On Family Guy, can the adults hear stewie, or is it just brian? I think they can, but my family doesn't.?

Question

Stewie talks. But can Lois or Peter hear him? He always talks about killing them, but I think they just ignore his evil. Now, my family thinks it's just Brian and other kids that can hear him. So which is it?

Answer 1

Communication with adults-
MacFarlane has asserted that he and his staff will never take a definite stand on whether Stewie can converse with adults. Whether the other characters understand him or not is left to the writers, who can decide which possibility is most appropriate for a given situation. Brian is the only character that always understands what Stewie says.


Stewie with Brian, one of the family members who take him seriously.Despite this, in the DVD audio commentary for "E. Peterbus Unum" MacFarlane states that adults can understand Stewie, but don't take him seriously, "sort of like... if a 4-year-old who [can] talk told you to **** off." This concept is supported by the other characters often looking at him as he speaks to them, as if to acknowledge him, although paying no mind his often-ungracious addresses, such as calling Lois by her first name (although a few times over the course of the series he has referred to her as "mother"), referring to Peter as "the fat man", Brian as "dog" or on occasion "Dogbert", and Chris and Meg as simply "you there". The other characters also seem to have blocked out Stewie's odd behavior.

Situations in which he has been clearly understood by others appear in the following episodes:

"Chitty Chitty Death Bang": During his birthday party, Stewie declares, "victory is mine!" Lois responds to this with, "yes, and this cake is yours too."

"Wasted Talent": When Lois realises Peter can only play the piano while drunk, Stewie asks Peter to play the "sad, walking away theme" from The Incredible Hulk, to which he does.

"Brian: Portrait of a Dog": After Meg walks in the front door, Stewie mockingly asks what they call "that one." Chris tells him, "That's Meg, dude. You knew that." In the same episode, when Brian is missing, Stewie says, "Let's get a kitty!" Peter responds by saying, "See, Stewie's got the right idea."

"Brian in Love": This episode has several times when adults can understand him, starting with Stewie instructing Lois to bend down, after which he hits her with a glove.
At the dinner table, Lois turns her head as Stewie calls her. After being picked up by her and kissed on the cheek, Stewie requests for more kisses to further pique Brian's jealousy and is duly obliged. He then unhooks her bra to really bother Brian.
Also in this episode, during which Stewie undergoes toilet training, Peter suggests that the whole process would be easier if Stewie drank a couple of cans of beer, as they'd "go right through him." Stewie sarcastically responds, "wonderful, and while we're at it we could light up a doobie and watch porn," to which Peter responds in all seriousness and confusion, "y...yeah?"

"Running Mates": Learning of Lois's campaign for school board election, Stewie exhorts her to get to work and lists some things that a candidate should be doing, such as kissing babies. Lois then kisses Stewie, who complains, "not this baby."

"North by North Quahog": Stewie gets into an argument with Chris while Brian is driving, prompting him to make Brian pull over so Stewie can administer a spanking.

"The Courtship of Stewie's Father": Stewie asks Peter to pull his finger, to which he obliges.
Also in this episode, Stewie asks Peter if Michael Eisner was dead after Peter punched him off a cliff at the Walt Disney World Resort. Peter responds that he would be back on his feet in no time.

"Brian Sings and Swings": Everybody seems to understand Stewie at Frank Sinatra Jr.'s concerts.

"Death is a *****": When it is announced at the dinner table that Peter will live, Stewie yells "But you said the fat one would perish!" To which Lois replies, "I know, isn't it great, honey?"

"Untitled Griffin Family History": When Stewie accuses Peter of judging The Godfather without giving it a chance, Lois states, "I agree with Stewie! That's not really fair!"
Non-recurring adults often clearly understand the content of Stewie's speech

"Peter Peter Caviar Eater": While at Cherrywood, Stewie summons three servants, one of which is to fetch him the Wall Street Journal while the other two fight to the death. They oblige. Also within the episode Stewie chats with the intellectuals of Newport while smoking his bubble pipe. He admonishes one for being "a fiscal hermit crab" in response to the Nikkei undergoing a "self-correction," to which the intellectual responds, "Interesting point."

"Road to Rhode Island": Left alone at the airport gate while Brian runs a quick errand, Stewie is approached by a man who asks, "Aren't you a little young to fly by yourself?" Stewie retorts, "Aren't you a little too old to be wearing braces?" The man covers his mouth in embarrassment and begins crying as he runs away.
Also in this episode, Stewie talks to a motel clerk and, while in his room, causes a drug deal taking place in the adjacent room to erupt in gunfire after he yells out that one of the participants is wearing a wire.

"Fast Times at Buddy Cianci Jr. High": When Stewie and Lois have to dispose of a man they mistakenly suspect Chris of killing, they encounter the problem of a passing police officer. Stewie proceeds to slip into the dead body's shirt, hiding the head of the deceased behind his own, and engages in a chat with the cop.

"Fifteen Minutes of Shame": Stewie is left alone with Meg's girlfriends from school. He then has a conversation with one of her friends in which he helps her decide if a boy at school likes her.

"A Very Special Family Guy Freakin' Christmas": At the end, Stewie (hoping to get into Santa's good books) gives a lengthy monologue on the spirit of Christmas, captivating the town and bringing a tear to the then-crazed Lois's eye.
Additionally, at the end of the episode "E. Peterbus Unum", there is a self-referential joke relating to this issue. The scene features a class watching a video of events from the episode presented to them and a student asking, "So... can the family understand the baby or what's the deal with that?"

In Stewie Griffin: The Untold Story, other characters, including "Stu", can understand him.

Answer 2

2

Answer 3

I think Stewie talks, and only Brian can understand him. But when Lois, Peter, Chirs, or Meg talks, Stewie can understand them, but they can't understand him. Also, if you ever watch Arthur, there are a couple episodes where Kate, the baby "talks" to Arthur's dog, Pal. I just thought there might be some relevance there.

Answer 4

I have asked that very same question of my friends. I think it's selective Stewie hearing for the family and poor Brian... well, he has to hear Stewie constantly.

Answer 5

Only Brian can hear Stewie.

Answer 6

Everyone can understand Stewie, they just play it out sometimes that Lois doesn't always pay attention to what he says, thus not realizing what he is planning, although in the new season they've really downplayed his intentions to kill Lois, which is disappointing because that was a funny sub plot...... o, well....

Answer 7

I think only Brian and the other kids can hear him. And the future Stewie when he goes into the future.

Answer 8

In the beginning seasons, only Brian understands Stewie. This latest season, everyone can understand him.

Answer 9

They can understand some of his words - "mama" "dada" just like a normal baby, but only Brian understands his rantings completely. I LOVE STEWIE!!! lol

Answer 10

on a recent episode the lois said that she agreed with stewie after he had just said something.

Answer 11

People can hear him when it is convenient for the story line. In some episodes he has spoken through a microphone, carried on conversations with adversaries, etc...

At other times they can't understand him or don't take what he says seriously. It is a cartoon after all.