20 Mind-Blowing Facts You Never Knew About American Dad

18. It Was Meant To Be A Replacement For Family Guy

One common complaint levelled against American Dad, at least early on in its run, was that it was very similar to Family Guy. There's certainly the same sitcom archetypes and Seth MacFarlane's personal inflections, but the shows are pretty distinct; cutaways are mostly absent in American Dad, with Family Guy finding humour in pop culture rather than satire. Still, the complaints were unavoidable (until the show changed tact and The Cleveland Show showed what a rip-off really looked like).

Well it could have been a lot worse; to Fox American Dad was intended to be a replacement for Family Guy. The Griffins had been off the air for a few years when the Smiths were conceived, with the network hoping it would appease the fans angry at the first show's cancellation. Why Fox chose to give someone with a failed show another chance we don't know, but ultimately it didn't matter; Family Guy returned just as American Dad started.