The animated series Family Guy debuted in 1999, meaning it celebrates its 25th anniversary this year. But would creator Seth MacFarlane ever consider wrapping it up and moving on? Speaking to The Los Angeles Times, MacFarlane–who is no longer working directly on the show–said he has no plans to call it quits.
“At this point, I don’t see a good reason to stop. People still love it. It makes people happy and it funds some good causes,” he said. “It’s a lot of extraneous cash that you can donate to Rainforest Trust and you can still go out to dinner that night.”
In 2019, MacFarlane donated $1 million to the Rainforest Trust to help protect tropical habitats.
MacFarlane did acknowledge that there was a time when he thought, “It’s time to wrap it up.” However, Family Guy has now reached “escape velocity,” he said, so there is no reason to call it quits unless “people get sick of it” or the viewership numbers don’t justify its ongoing production. But that day has not come, MacFarlane said.
MacFarlane said he has not worked directly on Family Guy in 15 years. Showrunners Rich Appel and Alec Sulkin are running the show now, and MacFarlane said they have helped Family Guy retain its legacy over the years.
“When you build a show, you build the tone and you establish what it is, and you leave, oftentimes it can go so far south. That has not happened with this show. These folks have maintained its integrity,” he said.
MacFarlane went on to say that Family Guy has a “shield” protecting it because every joke it makes can be defended in an “intellectual way.” Some might not agree, but that’s how MacFarlane sees it. “There’s an earnestness to that approach that I think has created sort of a shield around the show that continues to this day,” he said.
Voice actors Alex Borstein (Lois), Mila Kunis (Meg), and Seth Green (Chris) are also quoted in the piece, saying the show means a lot to them. Borstein said it’s the “greatest gift I’ve ever been given in my life.” Green said, “It’s the best job ever.” Kunis said, “Greatest job of all time.”
Family Guy living on for 25 years was never a guarantee. After all, the show was canceled multiple times during its early years, and survived thanks in part to the popularity of reruns on Adult Swim and DVD sales.
The full interview is a fantastic read that digs deep into the history of Family Guy and is well worth a read for fans of the series. Family Guy is now in its 22nd season, which wraps up on April 17. Season 23 is also in the works.
Beyond Family Guy, MacFarlane co-created the spinoff series The Cleveland Show, as well as American Dad. In terms of live-action projects, he created and stars in the Star Trek-inspired TV series The Orville. He also directed Ted and Ted 2, in which he voices a foul-mouthed teddy bear who tries to steal Tom Brady’s sperm.
