41,155 View
Family Guy‘s entire catalog of past seasons soon will be available only on Disney-owned networks and platforms. Beginning on Sept. 20, comedy-focused FXX and corporate sibling Freeform will become the exclusive cable homes to the series’ reruns from Seasons 1-19. Hulu continues to be the exclusive Family Guy streaming platform.
In a competitive situation, FX Networks in 2019 landed off-network rights to Family Guy, starting with its 16th (2017-18) season, also shared with Freeform. At the time, the older seasons of Seth Macfarlane‘s animated hit remained on Adult Swim/TBS. The show now will permanently leave its longtime cable home on the Turner networks.
Additionally, as part of the ongoing efforts to bring the libraries of all signature Disney-produced series under the Disney umbrella, FXX has nabbed non-exclusive rights to animated series Futurama, which will join the network in November. (It is unclear whether Futurama will leave Syfy at that time; it is possible as the NBCUniversal has reversed course on its foray into animation following last year’s regime change.)
As FXX takes control over the entire Family Guy catalog, the show’s weekly schedule will expand dramatically. Most recently, the series has been airing five hours three days a week on FXX: Tuesday (9-11 p.m.), Thursday (12-1 a.m.) and Sunday (7-9 p.m.), paired with The Simpsons, along with an hourlong Friday block on Freeform.
Beginning September 20, Family Guy will air weekly Monday–Tuesday (8 p.m.–midnight), Thursday (8-10 p.m.), Saturday (8 p.m.–midnight) and Sundays (10 p.m.– midnight) on FX. It will air 1 p.m.-11 p.m. Fridays on Freeform.
FXX has assembled a formidable roster of library animated titles produced by FX Productions or sibling 20th Television, including Archer, Cleveland, King of the Hill, The Simpsons, Family Guy, Futurama as well as Bob Burgers, starting with Season 9. (The older seasons of Bob’s Burgers remain on Adult Swim/TBS.)
“We are airing the absolute ultimate collection of animated adult comedies on cable television,” said Chuck Saftler, head of Business Operations for ABC, Freeform, FX Networks and Acquisitions in Disney Media & Entertainment Distribution’s Networks division, who was the architect of the deals in his current role as well as his previous post as COO of FX Networks. “This lineup is comedy gold that will provide FXX viewers with belly laugh after belly laugh.”
Fall Premiere Dates For New & Returning TV Series On Broadcast, Cable & Streaming
Created by MacFarlane, Family Guy, whose new episodes air on Fox, enters on the Griffins, a dysfunctional family consisting of parents Peter and Lois ; their children Meg, Chris and Stewie; and their anthropomorphic pet dog Brian. The show is set in the fictional city of Quahog, Rhode Island, and exhibits much of its humor in the form of cutaway gags that often lampoon American culture.
The series has won nine Primetime Emmy awards, including Outstanding Character Voice-Over Performance for MacFarlane in 2019 and Alex Borstein in 2018. The series also has received an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Comedy Series, only the second animated series in television history to break into the category.
Family Guy is a 20th Television production. MacFarlane is creator and executive producer. Rich Appel and Alec Sulkin serve as executive producers and showrunners, while Steve Callaghan, Tom Devanney, Danny Smith, Kara Vallow, Mark Hentemann and Patrick Meighan are executive producers.