses worry that Disney will condemn his actions.
When Peter asks Cleveland why Waquahog was not in The Cleveland Show, Cleveland solemnly replies the entire episode would've been the show's fifth season premiere.
In Coma Guy[]
A boat full of deceased Family Guy characters appears in Peter's coma fantasy. Peter recognizes Stephanie as "Quagmire's fat girlfriend who died in the Clue episode".
In Better Off Meg[]
Meg, trapped in a warehouse, sees her life flash before her eyes, which ends up being notable scenes from the show which do not feature her. She becomes annoyed, saying that the Kingsman fight scene from "The D in Apartment 23" could easily have been included.
In Holly Bibble[]
Peter comments that Family Guy is sponsored by Axe Body Spray, which proceeds to spray the Griffin family.
Carter calls attention to Edie McClurg reprising her role as Grace from Ferris Bueller's Day Off.
In Movin’ In (Principal Shepherd’s Song)[]
Trapped in the basement, the Griffins film a Breakfast Club-style promo for FOX. The promo's narrator also notes that the lone actor of color in the episode is playing a role called "lawnmower guy".
In court, Stewie mentions Christopher Walken to Brian, who becomes excited at the prospect of going for a walk. Walken is seen watching the episode and commenting that Brian is dumb.
Season 19[]
In Stewie's First Word[]
Principal Shepherd appears in a library reading a book about comedy, and explains various jokes in the episode. Peter expresses confusion with him after his first appearance.
In the final scene of the episode, Peter and Chris enter unprompted dressed as "Jack Kerouac's insufferable friends". Peter admits that Family Guy no longer knows how to end its plots, resulting in nonsense.
In La Famiglia Guy[]
Several characters are shown reading newspaper articles about Donald Trump and his associates committing suicide in prison. Subtitles appear noting that the scenes were written in February 2019, and asking the viewers if the scenes wound up being correct. Another article notes Chris Christie has lost a lot of weight, with a subtitle noting that the show does not hate all Republicans, before clarifying that it does indeed hate Christie.
Stewie remarks that, while the episode is mostly just jokes, Peter's comment about how Prego, which translates to "you're welcome" in English, is an unfitting name for a brand of tomato sauce is worth noting.
In Meg's Wedding[]
Stewie believes the episode would've won an award for its portrayal of homosexuality had it been made in 1994. He later retracts his opinion after Peter tells Bruce and Jeffrey that they can only kiss at home.
Peter comments before the credits that Meg's wedding took up too much screen time, and, as a result, numerous funny scenes for the subplot could not be used.
In Wild Wild West[]
Lois rejects Peter's suggestion of casting a former Batman actor to play the new Family Guy mayor, noting that it has been proposed ever since Adam West died and the response has been tepid at best.
In Pawtucket Pat[]
Stewie warns the audience that the first one to stop clapping at Brian's commentary on immigrant children being separated from their families is a racist. The applause continues loudly into the next scene before slowly tapering off.
In The First No L[]
Peter comments that the show sometimes lets him write his own skits after a joke involving humanoid letters at H&R Block.
Stella appears unprompted in the Griffin home, believing the show is doing deaf jokes, only to be told it is not. After the Greased-up Deaf Guy appears, Peter then concedes the show is probably doing deaf jokes.
In Fecal Matters[]
Peter mentions Danny Smith and his role as Ernie the Giant Chicken after the character is compared to Kelsey Grammer's Sideshow Bob. He also describes the second season of Family Guy as being the favorite of "Internet weirdos".
Season 20[]
In Lawyer Guy[]
Two cutaways are mixed up. After the first, Peter sheepishly explains that it was a mix up. After the second, a confused Lois asks what that was, and a perturbed Peter says that it was someone getting fired.
In Prescription Heroine[]
Lois went to left screen and fold to right, down and up until fully folded to black out while Lois still humming, after moment appear Neil deGrasse Tyson say to viewer.
In First Blood[]
As Peter is getting mauled by the bear, he compares the event to Revenant, before asking the audience if they remember how hyped and then quickly forgotten the movie was.
In The Jersey Bore[]
During the scene parodying The Big Lebowski, Preston Lloyd glances at the screen with an unamused look and states that he has never seen the movie.
Season 21[]
In Bend or Blockbuster[]
Wild West notes that the show couldn't get permission to use Lindsey Buckingham's song "Holiday Road". He also notes that when you're named Lindsey, you often don't get to call the shots.
Blockbuster employees acknowledge being unaware of events previously in the episode.
In A Wife-Changing Experience[]
After Brian asserts that Norwegians can't dance, two Norwegians watching the show demonstrate otherwise.
In Unzipped Code[]
Spencer get smacked by his friend when he doesn't understand a reference to a Family Guy joke about Les Dawson.
In Happy Holo-ween[]
Peter tells the audience to accept the non-existent explanation behind the Holo-Maker 9000's technology, since it's Halloween.
During the fight with his hologram later, he tells the audience about how their proposed three-minute break turned into a pudding break.
In The Candidate[]
During the two times in which Stewie's antics are overshadowed by global events, he addresses the audience to complain about this, even calling them "kooks" and telling them to get their act together the second time it happens.
After noting that one of his classmates has no parents and just appeared, Stewie remarks that he wishes that could've been the story this week.
In Love Story Guy[]
While reminiscing about his first love story, Quagmire notes that every time he thinks about it, everything blurs and distorts. Donna later claims that she can tell Cleveland is lying about his own story since she can't see the distortion.
In Adoptation[]
While being confronted about his company's oil spill, Carter states that if the incident really was serious, the scene would've flipped to him inside a conference room with his crisis team. Once there, he remarks that he should've grabbed his drink before the flip.
After the Griffins decide to split up to search for Tatum, Chris literally splits himself up. Peter complains that it will appear in the episode's FOX promo, prompting a fake promo to play.
In The Bird Reich[]
After Brian and Stewie reconcile at the end of the episode, the latter mentions numerous Family Guy writers who have all written books but never got them off the ground, with a notable exception being Gary Janetti due to his popular Instagram. When Brian asks if Seth MacFarlane has written a book, Stewie notes that a signed copy costs less than a fresh one.
Season 22[]
Fertilized Megg[]
In the cutaway where Jeffrey's true crime play is shown off, Stewie admits that he intentionally made it a cutaway so he could plant himself in the audience.