5. Family Guy
Network Fox,
Run 1999-2002, 2005-Present,
Starring Seth MacFarlane, Alex Borstein, Seth Green, Mila Kunis, Mike Henry. Its gotten somewhat terrible in recent seasons, but once upon a time Family Guy was one of the sharpest satirical comedies on the box. Focusing on the animated antics of the dysfunctional Griffin family, whose members including a talking dog and a genius baby initially intent on world domination, Family Guy first aired in 1999. The show was initially cancelled after two seasons, before the decision was reversed and a third aired in 2002, after which the show was cancelled for a second time, seemingly for good. The often controversial show found a new lease of life, however, on Adult Swim, Cartoon Networks late night block for more adult-orientated cartoons. This, combined with an extensive letter campaign (remember when people wrote those?) from fans and strong DVD sales, led to a fourth series being commissioned for 2005, and the show has remained on screen ever since.