Seth MacFarlane , shown here in 2012, created Family Guy , which premiered on January 31, 1999.
Family Guy is an American animated television sitcom created by Seth MacFarlane for the Fox Broadcasting Company . The series centers on the dysfunctional Griffin family , which consists of father Peter (MacFarlane), mother Lois (Alex Borstein ), daughter Meg (Lacey Chabert in Episodes 1–9, then Mila Kunis from Episode 10 onwards), son Chris (Seth Green ), baby Stewie (MacFarlane), and Brian (MacFarlane), the family dog. The show is set in the fictional town of Quahog , Rhode Island , and lampoons American culture in the form of cutaway gags , science fiction and tangential vignettes .
The concept of Family Guy was conceived by MacFarlane in 1995 while studying animation at the Rhode Island School of Design . He created two shorts entitled The Life of Larry and Larry & Steve , both of which played a key role in Fox executives' decision to pick up the series in 1998. After two seasons, Fox decided to cancel the show. Despite the cancellation, a third season was produced,[ 1] [ 2] after which the series was officially cancelled at the end of the 2001–2002 season. Reruns on Cartoon Network 's block Adult Swim drove up interest, and a letter-writing campaign, along with impressive DVD sales, encouraged Fox to bring the show back for the 2005–2006 television season.[ 3]
Family Guy and its cast have been nominated for twenty-seven Primetime Emmy Awards , winning eight. MacFarlane won the Outstanding Voice-Over Performance award for his performance as Stewie,[ 4] MacFarlane and Walter Murphy won the Outstanding Music and Lyrics award for the song "You Got a Lot to See" from the episode "Brian Wallows and Peter's Swallows ",[ 4] Steven Fonti won the Outstanding Individual Achievement in Animation award for his storyboard work in the episode "No Chris Left Behind ",[ 5] Greg Colton won the Outstanding Individual Achievement in Animation award for his storyboard work in the episode "Road to the Multiverse ",[ 6] Patrick S. Clark and Jim Fitzpatrick won the Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Comedy or Drama Series (Half-Hour) and Animation award for their sound mixing work on the episode "Road to the North Pole ",[ 7] and MacFarlane won the Outstanding Character Voice-Over Performance award for his performances in the episode "Pilling Them Softly ".[ 8] The show was nominated for twelve Annies , and won three times, twice in 2006 and once in 2008.[ 9] [ 10] [ 11] In 2009, it was nominated for an Emmy for Outstanding Comedy Series , becoming the first animated program to be nominated in this category since The Flintstones in 1961.[ 12]
As of April 17, 2024,[update] 424 episodes of Family Guy have aired, concluding the twenty-second season. The series remains Fox's second-longest-running program, behind The Simpsons . It also remains the fourth-longest-running scripted primetime series in North America.[ 13] On May 11, 2020, Fox renewed the series for a nineteenth season,[ 14] [ 15] which premiered on September 27, 2020[ 16] and ended on May 16, 2021.[ 17] On September 23, 2020, Fox announced that the show would continue through a twentieth and twenty-first season,[ 18] and was later renewed for seasons 22 and 23 on January 26, 2023.[ 19] On May 13, 2024, it was announced that season 23 would premiere on October 14, 2024 and would contain two holiday specials.[ 20]
^ "Plenty of Changes at Fox, UPN, Fox Tinkers With its Prime-Time Lineup on 6 Nights, UPN on 3" . Beacon Journal . Archived from the original on October 20, 2012. Retrieved October 3, 2009 .
^ "ARTS & TV in Brief; 'Family Guy,' 'SportsNight' may move to new networks" . Boston Herald . Herald Media Inc. April 25, 2000. Archived from the original on January 8, 2016. Retrieved October 3, 2009 .
^ McKinley, Jesse (May 2, 2005). "Canceled and Resurrected, on the Air and Onstage" . The New York Times . Archived from the original on April 25, 2009. Retrieved December 3, 2007 .
^ a b McLean, Thomas (June 1, 2007). "Seth MacFarlane: Family Guy , American Dad! " . Variety . Archived from the original on November 6, 2012. Retrieved December 21, 2007 .
^ "Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Announces Emmy Award Winners in Costumes for a Variety or Music Program and Individual Achievement in Animation" . Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. August 21, 2007. Archived from the original on September 7, 2010. Retrieved June 19, 2010 .
^ "2010 Creative Arts Emmy Winners Press Release" (PDF) . Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. August 22, 2010. Archived (PDF) from the original on March 22, 2012. Retrieved August 22, 2010 .
^ "Nominees/Winners" . Archived from the original on July 25, 2016. Retrieved July 8, 2016 .
^ "Outstanding Character Voice-Over Performance – 2016" . Archived from the original on October 18, 2016. Retrieved September 19, 2016 .
^ "Legacy: 34th Annual Annie Award Nominees and Winners" . Annie Awards . Archived from the original on March 7, 2012. Retrieved October 27, 2009 .
^ "Legacy: 35th Annual Annie Award Nominees and Winners" . Annie Awards . Archived from the original on February 8, 2012. Retrieved October 27, 2009 .
^ "Annie Awards: For Your Consideration" . Annie Awards . Archived from the original on July 30, 2012. Retrieved December 5, 2009 .
^ Collins, Scott (July 17, 2009). "Family Guy breaks the funny bone barrier with Emmy nod" . Los Angeles Times . Archived from the original on June 29, 2012. Retrieved August 24, 2009 .
^ "The 20 Longest Running TV Shows Of All Time" . Screen Rant . June 7, 2020. Retrieved March 15, 2022 .
^ "Family Guy renewed through 2020–21 season" . May 11, 2020. Retrieved May 11, 2020 .
^ "FOX Announces Fall 2020 Schedule" . The Futon Critic . May 11, 2020. Retrieved May 11, 2020 .
^ Dailly, Paul (July 22, 2020). "FOX Sets Premiere Dates for The Simpsons, Family Guy, and More!" . TV Fanatic . Archived from the original on July 23, 2020. Retrieved July 22, 2020 .
^ "Shows A-Z – family guy on fox" . The Futon Critic . Archived from the original on February 4, 2013. Retrieved March 2, 2021 .
^ Andreeva, Nellie (September 23, 2020). " 'Family Guy' & 'Bob's Burgers' Get Two-Season Renewals By Fox" . Deadline Hollywood . Archived from the original on December 20, 2020. Retrieved September 23, 2020 .
^ Petski, Denise; Andreeva, Nellie (January 26, 2023). "The Simpsons , Family Guy & Bob's Burgers Renewed For Two Additional Seasons Through 2024-25" . Deadline Hollywood .
^ Swift, Andy (July 27, 2024). "Family Guy Sets Christmas and Halloween Specials, Featuring Glen Powell and More — Watch Exclusive Season 23 Trailer" . TVLine . Retrieved July 28, 2024 .