Family Guy: Stewie Kills Lois

Attaining the coveted one hundred episode milestone has certainly been a difficult road for Family Guy. This multiple Emmy-winning series has survived cancellations, censorship, outcries of tastelessness, and even a lawsuit or two. Through these ups and downs, I've managed to see the Griffins grow and evolve into the wonderful human beings that they have become; well not quite, but they've given me more laughs, groans, and controversy than almost any other dysfunctional television family.

Since its revival, the show has sometimes rightfully faced criticism about losing its creative spark, but there are more than a few occasions of brilliance that demonstrate the ability to live up to its full irreverent potential. One of the sources of this creative spark was Stewie Griffin and his unrelenting desire to seek out world domination and kill his mother in the process. Somehow, over the years, this world domination angle has taken a back seat. Stewie's never really gone through with any of his plans, and instead has been relegated to the role of a whiny and slightly desperate closet homosexual.

For the hundredth episode of Family Guy, Seth McFarlane and friends tackle the subject of one of Stewie Griffin's greatest ambitions - his not-so-secret desire to kill his mother. For the disturbed fans waiting for some form of a matricidal manifestation, you can feel comfort knowing, without spoiling too much, that the youngest Griffin absolutely means business and ensures that he doesn't fail this time around.

Presented with the kind of over-the-top flamboyance that you'd expect for such a momentous occasion, Stewie manages to live up to this episode's aptly named title. The circumstances surrounding the event, as well as the graphic nature of actual deed itself, will certainly manage to shock viewers.

While the brutality of Stewie's actions is one of the highlights in this special episode, there's enough happening here to satisfy even the most jaded fan. The offensively inappropriate jokes hit new heights and there's an added cliff-hanger ending that will keep you eagerly waiting the following episode.Since this episode actually features a genuine storyline, it's hard to get into details without giving away too many plot details, but there's a lot in this episode to like here.

As with any episode of Family Guy there's a barrel full of jokes and gags used to support the story. Some of the more memorable ones include a scene showing how God created Rosie O'Donnell, another featuring Peter misinterpreting the usage of a "poop deck," Stewie making a Freudian slip about tea bags with Rupert, and a truly hilariously shocking moment that involves Meg, hot dogs, and the New York Knicks. It's clever, crass and will evoke as many groans as it will laughs.

There are some tense courtroom moments, a birthday celebration with the gift of Lionel Ritchie, a cruise ship, machine guns, and the reappearance of the Kool Aid Man that help round out this carefully crafted and well-told cohesive storyline. With the amount of cheap manatee jokes kept to a reasonable level, this episode also manages to find an excellent balance between comedy and storytelling. It's a fantastic way to celebrate the Family Guy one-hundredth episode milestone.