How an “Opportunistic” Fox Reclaimed ‘American Dad!’ After 10 Seasons on TBS

The return of American Dad! to Fox might have come as something of a surprise development, but as the network’s executives tell it, the deal did not involve a lot of complicated negotiations.

“It’s kind of simple — we got a chance to have another show with Seth [MacFarlane], and we took it,” Fox Television Network president Michael Thorn told reporters in discussing the network’s schedule for 2025-26. “He’s a great partner for us, and it extends our reach to our very passionate animation audience. It complements our lineup in a terrific way.”

American Dad!, created by MacFarlane, Mike Barker and Matt Weitzman, premiered on Fox in 2005 and ran for nine seasons before moving to TBS for 10 more beginning in 2014. The show was the last scripted series remaining on TBS when its order ended in March, around the same time reports of a possible return to Fox surfaced.

“It was opportunistic” for the network, said Fox Entertainment CEO Rob Wade. “Its run was over on TBS, so we were delighted” to bring the show back to its original home.

Fox officially cemented the return of American Dad! in early April, when it joined fellow long-running animated shows The Simpsons, Family Guy and Bob’s Burgers — all of which are produced by Disney’s 20th Television Animation — in receiving a massive, four-season order that will take all four shows through the 2028-29 season.

A key piece of those renewals fell into place months earlier when Fox and Hulu signed a new, multi-year content partnership that will keep Hulu as the next-day streaming home for Fox series. The libraries of American Dad!, Bob’s Burgers and Family Guy are also exclusive to Hulu and rack up hundreds of millions of viewing minutes each week.

“In the macro, obviously we’re really delighted to have our partnership with our friends at Disney and Hulu, extending that for the next four years,” Wade said.

Fox is starting its Sunday animation lineup in the fall with The Simpsons, Universal Basic Guys, Krapopolis and Bob’s Burgers. American Dad!, along with MacFarlane’s other Fox show, Family Guy, are set to return in 2026.