10. Not Finding A Way For Norm MacDonald To Return As Death
This is an early example. Former SNL comedian Norm MacDonald was a fantastic guest voice as Death (literally, the Grim Repear) in "Death Is A B----" in the show's second season. It was the first appearance of the character on Family Guy, and a highlight of the season. When the show decided to have the character return, however, MacDonald wasn't available - he was busy with his own show, A Minute With Stan Hooper. Okay, fine so far. Family Guy recast the role, picking up former Man Show co-host Adam Carolla. That's sort of like trading Dom Perignon for the home-brewed hooch your second cousin twice removed cooks up in an old washtub out back of his barn, but hey, the show must go on, right? Here's how Family Guy blew it: A Minute With Stan Hooper lasted little more than a minute itself, at least as a viable television series, yet despite MacDonald's schedule becoming a lot more open, they never brought him back! Look, if you want to be loyal to Carolla, we get that. He's not as good as Death, but he was there when you needed him. A guest spot for MacDonald (how about an episode called Death Has a Brother?) or something similar could work though. Or just go full Roseanne and alternate the role based on availability. We certainly wouldn't entertain the suggestion of having Carolla wind up touched by his own character - as long as he promises never to return to Loveline.
Primarily covering the sport of MMA from Ontario, Canada, Jay Anderson has been writing for various publications covering sports, technology, and pop culture since 2001. Jay holds an Honours Bachelor of Arts degree in English from the University of Guelph, and a Certificate in Leadership Skills from Humber College.
