Family Guy, a popular adult animated series, will be moving its new episodes to Wednesday evenings starting on March 6th, 2024, at a new time of 9:30 PM EST12. This change comes as part of the new Fox mid-season schedule, which will pair Family Guy with The Masked Singer and Animal Control. Season 5 is when the animation style changes, and fans have expressed their preference for seasons 1-7 in terms of laughs.
Family Guy has been one of the longest-running animated series on TV, with its core ensemble evolving since its 1999 debut. However, the show will not be returning to Sunday evenings later this Fall. Instead, it will premiere its 23rd run midseason in 2025, making room for the upcoming crime comedy series Grimsburg.
Fox Television Network President Michael Thorn has shared why Family Guy’s upcoming season won’t premiere until midseason. Per Deadline, Family Guy was absent from Fox’s lineup. Instead, it will premiere its 23rd run midseason in 2025, making room for the upcoming crime comedy series Grimsburg.
The animation style of Family Guy has changed significantly since its early seasons, with more limited animation and reliance on pre-rendered content. The show’s cancellation was announced shortly after its cancellation, and it took 9 months to produce. Family Guy season 22 will air on a night other than Sunday, as it moves to Wednesdays starting on March 6. Seasons 3 and 4 saw an animation change, with colors being brighter than the first season.
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| 10 Ways Family Guy Has Changed Since Season One | It’s January 31st, 1999. Television has gone through its greatest animation boom, and things begin to wane when nothing seems to replicate … | cbr.com |
| It’s amazing how different Family Guy’s early years were | The animation also took a noticeable step downward since those early seasons. It’s gotten far more limited, relying more on pre-rendered … | animesuperhero.com |
📹 How the Cutaway Problem Changed Family Guy
The Family Guy cutaway has become a topic of conversation amongst fans for years. The best Family Guy episodes are often …
What Season Of Family Guy Do The Graphics Get Better?
"Family Guy" transitioned to HD starting with Season 9, marking a significant improvement in animation quality and voice work compared to earlier seasons. Fans often reflect on the noticeable differences in visual style between the first and last seasons. While Seasons 7 and 8 experimented with HD techniques, they were still produced in a 4:3 format and lacked the full cinematic experience of the HD era. Each of the show's 20 seasons has had its highs and lows, and discussions around the best seasons often highlight Season 4 as a standout for its unique plots and character developments.
The series has evolved dramatically since its inception, with particular attention paid to humor and storytelling changes as it progressed through various seasons. For instance, while early episodes had a different focus, the later seasons, especially Season 20, have softened previous offensive humor, reflecting a broader shift in the show's approach. As the series celebrates its longevity, it continues to be a notable animated sitcom despite facing cancellations and challenges. Overall, the journey from the first seasons to the present illustrates "Family Guy's" ability to transform and adapt over the years.
When Does Family Guy Move To Sundays?
Family Guy is set to shift from its long-standing Sunday night slot to Wednesdays, beginning March 6, 2024. This change is part of Fox's midseason schedule, marking the first time in over 20 years that the animated series will not air on Sundays. The decision to move Family Guy results in a new lineup where it will pair with the live-action sitcom Animal Control at 9:30 p. m. ET on Wednesdays. Grimsburg, featuring Jon Hamm, will take over Family Guy's previous Sunday timeslot, with a preview airing on January 7 and its official move occurring on February 18.
Despite the shift, Family Guy will still air a few final episodes on Sundays before the transition. Analysts speculate that ratings may decline due to viewers being accustomed to the show's long-standing Sunday pairing with The Simpsons and Bob's Burgers. Fox has announced that Family Guy will return midseason with a full season order remaining and a series of new episodes following the break. This significant change reflects a broader shift in network scheduling as Family Guy adapts to a new day and time, leaving behind its familiar Sunday night tradition. The upcoming season will consist of just fifteen episodes, making this one of the shorter seasons in the series’ history.
Is Every Family Guy Episode Different?
Family Guy, like many animated comedies, functions episodically, with stand-alone stories and minimal continuity between episodes. As of November 25, 2024, it has aired 426 episodes across twenty-three seasons, making it Fox's second-longest-running program after The Simpsons and the fourth-longest-running scripted show in North America. I've watched every episode and ranked them as per my opinion, and I'm open to discussing specific ratings in the comments.
One notable episode features Stewie winning a contest at the Quahog Clam Day Fair. Other memorable moments include Stewie using his time machine to alter events from history, such as preventing Kurt Cobain's death and traveling through time with Brian in "Back to the Pilot." The "Road to X" series showcases the adventurous duo in different countries and timelines, resulting in some of the show's best episodes. The series faced a setback during the 2007 Writers Guild strike, leading to a shortened sixth season.
Despite this, Season 6 contains some exceptional episodes. Family Guy allows episodes to be watched in any order, as they reset the context each time. Special themes, like time travel and popular franchise crossovers, often mark the show's top episodes, while characters remain unchanged over time, in typical sitcom fashion.
Will Family Guy Return In 2024?
Family Guy, the long-running animated series, has made headlines recently with its shift in scheduling. When Fox unveiled its 2024-25 season lineup, the iconic show was notably absent from the fall roster for the first time since 2005, breaking a two-decade tradition. Set to return midseason, Family Guy will now air on Wednesdays instead of its customary Sunday slot. This decision comes as Fox makes room for new animated series, like Universal Basic Guys, which was renewed prior to its launch.
Despite the change, Fox has assured fans that Family Guy has been renewed for both its 22nd and 23rd seasons, promising more content for viewers. The 23rd season is anticipated to debut with holiday specials on Hulu on October 14, 2024. Additionally, reruns of the series are set to return to Adult Swim in January 2025, reviving its legacy on the network that helped catapult it to fame two decades ago.
Fox Television Network President Michael Thorn has shared insights into this scheduling shift, emphasizing its significance amidst the evolving landscape of animated programming. Overall, while some fans may be concerned about the changes, Family Guy's legacy continues with new episodes on the horizon.
What Episode Does The Animation Change In Family Guy?
"Road to the Multiverse" is the first episode of Season 8 of "Family Guy," directed by Greg Colton. The show has undergone notable changes since its inception, particularly in animation style, with Season 5 marking a significant transition. Fans often regard Seasons 1-7 as the pinnacle of humor and quality, while Seasons 8-11 saw a decline. However, recent seasons (12-15) have shown improvement. Seth MacFarlane noted that certain episodes showcased the new HD style through wide shots of the Griffin house.
Despite facing cancellations, "Family Guy" remains a heavyweight in animated sitcoms, currently celebrating its 25th anniversary in 2024 while entering Season 22. The show has a deep connection with Fox's animation block, alongside "The Simpsons." As scheduling changes occur, "Family Guy" is set to return with new episodes. The series’ animation style evolved over the years from fluid and vibrant to a more limited, pre-rendered approach. For example, the Disney universe segment in "Road to the Multiverse" displays a softer animation style with anthropomorphic characters.
Notable episodes like "Back to the Pilot" and "Meet the Quagmires" highlight the show's themes and references. Overall, "Family Guy" has endured numerous changes while continuing to captivate audiences with its unique humor and storytelling.
When Does Family Guy Return To Fox?
Family Guy will break its longstanding tradition of airing on Sundays, moving to Wednesdays starting March 6, 2024. This change follows a consistent Sunday schedule since the 2001-2002 season. Fox has announced their Winter and Spring 2024 premiere dates, which include this significant shift for the animated series, marking the first weeknight airing since its original cancellation over two decades ago. Following its brief Sunday run for the final episodes of the current season, Family Guy will have a full season order and an uninterrupted run of new episodes.
The show is returning for its 23rd season, with the holiday special premiering on Hulu on October 14, 2024. Meanwhile, it will share its Wednesday slot with Animal Control, starring Joel McHale. This move represents a pivotal moment for Family Guy, especially given its history of cancellation and revival, reflecting its enduring popularity. The network president, Michael Thorn, has indicated reasons for the midseason premiere.
Despite shifts to Adult Swim, Family Guy will continue to air on Fox, alongside streaming availability on Hulu, allowing fans continued access to Quahog’s misadventures. The series boasts a talented voice cast, including Seth MacFarlane and Mila Kunis, and celebrates its return to Fox in 2025.
Why Did Family Guy Leave Fox?
Family Guy has been notably absent from Fox's fall lineup for the 2024-25 season, as the series is being pushed to midseason to accommodate the network's new animated show, Universal Basic Guys. This shift is significant, as it's the first time in 20 years Family Guy will not air in its traditional Sunday night slot. Despite its enduring popularity and creator Seth MacFarlane's assurances that the show is not ending soon, Fox has opted to make way for the upcoming crime comedy Grimsburg.
The network's decision may stem from a decline in ratings, leading to inconsistent broadcast times and multiple hiatuses. Additionally, both Family Guy and Bob's Burgers are leaving broadcast syndication due to expiring contracts, with the latter's final airing slated for September 1st. With this transition, Family Guy's return is now scheduled for January, not impacting its presence on streaming platforms like Disney+ and Hulu, as both shows remain renewed for two more seasons.
Fox executives are managing the duality of launching new series while maintaining legacy shows, recognizing Family Guy's loyal fanbase but adjusting to modern scheduling necessities. The series had been initially canceled in its early years, only to be revived, solidifying its place in television history.
What Is The Best Season Of Family Guy?
Ranking the 5 Best Seasons of Family Guy
- Season 4 (2005-2006) - Regarded as the pinnacle of the series, this season is celebrated for its iconic and hilarious episodes. It features plots such as Brian on The Bachelorette and Peter discovering he's legally mentally challenged, showcasing the show’s innovative humor.
- Season 6 (2007-2008) - This season holds an IMDb rating of 8. 3/10, including memorable episodes like "Stewie Kills Lois" and "Lois Kills Stewie," cementing its place as a fan favorite.
- Season 5 (2006-2007) - Often included in discussions of the series' best, this season continues the trend of sharp, satirical humor.
- Season 3 (2001-2002) - Frequently recognized for its captivating character development and the refinement of the show’s absurd style of comedy.
- Season 9 (2010-2011) - Home to the notable episode "And Then There Were Fewer," it is also considered one of the best seasons.
Among other seasons, Season 2 is commendable for expanding the show’s humor and characters. Though long-running, some later seasons, like Season 12, received mixed reviews, particularly due to episodes such as "The Life of Brian." With over 406 episodes, Family Guy continues to evolve while maintaining its status as a beloved animated sitcom.
What Season Did Family Guy Go Widescreen?
Family Guy transitioned to widescreen and high definition starting with its ninth season, which premiered on September 26, 2010. This season marked the series' first airing in 720p HD and introduced a remastered title sequence. The transition to widescreen was significant, as it allowed better presentation of the animated series in the 16:9 aspect ratio, which has become standard for television. The first episode to showcase the new widescreen intro was "And Then There Were Fewer," an hour-long premiere. Although previous seasons (4-7) were shot in widescreen, they were broadcast in the traditional 4:3 format, with the widescreen versions available only on DVD. This change reflects a broader trend in animated television during the late 2000s and early 2010s toward higher resolution formats. Notably, while Family Guy aired in widescreen beginning in season nine, other shows like American Dad and King of the Hill made similar transitions around the same time. Fans have engaged in discussions about this change, noting the impact on how visual content is consumed, particularly with the inclusion of additional visual elements that were previously cut off in standard format.
Will Family Guy Return Midseason?
"Family Guy," after shifting from its Sunday slot to Wednesday for its final episodes this season, is slated to return midseason with a full season order and a mostly uninterrupted run of new episodes, according to Fox network president Michael Thorn. The show, which originally premiered in 1999, experienced a challenging start in the ratings but eventually gained a significant following. Despite concerns among fans regarding the delay of its next season, Thorn explained that the decision to postpone the premiere until midseason stems from scheduling changes.
Additionally, "Family Guy" will be making a comeback to Adult Swim in 2025 after a three-year hiatus, reflecting its historical significance to the network. Adult Swim plans to air library episodes back-to-back on weekdays, reintroducing the series to a new audience. The midseason scheduling marks the first instance since 2005 that the iconic animated series has not appeared in Fox's fall lineup. As "Family Guy" prepares for its return in 2025, it continues to solidify its legacy in animation and culture.
Is Family Guy Still Hand Drawn?
Seth MacFarlane has clarified that producing an episode of "Family Guy" typically requires about 10 months due to its hand-drawn animation style. In 2013, the show's hand-drawn animation division was significantly reduced as part of ongoing company-wide layoffs. The series still employs a form of hand-drawn animation, likely utilizing Toon Boom software, which allows for some elements to be copy/pasted while others are newly drawn.
While questions about its animation techniques persist, it is confirmed that "Family Guy" employs digital hand-drawing, starting with seasons 1-3 and transitioning to 2D puppet animation from season 4 onward.
Each character is composed of different puppet parts to facilitate the animation. Despite the complexity, the series maintains a deceptively simple art style that is often compared to Flash or Toon Boom animations. Unlike other animated shows, the characters in "Family Guy" do not age, adhering to a traditional sitcom format while evolving in terms of expressiveness and animation quality. The production challenges reflect a blend of modern technology with classic animation techniques, retaining that unique artistic essence over its long history since its debut in 1999.
Is Family Guy Season 17 Good?
Critics have mixed feelings about Family Guy's new season, which initially seemed promising before reverting to its usual cynicism. Fans hail seasons 1-18 as near perfect, particularly praising season 4 for its run of classic episodes like "PTV" and "Patriot Games." While season 19 was deemed subpar, some episodes offered redeeming qualities; season 20 is viewed as an improvement. Season 17 aired from September 30, 2018, to May 12, 2019, featuring the dysfunctional Griffin family—father Peter, mother Lois, daughter Meg, son Chris, baby Stewie, and dog Brian—in their quirky adventures in Quahog.
Critics noted that season 17 mixes up the formula but is often considered one of the weaker installments, despite some highlights such as "The Griffin Winter Games." The season addresses darker themes related to the characters’ psychological states, resonating with certain viewers. Notable storylines include Meg's rise to internet fame and Peter’s role as White House Press Secretary. Though some episodes pay tribute to Carrie Fisher and Adam West, fans express a desire for more consistent humor and significance in later seasons of the series.
📹 5 Times Peter Griffin Had A Special Ability In Family Guy
The only thing I don’t really like about family guy is that they explain almost all their jokes before they tell them. For example they’ll have lines like this. “Ok but first Imma sit here and try and put on a shoe that’s too small” and then have Peter or another character struggling to put on a shoe for 3 mins. And then have the “joke” end with something like, “ah ok this shoe doesn’t fit.”
I think the biggest problem with Family Guy is that the characters are no longer relatable. They have all morphed into caricatures of the characters they once were. Peter started out as a lovable goofball that messed things up because of his incompetence, but his heart was in the right place and the audience could see that he did it with the best intentions, to someone who was just flat out annoying and some times down right mean. He changed from the underdog that you wanted to succeed into someone you wanted to see fail.
I have been wondering why Stewie isn’t an evil genius anymore. It’s like every episode he’s trying to either deny or allude to the fact that he may or may not be gay. Him wanting to kill Lois or take over the world was always a big part. Now, he gets crapped on by other kids and he slinks away instead of exacting revenge.
I think when Family Guy was brought back from cancellation (the second time around, not the first) they started overrelying on the cutaway gags for the bulk of their humor if there were no references to be made or politics to wear out. The writers got comfortable, the viewers got comfortable thinking it was still at its high peak for some reason, and now here we are where it’s still chugging along thinking it’s still popular like it was in 1999.
I think viewership problems aren’t just the cutaways fault, the characters have changed a lot since the beginning too. I loved family guy in the earlier seasons Peter was a lovable idiot, Stewie was an evil genius baby, Brian was the voice of reason (funny since he’s a dog), then I see these newer episodes where Peter is a huge douche to everybody, Stewie is just being a gay stereotype nowadays he’s not even evil anymore, Brian is also a jerk now. and the rest of the family is just exaggerating their traits as well. they used to have tons of funny jokes but now they just add tons of unneeded violence for shock humor. I stopped perusal long ago.
When I watched Family Guy Seasons 6–10 I really enjoyed it because the amount of cutaways were sparse and there was actually a storyline and some special episodes, I was always waiting for the cutaways to come since in some episodes they were only 5 or less, but now cutaways literally appear in almost every scene and I tend to forget what was the point of the story anymore, almost like the episode revolves around short-story cutaways not the actual characters.
Personally I don’t think it’s just the cutaways/age thats making the show deteriorate. For me it’s the combination between steep changes in the style of comedy along with the formulaic something random happens which leads to x character becoming obsessive with something to the point of being a dick, screwing up, everyone forgives next episode
According to your graphics, in the last 5 seasons the cutaways have been dropping constantly, but so did the ratings. 5 seasons in a row feels too big of a sample size to just disregard in reaching that conclusion. Dont get me wrong, i agree that they are part of the problem, but i believe there are more fundamental issues with the show bigger than that, no matter how you feel about the cutaways, if you watch the show on a regular basis, u understand that its something that is part of its identity and also know it will be a hit and a miss, hard to point that as the reason someone would just stop perusal the show altogether
At around 6:30, you propose that we aren’t perusal less cable TV because of the Super Bowl’s increase in ratings over the past ten years. I believe the ratings for sports websites in general could be drastically different because of the way games are broadcasted live, the traditions (Fantasy, team loyalty, etc.) and the Super Bowl’s international appeal. Family Guy, like most shows, doesn’t have that same sense of community. It is very re-watchable however, which is why streaming services give these shows the most potential.
I just like Family Guy, so I can see the problems in it and this is one of them. It’s not the worst problem, that would be the writing and formula that most new episodes follow ( Peter does something bad, some sort of B story. Peter story is resolved by some attempt at emotion, B story is randomly resolved or helps solve Peter story, the end on the couch). I swear I like Family Guy though.
I don’t know how the show is doing now, but I feel like their still captivating younger audiences today. Young kids to teenagers have grown use to the cutaways and are not seeing how lazy and pointless it all is. To be completely honest, I was the same way. I watched this show when I was barley 11-years-old and I have simply viewed the cutaways as integral to the show. To the point where i questioned why other shows didn’t have cutaways. Humor is subjective, but it’s only when I started appreciating others shows that I realized how lazy Family Guys humor was. But what also grinds my gears, is how in between the lazy jokes and cutaways, are these powerful and emotional/serious episodes full of characters. Example being Brian and Stewie. These episodes develop these characters so well. That single episode where Brian and Stewie are locked in a bank together, is 10 times more powerful then anything from season 9- current. But these episodes are pointless. The development for these characters eventually dies. Stewie goes from a high tech genius to a sexuality confused dude who occasionally forgets his a high tech genius. In fact, later seasons, jokes are around the idea that Stewie is gay and his still a child and the show treats him as such. They have completely given up on the idea of making Stewie into a mad genius and became very lazy with his character. Don’t even get me started on Brian. This character went from Stewie’s intellectual equal and voice of reason to the family, to a scumbag who goes after woman’s bodies.
I’ll say peters character progression is what turned me off to the show after many seasons. Peter used to be a blissfully ignorant character going on unintended adventures and getting himself deep into situations out of pure stupidity but then his character became more malicious and mean, driven by causing others harm and pain. They also wrote into his character a deeper dark side that is referenced every once in a while through a short joke and normally I enjoy dark humor but not in this case. I get that his character had to grow but they definitely robbed him of his charm that made him funny and lovable to begin with.
I really liked Family Guy and didn’t really see why people discussed so much about the Cutaways and stuff, because I thought they were a great tool. And I still think they are, but when you showed me the numbers I did see why it was/is discussed so heavily and I realized why I didn’t see the Cutaway-Problem. I simply didn’t watch the Show after their “succes-Seasons”. All in all, another great article of yours. Keep it up, I really enjoy perusal them!
In my opinion, Family Guy sometimes can be a wonderful show with awesome and well written episodes. But the problem that the writers have is how lazy some times they can write episodes or jokes. They also have a problems thinking the longer the joke, the funnier it is. They sometimes forced the viewers to laugh, and sometimes in jokes, the jokes are explained. And the biggest problem of all is that sometimes all the “funniest” moments and jokes of the entire show are actually random jokes who doesn’t have to do with anything of the plot (the cutaways). But well, that was just my opinion tho 😐…And now ladies and gentleman..Mr. Conway Twitti…..
I personally love modern Family Guy (the recent balance of cutaways and story). While I used to enjoy the old seasons more, rewatching it now it just came off as a mediocre version of the Simpsons like adult animated show. But the cutaways make every new episode filled with stupid fun jokes that I can shut my brain off to. I know some people really hate it but I love it for what it is. Not every series needs to be brilliant and clever, but every episode of Family Guy elicits a few good laughs and it’s a show I can watch in any mood. And when I want more intelligent animated shows I have a other options like Bojack, South Park, F is for Family, etc. And if I want Family Guy with better character writing I always have American Dad.
The latter seasons losing viewers isn’t exactly only caused by the uptick of cutaways. Most people don’t take into account the number of people who don’t even buy cable anymore. Streaming services allow for people to watch these shows, in any order and never feed back into the “ratings” system. I rarely watched family guy on tv but once Netflix had it I binged it multiple times, years later and it’s on Hulu and I watch it on there. Anecdotally all my friends do as well. I wish there was a way to incorporate such data. Edit: you’ve talked about this so thanks for touching on this. I don’t think the comparison to the superbowl is fair though.
Family Guy was my absolute favorite. The first 3 seasons were incredible, with quick bits of humor throughout each episode (including cutaways or relevant references). When it was brought back to network TV for season 4 I noticed a slight change in the pacing, but the show was still hilarious, nonetheless. However, the moment I was faced with the insufferable “Conway Twitty” gag… I was done with the show. It truly felt like they had run out of material and gone into obnoxious levels of time consuming non-humor.