I saw that ICv2 news is reporting “Family Guy Back in Production.” It's back in production at Fox, for at least 22 more episodes.
Here's the whole article:
Family Guy Back in Production For At Least 22 New Episodes
March 26, 2004
Variety is reporting that Seth MacFarlane's animated series Family Guy is back in production at Fox, two years after the series was cancelled. There is little in the way of precedent for Family Guy's amazing resurrection--Star Trek came back, but with a new cast and concept. The two major driving forces behind Family Guy's unlikely return from the "Isle of the Dead TV Series," are the possibility of syndication and the profitability of DVD sales. The Family Guy First Season DVD sold an amazing 2.2 million units, but profits from DVDs alone are not enough to fuel production of a major animated series, not even with the fees the show will receive from the Cartoon Network, which plans to start showing the new Family Guy episodes in early 2005. The deciding factor behind the revival of the Family Guy was the possibility of off-net syndication, which typically requires that a series have at least 100 episodes (Fox produced 50 episodes in the show's first three seasons). Even with potential DVD profits, Cartoon Network licensing fees, and the potential of syndication, Fox only agreed to resume production if the budget for the show was cut by 10%.
There is a fair amount of Family Guy merchandise available including two DVD collections, posters, t-shirts, and hats. The production of new episodes could stimulate the creation of additional tie-in merchandise.
Futurama, another prematurely cancelled animated series, which follows Family Guy on the Cartoon Network's Adult Swim, has also done well on DVD, but Futurama's production costs were even higher than Family Guy's (and it showed on the screen, the animation was much better), making its comeback more unlikely. But if Fox is able to place the new episodes of Family Guy on a broadcast network before they go to cable (as its deal with the Cartoon Network allows) who knows?
I'm very excited about Family Guy coming back. I'm glad to hear that Futurama's DVDs are having high sales as well, and it would be fantastic ig that show was also resurrected.
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Jonathan commented at 9:42 PM on March 26, 2004:
You ain't kiddin' about Futurama. The more I watch that show, the more I regret missing it the first time around.
Last night, CN showed the one where Fry drinks 100 cups of coffee and achieves supreme serenity and speed. I laugh and laugh and laugh at that one.
CrazyJoe commented at 1:30 AM on April 25, 2004:
Have you heard the nasty rumor that there's some sort of Strike going on and Simpsons may be over quite soon? I heard it today over lunch with a friend, but been way too busy to investigate it.
Nonetheless, no matter if you still like the show, never did, or lost interest in it, oh I lost my train of thought midsentance.
Darnit, I hate when that happens.
FaHQue commented at 5:23 PM on May 5, 2004:
Family Guy has that screw you i'm not letting any more outrageously stupid things pass my attention without me making fun of it style. And thats how we think in the 21st cetury... I myself am damn glad its coming back; 1. I don't laugh enough in a day, and its nice to laugh histerically. 2. T.V. sucks now-a-day 3. I've seen all the episodes they have out.
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