As much as I want to like Family Guy‘s Brian, the longer the show goes, the harder that becomes. Where Brian was once an intellectual dog with literary ambitions, later seasons of the show have turned Brian into a short-sighted, over-the-top liberal with absolutely no writing skills – I mean, it got to the point they had to kill Brian off for a few episodes to remind people that yes, he was still important to the show (just look at Stewie’s face when he finds out Brian is dead). In memory of the Family Guy Brian that once was, we pay homage to five of television’s greatest animated dogs (in no particular order) that remind us of Brian’s finer days.
Jake the Dog, Adventure Time
Two words: magic dog. Jake the Dog is not just Finn’s companion on Adventure Time, but an other-wordly creature capable of manipulating his own physical chemistry. That’s not what makes him like Family Guy‘s Brian, though – it’s his ability to give terrible advice that reminds us of Quahog’s finest talking dog, whose well-meaning approaches to offer insight into the adult world for Stewie have never paid off well. It’s also the loyalty to his closest friend that puts him on this list; Jake and Finn are spiritual counterparts to Brian and Stewie, best friends keeping each other together on the strange journey of life.
Snuffles (aka Snowball), Rick and Morty
Ok, Snuffles (*ahem* I mean Snowball) is technically only in one episode of Rick and Morty‘s magnificent first season – but he teaches us an important lesson about dogs: don’t give them a super-charged mind enhancing device without realizing they might get smart enough to upgrade it. Frustrated with Jerry’s demeaning treatment of him, Snuffles becomes a kick-ass Mech Puppy who enlists the help of neighborhood dogs to enslave the Smith family – that is, until Morty’s life is thrown into mortal danger. Confident, intelligent, and powerful, Snuffles is a Brian from a darker reality, one where a drunk scientist turns them into power-mad animals.
Ren, The Ren and Stimpy Show
Sensitive. Too smart for his own good. Prone to flinging insults. Does this sound like Brian? In some ways, Ren is a fitting predecessor to Brian, albeit one from the Bizarro-esque universe of The Ren and Stimpy Show. He’s got a best friend he gets into trouble with, he’s capable of walking on two feet… the similarities between the two are superficial, but endless, with Ren existing on the more psychotic end of the spectrum.
Santa’s Little Helper, The Simpsons
Of all the dogs on this list, Santa’s Little Helper is really the only one that acts like a dog on television – but as a key member of one of America’s longest-running shows, which alone earns him his own spot. Besides, who else could put up with the endless shenanigans of Bart and the rest of the Simpson family and keep their head on straight?
Mr. Peanut Butter, BoJack Horsemen
There’s a cynic in all of us (especially Brian) – and on Netflix’s first original animated series, Mr. Peanut Butter often bemoans the meaning of life and revels in the fact that there’s really no point in it all. A fellow actor and rival to the show’s protagonist, Mr. PB embodies both Brian’s intellectual and party sides, a guy who will is prone to both existential rants and extended mail truck chases – he’s the sophistication and simplicity of the animal wrapped up in one package – and if that doesn’t describe Brian at his best, I don’t know what does.
Image via Fox
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