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Family Guy Spins off Cleveland 250

Posted by ScuttleMonkey from the whens-it-gonna-be-my-turn dept.
E Online is reporting that a new spinoff is currently in the works to feature Cleveland, the soft-spoken neighbor in popular animated sitcom Family Guy. "Not much is known about Cleveland other than the fact it will revolve around the Brown clan. It's unclear whether the series will remain set in the town of Quahog or whether Cleveland, along with his wife and son, will continue to appear on Family Guy, though as both series are animated, the double-billing won't so much be a logistical problem as a creative decision."
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Family Guy Spins off Cleveland More

Family Guy Spins off Cleveland

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  • Why? (Score:5, Insightful)

    by ArcherB ( 796902 ) * on Friday February 29, 2008 @07:09PM (#22606390) Journal
    Why Cleveland? Why not Quagmire (Cleveland's wife agrees) or any of the other more interesting characters? When I hear Cleveland, I just want to go to sleep until I hear a "Diggity".

    • I bet every voice will be Seth MacFarlane like American Dad..
      • "I bet every voice will be Seth MacFarlane like American Dad.."

        Of course! That's called job security. Can't outsource voice-overs to India.

        • Re:Why? (Score:5, Funny)

          by Keith Russell ( 4440 ) on Friday February 29, 2008 @08:54PM (#22607090) Journal

          Can't outsource voice-overs to India.

          At least until The Simpsons spin off Apu.

          • Re:Why? (Score:4, Interesting)

            by fuzzix ( 700457 ) <flippy@example.com> on Friday February 29, 2008 @11:13PM (#22607720) Journal

            At least until The Simpsons spin off Apu.

            I was about to bring up The Simpsons... not in a racist way... more in a "This show is no longer worth watching" way.

            To my mind Family Guy suffered a faster decline than The Simpsons, dying suddenly in series 5 rather than suffering a patchy sort of decline from series 7 while continuing to air the very occasional, almost classic episode on into the ninth series before finally dying completely in the tenth.

            A Cleveland spinoff... I'd actually rather watch Chief Wiggum and "Skinny Boy" arsing around the remains of New Orleans.

            For American Readers:

            :%s/series/season/g
            ;)

      • Re: (Score:2, Informative)

        by SuperDJ ( 809957 ) *
        Cleveland's voice is done by Mike Henry. The same guy that does Herbert, Greased Up Deaf Guy, Bruce and Fouad (The Arab guy from the brewery).

    • Re:Why? (Score:4, Insightful)

      by spun ( 1352 ) <loverevolutionary&yahoo,com> on Friday February 29, 2008 @07:22PM (#22606524) Journal

      Why Cleveland? Why not Quagmire (Cleveland's wife agrees) or any of the other more interesting characters? When I hear Cleveland, I just want to go to sleep until I hear a "Diggity".
      I agree, almost anyone but Cleveland would be more interesting. Just as long as it's not Herbert. [wikipedia.org]
      • Just as long as it's not Herbert.

        Oh, come one. Who wouldn't want to watch the (mis)adventures of an elderly pervert?

        "Aww, now you're starting to piss me off, you piggly son of a bitch. Call me!"
      • Aw man, you'd have to keep it on Adult Swim, but that'd actually be pretty hilarious IMO.

        I mean, look at the job they did of him being Obi Wan Kenobi on "Blue Harvest"

    • Re:Why? (Score:5, Insightful)

      by LighterShadeOfBlack ( 1011407 ) on Friday February 29, 2008 @07:24PM (#22606528) Homepage
      Quagmire's too gimmicky to be a main character. As a recurring secondary character the jokes work fine, but if you had them constantly for 22 minutes per show it'd grow old fast.

    • Re:Why? (Score:5, Insightful)

      by jollyreaper ( 513215 ) on Friday February 29, 2008 @07:42PM (#22606652)

      Why Cleveland? Why not Quagmire (Cleveland's wife agrees) or any of the other more interesting characters? When I hear Cleveland, I just want to go to sleep until I hear a "Diggity".
      Giggity, man, giggity! Man, if this were a Star Trek reference you mucked up, you'd be eaten alive.

      • You FAIL! (Score:2, Informative)

        by geekoid ( 135745 )
        Meg (as she walks in on him):- Oh my god Mr. Quagmire, I'm so sorry
        Quagmire: hey that's all right Meg, you probably bought me three more minutes, ohhhh riiiiight giggity diggity giggity!

        He says both.
      • Yeah mean, bif hon and krosper.

    • Re:Why? (Score:5, Interesting)

      by Chris Burke ( 6130 ) on Friday February 29, 2008 @07:46PM (#22606678) Homepage
      I say why a spin-off at all?

      And the answer is because Fox Broadcasting is run by clinical retards (no offense to anyone who is or is related to an actual retarded person, as you or they are probably vastly overqualified to run Fox).

      Seriously, first they dick around with Family Guy's time slot enough that nobody knows when its on, it gets bad ratings, so they cancel it. Then the simians (apologies to monkeys) realize they were flushing a heap of cash down the toilet when the DVD sales were through the roof. So they brought it back, and hey, if a little Seth McFarlane humor is good, more is better, so let's make American Dad too! And hey that's not doing bad so let's go for broke and make a third show that's essentially the same!

      I bet once they've saturated the market (more), the spin-offs won't do so well and they'll start screwing around with the scheduling of all three shows until they've once again convinced themselves they aren't worth it and shit-can the lot.

      And it isn't like they haven't screwed up plenty of shows before like this *cough*Futurama*cough*Firefly*cough* Personally I think the only thing they ever had going for them is that they'd air shows other networks wouldn't take a chance on, and the only reason they had their early hits of The Simpsons and Married With Children is because back then they were so starved for content they simply didn't have the capacity to screw up those shows.

      Anyway, I think pretty much any Family Guy spinoff is doomed to failure, whether it's Cleveland or Quagmire or Meg for that matter (oh hey, they have a Mike Judge show, maybe a Family Guy/Daria crossover! where's my money, Fox?!)

      • Re: (Score:2)

        by kesuki ( 321456 )
        i think fox is run by the guy who kept changing the time slot of 'quantum leap' over on another network that's done this kinda ridiculous stuff before...

        i mean naruto and bleach don't have to deal with stuff like this, the only time slot changes are special 1 hour episodes, and of course when naruto went from the evening to prime time.

        Smallville fortunately has never had it's time slot played with, as best as i can remember neither cheers nor star trek the next generation had to deal with the 'time slot shu

      • Re:Why? (Score:5, Funny)

        by ArcherB ( 796902 ) * on Friday February 29, 2008 @08:51PM (#22607074) Journal

        nd the answer is because Fox Broadcasting is run by clinical retards (no offense to anyone who is or is related to an actual retarded person, as you or they are probably vastly overqualified to run Fox).
        Now-Now. They are not completely worthless. Why just look at Torgo's Executive Powder [wikipedia.org]. Now there is a good use!

      • Um...That's what Tivo is for. I don't know what day/time anything airs anymore. I just watch what I feel like watching when I feel like watching it.
        • I just dont watch. Theres very little TV i enjoy, and Im a busy person with school, kids and a job to deal with. If I had a tivo id never get a god damn thing done :-/

          Pity, as theres a few things id love to see regularly, but I just dont have the time. /netflix is my saviour

    • Re: (Score:3, Interesting)

      by milsoRgen ( 1016505 )

      Why Cleveland? Why not Quagmire (Cleveland's wife agrees) or any of the other more interesting characters?

      Because most of the other characters already have their place in the shows cannon, they are well established features that are nothing in and of themselves but when taken as a whole with the griffin family the create family guy. Cleveland is unique in the fact not much is set in stone about him, he isn't a sex offender, he isn't a cop with something to prove due to physical short comings. He is somewhat like mort, I can understand why the chose Cleveland as he is one of the more major characters yet has li

      • Re:Why? (Score:5, Funny)

        by MightyMartian ( 840721 ) on Friday February 29, 2008 @08:20PM (#22606884) Journal

        I am sorry you feel that way, I don't have cable. I buy seasons on dvd, so I have watched the series more than most, and in my opinion Quagmire is one of the most shallow one dimensional characters in the series. Granted I love the guy, I love any sexually oriented humor that continues to push the boundaries on broadcast television. But his jokes are generally in your face and lack the nuances alot of the episodes/other characters tend to provide, which can only really be rivaled by Arrested Development. Another show I watch, over and over.


        "Nuanced" is not a word I would apply to Family Guy's humor.
      • I'm not sure we "know" he was once an auctioneer anymore than we "know" that Peter's shoulder-angel has its own shoulder-devil and shoulder-angel.

    • Comment removed (Score:4, Insightful)

      by account_deleted ( 4530225 ) on Friday February 29, 2008 @08:46PM (#22607034)
      Comment removed based on user account deletion

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by babyrat ( 314371 )
      What the hell is a diggity?

      I'm sure the producers will take great stock in a comment from a true fan like you.

  • Let me be the first to say (Score:5, Insightful)

    by moderatorrater ( 1095745 ) on Friday February 29, 2008 @07:09PM (#22606394)
    How is this news for nerds or stuff that matters? It's worthless drivel like this that drags the whole site down!

    And, because I seriously hate people who say that shit, I'm going to point out that cartoon network's adult swim (which brought the show back from the dead) is largely viewed by nerds, and adult animation is mostly enjoyed by nerds, and dammit, it's a good show.

    However, I do hope that it's not just another family guy clone like American Dad. Seriously, why not just do 3x as many family guy episodes and not have american dad or this new cleveland one?

    • Re:Let me be the first to say (Score:5, Interesting)

      by lazy_nihilist ( 1220868 ) on Friday February 29, 2008 @07:13PM (#22606436)
      Even better, more futurama.

      Good news, everyone!

    • Re: (Score:2, Interesting)

      by countSudoku() ( 1047544 )
      Mod that comment to on-topic please. This is certainly the place to voice your concerns about this crap show and question why anyone thinks this is news for nerds. South Park and Simpsons wipe their asses with the Family Guy scripts. Was that too strong? Seriously, FG is not that clever or funny, unless you're a complete idiot, then you might actually enjoy it greatly. Sorry about you being an idiot though. No offense was meant. Maybe read some more. It helps.

      • Re: (Score:2, Interesting)

        by KublaiKhan ( 522918 )
        Not everything has to be cerebral. Sometimes it's nice to take a few drinks of something high proof, sit back, and enjoy a few dumb laughs.

        Besides, the concept of the evil genius toddler amuses me.

      • Re: (Score:3, Funny)

        by ArcherB ( 796902 ) *

        South Park and Simpsons wipe their asses with the Family Guy scripts. Was that too strong? Seriously, FG is not that clever or funny, unless you're a complete idiot, then you might actually enjoy it greatly. Sorry about you being an idiot though. No offense was meant. Maybe read some more. It helps.
        It was a LOT better before the manatees went on strike. No one can get too much of Mohamed Salmon Helmets!

      • Re: (Score:2)

        by DarkOx ( 621550 )
        "The Simpsons" are your for real? That show has been hit and miss for the last 8 years or so. It holds its viewership today because its more of an Institution then anything else. Honestly "The Simpsions" deliver some great stuff even today but its few and far between. It was much more inteligent in pre 2000 or there abouts then it is today. Mostly its the same tired jokes over and over again now, with names replace with whatever is popular this week, often these jokes don't even really fit anymore.

        I st

      • Re: (Score:2, Flamebait)

        by geekoid ( 135745 )
        You would be right if south park didn't suck. It's juvenile humor for juvenile minds. Certainly not for nerds.

        Hey I know, lets have a talking turd, that's intelligent and something to think about.
        Cheap shock humor.

        All this coming from a guy who thinks Sodoku is a challenge.

      • wipe their asses with the Family Guy scripts. Was that too strong? Seriously, FG is not that clever or funny, unless you're a complete idiot, then you might actually enjoy it greatly. Sorry about you being an idiot though.
        Why is blatant flamebait modded up?
      • >Maybe read some more. It helps.

        Whoa! Maybe you should stop watching so much South Park and Simpsons. It sounds like youve internalized the brands and self-identify with them to the point of calling people who watch almost identical counterparts like Family Guy or American Dad, morons. People like you are why advertisers drive luxury cars and sleep well at night.

        Im really sick of seeing the acceptance of shameless corporate branding in geek culture. The bullshit Apple/PS3/whoever fanboy flaming. This i

    • Re:Let me be the first to say (Score:4, Insightful)

      by garett_spencley ( 193892 ) on Friday February 29, 2008 @07:28PM (#22606560) Journal
      Say what you want about American Dad but when a series casts Patrick Stewart as a hooker-murdering CIA director it's impossible to not like it.
      • I was beginning to think I was the only one here that not only watches American Dad, but enjoys it. It is clearly Seth's brand of humor, but unlike Family Guy, it has its subtle moments, and there is some actual character development as the series goes. Aside from the humor, I like watching Haley battle her need to be practical with her desire to be a far-left feminist.
        • I hated the first season, possibly even the second. But the show's grown on me, and has become something of a semi-guilty pleasure that I look forward to watching. The characters are still stereotypes for the most part, but they're still changing as the show progresses. That alone is pretty amazing for a wacky joke show.

        • Re: (Score:2)

          by antdude ( 79039 )
          I watch it too. I like the whole spy comedy things. Get Smart, No One Lives Forever games, Austin Powers, James Bond, Mission Impossible, etc.

    • How is this news for nerds or stuff that matters? It's worthless drivel like this that drags the whole site down!

      /. is News For Nerds, not necessarily Nerdy News. /. is a nerd site, and many nerds like Family Guy. So what's the problem? If you don't like this article, tune it out. Sheesh.

    • How is this news for nerds
      [...]
      largely viewed by nerds, and adult animation is mostly enjoyed by nerds, and dammit, it's a good show.
      Why ask a question to which you know the answer?

  • Cool... (Score:4, Funny)

    by owlnation ( 858981 ) on Friday February 29, 2008 @07:11PM (#22606416)
    ... hopefully the spin-off features original characters, concepts and comedy. Or does this spin-off involve a robot, and one-eye girl, a lobster guy and a elderly professor?

  • I for one (Score:3, Funny)

    by Gat0r30y ( 957941 ) on Friday February 29, 2008 @07:11PM (#22606420) Homepage Journal
    Hope this series focus' on Cleveland's previous occupation as an accomplished auctioneer. Going Once... Going Twice... Its friday and i'm going home!
  • That's comedy gold right there.

  • Where the hell is my Quagmire spinoff?

    Giggity giggity goo! Alllright!

  • You've gotta be kidding me (Score:4, Insightful)

    by jez9999 ( 618189 ) on Friday February 29, 2008 @07:16PM (#22606474) Homepage Journal
    Cleveland is the most tedious, annoying character in the WHOLE of Family Guy. Well, at least maybe they can take Cleveland out of Family Guy now so we can concentrate all the crap of his storyline into this one and ignore it. :-)

  • It worked for the Jeffersons. (Score:5, Insightful)

    by BeeBeard ( 999187 ) on Friday February 29, 2008 @07:19PM (#22606494)
    Most people familiar with their favorite couple who moved on up, to the East Side, and finally found their piece of the pie, aren't aware that the sitcom actually started as a spin-off of All in the Family, on which Family Guy is itself heavily based. Even the piano playing sequence at the beginning of Family Guy is a callback to the opening sequence of All in the Family.
    • But the Jeffersons were iconic. This is more comparable to that "Dynomiiiiiiiiiiite!" guy getting his own show.
      • FWIW, the show the "Dynomiiiiiiiiiiite!" guy was on ("Good Times") was a spinoff of "Maude" (the mother, Florida, was Maude's maid), and "Maude" itself was a another spinoff of "All in the Family" (Maude being Edith Bunker's cousin, I believe).
        • All In The Family was definitely a "diminishing returns" thing. There were a few spin-offs of it, the only one that was remotely funny was The Jeffersons. I think Bea Arthur is a funny lady, but Maude just never cut it. Gloria was a short-term joke (a Meathead spinoff would have been a lot more fun). Good Times tried to brave in showing a realistic 1970s black family, but the producers let that useless ham Jimmy Walker completely fuck it up. Archie's Place was sort of like watching an Olympic sprinter
          • The reason Gloria was such a flop is because by the time they made it they'd forgotten what it was that made the character so good. Instead of a feisty young woman standing up for her rights, we saw a spineless wimp going "poor little me" over and over.
      • Good times did turn into something that might as well have been the "Dynomiiiiiiiiiiite!" show after a couple seasons.

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by elrous0 ( 869638 ) *
      Hah, not always [imdb.com].

    • Re: (Score:3, Interesting)

      by fermion ( 181285 )
      Beyond the obvious similarities, the reason, IMHO, that The Jeffersons succeeded was because it was a significantly different show. As entertaining as MacFarlane is, he does not seem to anything other than family guy. American Dad, for instance, just is not that different, simply the same show with a plot instead of arbitrarily strung together jokes. Recall that "All in the family" had many spin off, some good, some not. In particular "Archie Bunker's Place", though successful, was pretty bad.

  • When is /. going to spinoff ? (Score:4, Funny)

    by garett_spencley ( 193892 ) on Friday February 29, 2008 @07:24PM (#22606526) Journal
    I've been waiting years for CowboyNealDot.

  • The Brown clan? What clan? (Score:5, Interesting)

    by phillymjs ( 234426 ) <slashdot@stanTWAINgo.org minus author> on Friday February 29, 2008 @07:24PM (#22606532) Homepage Journal
    Unless it's a prequel of sorts, what clan are they talking about? Cleveland's wife left him, and his son hasn't been seen in who knows how long.

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by geekoid ( 135745 )
      "Cleveland's wife left him, and his son hasn't been seen in who knows how long."

      And you see no story potential there?

      Jeez, I hope you don't complain about Hollywood's 'lack of new ideas'

    • So he gets re-married and the wife has her own kids.. Nothing says Cleveland's voice has to stay the same. Meg's voice is not what it was in the first season.
  • Cleveland doesnt have a wife they divorced after she slept with Quagmire http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0576966/plotsummary [imdb.com]
  • Yeah... not seeing how this is gonna work.

    We all remember "Joanie Loves Chachi", "Enos", "The Ropers", "Flo" (I may be the only human that remembers this pile), "After M*A*S*H", and that wretched Jeffersons spinoff "Checking In" (seriously, this sucks more than anything that has ever sucked before), and we all know how badly 99.999999999999999999999% of all spinoffs suck. So why, then, does Fox wish to taint the excellence that is Family Guy with a spinoff? And of Cleveland???!!! I'da figured Quagmire, but

    • "Flo" (I may be the only human that remembers this pile)
      You wanna compare archaic shitty spin off references? How about that pile of crap "Fish" spin off from "Barney Miller." There's some completely useless knowledge taking up brain space for you.
    • we all know how badly 99.999999999999999999999% of all spinoffs suck.

      Yeah, like Mork & Mindy (and Happy Days, really), Frasier, The Simpsons, Daria, All the new Trek shows, and Stargate: Atlantis, among others. Those all suck.
      • Yes, 50% of those shows suck. That leaves you with 2 proven good spinoffs (the Simpsons excluded since it's not _really_ a spinoff of the tracey ulman show). Of course, GP would have to have a _lot_ of spinoffs to match the touted 99.999999999999999999999% suckage stats.
    • It's a lot, but there are also many notable successes.

      If A spin off getsd treated like ti's own series, and is good on it's won merits it will succeed.
      well, until Fox screw's around with it.

  • What's more troubling... (Score:3, Insightful)

    by DoofusOfDeath ( 636671 ) on Friday February 29, 2008 @08:11PM (#22606840)
    ... is that I actually want to do Lois. Am I alone in this?

  • I CANT TAKE IT ANYMORE (Score:3, Insightful)

    by florescent_beige ( 608235 ) on Friday February 29, 2008 @09:18PM (#22607188) Journal
    My apologies to all, I know this is bad form but here I go anyway...

    A cartoon spinoff is news for nerds? Not even a science fiction cartoon?

    The reason this bugs me is the last two stories I submitted were rejected. One about DARPA's oblique flying wing called Switchblade, and one about active sonic boom suppression on Gulfstream's supersonic business jet.

    But a cartoon spinoff is more news worthy? I'm sorry, but this is shenanigans.

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by geekoid ( 135745 )
      I understand the family guy being here, what is unacceptable are the two you mention being rejected. It's not like they couldn't post all three.

      The Family gyu has huge geek appeal.

      Yeah, I know, this sight is supposed to be for nerds, but that went away years ago. N more ar the 300 posts discussing what you would need to make a light saber, complete with supporting math. Now it's 2600+the most mainstreem form of geek dome allowed.

      I'm going to start my own nerd site, with blackjack..and hookers...oh, forget t
    • ... maybe this is news for us nerds who can't stand Sci-Fi or Star Trek or RPGs but don't complain every time an article about one of the above is posted?

  • !Slashdot News (Score:5, Insightful)

    by martinmcc ( 214402 ) on Friday February 29, 2008 @11:07PM (#22607708) Homepage
    There is a lot of overlap between geek culture and pop culture, and slashdot generally hits the nail on the head. In this case however, I have to throw my lot in with the '!news' ground and say this is not a topic slashdot should be covering, and it is not a direction I want to see it go in. I like family guy, and am mildly interested in a spin-off. In fact, i have a few opinions on the matter I might be inclined to share on a comment site - but not slashdot. Slashdot is my haven of geekhood, where I read about the latest hizzy fit between RMS and theo de raadt, SCO zanyness, steve balmars latest dance moves etc. It is not where I go for the latest goings on in the realm of 'generation X', pop culture, my-face-bebo-boy land. It does overlap, but that doesn't mean there aren't boundries.

    Sure, there was a few articles about futurama - futurama = sci-fi = geek. No problem. Perhaps somehow a confusion arrived thinking futurama = animated, family guy = animated, therefore it is geek! Family guy has no geek crediential. No reason to be on slashdot. This is not fox-watch, not 'animation-maniac-fans.com'. They are not using some highly clever bit of software automate production of the two shows. It is news for pop-culture, not news for nerd.

    Where is it going to end - a sidebar with the top ten funniest you-tube clips? 50 different smiley characters and RTF entry text box to spice up the comments (not fogetting flashing text)?

    Lets try to keep slashdot geek, and let the pop-culture sites do pop culture.

    • Re:!Slashdot News (Score:4, Insightful)

      by diabolus_in_america ( 159981 ) on Saturday March 01, 2008 @12:07AM (#22607940) Journal
      You said: "Family guy has no geek crediential."
      I disagree. The entire Blue Harvest episode is an hour's worth of "greek credential." They riff on Star Trek often. There's been TRON, Back to the Future, Indiana Jones, and Poltergeist segments that were not only hilarious but also very true to the originals. I've not counted, but it seems like a quarter of the jokes are references to science fiction TV shows or movies. MacFarlane comes across in many interviews as a geek. Sure, he has his political points to make, and his jokes are often no more than riffs on popular culture. But Star Wars, Star Trek, et. al. are points where geek culture intersects with pop culture.

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