Wednesday, November 19, 2003 - 12:15 PM 'Family Guy,' 'Farscape' May Get Second Lives By Brian Ford Sullivan CHICAGO (thefutoncritic.com) -- Two of television's most popular canceled series - "Family Guy" and "Farscape" - are well on their way to getting second broadcast lives. The former, which ran for three seasons on FOX from 1999-2002, is close to resuming production according to a story published in this morning's USA Today. Thanks to stunning DVD sales and record numbers on cable's Cartoon Network, distributor 20th Century FOX is reportedly considering putting the animated comedy back in production for 35 new episodes, the majority of which could be ready for a January 2005 start date on a to be determined network. Should it go forward, the news would mark the first time a show has been revived thanks to its back-end performance in home video and syndication. April's DVD release of the first 28 episodes of "Family Guy" sold nearly one million copies and so far is the top-selling TV show of 2003 not to mention the fourth best-selling TV title of all time according to a recent report in Video Store Magazine. A second collection, which contained the 22 remaining produced episodes, has sold 520,000 copies since going on sale in September. As for its syndicated run on Cartoon Network, the series has broken the channel's top scores in several key demographics not once (read the story), not twice (read the story) but at least three times (read the story) since joining its Adult Swim lineup earlier this year.
That's cool. Family Guy was a show I usually enjoyed, certainly better than the bulk of what's on TV week after week. Though having to wait over a year to get it back on the air is disappointing.
Has Family Guy ever followed The Simpsons? I can never remember when it was on, because it jumped time slots so many times. With Friends going off the air, Simpsons/Family Guy back to back would destroy everything on Thursday nights...
I think it was on before The Simpsons on Sunday nights when it first came on, but that only lasted something like six episodes. It's interesting seeing the airdates of Famiily Guy. It sure looks like FOX never had any confidence in the show. For Season 2, it started on Thursdays, but only aired twice in September before being taken off the air until December 26th. It then disappeared from the schedule again until March, when it was on Tuesdays. They stayed pretty steady through April only to be taken off the air for a month during May (I guess they didn't want it on the air for sweeps), coming back on May 30th and playing new episodes through the summer (until August 1). And then the show disappears again until July of the next year when it's on Wednesday. It then plays regularly on Wednesdays until September 12th when it missed a week for obvious reasons, coming back September 19th. The show plays for through the Fall before being moved to Thursday for December 20th and a special Friday Christmas episode on December 21st. New episodes return in mid-January and play through mid-February, which is the last time a new episode will play on television (untiil the shelved "Once Upon a Weinstein" episode airs on Cartoon Network this month, of course).
Family Guy after the Simpsons on Sunday would be unstoppable as well -- I don't think I would ever miss that.
It's great to see the viewers of TV getting a bigger say in programming. Whether it's from DVD sales in the case of Family Guy, or a massive fan-led campaign in the case of Farscape, this is a very encouraging sign. I'm extremely happy with both developments.
There have been a lot of great Family Guy lines, but I've never gotten over one from the first episode. When Peter is talking about the jobs he's gotten fired from and mentions "sneeze guard", then they cut to Peter dressed in a guard's uniform standing next to the salad bad. A woman starts to sneeze, and he pulls his gun and points it at her, saying "Take it outside, lady". Five years later, and it's still cracking me up.
Agreed. I wonder, did it stop just at the right time to be preserved like a masterpiece? Like if Micheal Jordan would have retired after the finals against Utah. I hope it comes back strong, even the Simpsons have been pretty bad of late.
Dude, a Simpsons/Family Guy hour would rock the crib. I didn't watch Family Guy during its first run (horrible time slots), but watch it every night now. Freaking hilarious. Can't wait to see some new ones.
I saw Family Guy the other night when I was in Waco for a flag football tournament. I was thinking to myself that they should bring it back. Now all I need is Futurama and I'm set.
