Although mostFamily Guycharacters tend to be a constant part of the sitcom, some do leave and come back again, and the show’s biggest example of this had mixed results.Seth MacFarlane voices manyFamily Guycharacters, which pretty much guarantees that the Quahog residents he brings to life aren’t going anywhere. However, no matter how essential he is toFamily Guy, there are other key cast members who the show would not be the same without. However, the show did experience life for a while without an original character, and his absence created a fun string of storylines.
As one of thelongest-running sitcoms of all time,Family Guyhas made its way through every available trope. WithFamily Guyseason 23currently on the air, MacFarlane’s flagship project continues to thrive. One of the downsides of a show lasting so long is that writers need to dig deep for fresh ideas and avoid repeating themselves. Although that is a little easier with zany shows likeFamily Guy, it can still be a challenge. Years ago, one of the show’s biggest characters left Quahog behind, but his legacy haunted the sitcom until his return.
Cleveland Brown’s Return To Quahog Stopped The String Of Guest Stars Who Were Staying In His House
The Brown family home remained vacant when Cleveland left town
Cleveland Brown was written out beforeFamily Guyseason 8 to prepare for the debut ofThe Cleveland Show. WhileCleveland was headlining his own spinoff show in Virginia, no one permanently moved into his old house in Quahog to replace him. Instead,Family Guyallowed the building to remain largely vacant but invited several guest stars to periodically move to Spooner Street and become embroiled in the antics of Peter Griffin and his family. WhenThe Cleveland Showended after four seasons, Cleveland’s return with his family to his former residence meant the brilliant streak of cameos couldn’t continue.
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Some of the bestFamily Guyguest stars made their debut while living in Cleveland’s house, and it was a simple yet effective way to introduce them to the show. WhileMacFarlane’s sitcom hasn’t stopped inviting guest stars to voice their animated avatars, the framework of having an empty house across the street from the Griffins was an amazing convenience that facilitated cameos from Dan Aykroyd, Chevy Chase, Ryan Reynolds, and even allowed a brief crossover with another MacFarlane project -American Dad!
Celebrities Staying In Cleveland’s House Probably Would Have Gotten Old Eventually
Family Guy couldn’t keep relying on the same plot device
Admittedly,the show underutilized Cleveland’s empty house, but it was great when it was used in this way. So, it’s possible theFamily Guywriters were aware of the fact that the storytelling device could easily have become old quickly. Using guest stars is a great opportunity for a change of pace in sitcoms and other shows with a regular ensemble cast, but introducing too many on a regular basis can make them less effective and also detract attention from the core cast of characters.
The show’s continued success is evidence enough that how Cleveland’s empty house was used wasn’t a pivotal decision for why viewers chose to keep engaging withFamily Guy.
As such, it’s probably a good thing that the show was aware of this possibility, and better still thatCleveland returned and removed the trend as an option. The show’s continued success is evidence enough that how Cleveland’s empty house was used wasn’t a pivotal decision for why viewers chose to keep engaging withFamily Guy. Given the potentially endless possibilities, the level of restraint demonstrated by the writing staff is very impressive, as any more temporary Spooner Street residents would probably have been much less rewarding.
Cleveland’s Empty House Suggested Family Guy Thought The Spinoff Wouldn’t Last
The Cleveland Show clearly wasn’t a sure thing
Cleveland’sFamily Guyexit made it a possibility for his house to become the new permanent home for new characters, or perhaps even for existing ones to move closer to the heart of the action. The fact thatCleveland’s house remained empty for almost the entirety of his four-season absencecould easily be interpreted as caution on behalf of the spinoff show. Moving a character into their own show on a permanent basis is always a risk, and there are several examples of similar instances resulting in failure. The fact that the Browns' residence wasn’t usurped is very telling.
Cleveland Brown was originally voiced by Mike Henry, but Arif Zahir inherited the role fromFamily Guyseason 20-onward. Henry continues to voice otherFamily Guycharacters, like Herbert the Pervert.
Luckily,The Cleveland Showhad the advantage of running alongside its parent program. In other words,Family Guywas there to break the fall ifThe Cleveland Showcrashed and burned. By leaving the house vacant, it remained possible for the Brown family to move back in and pick up where they left off. Unfortunately forThe Cleveland Show, this is exactly the contingency that had to be relied upon, as Fox pulled the plug after season 4. Then again, a show likeFamily Guycould easily just have Cleveland reclaim his old house as part of a hilarious scheme.
Family Guy
Cast
Family Guy is an animated series following the eccentric Griffin family. Led by bumbling patriarch Peter and long-suffering Lois, the family includes the sadistic baby Stewie, unpopular teenager Meg, dim-witted Chris, and Brian, their talking dog. The show explores their outlandish adventures in the fictional town of Quahog.
