History of Family Guy Timeline

(January 31, 1999 – Present)

Family Guy is an American adult animated sitcom created by Seth MacFarlane that premiered on Fox in January 1999. The show follows the dysfunctional Griffin family in the fictional town of Quahog, Rhode Island. Despite being cancelled twice early in its run, strong DVD sales and syndication ratings led to its revival in 2005, and it has since become one of the longest-running animated series on television, known for its cutaway gags, pop culture satire, and irreverent humor. More Less

Go to: Timeline | Event List | Key Facts | Directory

Creation and Origins

Seth MacFarlane studies animation at Rhode Island School of Design

1991 - 1995

Seth MacFarlane attended the Rhode Island School of Design, where he studied animation and created his thesis film 'The Life of Larry', featuring an early version of Peter Griffin. The film was later shown to executives at Hanna-Barbera, launching his career in television animation.

Image source: Seth MacFarlane

MacFarlane creates 'Larry & Steve' cartoon short for Cartoon Network

1997

MacFarlane created 'Larry & Steve', a follow-up short to 'The Life of Larry', which aired on Cartoon Network's 'What a Cartoon!' showcase. The short refined the characters that would eventually evolve into Peter Griffin and Brian, catching the attention of Fox executives.

Image source: The Life of Larry and Larry & Steve

Fox greenlights Family Guy pilot

1998

After seeing MacFarlane's shorts, Fox commissioned him to develop an animated series. MacFarlane pitched the Griffin family concept, inspired partly by his own experiences growing up in New England, and Fox ordered a full season based on just one pitch meeting.

Image source: Family Guy

Original Run

Family Guy premieres on Fox after Super Bowl XXXIII

Jan 31, 1999

Family Guy debuted with the episode 'Death Has a Shadow' following Super Bowl XXXIII, giving it massive exposure. The premiere introduced Peter, Lois, Chris, Meg, Stewie, and Brian to American audiences and drew over 22 million viewers.

Image source: Death Has a Shadow

Family Guy premieres on Fox after Super Bowl XXXIII

First season establishes show's signature cutaway humor

Jan 31, 1999 - May 16, 1999

The first season of seven episodes established the show's trademark style: rapid-fire cutaway gags, pop culture references, and irreverent humor. The season also developed Stewie as an eccentric baby with world domination ambitions and Brian as the talking family dog.

Image source: Family Guy season 1

Second season expands the show's universe

Sep 23, 1999 - Aug 1, 2000

Season two expanded Quahog's cast of characters, introducing recurring neighbors like Glenn Quagmire, Joe Swanson, and Cleveland Brown. The show continued building its cult fanbase despite inconsistent scheduling by Fox.

Image source: Family Guy season 2

'Wing' episode features first major celebrity guest voice

Feb 8, 2000

The episode 'Wing' aired during season two, part of a trend of celebrity guest appearances that would become a hallmark of the series, with stars voicing themselves or characters throughout the show's run.

Third season airs with increasingly bold humor

Jul 11, 2001 - Feb 14, 2002

Season three pushed boundaries with more controversial humor, including episodes like 'When You Wish Upon a Weinstein'. Despite critical acclaim and a devoted fanbase, ratings fluctuated due to erratic scheduling, leading Fox to cancel the show.

Image source: Family Guy season 3

Family Guy celebrates its 100th episode

Sep 30, 2007

The milestone 100th episode, 'Barely Legal', aired in September 2007. The show marked a century of episodes, cementing its unlikely journey from canceled underdog to animated institution alongside The Simpsons.

Image source: Family Guy season 6

Family Guy earns first Primetime Emmy Award nominations

Jul 16, 2009

Family Guy became the first animated series since The Flintstones to be nominated for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Comedy Series, earning recognition for its post-cancellation creative renaissance.

Image source: List of awards and nominations received by Family Guy

'Partial Terms of Endearment' withheld from broadcast

Jun 20, 2010

The abortion-themed episode 'Partial Terms of Endearment' was deemed too controversial by Fox and never aired on US broadcast television, though it was released on DVD and shown internationally, sparking debates about censorship.

Image source: Partial Terms of Endearment

'Partial Terms of Endearment' withheld from broadcast

Brian's death shocks viewers

Nov 24, 2013

The episode 'Life of Brian' killed off beloved family dog Brian, who was hit by a car. The shocking storyline sparked massive fan backlash and online petitions demanding his return, dominating entertainment news for weeks.

Image source: Life of Brian (Family Guy)

Brian is resurrected after fan outcry

Dec 15, 2013

Just weeks after his death, Brian returned in the episode 'Christmas Guy', where Stewie alters the timeline to save him. Seth MacFarlane defended the arc as an attempt to teach audiences to appreciate things while they last.

Image source: Christmas Guy

Family Guy celebrates 20th anniversary

Jan 31, 2019

Two decades after its Super Bowl premiere, Family Guy marked its 20th anniversary. Fox and fans celebrated the milestone, reflecting on the show's improbable survival from cancellation to becoming a mainstay of American television comedy.

Family Guy renewed through season 21 in multi-year deal

Mar 2019

Ahead of its 20th anniversary, Fox renewed Family Guy for seasons 19 through 21, ensuring the show's continuation into the 2020s and solidifying its status as one of television's longest-running primetime animated series.

Family Guy begins streaming exclusively on Disney+ and Hulu

2021

Following Disney's acquisition of Fox assets, Family Guy episodes became available on Disney+ internationally and Hulu in the United States, expanding the show's streaming reach to new global audiences.

Family Guy surpasses 400 episodes

Oct 2, 2022

With the launch of its twenty-first season, Family Guy surpassed 400 episodes, joining an elite group of animated series to reach that count and continuing its tradition of topical humor and celebrity guests.

Image source: Family Guy season 21

Family Guy moves to midweek Wednesday timeslot

Mar 6, 2024

For the first time since its revival, Family Guy left Sunday nights, moving to Wednesdays on Fox for the remainder of season 22, marking a significant schedule change for the long-running series.

Image source: Family Guy season 22

Family Guy renewed for season 24 ahead of schedule

May 2025

Fox renewed Family Guy for a twenty-fourth season, extending its run beyond a quarter-century on air. The renewal confirmed the show's enduring popularity and secured its place among the longest-running animated comedies in television history.

Image source: Family Guy season 23

Cancellation and Revival

Fox cancels Family Guy after three seasons

May 2000

Fox canceled Family Guy after its third season, citing low ratings amid inconsistent time slots. The cancellation marked the end of the original run, but strong DVD sales and syndication performance on Cartoon Network's Adult Swim block would soon change everything.

Volume 1 DVD sells millions of copies

Apr 15, 2003

The Family Guy Volume 1 DVD set became a surprise blockbuster, selling over 2.2 million copies in 2003 and becoming one of the best-selling television DVDs of all time. This commercial success demonstrated the franchise's profitability despite its network cancellation.

Adult Swim reruns spark a resurgence in popularity

Apr 20, 2003

Cartoon Network's late-night programming block Adult Swim began airing Family Guy reruns, where they became the block's highest-rated programs. The show found a new generation of fans, averaging over a million viewers per airing and proving untapped demand.

Fox orders 35 new episodes, reviving Family Guy

May 2004

Impressed by DVD sales and Adult Swim ratings, Fox ordered 35 new episodes of Family Guy, making it one of the few shows ever revived after cancellation based on off-network performance. Production began on the landmark fourth season.

Image source: Family Guy season 4

Revived fourth season premieres to record ratings

May 1, 2005

The comeback episode 'North by North Quahog' premiered on May 1, 2005, drawing nearly 12 million viewers. The revival proved the show had become a cultural phenomenon, and Family Guy settled into a permanent place in Fox's Sunday night animation lineup.

Image source: North by North Quahog

Spin-offs and Specials

American Dad! spin-off premieres on Fox

Feb 6, 2005

Seth MacFarlane launched his second animated sitcom, American Dad!, following CIA agent Stan Smith and his family. Created alongside Mike Barker and Matt Weitzman, it premiered after the Super Bowl and became another long-running success in MacFarlane's portfolio.

Image source: American Dad!

Stewie Griffin: The Untold Story direct-to-video movie released

Sep 27, 2005

A direct-to-DVD film centered on Stewie's journey to find his supposed real father was released. The film's content was later re-edited into three episodes for the show's fourth season, bridging the gap between the original run and revival.

Image source: Stewie Griffin: The Untold Story

The Cleveland Show spin-off announced

May 2008

Fox announced a spin-off centered on Family Guy character Cleveland Brown, co-created by MacFarlane, Mike Henry, and Richard Appel. The series followed Cleveland returning to his hometown of Stoolbend, Virginia.

Image source: The Cleveland Show

The Cleveland Show premieres on Fox

Sep 27, 2009

The Cleveland Show debuted in the fall of 2009, joining MacFarlane's shows in Fox's Sunday Animation Domination block. It ran for four seasons before ending in 2013, with Cleveland later returning to Family Guy.

Specials

Laugh It Up, Fuzzball: Star Wars parodies begin

Sep 23, 2007 - Dec 26, 2010

Family Guy produced a trilogy of hour-long Star Wars parody specials: 'Blue Harvest' (2007), 'Something, Something, Something, Dark Side' (2009), and 'It's a Trap!' (2010), recasting the Griffin family in iconic Star Wars roles.

Family Guy crosses over with The Simpsons in special episode

Sep 28, 2014

In 'The Simpsons Guy', the Griffin family travels to Springfield in a landmark crossover with The Simpsons. The episode united television's two most famous animated families and drew significant media attention and high ratings.

Image source: The Simpsons Guy

Key Facts

Family Guy was created by Seth MacFarlane, who also voices many main characters including Peter Griffin, Stewie Griffin, and Brian Griffin.
The show was cancelled twice by Fox, first in 2000 and again in 2002, but strong DVD sales and high ratings on Cartoon Network's Adult Swim led to its revival in 2005.
The series is set in the fictional town of Quahog, Rhode Island, and centers on the Griffin family: Peter, Lois, Chris, Meg, Stewie, and the anthropomorphic dog Brian.
In 2009, Family Guy received a Primetime Emmy Award nomination for Outstanding Comedy Series, becoming the first animated show nominated in that category since The Flintstones in 1961.
The show is famous for its signature 'cutaway' gag format, which interrupts scenes with brief flashbacks or references to pop culture events.

Source

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