Television character assessment and analysis

TV Character

Brian Griffin is the family dog on the Family Guy, but plays an essentially human role as a sidekick, both to the show's central character and the baby character. The supporting role is more complex that just comic relief in this instance, and the darker side of the human condition is explored using the dog and baby characters. Brian is a substance abuser, who uses alcohol to cover up deeper issues. The character routinely drinks, and does so even in situations where one would not normally engage in casual drinking. Brian's drinking is often depicted as a response to stressful situations.

Substance Abuse

The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual explains substance abuse as "more of a symptom than a disorder in itself" because "the use of substances (is) a means to cover up or get relief from other problems" such as psychosis, relationship issues or stress. To qualify for a diagnosis of substance abuse one of the following must be present within a twelve-month period: "(1) recurrent use resulting in a failure to fulfill major obligations at work, school or home; (2) recurrent use in situations which are physically hazardous; (3) legal problems resulting from recurrent use; or (4) continued use despite significant social or interpersonal problems caused by the substance use." (DSM-IV).

Brian does not fit the criteria for substance dependence. Substance dependence not only involves substance abuse but additional criteria as well. These are "continuation of use despite related problems; increase in tolerance in that more of the drug is needed in order to achieve the same effect; and withdrawal symptoms." Brian does not exhibit these signs of dependence, and so would be judged to fall into the category of substance abuse instead.

Brian's substance abuse largely falls into category 4. In part, this is because the character has no major responsibilities. The character does have difficulty maintaining relationships at times, but there is no conclusive evidence that this stems directly from the substance use. There may be some evidence of use in situations where it would be physically harmful to be intoxicated. Brian is also a struggling writer, unable to complete the novel on which he is working, although it is unclear the degree to which this is related to his drinking, as many struggling writers fail to complete novels for a wide range of reasons. When the novel is completed, it was of poor quality and was ill-received. However, the social and interpersonal issues that stem from the abuse, such as making out with his half-sister Meg while drunk and high, would qualify under category 4.

Potential Underlying Issues

There are a number of potential underlying causes of Brian's substance abuse. His inability to maintain stable relationships with females (the character largely acts human and dates humans) is symptomatic of his mostly-suppressed desire for the female lead Lois, who is married. With his true love unattainable, the ensuing sadness and sense of failure have led Brian towards drinking to drown his sadness. Complicating this issue is his failure to complete the novel, and when it is completed its subsequent lack of success. Brian views himself as a failure, but he also holds an inflated view of himself that contradicts the failure view. He cannot see how someone as gifted as he can fail, and this causes a significant amount of anxiety that is the likely underlying cause of his substance abuse.

Although genetic factors often play a role in substance abuse, there is no evidence that Brian suffers from any such factors. While neither of his parents were substance abusers, they were also normal dogs. It is possible that Brian's abnormal nature as a dog with human qualities may leave him with underlying identity issues, however. These issues may manifest as narcissistic personality disorder in Brian. The character has a strong sense of entitlement and feels superior to others. Yet his outcomes are seldom successful and this may in fact reinforce Brian's underlying feelings of inferiority. The fact that he is superior to other dogs but as a dog is inferior to humans is a potential root cause of narcissism but there is insufficient evidence for a full diagnosis.

Brian's behavior patterns represent abnormality in that he at times finds his drinking becoming an obstacle to achieving his goals, and because his drinking is a mechanism by which to medicate his underlying issues. At no point does the drinking actually help him address those issues, so the issues become unresolved. When he has addressed his unrequited love, for example, he is unable to effectively come to terms with it and ends up drinking again. His drinking has also caused problems with associates at times, especially friend-of-a-friend Glen Quagmire, with whom Brian has come into conflict in the past. These conflicts at times come from the insensitive remarks Brian makes when he has been drinking. The repeated pattern of difficulties that Brian has with respect to his drinking indicates that his abnormal behavior is related to one or possibly multiple psychological issues.

It is conceivable that if Brian had more responsibilities, his drinking would impede upon them. His relative lack of responsibilities as a dog makes it more difficult to render an effective diagnosis, but when he gives himself responsibilities such as writing, he does fail in them. In addition, his behavior should be classed as abnormal because he has clear underlying issues that cause the symptomatic drinking. This allows for better diagnosis and ultimately the possibility of treatment, if the drinking can be stopped long enough for some of the underlying issues to be addressed.

Conclusions