When a well-established show is taken off the fall schedule and instead launched midseason, some take that as a hint that a network is either losing faith in a series or that it’s on the way out. Presence on the fall schedule appears more prestige but in the case of Fox andFamily Guy, which will not be on the fall schedule for the first time in nearly 20 years, network heads say that this isn’t a sign of a lack of faith in the long-running series. In fact, they imagineFamily Guywill continue to be a staple of their lineup.
Family Guy
During a chat withDeadline, Fox Television Network President Michael Thorn spoke aboutFamily Guybeing pushed to midseason after Fox unveiled their fall schedule during the network’s upfront presentation. The move was made to make room for Fox’s new animated series,Universal Basic Guys, which received an early Season 2 renewal ahead of even premiering on the network. Thorn wants fans to rest easy because, as he puts it,Family Guyremains of"crucial importance"to the network and that despite its midseason placement, the show will still receive a full season order of episodes.
Fox Remains Completely Committed to Family Guy
Thorn expressed that the decision was made to also balance its new shows, likeUniversal Basic Guys, with some of its legacy series, such asThe SimpsonsandBob’s Burgers. Essentially, they want to give their new animated show a strong launch on the fall schedule and, given thatFamily Guyhas continued to be a strong performer, it will still continue to thrive midseason. Fox CEO Rob Wade also stated the decision to shift the show off the fall schedule was the result of"looking at the schedule in a more modern way", and added,“instead of looking simply at the traditional time slots of shows, we look at the entire portfolio. We also think about SVOD partner in Hulu and how it would work best for them. Scheduling has changed significantly over the years and we approach it in a different way now.”
Seth MacFarlane Addresses Family Guy’s Offensive Humor Not Caving to Cancel Culture; ‘Could We Defend This?’
Seth MacFarlane has broken down why controversy over Family Guy’s often offensive humor is something that is usually misinterpreted.
Seth MacFarlane has previously said that he seesno end in sight for the showbecause fans still love it, it still does well for Fox, and it has generated a lot of money for his charity of choice.Family Guyremains a staple of the network, much like the long-running The Simpsons. Wade went on to add that"the network is very, very happy with Family Guy", so if the higher-ups and the creator of the show are still game to see the series continue, fans should rest easy.
Family Guycenters around the dysfunctional Griffin family, consisting of parents Peter (MacFarlane) and Lois (Alex Borstein), their children, Meg (Mila Kunis), Chris (Seth Green), and Stewie (MacFarlane), and their pet dog, Brian (also MacFarlane). The series is set in the fictional city of Quahog, Rhode Island, and most of its humor lampoons American culture. In 2009, the series was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Comedy Series, the first time an animated series has been nominated for the award sinceThe Flintstonesin 1961.
Family Guyis currently streaming on Hulu.
