In what would be a nostalgic homecoming for fans of Seth MacFarlane’s animated comedy, American Dad! is set to return to Fox starting with its milestone 20th season, according to a report by Deadline. The move would mark a significant shift for the series, which has aired on TBS since 2014, and makes it the second MacFarlane creation to return to Fox after a hiatus—following in the footsteps of Family Guy, which made a similar comeback two decades ago.
American Dad!, created by MacFarlane, Mike Barker, and Matt Weitzman, has been a steady performer in the adult animation space, chronicling the chaotic life of CIA agent Stan Smith and his quirky family in Langley Falls, VA. The show’s return to Fox has been in the works for months, ensuring that production by 20th Television Animation remains uninterrupted. Sources indicate that Fox’s pickup, currently being finalized, will span multiple seasons, mirroring the two-year renewals American Dad! enjoyed on TBS. Representatives for Fox and 20th TV Animation declined to comment on the deal.
The migration back to Fox comes on the heels of a $1.5 billion deal extension between Fox Entertainment and Hulu, finalized in November 2024, which secures in-season streaming rights for Fox’s shows on the Disney-owned platform. This agreement has already ensured that Fox’s animated heavyweights—The Simpsons, Family Guy, and Bob’s Burgers—stay put, and now American Dad! joins the lineup. All four series, produced by 20th TV Animation, have their past seasons available on Hulu, with The Simpsons also streaming on Disney+. The deal reflects a broader trend of animated series finding new life across platforms, as seen with Futurama, another former Fox show that moved to Comedy Central before becoming a Hulu original.
For TBS, the upcoming Season 19 finale of American Dad! on March 24, 2025, marks the end of an era, as it’s the network’s last remaining scripted original following the Warner Bros.-Discovery merger in 2022. However, TBS and Adult Swim will retain rights to air past episodes through 2030, alongside TruTV, ensuring the show’s extensive library remains accessible on linear TV per the report.
Fox’s Animation Domination block, which American Dad! helped launch in 2005 with a post-Super Bowl debut alongside The Simpsons, gains another reliable piece with this return. The show’s irreverent humor—centered on Stan (voiced by MacFarlane), his wife Francine (Wendy Schaal), their kids Hayley (Rachael MacFarlane) and Steve (Scott Grimes), a snarky alien named Roger (MacFarlane), and a German-speaking goldfish, Klaus (Dee Bradley Baker)—fits right in with Fox’s adult animation slate. Executive produced by Boyle, MacFarlane, and Weitzman, American Dad! promises to bring its signature absurdity back to its original home, delighting longtime fans and potentially drawing in new viewers as Fox doubles down on its animated legacy.
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