Why Family Guy And American Dad! Will Probably Never Do A Full Crossover Episode

After a 10-season detour on TBS, “American Dad!” is returning to Fox in February, reuniting with “Family Guy” as part of the Animation Domination lineup. This has many fans wondering if the two Seth MacFarlane-created shows will celebrate with a crossover episode in the near future, akin to what “Family Guy” did with “The Simpsons” back in 2014.

After all, “Family Guy” and “American Dad!” have referenced each other on multiple occasions over the years, with Roger making cameo appearances in several episodes of “Family Guy”, including the show’s “Star Wars” parody “Blue Harvest,” as well as in the aforementioned “Simpsons” crossover. Sadly, it sounds like those fleeting cameos will have to suffice. 

When asked about the likelihood of a full-blown “American Dad!” crossover episode, “Family Guy” executive producer Richard Appel told TVLine, “The short answer is no. Creatively, I don’t think it’s as satisfying to join two Seth MacFarlane shows as it would be to join a Seth MacFarlane show with a Matt Groening and Jim Brooks show or, not that they’re interested, but ‘Bob’s Burgers’ or something where some of the fun is that they’ve got different tones and aesthetics. … Obviously, ‘American Dad’s’ style guide is not wildly different from ours.”

In other words, “Family Guy” and “American Dad!” are simply too similar in their structure to make a crossover worth pursuing. Of course, this begs another question: What show would make for a worthy “Family Guy” crossover?

“I could almost see us doing a live-action crossover with a show like ‘Abbott Elementary,'” Appel said. “What would that be like? I’m not actually pitching that, but it’s something that would make you say, ‘Oh, I’ve never seen a crossover between a live-action show and an animated show.'”

Are you disappointed that a proper “Family Guy” Dad!” crossover isn’t in the cards, or do you agree that it would just feel like you’re watching an episode of either show? To that end, which shows would you like to see “Family Guy” cross over with? “Abbott Elementary” may sound far-fetched, but if “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia” can do it, why not “Family Guy”? Drop a comment with your thoughts below.