Stewie has a therapy session with Dr Cecil Pritchfield (Ian McKellen) (Photo: Fox)
SPOILER ALERT: Last night’s eagerly-awaited episode of Family Guy saw one-year-old baby Stewie touch upon the subject of his sexuality.
Entitled Send in Stewie, Please, the episode featured guest star Ian McKellen as psychotherapist Dr Cecil Pritchfield.
Viewers of the animated series, created by Seth McFarlane, have long speculated on Stewie’s sexuality. For many, he’s an archetypal, uptight, gay man… were in not for the inconvenient fact that he’s portrayed as a hyper-intelligent, one-year-old baby.
Last month, the show’s creators hinted that Stewie would finally address speculation about his sexuality on an upcoming episode of the show.
The episode that went out last night saw Stewie sent to see Dr Pritchfield after doing something terrible to a classmate.
However, the topic of Stewie’s sexuality was quickly dismissed by the toddler himself. He told the doctor upon entering the office that it wouldn’t be a coming-out session.
Stewie confuses matters by saying he’s less gay than he used to be, but also talks about him and actor Grant Gustin making a potential cute couple.
He does at one point say, ‘I’m not gay’ to his therapist, but it’s more a dismissive retort than a statement of fact, leaving some viewers disappointed.
I was in my room and Family Guy is on in the living room, then I hear “Grant Gustin plays the Flash on the CW” so I came out to see what this was about and so Stewie is saying he’s not gay but he thinks he and Grant would be the cutest instagram couple. I’m all sorts of confused
— L ➵ IW: April 27th!!! (@RosesSeb) March 19, 2018
‘He’s still a baby. He doesn’t know yet’
The episode’s writer, Gary Janetti told TV Line that by telling Pritchfield he could relax and that this wasn’t going to be a coming-out story, Stewie was ‘almost addressing the audience’s expectations.
‘Stewie’s awareness of his sexuality is this uncertain thing, and that needs to stay as it is. His uncertainty gives him a vulnerability, which is something we need to maintain for the series. Whether he is [gay] or not, that isn’t going to be answered when he’s a one-year-old. But if you read between the lines, it’s not that difficult to decipher.’
Executive producer Rich Appel added, ‘We also talked to [creator Seth MacFarlane] whose opinion was to not lean into [Stewie’s sexuality] too much. He’s still a baby. He doesn’t know yet, and sexuality is a very fluid matter. It’s better to keep that as something that’s not determined yet.’
Although not revealing his sexuality, Stewie did have one big reveal for his therapist. He told him he speaks in a fake British accent, and revealed his real voice. Check it out below.
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Last night’s episode was the first in the show’s 16 year history to air on Fox without any commercial breaks.
