The irreverent animated sitcom Family Guy has been airing on Fox since 1999. Created by Seth MacFarlane, the show centers on the Griffin family and their outrageous adventures in the fictional town of Quahog. Known for its pop culture references and cutaway gags, Family Guy has built up a huge following over its long run. Now with the growth of streaming services like Disney Plus, many fans are wondering if they can watch episodes of Family Guy on the platform.
This article will examine if Family Guy is currently available on Disney Plus or if it might be coming to the service in the future. We’ll also look at where you can stream the show online as of 2024.
When Did Family Guy Start
Family Guy first aired on January 31, 1999 on the Fox network. It was created by Seth MacFarlane. Some key details about the history of Family Guy:
- Originally ran for 3 seasons from 1999-2002 before being cancelled by Fox. However, strong DVD sales and popularity in reruns on Adult Swim led Fox to revive the show in 2005.
- Has aired 18 seasons to date. The most recent season, Season 20, premiered in 2021 and is still ongoing.
- Main characters include Peter Griffin, his wife Lois, their children Meg, Chris, and Stewie, talking dog Brian, and neighbors Cleveland Brown and Glenn Quagmire.
- Known for its irreverent humor, cutaway gags, and pop culture references.
- Has won 5 Emmy Awards and numerous other accolades over its long run.
- Briefly cancelled again in 2020 after a controversial episode, but the cancellation was reversed just a few days later.
Availability of “Family Guy” on Disney Plus
Family Guy was added to Disney+ in most markets as part of the Star content brand, which acts as the home for more adult-oriented programming on the platform. While the majority of Family Guy episodes are available to view, Disney+ does not include a handful of controversial episodes that were deemed inappropriate for the service. Additionally, some visual and verbal gags have been censored compared to the original Fox broadcasts in order to meet Disney+ guidelines and alignment with local broadcast standards.
While this means the version on Disney+ is slightly edited from the original, the show’s signature humor and style remains largely intact for viewers to enjoy. The availability of specific episodes can vary between countries based on cultural sensitivities and standards. Overall, the addition of Family Guy to Disney+ has allowed many loyal fans to now access and revisit the series on the platform, even if some content modifications have been made.
What Country is Family Guy on Disney Plus
Family Guy is not available on the regular Disney+ service globally, and unfortunately not in the U.S. However, it is only available on Disney+ in countries that include “Star” as part of their subscription, such as the UK, Australia, Canada and New Zealand. So in those regions that have Star, subscribers do have access to Family Guy on Disney+. But in most other countries, including the US, Family Guy is not part of the Disney+ catalog due to its mature content.
Why Isn’t Family Guy on Disney Plus
Family Guy is not available on Disney+ in most countries due to the mature and controversial nature of the show’s content. Here are some key reasons why Family Guy is not included on the service:
Disney+ has positioned itself as a family-friendly streaming service, aimed at children, teens and parents. The platform focuses on programming from Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars and National Geographic – most of which is appropriate for all ages. Family Guy, with its adult language, sexual references, dark humor and offensive jokes, does not fit the family-friendly brand that Disney has cultivated for its streaming service.
Disney owns Family Guy after acquiring 20th Century Fox, but has chosen not to add it to Disney+ in most markets. Disney wants to uphold the reputation of Disney+ as a service safe for kids. Having edgy, boundary-pushing shows like Family Guy could tarnish that family-friendly image among some parents.
There are rights issues preventing Family Guy from being available everywhere on Disney+. In some regions, other companies may have existing streaming or broadcast rights to Family Guy prior to Disney’s acquisition of Fox. Disney has to honor those legacy contracts.
How to Watch Family Guy on Disney Plus
Here are the main ways to watch Family Guy on Disney+:
- If you live in a country where Disney+ includes the Star content brand (UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Europe), you can watch Family Guy on Disney+ as part of your subscription. It will be included in the Star section.
- Use a VPN service to access Disney+ from a country where Family Guy is available. Set your VPN location to a country like the UK or Canada, launch Disney+, and you should be able to stream Family Guy on the Star section. Just be aware that using a VPN to circumvent geographic restrictions violates Disney’s terms.
- You can purchase episodes or seasons of Family Guy through Disney’s digital platforms like Amazon Prime Video, iTunes, YouTube or Google Play in certain countries. This allows you to watch on-demand.
- Alternatively, you can get the DVD box sets for Family Guy to watch on a home media player. These are available for purchase worldwide.
- In the U.S., you can view Family Guy syndicated on some cable networks like TBS or Cartoon Network’s Adult Swim. Streaming options in the U.S. include Hulu or Fox’s own platform.
- For up to date details on how to stream, you can check services like JustWatch to search where Family Guy is available in your country.
In a Verdict
Family Guy is not included as part of the standard Disney+ library in most countries, including the United States. The mature content of the show does not align with Disney’s family-friendly brand image. However, the series has been added to the Star section of Disney+ in select international markets like Canada, the UK, and Australia. So the availability of Family Guy on Disney+ depends on your geographic location and which version of the service you have access to.
While not universally accessible on the platform, loyal fans in some regions can now stream old and new episodes of the Seth MacFarlane comedy on Disney+. For viewers without access, alternative options exist to purchase or view the episodes through other digital retailers or cable networks.