Seth MacFarlane provides update on future of ‘Family Guy’
Seth MacFarlane has plunged his fingers into a significant number of creative pies over the last 25 years on film and television, but the comedy writer will always be known first and foremost as the creator of Family Guy.
The programme is one of the established ‘Big Three’ of long-running animated favourites alongside The Simpsons and South Park. Family Guy’s longevity is even more impressive considering it was cancelled twice before being resurrected and placed on the airwaves for a third time, with the most recent renewal taking the adventures of the Griffin clan through to a 23rd season, at least.
Away from the confines of Quahog, MacFarlane wrote, directed, and starred in half-billion box office hit Ted, its sequel, and the recent prequel series of the same name that aired on streaming. He also helmed A Million Ways to Die in the West, co-created Family Guy spinoff The Cleveland Show and American Dad, and oversaw sci-fi series The Orville.
He’s also hosted the Academy Awards, released eight studio albums and embarked on several nationwide tours as the frontman of his big band group, and will produce Liam Neeson’s upcoming reboot of The Naked Gun. In short, MacFarlane is a very busy man and always has been, but he sees no reason to abandon Family Guy just yet.
Speaking to the Los Angeles Times, he admitted that he’s considered ending the show in the past, but he’s decided to hold off until it becomes clear audiences aren’t interested anymore. With Family Guy still consistently bringing in viewers having initially premiered in 1999, though, that day could be a long way off.
“There was a time when I thought, it’s time to wrap it up. At this point, we’ve reached escape velocity. I don’t know that there’s any reason to stop at this point unless people get sick of it,” he explained. “Unless the numbers show that people just are, ‘Eh, we don’t care about Family Guy anymore’. But that hasn’t happened yet.”
MacFarlane also noted how Family Guy “makes people happy and it funds some good causes,” a reflection on his charitable work that saw him donate millions of dollars to the Rainforest Trust and make a million-dollar donation to the Writers’ Guild of America during the recent strike.
Unless somebody else from above MacFarlane’s paygrade decides the plug needs to be pulled in the face of dwindling ratings or audience apathy, then, it appears as if Family Guy isn’t going anywhere for the foreseeable future.
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