Fernando Mo.
03-26-2004, 12:26 PM
In an unprecedented move, 20th Century Fox Television
has committed to producing a minimum of 22 new half-hour episodes of Seth MacFarlane's
Emmy Award-winning animated comedy series Family Guy more than two years after the series
aired its last original episode. The move comes on the heels of the series' elevation to pop
culture phenomenon, particularly among the traditionally hard-to-reach young adult
demographic, as demonstrated by its enormous success on DVD and on the Cartoon Network.
In 2003, Family Guy was the #1 selling TV property on DVD. On Cartoon Network, Family Guy
ranks #1 in its time period on cable among Adults and Men 18-34 and Adults and Men 18-24,
and also beats both "The Late Show with David Letterman" and "The Tonight Show with Jay
Leno" in head-to-head competition among Men 18-34 and Men 18-24.
The new
episodes will be available in early 2005 to be shown on Adult Swim, Cartoon Network's late
night block of animated programming for adults on which Family Guy currently ranks as the #1
show. The Fox Broadcasting Company has an option to license the original runs of those new
episodes.
Seth MacFarlane, creator and executive producer of Family Guy and
two-time Emmy Award winner for his work on the series, and producer Kara Vallow are
currently assembling the writing and production staff for the new episodes.
"This is
incredibly exciting for everyone at Fox," enthused 20th Century Fox TV President Gary
Newman. "The overwhelming response to 'Family Guy' this past year is a real tribute to
Seth's vision and talent and it's been really gratifying to all the executives who never stopped
championing him and the show. The fact that after all this time we were able figure out a way
to get back into production is a testament both to Seth's passion for keeping it alive and some
really great teamwork among the executives at our studio and home entertainment and
syndication divisions and those at Turner and the Cartoon Network. We're thrilled for Seth,
we're thrilled for his fans, and to be honest we're thrilled for our teenage kids who threatened
to emancipate themselves if we didn't figure out a way to bring the show back."
Commented Seth MacFarlane, "I'm just incredibly excited that we're back in
business on 'Family Guy'. Now all those crazy kids who've been hounding me to bring the
show back can stop bothering me and move onto more serious matters - like saving
'Coupling.' "
Family Guy chronicles the lives of the Griffin family, a tight-knit but tense
nuclear family living in Quahog, Rhode Island. Peter, the loving but not-overly-ambitious
patriarch, and Lois, his devoted wife, maintain a comfortable middle class home. Teen queen
Meg, slacker Chris and homicidal infant Stewie round out the Griffin brood, but the most
sensible and well-spoken member of the clan is the family dog, Brian. Family Guy had its series
preview on FOX on January 31, 1999 following the Super Bowl and its series premiere on April
11, 1999. It earned an Emmy Award in 2000 for Outstanding Voice-Over Performance (Seth
MacFarlane) and an Emmy Award in 2002 for Outstanding Music & Lyrics (Walter Murphy and
Seth MacFarlane) and was nominated for Outstanding Animated Series in 2000. The final
original episode aired February 14, 2002. Family Guy joined Cartoon Network's Adult Swim on
Sunday, April 20, 2003 and immediately became the block's top-rated programming,
dominating late night viewing in its time period vs. cable and broadcast competition.
"Bringing 'Family Guy' to the Adult Swim lineup last April really helped turn the block
into a cultural phenomenon with young adults," said Jim Samples, Cartoon Network executive
vice president and general manager. "Now, as the destination for new episodes of what has
become the block's most popular series, 'Family Guy' will help boost Adult Swim to the next
level in terms of buzz and ratings. We could not be more excited to have Seth and 20th
Century Fox Television on board as Adult Swim continues its growth as the best place on TV
for young adults."
has committed to producing a minimum of 22 new half-hour episodes of Seth MacFarlane's
Emmy Award-winning animated comedy series Family Guy more than two years after the series
aired its last original episode. The move comes on the heels of the series' elevation to pop
culture phenomenon, particularly among the traditionally hard-to-reach young adult
demographic, as demonstrated by its enormous success on DVD and on the Cartoon Network.
In 2003, Family Guy was the #1 selling TV property on DVD. On Cartoon Network, Family Guy
ranks #1 in its time period on cable among Adults and Men 18-34 and Adults and Men 18-24,
and also beats both "The Late Show with David Letterman" and "The Tonight Show with Jay
Leno" in head-to-head competition among Men 18-34 and Men 18-24.
The new
episodes will be available in early 2005 to be shown on Adult Swim, Cartoon Network's late
night block of animated programming for adults on which Family Guy currently ranks as the #1
show. The Fox Broadcasting Company has an option to license the original runs of those new
episodes.
Seth MacFarlane, creator and executive producer of Family Guy and
two-time Emmy Award winner for his work on the series, and producer Kara Vallow are
currently assembling the writing and production staff for the new episodes.
"This is
incredibly exciting for everyone at Fox," enthused 20th Century Fox TV President Gary
Newman. "The overwhelming response to 'Family Guy' this past year is a real tribute to
Seth's vision and talent and it's been really gratifying to all the executives who never stopped
championing him and the show. The fact that after all this time we were able figure out a way
to get back into production is a testament both to Seth's passion for keeping it alive and some
really great teamwork among the executives at our studio and home entertainment and
syndication divisions and those at Turner and the Cartoon Network. We're thrilled for Seth,
we're thrilled for his fans, and to be honest we're thrilled for our teenage kids who threatened
to emancipate themselves if we didn't figure out a way to bring the show back."
Commented Seth MacFarlane, "I'm just incredibly excited that we're back in
business on 'Family Guy'. Now all those crazy kids who've been hounding me to bring the
show back can stop bothering me and move onto more serious matters - like saving
'Coupling.' "
Family Guy chronicles the lives of the Griffin family, a tight-knit but tense
nuclear family living in Quahog, Rhode Island. Peter, the loving but not-overly-ambitious
patriarch, and Lois, his devoted wife, maintain a comfortable middle class home. Teen queen
Meg, slacker Chris and homicidal infant Stewie round out the Griffin brood, but the most
sensible and well-spoken member of the clan is the family dog, Brian. Family Guy had its series
preview on FOX on January 31, 1999 following the Super Bowl and its series premiere on April
11, 1999. It earned an Emmy Award in 2000 for Outstanding Voice-Over Performance (Seth
MacFarlane) and an Emmy Award in 2002 for Outstanding Music & Lyrics (Walter Murphy and
Seth MacFarlane) and was nominated for Outstanding Animated Series in 2000. The final
original episode aired February 14, 2002. Family Guy joined Cartoon Network's Adult Swim on
Sunday, April 20, 2003 and immediately became the block's top-rated programming,
dominating late night viewing in its time period vs. cable and broadcast competition.
"Bringing 'Family Guy' to the Adult Swim lineup last April really helped turn the block
into a cultural phenomenon with young adults," said Jim Samples, Cartoon Network executive
vice president and general manager. "Now, as the destination for new episodes of what has
become the block's most popular series, 'Family Guy' will help boost Adult Swim to the next
level in terms of buzz and ratings. We could not be more excited to have Seth and 20th
Century Fox Television on board as Adult Swim continues its growth as the best place on TV
for young adults."