# Family Guy...should die?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/family-guy-should-die/641954
**Category:** Cafe Society
**Created:** [November 24, 2012, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/family-guy-should-die/641954 "2012-11-24T01:41:10Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Acorns.but\_not\_Bacon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acorns.but_not_Bacon)
#### Post date: [November 24, 2012, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/family-guy-should-die/641954/1 "2012-11-24T01:41:10Z")
New character to be introduced [http://www.metro.co.uk/tv/918512-family-guy-to-introduce-new-canine-character-vinnie](http://www.metro.co.uk/tv/918512-family-guy-to-introduce-new-canine-character-vinnie)
> [@](#):
>
> The Sopranos star will reportedly play a ‘pooch with attitude’ on the long-running animated series, and join in with singing the show’s theme tune.
So, is this a joke then?
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### Author:  [@typoink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/typoink)
#### Post date: [November 24, 2012, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/family-guy-should-die/641954/2 "2012-11-24T01:55:11Z")
As the article mentions, McFarlane’s been suggesting for a while that Family Guy’s been going too long. Given his obsessions with pop culture references and extending bad jokes too long, forcing a hackneyed late addition character…sounds about right.
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### Author:  [@PSXer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PSXer)
#### Post date: [November 24, 2012, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/family-guy-should-die/641954/3 "2012-11-24T02:08:24Z")
Poochie died on the way back to his home planet
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### Author:  [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)
#### Post date: [November 24, 2012, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/family-guy-should-die/641954/4 "2012-11-24T02:33:56Z")
> [@PSXer](#):
>
> Poochie died on the way back to his home planet
Always recycle… TO THE EXTREME!
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### Author:  [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)
#### Post date: [November 24, 2012, 8:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/family-guy-should-die/641954/5 "2012-11-24T08:43:00Z")
Never believe anything Seth MacFarlane says. Ever.
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### Author:  [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)
#### Post date: [November 24, 2012, 9:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/family-guy-should-die/641954/6 "2012-11-24T09:05:49Z")
> [@typoink](#):
>
> As the article mentions, McFarlane’s been suggesting for a while that Family Guy’s been going too long. Given his obsessions with pop culture references and extending bad jokes too long, forcing a hackneyed late addition character…sounds about right.
The show already died once. Did Fox bring it back without his approval?
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### Author:  [@Red\_Barchetta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Red_Barchetta)
#### Post date: [November 24, 2012, 9:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/family-guy-should-die/641954/7 "2012-11-24T09:44:52Z")
> [@Robot\_Arm](#):
>
> The show already died once.
Twice, IIRC.
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### Author:  [@Slade](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slade)
#### Post date: [November 24, 2012, 12:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/family-guy-should-die/641954/8 "2012-11-24T12:43:42Z")
> [@Robot\_Arm](#):
>
> The show already died once. Did Fox bring it back without his approval?
“They drove a dump truck full of money up to my house! I’ m not made of stone!” - Krusty the Klown, Kamp Krusty.
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### Author:  [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)
#### Post date: [November 24, 2012, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/family-guy-should-die/641954/9 "2012-11-24T16:26:07Z")
> [@Robot\_Arm](#):
>
> The show already died once. Did Fox bring it back without his approval?
It didn’t die; it was cancelled because Fox executives didn’t like it. They changed their tune when they saw how fast the Family Guy DVDs sold out. Seth MacFarlane was only too happy to put it back into production.
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### Author:  [@Scumpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scumpup)
#### Post date: [November 24, 2012, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/family-guy-should-die/641954/10 "2012-11-24T16:50:42Z")
McFarlane is a douchebag. A talented douchebag, but a douchebag nonetheless. Not believing anything that comes out of his mouth is some good, sound advice.
He’s as hot as he’s ever going to get due to Family Guy and American Dad. I honestly don’t know anybody who even watches Cleveland, much less could be said to be a fan of the show. McFarlane has more money than God at this point, I’d say, so don’t feel bad for him when I say that he is beginning his fade back into obscurity.
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### Author:  [@Tom\_Tildrum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Tildrum)
#### Post date: [November 24, 2012, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/family-guy-should-die/641954/11 "2012-11-24T18:20:13Z")
He’s about to host the Oscars.
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### Author:  [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)
#### Post date: [November 24, 2012, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/family-guy-should-die/641954/12 "2012-11-24T18:32:10Z")
> [@Red\_Barchetta](#):
>
> Twice, IIRC.
Twice? I didn’t realize that. What was the other one?
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### Author:  [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)
#### Post date: [November 24, 2012, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/family-guy-should-die/641954/13 "2012-11-24T19:06:49Z")
> [@Scumpup](#):
>
> He’s as hot as he’s ever going to get due to Family Guy and American Dad. I honestly don’t know anybody who even watches Cleveland, much less could be said to be a fan of the show.
I’m kind of a fan of the show, but really only because I think it’s awesome that Seth managed to get Arianna Huffington to voice a character.
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### Author:  [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)
#### Post date: [November 24, 2012, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/family-guy-should-die/641954/14 "2012-11-24T20:18:06Z")
> [@terentii](#):
>
> It didn’t die; it was cancelled because Fox executives didn’t like it.
FOX executives liked it just fine, which is why it got on in the first place. It was cancelled because its ratings cratered, largely because it was up against stiff competition.
Its popularity then rose when it started reruns on Adult Swim, became a cult hit, and then FOX decided to give it another shot in an easier time slot, which worked.
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### Author:  [@RandMcnally](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RandMcnally)
#### Post date: [November 24, 2012, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/family-guy-should-die/641954/15 "2012-11-24T20:27:35Z")
> [@RickJay](#):
>
> FOX executives liked it just fine, which is why it got on in the first place. It was cancelled because its ratings cratered, largely because it was up against stiff competition.
The show says as much during their first movie, the Stewie one. They said something like, “yeah, they put us up against Survivor. What’d they expect to happen?”
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### Author:  [@Harvey\_The\_Heavy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harvey_The_Heavy)
#### Post date: [November 24, 2012, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/family-guy-should-die/641954/16 "2012-11-24T21:39:35Z")
When Ted McGinley joins the cast, it’s over.
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### Author:  [@expectopatronum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/expectopatronum)
#### Post date: [November 25, 2012, 4:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/family-guy-should-die/641954/17 "2012-11-25T04:15:50Z")
> [@RickJay](#):
>
> FOX executives liked it just fine, which is why it got on in the first place. It was cancelled because its ratings cratered, largely because it was up against stiff competition.
>
> Its popularity then rose when it started reruns on Adult Swim, became a cult hit, and then FOX decided to give it another shot in an easier time slot, which worked.
didn’t fox keep screwing with the timeslot though, making it difficult to achieve good ratings? i remember when it first started airing and it always seemed to come on at different times each week, or not at all. i thought there was talk that fox was doing that on purpose so as to have an excuse to cancel it, though i could be misremembering.
as to the OP’s question, i’m cool with them sticking around. i still get some solid laughs from it, and some of the newer episodes are pretty good- i really enjoyed “back to the pilot” (which i think was last season).
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### Author:  [@FordTaurusSHO94](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FordTaurusSHO94)
#### Post date: [November 25, 2012, 5:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/family-guy-should-die/641954/18 "2012-11-25T05:03:41Z")
> [@expectopatronum](#):
>
> didn’t fox keep screwing with the timeslot though, making it difficult to achieve good ratings? i remember when it first started airing and it always seemed to come on at different times each week, or not at all. i thought there was talk that fox was doing that on purpose so as to have an excuse to cancel it, though i could be misremembering.
Fox does that to every show. I guess they want to test the survival of the fittest theory with their shows.
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### Author:  [@An\_Gadai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Gadai)
#### Post date: [November 25, 2012, 5:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/family-guy-should-die/641954/19 "2012-11-25T05:35:34Z")
> [@RickJay](#):
>
> FOX executives liked it just fine, which is why it got on in the first place. It was cancelled because its ratings cratered, largely because it was up against stiff competition.
>
> Its popularity then rose when it started reruns on Adult Swim, became a cult hit, and then FOX decided to give it another shot in an easier time slot, which worked.
I think DVD sales were definitely a factor too. I know in my (limited) experience the Family Guy DVDs were word of mouth successes and v. popular after the show had finished its initial airing.
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### Author:  [@Viridiana](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Viridiana)
#### Post date: [November 25, 2012, 7:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/family-guy-should-die/641954/20 "2012-11-25T07:39:37Z")
> [@Scumpup](#):
>
> McFarlane is a douchebag. A talented douchebag, but a douchebag nonetheless. Not believing anything that comes out of his mouth is some good, sound advice.
> He’s as hot as he’s ever going to get due to Family Guy and American Dad. I honestly don’t know anybody who even watches Cleveland, much less could be said to be a fan of the show. McFarlane has more money than God at this point, I’d say, so don’t feel bad for him when I say that he is beginning his fade back into obscurity.
Just popping in to rustle your Jimmies; I love the Cleveland Show. In fact it was my favorite one of the three, for its first 2 seasons (I don’t like American Dad). It’s kinda going sour recently for me, though; I wish they’d stop bringing on Kanye West and people like that. They fuck with the show’s timeslot so much that it seems like it doesn’t even exist on Fox anymore.
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