Family Guy season 19: New episode sees Stewie finally utter his first word, clearing up long-running mystery

Stewie’s ability to talk has been the subject of some debate among viewers

A new episode of the long-running cartoon Family Guy sees Stewie Griffin finally utter his first word, clearing up one of the show’s biggest mysteries.

While Stewie (voice by Seth MacFarlane) has been portrayed throughout the show’s run as an erudite talking baby, it was always left slightly ambiguous whether other members of the family, or indeed anyone else, were able to understand him.

In the premiere to Family Guy’s 19th season, entitled “Stewie’s First Word”, the marrow-headed infant finally utters a word which is heard and understood by a church full of people.

After Stewie yells “f***” in the middle of a sermon, Chris Griffin says: “Hey, Stewie said his first word, and it was a swear!”

Later in the episode, Brian asks Stewie: “I don’t get it, Stewie, you’ve been talking forever. Why did everyone suddenly understand you now?”

“I don’t know,” he responds. “I was feeling such intense emotion in the moment, and that one word somehow just burst through.”

Stewie Griffin’s incongruous loquaciousness has been one of the show’s longest-running jokes.

Discussing the storyline with TV Line, Family Guy executive producers Rich Appel and Alec Sulkin said: “This episode showcases Stewie’s first word in the traditional sense that parents always document: the first word they understand. 

“Otherwise, yes, it’s Stewie’s 1,345,693th word.”

It was also recently revealed that the role of Peter Griffin’s black friend Cleveland Brown would no longer be voiced by white voice actor Mike Henry.

While Henry has already recorded his lines for the 19th season, the role will be played in future seasons by YouTuber Arif Zahir.