The Cleveland Show (2009-2013)

Description: This FOX animated comedy is a spin-off of the much-loved series Family Guy. The series features the adventures of Peter Griffin’s neighbor Cleveland Brown. Many years ago, Cleveland made a promise to his old high school sweetheart, Donna. Cleveland, along with Cleveland Junior, move to Stoolbend, VA to start a new life with Donna and her two children.
Creators: Richard Appel, Mike Henry, Seth MacFarlane
Stars: Mike Henry, Sanaa Lathan, Kevin Michael Richardson

Photos

Trivia

The series was cancelled and Cleveland moved back to Spooner Street accompanied by his new family in Family Guy: He’s Bla-ack! (2014).

Cleveland was chosen to star in a spin-off of Family Guy (1999) because Joe was considered to be too eccentric and Quagmire would never learn anything at the end of every week.

The theme song originally had the line “my happy black guy face,” but it was changed to “my happy mustache face” for racial sensitivity.

Originally, a British family was to be featured on the show and Seth MacFarlane would have done the voice of the father, but the writers felt there wouldn’t be enough British jokes, so the family was dropped in favor of Holt.

The show’s original title was “Meet the Browns,” but Tyler Perry’s Meet the Browns (2008) beat them to the punch and the title was changed to “The Cleveland Show.”

In Cleveland jr.’s room there is a R2D2 Cleveland from Family Guy Star Wars.

This is the only Seth MacFarlane show not to premiere after the Super Bowl. Family Guy (1999) premiered after Super Bowl XXXIII and American Dad! (2005) premiered after Super Bowl XXXIX.

Cleveland’s son, Cleveland Brown Jr., was rarely seen in ‘Family Guy’. When he did make an appearance though, he was not large and did not wear glasses, unlike how he appears in ‘The Cleveland Show’.

Cult filmmaker David Lynch, director of such films as “Eraserhead” and “Blue Velvet” and creator of “Twin Peaks”, provides a voice for the show; that of the bartender, Gus.