Brian the dog will rise from the dead–at least that’s what Entertainment Weekly says. And while they’re not actually calling the dog’s return a resurrection, they are claiming he’ll appear in some form on the December 15th episode of Family Guy.

Brian the dog was hit by a car and taken to a veterinarian on the November 24th episode. Subsequently dying from his injuries, he was laid to rest in a proper burial a la Stewie and the whole Griffin family. Of course to add to the insanity, the Griffins got a new dog–Vinny (voiced by Tony Sirico). It will certainly be interesting to learn how Brian reacts to his replacement.

Voiced by the show’s creator Seth MacFarlane, Brian has long been a staple of Family Guy. Might his return be indicative of an uproar on behalf of fans? It’s definitely a hot topic on Twitter.

Brian the Dog is returning to Family Guy. Contract negotiations had stalled but I guess the network finally decided to throw him a bone.

— SharkBoyNet (@SharkBoyNet) December 7, 2013

Fans weren’t happy when Brian the dog was killed off.

Damn Family Guy, you killed Brian the Dog?!!!!! What is this Game of Thrones?!!!

— Franklin Yi (@Thomas_Lull) November 27, 2013

Recent news is filled with the deaths of real people who deeply touched the lives of millions. Nelson Mandela fought apartheid. Paul Walker leaves behind a teenage daughter. What’s with these people taking to Twitter to discuss the demise and return of an animated dog?

This Twitter user definitely sees the absurdity.

Coming soon on Daily Mail comments: "Like Mandela, Brian the Dog from Family Guy dedicated his life to fighting injustice."

— Iain Macintosh (@iainmacintosh) December 6, 2013

It seems this present society–or at least one facet of the Twitter community–reveres its animated critters with at least an equal regard (in some cases it could be even more) as human beings. When you ponder that for a moment or two, it’s really quite sad.

Happiness will reign, however, when Brian the dog returns to Family Guy on December 15th. Hopefully all reasonable people will halt their holiday preparations, their work and their family plans, to tune in to this momentous occasion.

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