The Family Guy Running Gag That Never Fails To Make Fans Laugh

Throughout the impressive 20 seasons of Fox's "Family Guy," there are several gags that creator Seth MacFarlane revisits numerous times. But no matter how often they're incorporated into the show, they never seem to get old.

A prime example is any time Peter Griffin (MacFarlane) injures his knee. For several minutes, Peter clutches his leg while sharply inhaling and then exhaling with a long, "Ahhh." It's always drawn out with seemingly no end in sight. But it's the longevity of the scene that makes it comedic. Also humorous is the striking amount of knee pain Peter endures in life, usually in the most unlikely scenarios. This includes getting kicked by an Oompa Loompa-like worker while visiting Pawtucket Brewery.

Another repeated moment is Peter's battle with arch-nemesis Ernie the Giant Chicken, who always materializes out of nowhere ready for a fight. Each squabble is an epic five-minute adventure as the two throw fists across Quahog and beyond, even traveling to space at one point. Ernie then disappears from "Family Guy" until his next surprise attack.

However, there's one regularly-occurring gag that "Family Guy" fans feel is superior to the rest.

Longtime viewers of "Family Guy" know that, whenever a character falls, they don't just simply land on the ground. Rather, the residents of Quahog all seem to go "splat" in the exact same position – facing sidewalks, one arm limply flung over their back, legs sprawled at a 90-degree angle. There's almost always a brief pause of stillness before they stir.

It doesn't matter who the character is. Whether it's Peter falling down the newly-replaced stairs in his home, Glenn Quagmire (MacFarlane) stumbling over while covered in bees as the gang tries to recreate "Jackass," or Stewie Griffin (MacFarlane) reflecting on the time he saw musician Bobby McFerrin take a tumble, no one is immune to landing in this style.

On Reddit, fans praised the simple yet impactful gag for standing the test of time. U/bose_courage said, "I've noticed that they fall like this for years and it's hilarious. Idk why." Another user shared the same sentiment, saying, "Agreed, it's one of my favorite things about the show. Never fails to make me laugh. No matter how they fall, they almost always end up like this." U/chep209 accurately described it as a "rag doll effect."

Several fans reflected on early "Family Guy" commentary by MacFarlane that provided a reason behind this effect. U/donut_extravaganza summarized, "Whenever they had someone fall, they tried to come up with the most awkward position for them to fall in."