The Early Era Family Guy Scene That Always Cracks Fans Up (Despite The Animation Quality)

"Family Guy" positively can do all the things that make fans laugh and cry, but the show is definitely at its best when it comes to the former. From its humble beginnings as a series of short films made by Seth MacFarlane during college to its reign as one of the longest-running animated TV shows of all time, "Family Guy" has always kept the laughs coming. As the show's comedy encompasses hard-hitting satire, lively musical numbers, and totally unpredictable zaniness, you'd be hard-pressed to not chuckle at least once during any given episode. Sure, the jokes are almost 100% guaranteed to get everyone offended at some point, but that's simply part of the show's twisted charm. 

But, as is the case with so many shows out there, it's hard to beat the classics when it comes to "Family Guy" episodes. While the show's later seasons certainly have their fair share of belly-busting moments, it's hard to call its earlier seasons anything less than comedic gold. They helped establish the show's world, characters, and approach to humor with unforgettable aplomb. And, for many fans, a particular Season 3 moment continues to stand out as one of the funniest scenes in the series' history.

In Season 3's "The Thin White Line," Peter Griffin stows away at a luxurious rehab center, where Brian is receiving treatment for addiction. When it becomes apparent to the clinic's doctor that Peter is out of place, she asks for his name. Trying to come up with a false alias, Peter looks around to see a pea, a crying girl, and a completely random griffin flying through the room. Combining pea, tear, and griffin, Peter accidentally speaks his own name. Only then does he realize his blunder. 

When Reddit user champagnesprn created a thread highlighting the moment, several fans were quick to affirm its top-tier comedy. "This was one of the best scenes in the series for me," yuvi3000 chimed in. "The griffin really sealed it," agreed another user.

Others believe that this sterling joke is so good, it makes up for a major flaw of the early "Family Guy" seasons. As Redditor RonnieFloss put it, "The quality dialogue always made up for the choppy animation at the time." Other users agreed that this era's animation quality leaves a lot to be desired. While the show's visuals have certainly improved in the ensuing years, this joke is clearly still as fresh as ever.