On the hunt for some truly unmissable telly but don’t know what to watch next? Let our essential selection nudge you in the right direction… This week, FAMILY GUY.

We know they're colourful, and they're just that bit edgier than The Simpsons (alcoholic dogs and murderous infants aren't Matt Groening's thing), but what makes Family Guy so goddamn watchable is how it plays with the normal every-day slog.

Peter is similar to Homer Simpson in many ways. The blue-collar dad and head of the family with three kids and a dog. Like Homer, he has more than a spare tyre, enjoys a beer, and has a put-upon wife who is far hotter than him.

Lois is a great character to watch. Her confidence is key to her likability. While she's a stay at home mom to two dysfunctional teens and a baby, she's still sexy and her own person (even if she does seem to always wear that green blouse despite her knock-out figure).

Meg and Chris are the American teens of today. Bumbling, not too popular, two regular kids suffering adolescence with little grace or irony. But it is their young brother Stewie, with his coniving British accent and menacing glare, who puts them in their place.

But the scene stealer has to be Brian the afformentioned addiction-afflicted pooch, whose obsession with Lois and strong bond with Stewie and Peter makes him the lynch-pin of the house. So while the Family Guy of the title may refer to Mr Griffin, our main man is definitely of the canine category.

To find out more about Family Guy, click here.