How dare they. What they did is blasphemous. They betrayed their fans. Not only did Fox kill off one of the most beloved characters, but they committed some of the most horrific taboos in television. Today is a dark day, one that even the holiday cheer can do little to help us forget.

Last night, “Family Guy” offed one of it’s central characters, Brian. He’s the one level-headed member of the household. Besides his disillusion quest to become a famous author and his self-depracating tendencies, he’s the voice of reason for the Griffins, and now he’s gone. And let’s not forget that he’s a dog. It may be a cartoon, but no one ever likes to see a dog killed in any movie or TV show. You just don’t do it. The creators of “Family Guy” deemed it time to say farewell to the alcoholic dog and chose not to give him a proper send off. They stayed true to the show’s brash and abrupt comedy and killed him with a speeding care. Unsympathetic and cruel without any regard for the show’s fans.

“Family Guy” executive producer Steve Callaghan said that the writers thought Brian’s death was a fun way to shake things up. “We started talking about what the next couple episodes could be and we got very excited the way this change will affect the family dynamics and the characters.”

Excited? How could you be so heartless?