Joe Swanson

Lieutenant Joseph "Joe" Swanson is a fictional character in the Fox animated television show Family Guy. His voice is supplied by actor Patrick Warburton. He is a super-macho paraplegic police officer in the Quahog Police Department who is at many times subject to intense anger problems. He is married to perpetually pregnant wife, Bonnie, and has one son, Kevin.

In the show

Joe is characterized by his over-zealousness, machismo, short temper, and by-the-book attitude. He is devoted to his wife Bonnie and son Kevin and takes great pride in his line of work. He is friendly towards Peter Griffin, Cleveland Brown, and Glenn Quagmire and the four are often seen together at the local bar. Joe's enthusiasm can occasionally go too far into rigid perfectionism, however; he sets high, unreachable standards for himself and others, especially Kevin. He has a domineering relationship with his son, whom he pushes very hard in part to live vicariously through him.

Joe's fearlessness is best exemplified in episodes such as the non-canon episode "Da Boom", wherein, despite being fused to the ground from the waist down as a result of a nuclear explosion, it was implied that Joe was perfectly capable of fighting off a giant mutated rat. Joe is known for yelling "Let's do it!" ,"Get some!" and "Bring it on!" when facing various physical challenges with his trademark over-enthusiasm. In addition to Steven Seagal films, Joe also seems to enjoy any number of other macho "shoot-em-up" action movies and martial arts films.

Despite his bravado, Joe may also harbor some insecurity and low self-esteem. In "And the Wiener Is...", he described to Peter how he gave Kevin a "love tap" punch after Kevin beat him at a game, then beat him until it became a blur. Kevin had to live in foster care for some time after that. Also, in the episode, "Ready, Willing, and Disabled", Joe began to doubt his self-worth after a thief escaped arrest. To bolster his spirit, Peter encouraged him to enter the Special People's Games (an obvious parody of the Paralympics) in the decathlon. Joe went on to win the decathlon, but only after Peter spiked his water bottle with steroids. Joe became a sports celebrity with endorsement deals, and even became subject of a highly inaccurate ABC movie, Rolling Courage: The Joe Swanson Story, starring Tony Danza as Joe (and Bea Arthur as Peter). At a celebration with Mayor Adam West, Peter exposed Joe's steroid use after Joe failed to acknowledge Peter's contribution as his coach. Joe neared depression again, but encountered the thief that had previously evaded capture and this time successfully apprehended him. "Catching the perp" renewed Joe's confidence and he returned to life as normal. When visiting a sex shop, Joe threatens the sex dolls for looking "surprised" at him. "What!? You never seen a guy in a wheelchair before!?"

It is hinted that Joe has some degree of racist feelings for Puerto Ricans. In "No Meals on Wheels," he asked Peter if he and his paraplegic friends (originally thought to be his police buddies) could use Peter's new restaurant as their new hangout. When asked why, Joe replies, "Our old place has gotten a little...Puerto Ricany." He also finds "Debra Messing" insufferable.

Despite being a police officer, Joe has been sent to federal prison at least twice. In "One If by Clam, Two If by Sea" after he and the others were framed for burning down their hangout, "The Drunken Clam," and again in "Airport '07" after he, Peter and Cleveland hijacked an airplane in order to have Quagmire re-hired as a pilot (they were reportedly raped by inmates while doing time).

Though a capable officer, Joe has been known to abuse his authority. In "Barely Legal," instead of looking out for suspects related to Brian and Meg's disappearance in this episode (it turns out that Meg kidnapped Brian), Joe spies on Bonnie from Peter's house as she undresses (pretending that she's a stranger who's getting naked). In "It Takes a Village Idiot, and I Married One," Joe blackmails a woman into aiding Lois' campaign for mayor, disregarding the fact that the woman was a victim of rape and being questioned.

See also

• List of characters from Family Guy