For a while, it looked like American Dad! – Seth MacFarlane's critically acclaimed yet criminally overlooked animated comedy – would quietly sink into obscurity. Then, late last year, TBS saved the series in an equally quiet fashion. There was no big announcement, there was no celebration: American Dad was back, and that was it.
Surprisingly, this method seemed to work: while American Dad always struggled to find an audience among the arguably over-saturated lineup on Fox, the series managed to find a new foothold on TBS. As such, fans held out hope that the series would make a proper return — unfortunately, TBS remained tight-lipped on the prospect of renewing American Dad.
Thankfully, that changes today: TBS just announced that it would be renewing American Dad for not just one, but two full seasons: Season 12 is set to debut later this year, and the show is guaranteed to run all the way through 2018. It's huge news for American Dad fans — but for TBS, it's just the beginning.
Season 12 of American Dad, which will debut later this year, is part of a larger rebranding effort on TBS' part. Along with its sister network, Adult Swim, the network is expanding its original programming to 15 different series, all scheduled to premiere over the next two years. Considering that American Dad found renewed success on TBS, it's no surprise that it's leading the charge.
Speaking with The Wrap, Deborah Bradley, executive vice president of networks optimization and content commercialization for Turner Broadcasting, assured fans that American Dad wasn't going anywhere anytime soon:
"American Dad has thrived since coming to TBS and Adult Swim, demonstrating the Turner portfolio's ability to build enduring hits through a combination of smart programming, savvy promotion and extensive multiplatform distribution. We look forward to keeping the crazy-but-lovable Smith family around for a long time."
Season 12 of American Dad is set to debut sometime later this year; if you're looking to watch the series before it makes its return to TV, you can find episodes online over at TBS' official site.
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