‘Family Guy’ Returns Next Summer to FOX
LOS ANGELES (Zap2it.com) – In its three seasons on FOX, the animated comedy “Family Guy” danced around the network’s schedules like a ballerina on methamphetamines. The show occupied three different Tuesday time slots, three periods on Thursday, two half-hours on Wednesday and one niche on Sundays. Either the show was incapable of finding an audience because it kept switching times, or it kept switching times because it couldn’t find an audience. Either way, except for a dedicated, but miniscule following, nobody was watching “Family Guy.”
After a popular DVD release and a successful late night run on Cartoon Network’s “Adult Swim” block, FOX thinks “Family Guy” is ready for primetime again. Seth MacFarlane’s dysfunctional animated family will return to FOX’s schedules in the summer of 2005 with all new episodes.
“When I first joined the network my first order of business was ordering more episodes of ‘Family Guy,'” says FOX Entertainment President Gail Berman. “I believe this show was way ahead of its time. It’s now a huge DVD hit and we believe that ‘Family Guy’ has a ready-made fan base eager for its return.”
“Family Guy” will return next summer with all of its vocal talent intact. MacFarlane will return as the voices of lumpy everyman Peter Griffin, homicidal baby Stewie and family dog Brian. Alex Bornstein returns as long-suffering wife Lois Griffin and Mila Kunis and Seth Green will be back as children Meg and Chris Griffin.
FOX’s return to Quahog, Rhode Island is only part of the network’s MacFarlane renaissance. His new animated series, “American Dad,” launches as part of FOX’s January 2005 schedule, following “Arrested Development” on Sunday nights at 9:30.
“American Dad” will get a high profile preview following a special episode of “The Simpsons,” which will take the coveted post-Super Bowl slot on Sunday, Feb. 6.
MacFarlane lends his vocal talents to the new series as well, voicing Stan Smith, a CIA agent constantly on the lookout for terrorist activities. The Smith family also includes Roger (also MacFarlane) a space alien from Area 51 and Klaus (Dee Bradley Baker), a German speaking goldfish.
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