FOX Locks in ‘The Simpsons,’ ‘Family Guy,’ ‘Bob’s Burgers,’ and ‘American Dad!’ for Four More Seasons in Megadeal with Disney: Animation Fans Rejoice (or Panic)

In a badass move that can only be described as an animation nation domination, FOX has struck a megadeal with Disney TV Studios to renew The Simpsons, Family Guy, Bob’s Burgers, and the prodigal son, American Dad!, for four more seasons each. That’s right, folks—by the time this deal runs its course, The Simpsons will be old enough to run for president, Family Guy will have joked about every pop culture reference known to humankind, and Bob’s Burgers will have introduced approximately 572 new burger specials.

Dubbed the “meganimation deal”, this pact ensures that these fan-favorite shows will stick around through the 2028-29 season, right alongside your existential dread and undying nostalgia. Coincidentally, this timeline also matches the duration of FOX’s $1.5 billion extension with Disney streamer Hulu, because if you can’t beat the streaming giants, might as well shack up with them, you guys. 

The Logistics of the Laughs

Each show will churn out 15 episodes per season, proving that even animated characters are feeling the effects of budget cuts and shortened attention spans. If you were wondering why this was happening, the answer is simple: money. FOX wants room on the schedule for its homegrown animated babies (Krapopolis and Grimsburg), which means fewer episodes for the old guard.

But don’t worry, The Simpsons and Family Guy will still pump out holiday specials for Hulu and Disney+—because nothing says “Happy Holidays” like a drunk Peter Griffin ruining Christmas or Homer Simpson discovering yet another way to electrocute himself with Christmas lights.

The Price Is Right (or at Least the Same)

One of the rarest feats in television history has also been achieved: FOX is not demanding budget cuts. Typically, long-running shows become financial nightmares as cast and production costs skyrocket, but this time, license fees are holding steady. Could it be that network executives finally understand the sacred nature of Stewie Griffin’s evil genius? Or do they simply recognize that reruns of these shows will be making money until the heat death of the universe? Egotastic minds want to know…

American Dad! Crawls Back to FOX

The most surprising part of this deal? American Dad!—the show that packed its bags and left for TBS in 2014—is coming home. Like a rebellious teenager who ran away only to realize that rent is expensive, Stan Smith and company will rejoin FOX’s Sunday Animation Domination lineup. That means for the first time since 2013-14, all four of these veteran animated titans will air under one roof.

“It goes double for Seth this time around,” quipped FOX Television President Michael Thorn, referring to Seth MacFarlane’s two babies (Family Guy and American Dad!), adding that this deal “celebrates the eternal popularity” of these shows. And by “eternal,” he may literally mean forever—we all know The Simpsons will outlive us all.

The Streaming Effect

This deal doesn’t just affect linear TV. Hulu and Disney+ are already the official streaming hubs for these series, with Family Guy and Bob’s Burgers leading the U.S. in sheer watch time—42.44 billion and 36.79 billion minutes viewed in 2023 alone. That’s more time than it would take to explain all of Stewie’s time-travel paradoxes.

What’s Next?

With this four-year safety net in place, these shows now have plenty of time to push the boundaries of their respective genres.

• The Simpsons will surely predict at least 17 more world events with eerie accuracy.

• Family Guy will continue its long-standing mission to test the limits of FCC patience.

• Bob’s Burgers will keep serving up wholesome chaos, probably finding new and innovative ways to use puns.

• American Dad! will... well, probably still be making fun of Roger’s bizarre alien antics.

All in all, fans can sleep soundly knowing that four more years of comfort TV is secured. And if history has taught us anything, this will hardly be the last time these shows are renewed. At this rate, we’ll all be watching The Simpsons Season 73 from the comfort of our floating post-apocalyptic bunkers in the year 2065.

Until then, stay animated and I hope all your times are Egotastic FunTimes… Love you, bye bye!