Family Guy‘s Stewie Griffin has finally uttered his first word on the animated series – more specifically, the first word understood by the other characters.
The Griffin family baby has of course been understood by viewers throughout the show’s run, speaking with an adult voice (Seth MacFarlane) and comprehended usually only by dog Brian.
However, Sunday’s (September 27) season 19 premiere attempted to address the question of just who can understand the baby as Stewie screams the word “fuck” in the middle of a church service.
Everyone recoils in horror as Chris declares: “Hey, Stewie said his first word, and it was a swear!”
Later on in the episode, Brian asks: “I don’t get it, Stewie, you’ve been talking forever. Why did everyone suddenly understand you now?”
Stewie, who swore out of frustration that Chewy Chips Ahoy cookies would not be served at coffee hour, answers: “I don’t know. I was feeling such intense emotion in the moment, and that one word somehow just burst through.”
Recommended
Speaking about including the storyline, Family Guy executive producers Rich Appel and Alec Sulkin told TVLine: “This episode showcases Stewie’s first word in the traditional sense that parents always document: the first word they understand. Otherwise, yes, it’s Stewie’s 1,345,693th word.”
In other season 19 news, the animated series has announced that YouTuber Arif Zahir will take over the voice of Cleveland Brown after Mike Henry stepped down earlier this year.
“Firstly, I’m eternally grateful to have received this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” the newcomer said. “When I heard that Mike Henry was stepping down from the role of Cleveland Brown — my favorite cartoon character of all time — I was shocked and saddened, assuming we’d never see him again.
“When I learned I would get to take over the role? Overabundant gratitude. To Mike, you created something truly special, and I promise I will do my absolute best to honor your legacy. To Rich Appel, Alec Sulkin and Seth MacFarlane, thank you for this incredible gift. And to the millions of fans who love this show, I promise not to let you down.”