May 1, 2005

[cbacon 0]

After 3 long years, Family Guy finally has a return date:

 

-News

 

+Mark Sunday, May 1st down on your calendars. On that night, Seth McFarlane’s Family Guy returns to Fox with all-new episodes. That same night, McFarlane’s new series American Dad will settle into its regular timeslot following Family Guy. Of course, as you likely already know, on that night Family Guy will become the only series in network television history to ever be brought back from cancellation twice. Miracles do happen sometimes folks, don’t forget that.

 

American Dad will premiere after a special episode of The Simpsons the night of the Super Bowl, but won’t return to the line-up until May. I’m a bit confused as to the logic in giving a show a big, splashy premiere like this and then making it disappear for 2 months, expecting people to remember it. Perhaps the Family Guy lead-in will prevent this from becoming another Futurama, but consider me cynical.

 

- 411mania.com

[Guest Rrrsh]

Family Guy is such a cult, its unbelievable.

[Mole 0]

It will bring in big ratings this time though. It better or Fox will be, well, I'm not sure.

[Guest Failed Mascot]

I can talk like Peter Griffin.

 

Hopefully this will take over the Simpsons time slot somewhere down the road. The Simpsons really needs to end now.

[Dandy 0]

I can talk like Peter Griffin.

 

Hopefully this will take over the Simpsons time slot somewhere down the road. The Simpsons really needs to end now.

That didn't sound anything like him.

[tekcop 0]

I can talk like Peter Griffin.

 

Hopefully this will take over the Simpsons time slot somewhere down the road. The Simpsons really needs to end now.

That didn't sound anything like him.

Heh. I enjoyed that. Thanks.

[starvenger 0]

It will bring in big ratings this time though. It better or Fox will be, well, I'm not sure.

I doubt it'll even bring in ratings that are big relative to other Fox shows. Fox is probably banking on continued good DVD sales plus enough eps for syndication to offset ok ratings.

[Spaceman Spiff 0]

Then there's this little news bit

 

Fox says it covered up the naked rear end of a cartoon character recently because of nervousness over what the Federal Communications Commission will find objectionable.

 

The latest example of TV network self-censorship because of FCC concerns came a few weeks ago during a rerun of a "Family Guy" cartoon. Fox electronically blurred a character's posterior, even though the image was seen five years ago when the episode originally aired.

 

"We have to be checking and second-guessing ourselves now," Fox entertainment president Gail Berman said Monday.

 

"We have to protect our affiliates."

 

Fox hadn't gotten any complaints about the cartoon. But the move follows the FCC's decision in October to fine 169 Fox stations $7,000 each for airing an episode of "Married By America" that showed people licking whipped cream from strippers' bodies and a man in his underwear being spanked by strippers.

 

"It's certainly confusing when you have to do something like that," Berman said. "It's just that we were trying to find our way and do what's responsible."

[Guest Salacious Crumb]

Fox will find some way to completely fuck this up and have cancelled it again by the end of August.

[Ced 0]

What's the over/under on the time it takes FOX to lose Family Guy in the scheduling shuffle yet again?

[starvenger 0]

Doesn't matter - I'll take the under.

[Guest Evolution]

When was Family Guy brought back from cancellation before?

 

And what other times has a show even been brought back from cancellation once?

[DerangedHermit 0]

When was Family Guy brought back from cancellation before?

 

And what other times has a show even been brought back from cancellation once?

Family Guy was first cancelled after Season 2. 11 months later, Season 3 premiered (and it was pretty clear that it would be cancelled again midway through season 3). It is signed for 35 new episodes (roughly two seasons)

 

Let's hope Futurama will be brought back.

[Mole 0]

When was Family Guy brought back from cancellation before?

 

And what other times has a show even been brought back from cancellation once?

It was after the second season, they brought it back for a third. I believe.

 

The only show that comes to mind is Rosewell. But I am not even sure the show was canceled at first, just more like it was going to be canceled and they didn't do it.

[JMFabiano524 0]

I can talk like Peter Griffin.

 

Hopefully this will take over the Simpsons time slot somewhere down the road. The Simpsons really needs to end now.

Yep they need to pass the torch. Otherwise will we have to make jokes about "Triple H(omer)"?

 

And to continue the wrestling analogies, the FG comeback being for real will be like Benoit being world champion: I'll believe it when I see/hear it. Sorry, but I am a firm believer of "once a glass ceiling, always a glass ceiling." And just like WWE, American television (especially network) constantly proves that to me.

 

And there's the worries of whether or not we'll have the "real" Family Guy due to the Frickin' Crappy Censors. We live in a different, more dumbed down media world now. Oh well, I hear Adult Swim gets the new eps. right after they've aired...ditto with American Dad. If worse comes to worse, hopefully we'll get "the scenes the networks were afraid to show you!" on AS.

[DerangedHermit 0]

When was Family Guy brought back from cancellation before?

 

And what other times has a show even been brought back from cancellation once?

It was after the second season, they brought it back for a third. I believe.

 

The only show that comes to mind is Rosewell. But I am not even sure the show was canceled at first, just more like it was going to be canceled and they didn't do it.

I believe SNL was close to being canceled (I think in 1980, 1981 and 1985; Jean Doumanian, Dick Ebersol and finally the return of Lorne Michaels saved each season respectively), as was Chappelle's Show.

[JMFabiano524 0]

When was Family Guy brought back from cancellation before?

 

And what other times has a show even been brought back from cancellation once?

It was after the second season, they brought it back for a third. I believe.

 

The only show that comes to mind is Rosewell. But I am not even sure the show was canceled at first, just more like it was going to be canceled and they didn't do it.

I believe SNL was close to being canceled (I think in 1980, 1981 and 1985; Jean Doumanian, Dick Ebersol and finally the return of Lorne Michaels saved each season respectively), as was Chappelle's Show.

I don't know if it WAS cancelled or was on the brink of cancellation, but would this little program from the '60s about "boldly going where no man has gone before" or something count?

[DerangedHermit 0]

When was Family Guy brought back from cancellation before?

 

And what other times has a show even been brought back from cancellation once?

It was after the second season, they brought it back for a third. I believe.

 

The only show that comes to mind is Rosewell. But I am not even sure the show was canceled at first, just more like it was going to be canceled and they didn't do it.

I believe SNL was close to being canceled (I think in 1980, 1981 and 1985; Jean Doumanian, Dick Ebersol and finally the return of Lorne Michaels saved each season respectively), as was Chappelle's Show.

I don't know if it WAS cancelled or was on the brink of cancellation, but would this little program from the '60s about "boldly going where no man has gone before" or something count?

I didn't say I got them all. That counts.

[starvenger 0]

And what other times has a show even been brought back from cancellation once?

I don't know if it WAS cancelled or was on the brink of cancellation, but would this little program from the '60s about "boldly going where no man has gone before" or something count?

Doesn't count (I think), because Star Trek was cancelled and never went back into production.

 

Anyways, off the top of my head (counting shows that switched networks):

Roswell, Buffy, Sliders, The Naked Truth, Family Matters, Step By Step.

[JMFabiano524 0]

And what other times has a show even been brought back from cancellation once?

I don't know if it WAS cancelled or was on the brink of cancellation, but would this little program from the '60s about "boldly going where no man has gone before" or something count?

Doesn't count (I think), because Star Trek was cancelled and never went back into production.

 

Anyways, off the top of my head (counting shows that switched networks):

Roswell, Buffy, Sliders, The Naked Truth, Family Matters, Step By Step.

What about the famous letter campaign? Was that in response to an actual cancellation or the threat thereof?

 

 

And for no other reason besides the fact that I don't want my opinions on new FG to be lost in the shuffle...

Yep they need to pass the torch. Otherwise will we have to make jokes about "Triple H(omer)"?

 

And to continue the wrestling analogies, the FG comeback being for real will be like Benoit being world champion: I'll believe it when I see/hear it. Sorry, but I am a firm believer of "once a glass ceiling, always a glass ceiling." And just like WWE, American television (especially network) constantly proves that to me.

 

And there's the worries of whether or not we'll have the "real" Family Guy due to the Frickin' Crappy Censors. We live in a different, more dumbed down media world now. Oh well, I hear Adult Swim gets the new eps. right after they've aired...ditto with American Dad. If worse comes to worse, hopefully we'll get "the scenes the networks were afraid to show you!" on AS.

[starvenger 0]

What about the famous letter campaign? Was that in response to an actual cancellation or the threat thereof?

That's what I'm unsure of.

[Guest JMA]

I'm thrilled to hear this news. But will the original cast be back?

[DrVenkman PhD 0]

McFarlane voiced the important characters and he is most certainly back. Meg already changed voices once and that's not really an issue. Hopefully Seth Green and David Putty (Patrick Warburton or whatever) are back as Chris and Joe.

 

I'm glad to hear that it's confirmed for Sunday (for now). Fox seems to have nothing permenant to put on between 9 and 10, so giving Family Guy the old MWC slot would certainly be great.

[Guest Failed Mascot]

I would guess that the woman who did Lois' voice and was also on Mad TV would be back. Alex something.

 

With That 70s Show nearing its end I would venture the girl that plays Jackie will once again do the voice for Meg.

 

Hopefully Phil LaMarr will come back too. He did alot of the miscellaneous character voices.

[cbacon 0]

The original campaign was after the show was cancelled for the first time.

 

And all of the cast members will be back.

[Mole 0]

I'm sure Seth Green will come back, just because he seems like a guy who would like the show.

[Bruiser Chong 0]

I watched FG from the absolute beginning and I'm amazed at the cult following it got once the DVD sets were released. That said, saying you like it seems almost cliche since it's become such a huge hit in the last two years. I'm weird like that, but when people ask what my favorite shows are, I rarely mention FG, even though I've always adored it. I'm the same way with music, too. Saying guys like Eminem and 50 Cent are your favorite rappers, for example, always seems like a safe answer, even if it's the truth.

[Guest Salacious Crumb]

MST3K has been cancelled and brought back a few times. Comedy Central's fear of the fans saved it on more than once.

[A Happy Medium 0]

I watched FG from the absolute beginning and I'm amazed at the cult following it got once the DVD sets were released. That said, saying you like it seems almost cliche since it's become such a huge hit in the last two years. I'm weird like that, but when people ask what my favorite shows are, I rarely mention FG, even though I've always adored it.

Same here. I discovered the show back when I moved to Texas in eigth grade. It was golden then, and golden now. However, I don't really talk about the show outside of my friends who have followed it as long I have. I fear a lot of the people that are into the show, and claim to be religiously, are just doing it because it's the thing to do.

 

But eh...the new fans along with the old fans are what brought this thing back to life.

 

Two more seasons? Fuck yes.

[MrRant 0]

What about the famous letter campaign?  Was that in response to an actual cancellation or the threat thereof?

That's what I'm unsure of.

Star Trek was cancelled after season 2 and then when word spread that it was cancelled , the fans got together and the letter writing campaing brought it back for the 3rd and final season.

 

NBC fucked over Star Trek just about as bad as FOX has fucked over numerous shows.

 

And Star Trek > Family Guy.