WI: Family Guy Debuts on Cartoon Network

Well, okay, the title of this thread is actually somewhat misleading, for reasons that I'll address shortly.

It's common knowledge that Family Guy evolved from the Larry and Steve shorts that Seth MacFarlane developed for Cartoon Network. Fox was impressed enough with MacFarlane's work to offer him the opportunity to pitch a show for them, and the rest is history.

However, what if Fox never approached MacFarlane, and something like Family Guy is instead created for Cartoon Network? It was, after all, the network that MacFarlane had already had a connection with.

Now, I imagine that the resulting cartoon will probably be somewhat closer to Larry and Steve than Family Guy was IOTL, but otherwise, how might this version of the program looked? Mind you, Family Guy premiered several years before Cartoon Network created Adult Swim, so even if it airs in the evenings, the show probably won't exceed Space Ghost Coast to Coast/Ren and Stimpy levels of raunchiness, at least initially. Would such a program be more likely to avoid the struggles that Family Guy faced on Fox, potentially avoiding cancellation? How might Seth MacFarlane's career (keep in mind all of the shows that he's had some sort of hand in) have gone differently had his signature program debuted on Cartoon Network rather than Fox?
 
Perhaps if it aired later at night it could have a sizeable following, but put it anywhere near programs like Dexter's Lab, Johnny Bravo and Ed Edd 'n' Eddy and it'll stick out like a sore thumb.
 
I certainly think Cartoon Network would have treated Seth a LOT better than Fox treated him and Matt Groening.

Don't know if AMERICAN DAD would have appeared though...
 
I remember fondly MacFarlane's name popping up on credits for Cow and Chicken, Johnny Bravo, and Dexter's Lab among others.

If Family Guy debuted as a kid-friendly program on CN, viewers would definitely be free of the more controversial elements of the OTL show.

The designs of Peter and Brian in particular would probably be based more on the Larry and Steve short MacFarlane did just a couple years earlier.

Network notes would probably dictate much better development of Meg, since she gets the short end of the stick on every OTL episode.

Also, a 10:00 timeslot would be most appropriate should it push the CN envelope.
 
I remember fondly MacFarlane's name popping up on credits for Cow and Chicken, Johnny Bravo, and Dexter's Lab among others.

If Family Guy debuted as a kid-friendly program on CN, viewers would definitely be free of the more controversial elements of the OTL show.

The designs of Peter and Brian in particular would probably be based more on the Larry and Steve short MacFarlane did just a couple years earlier.

Network notes would probably dictate much better development of Meg, since she gets the short end of the stick on every OTL episode.

Also, a 10:00 timeslot would be most appropriate should it push the CN envelope.

Once Adult Swim does launch, though, might Seth MacFarlane push to move this version of Family Guy over there? Or might he develop a different show for it, perhaps an alternate version of American Dad?
 
Once Adult Swim does launch, though, might Seth MacFarlane push to move this version of Family Guy over there? Or might he develop a different show for it, perhaps an alternate version of American Dad?

I dunno. Maybe he could still do a spinoff with Cleveland?
 
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