‘Family Guy’ Fans Think Peter and Lois Are Headed for Divorce

The latest episode of Family Guy is was a Brian-focused story titled “Bri, Robot”. However there is a moment featuring Peter and Lois Griffin (and an yet unidentified third party) in the episode that has Family Guy fans all over the Internet buzzing with speculation and worry.

Are Peter and Lois possibly headed for a divorce? Take a look at the scene from “Bri, Robot” below and decide for yourself!

This little “cameo” from Lois occurs when Quagmire runs out of the Drunken Clam, as his nose has caught scent of what turns out to be a new massage parlor that opened in town. As Peter, Joe, and Cleveland follow after Quagmire, the shot opens up to reveal Lois looking incognito in some big sunglasses, coming back form some kind of romantic rendezvous with a man she’s apparently having an affair with!

That little moment now has some Family Guy fans spiraling, as the debate rages over whether or not the series is dropping some early foreshadows for what will soon be a significant status quo change, if Peter and Lois finally see their marriage collapse. Some fans argue that a cartoon sitcom like Family Guy never really changes its status quo – but that’s somewhat inaccurate. The Simpsons, South Park and Family Guy have all made significant status quo changes that have definitely stuck around, almost always involving some kind of significant character and/or relationship developments.

In the case of the latter: Mort Goldman’s wife Muriel was murdered by news anchor Diane Simmons in the James Woods murder mystery spoof, “And Then There Were Fewer”. That major event episode was originally thought to be a standalone story not fully connected to the series canon – but lo and behold, once the episode was done, Muriel and other characters were still left dead – including Diane Simmons, a longtime recurring character, who was ultimately killed by Stewie. Quagmire’s father also received a sex change – a fact that has similarly remained consistent as the series has continued, and season 17 already had to acknowledge the death of Star Wars icon Carrie Fisher, by killing of the character she voiced, Peter’s boss Angela (see video above).

Questions of continuity aside, at the moment there’s no reason to think this reveal of Lois on the down-low should be taken too seriously. Family Guy has made a long-running gag out of the idea that Peter and Lois have a spicy and not altogether wholesome marriage. From scenes of risque bedroom fetishes, to episodes where both Peter and Lois cheated with Bill Clinton, to a more recent episode where Peter intended to cheat on Lois with an online flirtation (who turns out to be Lois), there have been constant teases that the Griffins’ marriage is more open than is typically normal.

And yet, “Bri, Robot” ends with Lois selling the hair off her head in order to help Peter out – so clearly the love is still real!

Family Guy is airing new episodes Sunday nights on Fox.