OMG~! Possible return of Family Guy!

[BlackFlagg 0]

Saw this on another board and just about....well I won't go into detail

 

20th Century Fox is considering a plan to resume production of Family Guy.

 

As many as 35 new episodes could return in January 2005, marking the first time that a canceled series has been revived based on strong DVD demand and ratings in syndication.

 

Fox Television Entertainment Group chairman Sandy Grushow said a decision is expected soon and called the series a late-blooming phenomenon that may have aired before its time.

 

A DVD set of the show's first 28 episodes released in April has sold nearly 1 million copies, making it this year's top-selling TV show and the No. 4 television title ever. A second collection, of 22 episodes, has sold 520,000 copies. And the series is Cartoon Network's most popular among adults.

 

The series was created by Seth MacFarlane, who wrote scripts, drew characters, provided voices and infused the show with rapid-fire sight gags. But ratings faded, and the show ended with a whimper early last year.

[Ravenbomb 0]

*MA- wait, source?

[DerangedHermit 0]

USA Today

[dubq 0]

Saw this on another board and just about....well I won't go into detail

 

20th Century Fox is considering a plan to resume production of Family Guy.

 

As many as 35 new episodes could return in January 2005, marking the first time that a canceled series has been revived based on strong DVD demand and ratings in syndication.

 

Fox Television Entertainment Group chairman Sandy Grushow said a decision is expected soon and called the series a late-blooming phenomenon that may have aired before its time.

 

A DVD set of the show's first 28 episodes released in April has sold nearly 1 million copies, making it this year's top-selling TV show and the No. 4 television title ever. A second collection, of 22 episodes, has sold 520,000 copies. And the series is Cartoon Network's most popular among adults.

 

The series was created by Seth MacFarlane, who wrote scripts, drew characters, provided voices and infused the show with rapid-fire sight gags. But ratings faded, and the show ended with a whimper early last year.

This would only be good news if all the original writers came back, which I doubt they will.

[Slayer 0]

This would only be good news if all the original writers came back, which I doubt they will.

I'll half-agree with this. Since McFarlane is the #1 brain, I think he can make it work even with a new team of writers

 

On the other hand, how many people marked for the return of Ren and Stimpy under John K, only to abandon it after about 10 minutes into the first new episode?

[Kahran Ramsus 0]

I'd rather see Futurama back.

[Downhome 0]

I want to see BOTH of them back.

 

Family Guy because I just fucking loved it, period.

 

Futurama for the same reason, but also because they had so many stories left untold, you could have done so much with what they had there.

[Mecha Mummy 0]

Hopefully they would just let Adult Swim air the new episodes. What's the point of putting it back on Fox to die again?

[Mole 0]

Fox will mis-use the show, of course.

[Red Baron 0]

Fox=Cancer.

 

2005? Why not now!!!

[EdwardKnoxII 0]

Here's more about it. http://www.eonline.com/News/Items/0,1,12954,00.html

 

Family Guy" Reunion in the Works

 

by Lia Haberman

Nov 19, 2003, 1:30 PM PT

 

 

 

Victory may still be Stewie's.

 

The pint-sized tot with plans of world domination could return to Fox as the network considers resurrecting its animated comedy Family Guy.

 

Truth be told, strong DVD sales and not Stewie's heavily accented scheming are reportedly behind the move to reinstate the cartoon 18 months after it was yanked from the airwaves.

 

At this time, production of the dysfunctional family cartoon is "under discussion" according to a Fox spokesperson.

 

Calls to creator Seth MacFarlane's rep were not returned.

 

As many as 35 new episodes could premiere in January 2005, according to the Fox spokesperson, which would mark the first time a canceled series has been revived on the strength of its DVD sales and syndication ratings.

 

Fox head honcho Sandy Grushow told USA Today the series was a late-blooming phenomenon that may have aired before its time.

 

DVD and cable viewers have "created a kind of groundswell that could lead to better ratings," said Grushow.

 

Indeed, despite being canceled after only three season, Family Guy is this year's top-selling TV title and the fourth best TV series seller ever, according to Video Store magazine.

 

A DVD set released in April of the show's first 28 episodes has sold close to 1 million copies while a second collection of 22 episodes has already passed the 500,000 mark. Reruns of the show also rank number one among adult viewers on Cartoon Network.

 

Family Guy premiered to 22 million viewers on Super Bowl Sunday in 1999 and high praise from critics ("gloriously twisted" said TV Guide). Created by then 24-year-old MacFarlane, the show revolved around the dysfunctional Griffin family of Quahog, Rhode Island, including talking toddler Stewie who vowed revenge for being incarcerated in his mother's "cursed ovarian Bastille" for nine months.

 

MacFarlane had his stamp all over the Emmy-winning series, lending his voice to the roles of patriarch Peter Griffin, son Stewie and family dog Brian, while Seth Green and Mila Kunis played sibs Chris and Meg Griffin, respectively.

 

However, the series had difficulty maintaining its following as Fox bounced the show all over its schedule. The series was also the target of an advertiser boycott instigated by MacFarlane's former prep school headmaster, the Reverend Richardson Schell.

 

Schell convinced several advertisers to abandon the 'toon, alleging that it contained anti-Semitic, racist and sexist content. Schell had previously asked MacFarlane to change the cartoon family's surname. Griffin was the same last name as that of Schell's assistant, Elaine Griffin.

 

More than 125,000 fans fired back with their own online petition announcing their intention to boycott the network and its advertisers if the series was canceled, all to no avail.

 

Now, the last laugh may be MacFarlane's. Not only is the network considering reviving the sassy series, but earlier this year he revealed that a direct-to-DVD project featuring the animated Griffin family could be in the works for next year.

[Ted the Poster 0]

Fox=Cancer.

 

2005? Why not now!!!

... because it takes around nine months to hand-animate one episode, whereas it takes considerably less time to do it on computer- animating an episode of South Park only takes five days.

[Bruiser Chong 0]

I'd rather see Futurama back.

The show was funny, but I think it's horribly overpraised. Most of its supporters acted like it was going to be or was the next Simpsons. Well folks, it's not and never will be, and not just because Fox messed with its timeslots, either. Anyone who's going to blame that one reason as being the force behind the show not fulfilling that ridiculous expectation is out of their mind.

 

Hopefully they would just let Adult Swim air the new episodes. What's the point of putting it back on Fox to die again?

 

Fox can actually afford to pay MacFarlane what he wants and what's supposedly needed for the show to run as it once did. Cartoon Network couldn't even come close to matching Mac's asking price, so he kindly declined.

 

In the even that it does get brought back to Fox, I think a lot of you are cutting the network a lot of credit. Who's to say they won't just sabotage the show once more? Because it's had great DVD sales and high ratings on Cartoon Network? This is the same network that thrives on inane "reality" shows and specials we're talking about here.

[Guest El Satanico]

I can't see them sabotaging it a second time. That would just make no sense to pay money to sabotage a show twice.

 

As long as they don't put it on Friday or Thursday, all will be fine.

[Guest JMA]

Personally, I could care less if Fox sabotages it again. All I care about are new episodes. I'll watch it no matter what the timeslot is.

[Guest El Satanico]

The diehard fans don't matter, as they don't care when it's on. But it's quite foolish to not care if a network sabotages a show you like.

 

So you don't care if the show becomes an actual success?

[cbacon 0]

OMFG~! Thank you God!

 

God: Don't mention it *rides off on horse*

[Guest JMA]

The diehard fans don't matter, as they don't care when it's on. But it's quite foolish to not care if a network sabotages a show you like.

 

So you don't care if the show becomes an actual success?

Well, of course I want the show to be a success. And I want others to watch it as well. But I'm more concerned about there being new episodes.

[godthedog 0]

'family guy' has the makings of a cult hit (which it basically already is) if it gets back on the air, but dvd sales & high syndication ratings don't necessarily qualify it as a guaranteed mainstream hit. network television just isn't the proper home for it, cable is the way to go. if comedy central bought the show and put it on with 'south park', it could be huge. likewise, if HBO (whose pockets are deeper) picked the show up, they could let macfarlane do whatever the hell he wanted and it could be the next 'larry sanders'.

[Guest wrestlingbs]

Heh, heh. ALL-RIGHT!

 

:Grooves head:

 

Family Guy deserves to go back on air, if only because FOX hasn't done a lot of good comedies since it got canceled, like, say, Wanda at Large :shutters:.

[Bruiser Chong 0]

If it's put on Fox, it'll get lost in the shuffle, I think, where as a network like Comedy Central would make it one of its flagship shows and you couldn't help but notice it.

[Renegade 0]

This would only be good news if all the original writers came back, which I doubt they will.

I thought series 3 was written by a different bunch of writers anyway.

[Cuban Linx 0]

Possible new Family Guy is very good news, though i reserve the right to bitch when Fox inevitably screws it up again.

[PLAGIARISM! 0]

I assume the movie fell though.....

[Guest El Satanico]

There's no reason to assume that, but if the creator has signed to do more episodes a movie would be unnecessary.

 

Besides, there's really nothing about the movie that would've fell though. It was direct to DVD and would only need financial backing. With the DVD success, there's no doubt that someone would've back it.

[Guest Ram]

I assume the movie fell though.....

Not only is the network considering reviving the sassy series, but earlier this year he revealed that a direct-to-DVD project featuring the animated Griffin family could be in the works for next year.

 

I guess you missed that.