▁family ▁was ▁conce ived ▁by ▁Mac F ar lane ▁after ▁developing ▁two ▁animated ▁films , ▁The ▁Life ▁of ▁Larry ▁and ▁Larry ▁& ▁Steve . ▁Mac F ar lane ▁red es igned ▁the ▁films ' ▁protagon ist , ▁Larry , ▁and ▁his ▁dog , ▁Steve , ▁and ▁renamed ▁them ▁Peter ▁and ▁Brian , ▁respectively . ▁Mac F ar lane ▁pitch ed ▁a ▁seven - min ute ▁pilot ▁to ▁Fox ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 8 , ▁and ▁the ▁show ▁was ▁green lit ▁and ▁began ▁production . ▁Short ly ▁after ▁the ▁third ▁season ▁of ▁Family ▁Guy ▁had ▁a ired ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 2 , ▁Fox ▁can ce led ▁the ▁series ▁with ▁one ▁episode ▁left ▁una ired . ▁Ad ult ▁Sw im ▁a ired ▁that ▁episode ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 3 , ▁finishing ▁the ▁series ' ▁original ▁run . ▁However , ▁favor able ▁DVD ▁sales ▁and ▁high ▁ratings ▁for ▁synd ic ated ▁r er uns ▁on ▁Ad ult ▁Sw im ▁convinced ▁the ▁network ▁to ▁renew ▁the ▁show ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 4 ▁for ▁a ▁fourth ▁season , ▁which ▁began ▁air ing ▁on ▁May ▁ 1 , ▁ 2 0 0 5 . ▁ ▁Sp in - off ▁ ▁Mac F ar lane ▁co - created — al ong side ▁Mike ▁Henry ▁and ▁Richard ▁App el — the ▁Family ▁Guy ▁spin - off ▁The ▁Cleveland ▁Show , ▁which ▁premier ed ▁September ▁ 2 7 , ▁ 2 0 0 9 . ▁They ▁began ▁discuss ing ▁the ▁project ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 7