Family Guy (TV Series) Screams of Silence: The Story of Brenda Q (2011) User Reviews

Honest, Struggling, and Direct

[jhester9614 · 7/10 · 27 June 2017]

This episode is hard to watch. Abuse isn't funny, it's violent, hurtful, everywhere, and absurd.

That's the take I got from this episode, that abuse, no matter how small or large, no matter how obvious or subtle, no matter how physical or mental - can be something outsiders see and something the abused might rationalize, and yet still remains a fact of life. A shitty fact, a violent fact, a disgusting fact, but a real one.

People hated this episode, and that's fine. But it's still well within FG's standards: absurd yet based in reality. Reality isn't always funny, the absurd isn't always positive.

It's a tough watch

[Sleepin_Dragon · 5/10 · 16 October 2017]

I have such mixed feelings about this episode, this series seems to have delivered a number of divisive episodes, love or hate, and this one very much fits into that category. The first few minutes are funny, the clown porn, the Gwyneth Paltrow joke, then it switches. Domestic violence is one of those subjects I'm sure we all find detestable, and viewers of this show tune in for fun, to be amused. There is very little amusement here, it's a tough watch. I will applaud them for the ending, Quagmire, normally care free, decides to take matters into his own hands out of concern for his sister, we get to see a different side to his character. Overall I think they attempted something edgy and hard hitting, as someone that likes the funny side of the show this one doesn't quite work for me. 5/10

Riveting stuff!

[robin-414 · 9/10 · 28 June 2013]

I've seen and heard this episode of Family Guy getting slammed for all kinds of different reasons. It's sometimes not an easy one to watch, and not high on the laugh factor. This is one case where the violence isn't used to elicit guffaws from the viewers.

Quagmire is a character I have mixed feelings about. He's very happy-go-lucky, and has a cavalier disregard for the consequences of his extremely active sex-life. However, he has been shown to have human feelings, and concern for his friends (I'm actually hurt that he has been shown to have developed a deep hatred of Brian, and I can't feel much warmth toward people who hate dogs, even talking dogs).

When he finds his sister is being routinely beaten up by her abusive boyfriend, he and the others take dramatic, and irresponsible action. Things don't go to plan, and some very bloody and bruising scenes ensue before the climax - although I've warned of spoilers, I don't want to give away the whole show.

I recently saw a psychological expert criticising this episode because Quagmire's sister was depicted as being weak and stupid, and not taking action, as though she were the butt of the standard FG humour. I think this person, qualified as she may be, was missing the whole point. There are women in abusive relationships like this, and this episode points out that the solution doesn't lie in removing the abuser. If someone appears to love the person who is abusing them, then they are not stupid, they are broken. Quagmire and his friends couldn't help his sister in the end - her boyfriend was in amongst her, and her psychological damage was far too complex for them to comprehend. As it would be in reality. Yes, this is just a cartoon, but the thought of it is heartbreaking.

I certainly think this episode does have a lesson to teach, even if it's only that more violence isn't the answer.

Incidentally, I was riveted to the screen, and too busy being entertained to notice that it was short on gags (apart from Quagmire's one!) Well-written and, I think, well-intentioned. I applaud Seth McFarland and the Family Guy team for risking episodes like this one.

9 out of 10 from me!

What's going on with this show?

[thahar · 3/10 · 27 November 2011]

Two serious episodes in a row; and when I say serious, I mean unfunny. Family Guy has just become... dark. I don't know what's going on, but I think Family Guy should either end or get cancelled if they put out episodes like this (even the creator himself said he should've ended the series after season 7). If you had a hard day's night and want to watch an episode of Family Guy to cheer yourself up to, this is exactly the opposite. Remember the episode where Peter reveals to Brian that Quagmire hates Brian? They showed Quagmire's sister, who is a victim of domestic violence from her boyfriend, Jeff, and we thought this was just a one-time gag? Nope, they're back in a major role for the storyline in this episode.

It might've worked to see into the violent relationship between Brenda and Jeff, but the subject is too serious for a show that's supposed to be comedy. The only funny parts of this episode are when the cutaway gags are shown, and the jokes they throw during the plot just don't go with the serious plot. So basically, Peter, Joe, and Quagmire plan to kill Jeff, because he beats Brenda. Yeah, that justifies it! A dramatic fight happens between Quagmire and his potential brother-in-law, and Quagmire ends up murdering Jeff; yep, that's right, Quagmire is now a murderer! He should feel guilt, but no, since Joe the cop is Quagmire's friend, Quagmire will not go behind bars!

On a positive note, it does show how much Quagmire - the ladies man and pervert - cares about his sister, so much that he goes to extreme lengths to protect her; in this case, murder her boyfriend. But domestic violence is very common in this world, and it cannot be resolved by killing the perpetrator. There are no lessons learnt in this episode.

Darker episode but still good

[wsmith-44512 · 9/10 · 13 July 2020]

It's addressing a serious topic here but still a good episode with a lot of funny parts. The part where Joe didn't know Chris's name was hilarious

Huh???

[dennymckenzie · 2/10 · 27 January 2024]

Even if the subject matter weren't handled with the delicacy of a toddler on roller skates ("it only hurts when I see!" and so on), people don't watch this annoying ass show to see anything remotely close to emotionally resonant, which this tries to be and fails miserably.

Literally haven't seen this episode in close to ten years but I remember hating it so much and so many little bits of it that just annoyed the hell out of me. Just so incredibly ignorant to the real issues it attempts to address while simultaneously being unable to decide if it wants to play the topic of domestic abuse as straight and real or light and comedic.

Either one of those would have been a horrible turn for this series, which had already been on the air for about three years too long by this point. Bad excuse for a television episode.

Great episode

[ftbgxpwkh · 9/10 · 16 November 2021]

Everyone who gave this episode a 1 clearly didn't finish the episode. In no way is this episode making light of physical and sexual abuse. They literally say how bad it is multiple times in the episode. It's a funny episode with a great message.

This episode was so God awful.

[LilyK2015 · 4 December 2016]

I've tried watching this episode so many times. But every time I try to watch it, I instantly cringe. Abuse is never funny and Seth MacFarlane doing an episode about this subject is not good at all. There's not one scene in the whole 30 minutes it runs on television to redeem itself. And can we talk about the abusive boyfriend's name? I mean, Jeffrey Fecalman? My God, that's the worst name ever to be created for a television series. Even the whole joke about Quagmire passing out of auto-erotic asphyxiation is cringe worthy. No one should be subjected to this kind of torture. If I could give it zero stars, I would. This episode would be best skipped over when you're watching it on television or Netflix. Just...No.

No Tact

[veronicastetler · 1/10 · 21 November 2017]

There's ways to tactfully handle tough or inherently grim subjects, Family Guy completely misses the mark. As someone whose experienced domestic violence myself, this episode just gives terrible flashbacks to instances when I was being abused. The fact that thus shows tries to make jokes out of Brenda being physically beaten by her boyfriend is NOT OK. It is currently estimated that 50-60% of women murdered were killed by their romantic partner.

Domestic violence is a very real, serious issue. It's estimated that a minimum of 25-33% of women and 14% men will experience domestic violence at some point in their life. Comedy is supposed to make you laugh, not give you flashbacks to a traumatizing point in your life.

Super hilarious!

[alvarezjulio-73789 · 9/10 · 8 April 2019]

Who else but Quagmire? Quagmire is up to his old shenanigans. Erotic Asphyxiation to clown porn, there's nothing Quagmire wont do. Good ol Quagmire. Now we get to see what was a quick gag-scene in a previous episode (Jeff and Brenda) turn into a full episode. Remember how funny it was when Brian said she looks like she likes it rough, well this episode takes it further. All the jokes land, just like Jeff's punches on Brenda.

This episode had it all, from domestic violence to murder. It's definitely a must watch.

No words can describe how terrible this one is...

[kaimoney · 1/10 · 21 June 2020]

Here's a question: Is Family Guy a comedy or a drama? Because I don't think it can do both! Family Guy is a show where people beat each other up, but this episode is talking about how serious domestic violence is. And according to this episode, you should murder that abuser you're with! WTF?! This episode is lucky that this doesn't trigger me! Everything about this episode is awful, though I did like the Iraq Lobster scene. But this episode is just garbage.

Worst episode of Family Guy ever

[pledgerock · 1/10 · 10 May 2022]

I hate this episode with a burning passion. There's absolutely no humor in it despite the fact that they attempt to add slices of humor in a domestic abuse situation. And guess what?? It doesn't work! Jeff isn't even a character. He's a caricature. He screams all the time and makes this episode just thoroughly unpleasant to watch. I felt like I was watching an abusive relationship and there was nothing I could do. So what does the gang do? They decide to MURDER HIM(?!)

Joe is a cop! Why doesn't he come up with a plan to hide recording devices in Quagmire's house to get evidence of his abuse? Actually, why doesn't he just straight up arrest Jeff? He witnessed the abuse! But no Quagmire winds up murdering Jeff after a violent fight and then they lie about in front of Brenda who has learned literally nothing. Peter then mentions he'd like to kill another person and thinks of Mort literally RIGHT in front of Brenda who can easily hear this. I'm sorry, what is this??? Also, since when did Peter hate Mort???

Excessively violent, horrifically unpleasant to watch, and not a joke in sight. 1/10

You know what? That's it. I'm out. This is where I leave you, Family Guy.

Could've been better or worse

[ReviewTube · 3/10 · 26 March 2022]

Just sayin this could've been good if they focused more on Quagmire being the only one to see it and trying to convince Brenda to go to the cops cuz she has some kind of evidence with her that he doesn't (like camera footage or something from a night out). Something that made it so only Brenda could do it with Quagmire's help, stuff like his speech was nice and them freeing her at the end rather than just jokingly saying "Oh well!" Was better than what could've happened.

This episode seriously feels like a soap opera

[celiawatsonanime · 3/10 · 7 February 2022]

Family Guy shouldn't be the one to give a somewhat uplifting inspiring message about standing up to domestic violence.

They have tons of cartoony violence in other episodes.

It's just filled with tons of drama.

Good that Quagmire's sister gets away from her abuser in this episode, I guess?