Seth MacFarlane breaks silence on why he killed Brian: Didn't expect 'rage'

Ubiquitous

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Jan 14, 2014, 7:20:56 PM1/14/14

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By James Hibberd

Family Guy creator Seth MacFarlane said his creative team behind Fox�s
animated hit was shocked by fan reaction to (temporarily) killing off
Brian earlier this season.

�It surprised all of us,� the writer-producer-actor told a huddle of
reporters after his Television Critics Association press tour panel
Monday for his upcoming Fox astronomy documentary Cosmos: A Spacetime
Odyssey. �We were all very surprised, in a good way, that people still
cared enough about that character to be that angry. We thought it would
create a little bit of a stir, but the rage wasn�t something we counted
on.�

MacFarlane also said he thinks the stunt helped the show�s ratings and
revealed his reason behind the move: �It did what it was designed to do
� it reminded people this is still a show where anything that can happen
despite the fact it�s been on for awhile.�

That said, fans can rest assured that Brian isn�t going to perish again.
�Would I do it again? No. We already did it.�

A critic also asked MacFarlane if his spinach programming Cosmos (which
premieres March 9) is an �attempt to balance out the kinds of things you
put into the world� with regard to Fox�s much-maligned Dads, on which
MacFarlane is a producer.

�Um, I would submit that the question is flawed,� he said. �We have
different opinions about certain things. I get involved in shows and
people I�m enthusiastic about and trust. [Dads writer-producers Alec
Sulkin and Wellesley Wild] are two of the funniest writers I�ve ever
worked with and for me it was a great move� it�s not a matter of balance
in my mind.�

Which is a very diplomatic and polite answer to that question. But when
a critic suggested only �nerds� will watch Cosmos, MacFarlane drew huge
laughs by bluntly shooting back: �Hey, f�k you.�

--
Q: Why is ObamaCare like a turd?
A: You have to pass it to see what's in it.

Larry Anderson

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Jan 21, 2014, 6:16:21 PM1/21/14

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On Tue, 14 Jan 2014 19:20:56 -0500, Ubiquitous wrote:

> By James Hibberd
>
> Family Guy creator Seth MacFarlane said his creative team behind Fox’s
> animated hit was shocked by fan reaction to (temporarily) killing off
> Brian earlier this season.
>
> “It surprised all of us,” the writer-producer-actor told a huddle of
> reporters after his Television Critics Association press tour panel
> Monday for his upcoming Fox astronomy documentary Cosmos: A Spacetime
> Odyssey. “We were all very surprised, in a good way, that people still
> cared enough about that character to be that angry. We thought it would
> create a little bit of a stir, but the rage wasn’t something we counted
> on.”
>
> MacFarlane also said he thinks the stunt helped the show’s ratings and
> revealed his reason behind the move: “It did what it was designed to do
> — it reminded people this is still a show where anything that can happen
> despite the fact it’s been on for awhile.”
>
> That said, fans can rest assured that Brian isn’t going to perish again.

> “Would I do it again? No. We already did it.”

Not to mention, nobody will believe he might *stay* dead a second time.

Wiseguy

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Jan 21, 2014, 10:15:56 PM1/21/14

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Larry Anderson <lawrence_...@gmail.invalid> wrote in
news:lbmv45$4os$2...@dont-email.me:

Why would anyone have believed it the first time?

Larry Anderson

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Jan 21, 2014, 10:53:41 PM1/21/14

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Because the show had never before resurrected a dead character the first
time, judging by how big a deal it apparently was that they did so this
time, and how upset people were at the death (which they wouldn't have
been if they'd expected it to be temporary from the outset).

(I don't watch the show, so I have to infer indirectly here.)

Michael Black

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Jan 21, 2014, 11:27:26 PM1/21/14

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On Wed, 22 Jan 2014, Wiseguy wrote:

> Larry Anderson <lawrence_...@gmail.invalid> wrote in
> news:lbmv45$4os$2...@dont-email.me:
>
>> On Tue, 14 Jan 2014 19:20:56 -0500, Ubiquitous wrote:
>>
>>> By James Hibberd
>>>
>>> Family Guy creator Seth MacFarlane said his creative team behind

>>> Fox??s animated hit was shocked by fan reaction to (temporarily)

>>> killing off Brian earlier this season.
>>>

>>> ??It surprised all of us,?? the writer-producer-actor told a huddle

>>> of reporters after his Television Critics Association press tour
>>> panel Monday for his upcoming Fox astronomy documentary Cosmos: A

>>> Spacetime Odyssey. ??We were all very surprised, in a good way, that

>>> people still cared enough about that character to be that angry. We

>>> thought it would create a little bit of a stir, but the rage wasn??t
>>> something we counted on.??
>>>
>>> MacFarlane also said he thinks the stunt helped the show??s ratings
>>> and revealed his reason behind the move: ??It did what it was
>>> designed to do ?? it reminded people this is still a show where
>>> anything that can happen despite the fact it??s been on for awhile.??
>>>
>>> That said, fans can rest assured that Brian isn??t going to perish
>>> again. ??Would I do it again? No. We already did it.??

>>
>> Not to mention, nobody will believe he might *stay* dead a second
>> time.
>>
>
> Why would anyone have believed it the first time?
>

Who said anyone believed it the first time?

Michael

Larry Anderson

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Jan 22, 2014, 12:44:04 AM1/22/14

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All the fans reported as being seriously upset over the character's death
seem to have believed it the first time.