Everyone needs a rival to keep them on their toes and sharpen their tongues. For Family Guy's Stewie Griffin, giving him a rival only adds roundness to his character and a trait of vulnerability. The best one who brought out this side of Stewie was Doug, the smart-allecky, self-absorbant classmate from preschool.
The character was voiced by Saturday Night Live's alum and Rick and Morty's voice-over actor, Chris Parnell. Parnell's slight Southern drawl and comedic style made Doug a cool addition to Family Guy. Then again, the show has a fabulous history of booking celebrities that fit the roles.
Why Doug, when Stewie has had a few notable rivals in the past? Take his half-brother, Bertram, for example. After meeting him in season 3, he and Stewie had a few encounters that delivered thought-out dynamics in a handful of episodes.
In Bertram's last episode, season 9's "The Big Bang Theory," he tries to murder Stewie's ancestor, which would've erased Stewie from existence. During the brothers' battle, Bertram loses his life, and we don't see him again. With Bertram, Stewie's arc expanded beyond his own means and even softened his hard edge, although it remains intact.
Revolving back to Doug, he had more screen time than Bertram, with fifteen episodes, ensuring his existence was known. However, fans didn't receive him well due to his arrogant nature, stuffy attitude, and discernment of the lower class. At the same time, he was also a child from a problematic home with divorced parents, so his unruly behavior could be an anchor from that predicament.
Why Family Guy should bring Doug back for Stewie Griffin
In the episodes in which Doug was featured, he and Stewie constantly developed dynamics. The two that stand out are season 20's "80's Guy" and "Lasik Instinct." The former depicts the boys in an action-like hero movie environment where they learn to appreciate one another. In the latter, we learn more about Doug's family's life, and given how cold and dismissive his dad was toward him, I gained sympathy for the child. Even though Doug can be nasty, he's still a child.
Additionally, in "Lasik Instinct," Doug gave the Griffins a list of things to do to see what it felt like to have family activities. When Stewie discovers the ruse, he's naturally upset, but after witnessing Doug's dad simply ignoring him, the boys agree to be rivals in the public sphere and more amicable in private.
The last time we saw Doug was in season 22's "The Candidate," where he and Stewie campaigned against one another for Snack Captain. They throw each other's secrets out, and in the end, Stewie wins the role. The episode also confirmed Doug's death, as Stewie mentioned, and TVLine affirmed it. That means no more Doug or Parnell to give Stewie the Arrogant Eye.
Doug's passing was never shown, leaving room for a possible reunion between him and Stewie. He could use an arch nemesis his own age, as he can find common ground and build from there. Doug might be gone for now, but I hope they bring him back for the sake of rivalry and keeping Stewie on guard. Besides, Parnell was a delight to hear.