History Flanderization / FamilyGuy

** Lois was always a stay-at-home housewife, but also had a side-job as a piano teacher [[note]]This was initially used to partially explain how the family survives despite Peter's mediocre paycheck and poor decisions[[/note]]. After about Season 4 or 5, it's completely dropped this (even though Lois playing the piano is ''literally'' the first thing that opens the show) in favor of making her role as the housewife into her sole defining character trait, to the point where she savagely beats Peter for buying the groceries instead of her. That said, it still appears every once in a while in newer seasons

Various characters of ''WesternAnimation/FamilyGuy'' have suffered heavy {{Flanderization}} due to the writers gradually stripping away most of the characters' likable traits for the sake of conflict or comedy, making them all unlikable pricks in the process. Some of this originated as early as Season 3, but diffidently reached worse levels in later seasons:

** Lois in general was initially written as a voice of reason [[RedOniBlueOni to contrast with the more foolish and immature Peter]], but also had some of her own flaws and quirks that sometimes made her NotSoAboveItAll. Over time, her more sensible attitude has been heavily downplayed, and she's often written to be just as impulsive and destructive as Peter himself.

** Peter's LethallyStupid tendencies were more a case of InnocentlyInsensitive behavior in early seasons, and, akin to a conventional BumblingDad, being too arrogant and idiotic to quite get what he was doing was wrong. Even at that Peter usually was handed AnAesop and saw the error of his ways. Around mid-Season 4 (and completely around Season 7 onwards), however, he evolved more into a PsychopathicManchild, completely apathetic to the misery he causes, and in some episodes, outright sadistic and amused by it.

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[[caption-width-right:500:"[[WebVideo/LSMark It wasn't the same show anymore]]"

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** In ''The Cleveland Show'', Cleveland Brown was a three-dimensional well-rounded character with depth and personality. However, when he returned to ''Family Guy'', his character was reduced to Peter's TokenBlackFriend and was committed to black stereotypes. This also applies to his wife Donna, whose character traits were mostly forgotten in favour of turning her into Lois' [[TokenBlackFriend Black best friend]] and local SassyBlackWoman.

* Jesus Christ:
** He of all characters. When he first appears in "I Dream of Jesus", he is a benevolent, albeit socially awkward, person that is kind to everyone. The entire arc of that particular episode has him falling into a drug addled Hollywood lifestyle, and becoming a self-obsessed {{Jerkass}} because of it. Later appearances have him being an outright ManipulativeBastard, such as talking Peter into letting him sleep with Lois by pretending to be a virgin.

[[Flanderization/SouthPark Like]] [[{{Flanderization/Futurama}} other]] [[Flanderization/TheSimpsons long-running]] [[Flanderization/SpongeBobSquarePants shows]], Various characters of ''WesternAnimation/FamilyGuy'' have suffered heavy {{Flanderization}} due to the writers gradually stripping away most of the characters' likable traits for the sake of conflict or comedy, making them all unlikable pricks in the process. Some of this originated as early as Season 3, but diffidently reached worse levels in later seasons:

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[[Flanderization/SouthPark Like]] [[{{Flanderization/Futurama}} other]] [[Flanderization/TheSimpsons long-running]] [[Flanderization/SpongeBobSquarePants shows]], Various characters of ''WesternAnimation/FamilyGuy'' have suffered heavy {{Flanderization}} due to the writers usually simplifying the characters to fit cheap jokes in future episodes. Some of it originated as early as Season 3, but diffidently reached worse levels in later seasons:

** While Lois in the earlier seasons tried her best to be a loving and responsible mother, she sometimes failed to listen to her children or understand their problems, especially Meg. Around the same time Peter became a PsychopathicManchild, later seasons started portraying Lois as a negligent and emotionally abusive mother who openly insults her children and regularly implies that she considers them a burden. In fact her behavior of her kids is comparably worse than Peter's, because although Peter dwells on the edge of ComedicSociopathy, he is obviously too stupid to know any better and can never really grasp any {{Aesops}} that are thrown his way for long (although he does have his PetTheDog moments), but Lois obviously knows better and yet acts meanly in more insidious ways.

** While Lois in the earlier seasons tried her best to be a loving and responsible mother, she sometimes failed to listen to her children or understand their problems, especially Meg. Around the same time Peter became a PsychopathicManchild, later seasons started portraying Lois as a negligent and emotionally abusive mother who openly insults her children and regularly implies that she considers them a burden. In fact her behavior of her kids is comparably worse than Peter's, because although Peter dwells on the edge of ComedicSociopathy, he is obviously too stupid to know any better and can never really grasp any {{Aesop Aesops}} that are thrown his way for long (although he does have his PetTheDog moments), but Lois obviously knows better and yet acts meanly in more insidious ways.

[[Flanderization/SouthPark Like]] [[Flanderization/Futurama other]] [[Flanderization/TheSimpsons long-running]] [[Flanderization/SpongeBobSquarePants shows]], Various characters of ''WesternAnimation/FamilyGuy'' have suffered heavy {{Flanderization}} due to the writers usually simplifying the characters to fit cheap jokes in future episodes. Some of it originated as early as Season 3, but diffidently reached worse levels in later seasons:

Various characters of ''WesternAnimation/FamilyGuy'', due to the writers usually taking one joke that was successful before and building on it in future episodes:

** She started out as an ordinary, level-headed teenage girl with pretty teen problems that weren't out of the ordinary - however, those got turned UpToEleven and then some; with most of her insecurities somehow becoming objective facts: Her unhappiness about her (all in all normal) looks became her being universally considered horrifically ugly; her desire to be popular or at least fit in became her being an universal outcast; her lack of outstanding success with boys and occasional neediness became her being considered completely undatable; her occasionally feeling embarassed about her parents became them actively and intentionally humiliating and abusing her. Basically, she turned from a normal semi-misfit into an outrageously hated and despised punching bag.

* Lois:
** Lois in general was initially written as a voice of reason [[RedOniBlueOni to contrast with the more foolish and immature Peter]], but also had some of her own flaws and quirks that sometimes made her NotSoAboveItAll. Over time, her more sensible attitude has been heavily downplayed, and she's often written to be just as impulsive and destructive as Peter himself.
** Her sexuality has become greatly exaggerated over the years. Originally she enjoyed a healthy sex life with her husband, but it's gotten to the point where in at least ''four'' different episodes (when Peter became abstinent, when Peter became gay, when Peter got a vasectomy, and when "real life was censored"), she's been shown to be unable to properly live her life unless she can have sex with Peter.
** Lois was always a stay-at-home housewife, but also had a side-job as a piano teacher [[note]]This was initially used to partially explain how the family survives despite Peter's mediocre paycheck and poor decisions[[/note]]. Later seasons completely dropped this (even though Lois playing the piano is literally the first thing that opens the show) in favour of making her role as the housewife into her sole defining character trait, to the point where she savagely beats Peter for buying the groceries instead of her.
** While Lois in the earlier seasons tried her best to be a loving and responsible mother, she sometimes failed to listen to her children or understand their problems, especially Meg. Around the same time Peter became a PsychopathicManchild, later seasons started portraying Lois as a negligent and emotionally abusive mother who openly insults her children and regularly implies that she considers them a burden.
** Some episodes in the earlier seasons indicated that Lois had goals and ambitions, such as wanting to become a model, that she was forced to abandon after marrying Peter, but she was still content with the life she had. In more recent seasons, Lois is heavily implied to be extremely depressed by the hopes and dreams she's given up, and spends most nights [[DrowningMySorrows drinking whole bottles of wine to cope with it]].

** He went from a generic hedonist to a pervert to a guy who has adapted his entire house to rape women more easily. However, his overall wackiness and perverted tendencies have been toned down in favor of making him a SelfDeprecation avatar in the Steve Callaghan seasons, and effectively displaced Brian as the show's VoiceOfReason.

* Meg went from an ordinary, level-headed teenage girl with teen problems into an outrageously hated and despised punching bag whose desperation for happiness and love often makes her insane. At one point she even snaps and beats up a passing car driver who is picking on her, and stalks Brian after he goes to the prom with her out of pity.

* During season 3, Stewie started to become a bit effeminate and show some glimpses of homosexuality, and became more fond of Brian as time went by. During season 4, and especially from Season 7 onwards, he lost much of his former EnfantTerrible traits, and started to crossdress on a daily basis, dates other guys dressed as a girl, openly wants to have sex with Brian and blatantly hints that he's gay every five seconds.
* Lois in general was initially written as a voice of reason [[RedOniBlueOni to contrast with the more foolish and immature Peter]], but also had some of her own flaws and quirks that sometimes made her NotSoAboveItAll. Over time, her more sensible attitude has been heavily downplayed, and she's often written to be just as impulsive and destructive as Peter himself.

* Joe Swanson has always been portrayed as a paraplegic from his introductory episode, but he was initially written as one of [[HandicappedBadass the most competent and skilled characters on the show, despite his inability to walk]], and he was highly admired by the other characters because of this. But over time, Joe devolved into a sad sack who's inferior at everything and his disability became his primary character trait, to the point where just about everything involving Joe now ends with a "Get it? Because he's a cripple" joke.
* Some earlier episodes implied that Joe's wife Bonnie [[StepfordSmiler suffered depression]] from the difficulty caring for her disabled husband, [[HappilyMarried but they still loved and appreciated each other despite this]]. Later seasons present Bonnie as outright despising Joe, openly cheating on him and even plotting to have him killed to relieve herself of his burden.
* Joe's older son Kevin was shown in "Thanksgiving Guy" to be genuinely traumatised by his time in the army, though the side-effects were not immediately visible and the discussion of his experience was played relatively seriously. After that episode, he's mainly portrayed as a ShellShockedVeteran whose trauma manifests itself in random acts of violence and hysteria, all of which are PlayedForLaughs.
* Quagmire went from a generic hedonist to a pervert to a guy who has adapted his entire house to rape women more easily. However, his overall wackiness and perverted tendencies have been toned down in favor of making him a SelfDeprecation avatar in the Steve Callaghan seasons, and effectively displaced Brian as the show's VoiceOfReason.
** His hatred for Brian was brought up in "Jerome Is The New Black", and besides a lengthy TakeThat gag, was pretty passive aggressive. In several episodes after, Brian basically being Quagmire's BerserkButton became a RunningGag, with Quagmire compulsively dressing down or even beating up Brian for slights beyond his control, to the point Brian after a while [[ThenLetMeBeEvil started biting back and provoking Quagmire on purpose]]. In newer seasons, they are full-time pompous {{Sitcom Arch Nemesis}}es [[MirroringFactions who obsessively squabble for hypocritical reasons]], with the dynamic taking up many of their limelight episodes and subplots.
* In ''The Cleveland Show'', Cleveland Brown was a three-dimensional well-rounded character with depth and personality. However, when he returned to ''Family Guy'', his character was reduced to Peter's TokenBlackFriend and was committed to black stereotypes. This also applies to his wife Donna, whose character traits were mostly forgotten in favour of turning her into Lois' [[TokenBlackFriend Black best friend]] and local SassyBlackWoman.
* Roberta's promiscuous behavior from the original show have devolved into her becoming a full-blown slut, willfully choosing to "spend the night" with Quagmire in "He's Bla-ack!" (something that TCS's Roberta would never dream of doing even with someone her own age) and also being implied to be addicted to painkillers in "Peter's Sister".

* Lois's father, Carter, used to be an intelligent and rich businessman, even if his views were stuck in the 1950s. As the seasons went on, Carter's behavior is almost comparable to Peter's Flanderization where he will say the stupidest things or perform the most ridiculous acts (mostly to Peter) and allows ongoing misery just because he is rich and powerful and [[ItAmusedMe needs a quick giggle.]] The point is driven further home whenever Carter loses his assets and it's shown that [[RichInDollarsPoorInSense he cannot function in life without his fortune]]. He gets Flanderized even further into a straight-up CorruptCorporateExecutive in "The Old Man And The Big C" as it's revealed that his company developed a cure for cancer several years ago but he refuses to release it to the public all so he can increase corporate profit by making money off of sick people who have to rely on medication. Even after Lois lectures him about it, Carter still refuses to release the cure.
* Jesus Christ, of all characters. When he first appears in "I Dream of Jesus", he is a benevolent, albeit socially awkward, person that is kind to everyone. The entire arc of that particular episode has him falling into a drug addled Hollywood lifestyle, and becoming a self-obsessed {{Jerkass}} because of it. Later appearances have him being an outright ManipulativeBastard, such as talking Peter into letting him sleep with Lois by pretending to be a virgin.

* During season 3, Stewie started to become a bit effeminate and show some glimpses of homosexuality, and became more fond of Brian as time went by. From season 4 onwards, he lost much of his former EnfantTerrible traits, and started to crossdress on a daily basis, dates other guys dressed as a girl, openly wants to have sex with Brian and blatantly hints that he's gay every five seconds.

** His hatred for Brian was brought up in "Jerome Is The New Black", and besides a TakeThatWriters gag, was pretty passive aggressive. In several episodes after, Brian basically being Quagmire's BerserkButton became a RunningGag, with Quagmire compulsively dressing down or even beating up Brian for slights beyond his control, to the point Brian after a while [[ThenLetMeBeEvil started biting back and provoking Quagmire on purpose]]. In newer seasons, they are full-time pompous {{Sitcom Arch Nemesis}}es [[MirroringFactions who obsessively squabble for hypocritical reasons]], with the dynamic taking up many of their limelight episodes and subplots.

** Meg was once relatively intelligent, both in school and through various internships and jobs. The writers seem to have forgotten about this in some later episodes to the point she's almost as dumb and prone to being self-centered as most of her family, and she also seemingly couldn't get accepted into college without (unknowingly) having a fraudulent application. Never mind the fact that Brian has gone to college before (the ''same college'' as Meg) and didn't have any problems getting in and wasn't that smart.

** Meg was once relatively intelligent, both in school and through various internships and jobs. The writers seem to have forgotten about this in some later episodes to the point she's almost as dumb and prone to being self-centered as most of her family, and she seemingly couldn't get accepted into college without (unknowingly) having a fraudulent application. Never mind the fact that Brian has gone to college before (the ''same college'' as Meg) and didn't have any problems getting in and wasn't that smart.

** Meg was once relatively intelligent, both in school and through various internships and jobs. The writers seem to have forgotten about this in later episodes to the point she's almost as dumb as most of her family and also can't get into college without (unknowingly) having a fraudulent application, even though she was supposedly smart ''and'' had plenty of legitimate skills and reasons she could have used.

** Meg was also once relatively intelligent, both in school and through various internships and jobs. The writers seem to have forgotten about this in later episodes to the point she's almost as dumb as most of her family and can't get into college without (unknowingly) having a fraudulent application, even though she was supposedly smart ''and'' had plenty of legitimate skills and reasons she could have used.

** Meg was once relatively intelligent, both in school and through various internships and jobs. The writers seem to have forgotten about this in later episodes to the point she's almost as dumb as most of her family and can't get into college without (unknowingly) having a fraudulent application, even though she was supposedly smart ''and'' had plenty of legitimate skills and reasons she could have used.