--- title: "Death Has a Shadow (S01E01) | familyguy.co.uk" canonical: "https://familyguy.co.uk/episodes/s01e01-death-has-a-shadow/" updatedDate: 2026-09-06 author: Alex Moss description: "Death Has a Shadow: Family Guy season 1 episode 1 (S01E01), first aired 31 January 1999. Writer and director credits." --- # Death Has a Shadow Episode 1 of Family Guy season 1 (S01E01), the 1st Family Guy episode overall. Written by Seth MacFarlane and directed by Peter Shin. First broadcast on 31 January 1999. ## Story Stewie is building a mind control device, which Lois takes away at dinner. Peter promises Lois he will not drink at a stag party, then does. He arrives at his safety inspector job with a hangover and sleeps through the shift. Dangerous products reach the shops and Mr Weed sacks him. Peter hides the news from Lois and applies for welfare. A processing error produces a weekly cheque for $150,000, which he spends freely while telling Lois he had a pay rise. Lois finds out when a cheque arrives in the post. Peter and Brian drop the money from a blimp over Super Bowl XXXIII and are shot down. At his trial for welfare fraud the judge hands Peter 24 months, and Lois asks to be jailed with him. Stewie turns his device on the judge, who frees Peter and restores his job. ## Production and reception - Production of the pilot began in 1998 and took six months; the welfare storyline was added at the suggestion of executive producer David Zuckerman to give the story more plot. ([Wikipedia: Death Has a Shadow](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death_Has_a_Shadow)) - Lois was blonde in the original pilot and became a redhead for the broadcast series. ([Wikipedia: Death Has a Shadow](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death_Has_a_Shadow)) - The episode aired on Fox on 31 January 1999 directly after Super Bowl XXXIII, was watched by 22 million people, and featured Lori Alan as Diane Simmons and Carlos Alazraqui as Mr Weed. ([Wikipedia: Death Has a Shadow](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death_Has_a_Shadow)) - Ahsan Haque of IGN rated it 8.9 out of 10 in 2008, Robin Pierson of The TV Critic gave it 67 out of 100, and Ken Tucker of Entertainment Weekly reviewed it negatively. ([Wikipedia: Death Has a Shadow](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death_Has_a_Shadow)) - In December 2024 the airline Cathay Pacific dropped the episode from its in-flight entertainment after a complaint about a cutaway referencing the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests, and the airline apologised. ([Wikipedia: Death Has a Shadow](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death_Has_a_Shadow)) ## Facts | Fact | Detail | | --- | --- | | Season | 1 | | Episode | 1 of 7 | | Overall | No. 1 | | Code | S01E01 | | First aired | 31 January 1999 | | Directed by | Peter Shin | | Written by | Seth MacFarlane | | Production code | 1ACX01 | | Source | Wikipedia: Family Guy season 1 | | Wikidata | Q1191505 | | IMDb | tt0576927 | | Verification | Checked against Wikidata and IMDb: title, date, numbering and credits agree | | US viewers | 22.00 million | ## Voices | Voice | Characters | | --- | --- | | Seth MacFarlane | Peter Griffin, Brian Griffin, Stewie Griffin | | Alex Borstein | Lois Griffin, Gymnastic Lady #1, Baby Heimlich Kid | | Seth Green | Chris Griffin, Greg Brady | | Lori Alan | Diane Simmons, Nancy the Postal Lady | | Fred Tatasciore | John Madden, Jewish Gymnast | | Butch Hartman | Greg Brady, Paul, Thermostat Investigator #1 | | Wally Wingert | Pat Summerall, Jester, G.I. Jew Line | | Phil LaMarr | Judge, Thermostat Investigator #2 | | Billy West | Church Father, Baseball Kid, Job Interviewer | | Joey Slotnick | Dick Clark, Pound Poochy Kid | Principal voice credits as recorded by IMDb, which lists up to ten credits per episode, so recurring characters can be missing here. Guest voices below come from Wikipedia and TVmaze. ### Guest voices - Lori Alan as Diane Simmons - Carlos Alazraqui as Mr. Weed, Mr. Jonathan Weed - Phil LaMarr as Judge - Butch Hartman as various characters - Billy West as Church Father - Fred Tatasciore as John Madden, Chevy Chase - Joey Slotnick as Dick Clark/various characters, Dick Clark - Wally Wingert as Pat Summerall - Frank Welker as Freddy ## Links - Season: [1](https://familyguy.co.uk/episodes/season-1/) - Source: [Wikipedia: Family Guy season 1](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Family_Guy_season_1) - Wikidata: [Q1191505](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1191505) - IMDb: [tt0576927](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0576927/) - US viewers: [22.00 million](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death_Has_a_Shadow) ## Navigation - Next: [S01E02 I Never Met the Dead Man](https://familyguy.co.uk/episodes/s01e02-i-never-met-the-dead-man/) - Season hub: [Season 1](https://familyguy.co.uk/episodes/season-1/) - All episodes: [Family Guy episode guide](https://familyguy.co.uk/episodes/) ## Season 1: episode 1 of 7 - S01E01 Death Has a Shadow (this entry) - S01E02 [I Never Met the Dead Man](https://familyguy.co.uk/episodes/s01e02-i-never-met-the-dead-man/) - S01E03 [Chitty Chitty Death Bang](https://familyguy.co.uk/episodes/s01e03-chitty-chitty-death-bang/) - S01E04 [Mind Over Murder](https://familyguy.co.uk/episodes/s01e04-mind-over-murder/) - S01E05 [A Hero Sits Next Door](https://familyguy.co.uk/episodes/s01e05-a-hero-sits-next-door/) - S01E06 [The Son Also Draws](https://familyguy.co.uk/episodes/s01e06-the-son-also-draws/) - S01E07 [Brian: Portrait of a Dog](https://familyguy.co.uk/episodes/s01e07-brian-portrait-of-a-dog/) --- Unofficial fan resource. 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