Night of the Hurricane
Encyclopedia
Night of the Hurricane is a three-part crossover
event in the Animation Domination block on Fox
with all three animated television series created by Seth MacFarlane
: Family Guy
, American Dad!
and The Cleveland Show
. The event depicts a storm which hits the towns of Stoolbend, Quahog and Langley Falls. It was originally scheduled to air May 1, but a series of tornadoes killing many people in the South prompted Fox to postpone the episodes for the following season. It eventually aired on October 2, 2011.
" when the storm hits Stoolbend, forcing the Browns to cancel their vacation plans. In the meantime, Cleveland, Jr. shocks everyone with his 'atheism'. The crossover continues on the Family Guy episode "Seahorse Seashell Party
" when the storm moves from Stoolbend to Quahog and the Griffins try to find ways to pass the time. Brian consumes questionable substances and Meg finally lashes out at the family for all the times they picked on her. The crossover ends on the American Dad! episode "Hurricane!
" when the storm moves from Quahog to Langley Falls, leading the Smiths to fight like mad to survive after the sea wall breaks. After the storm passes, the houses of the three families end up in the same neighborhood and Stan, Cleveland and Peter face each other in a stand-off, during which Francine comes out the front door, leading Stan to accidentally shooting her, which Peter claims to be "classic American Dad."
event is the first of its kind in the history of the animated television line-up on Fox. Kevin Reilly, the entertainment president of the Fox Broadcasting Company, originally pitched the idea for the crossover, which was inspired by theme nights of comedy shows from the 1980s. Creator Seth MacFarlane
said that Reilly brought the idea to the writers, since a crossover of its kind had not been done in a while and Reilly thought "it might be kind of cool." Instead of having the American Dad!
characters visit Family Guy
and The Cleveland Show
, MacFarlane chose to do one central storyline so that each writing staff would not have to write stories for unfamiliar characters. The three-episode-block was an "enormous challenge" and a "substantial undertaking", but MacFarlane said he is willing to do it again if the ratings prove the event to be a success. The event was first announced in July 2010 by MacFarlane at the Comic-Con International in San Diego. MacFarlane revealed that the three dads of each family, Peter, Stan and Cleveland, would appear in the same scene.
A general preview of the "Fox Animation Domination Crossover" was given at greater length at an interview with TV Guide
. Having a running time of 90 minutes, the crossover begins with The Cleveland Show episode "The Hurricane!
". Mike Henry exclaimed that "the hurricane comes at a very inopportune time for the Browns because they're about to go on a cruise." He continued: "They decide to have a cruise in the house, but that doesn't turn out to be so much fun." The crossover resumes with the Family Guy episode "Seahorse Seashell Party
". Steve Callaghan
said "Cabin fever escalates and Brian decides to use the time to take mushrooms. Stewie has to be his coach and walk him through his trip. You'll see images unlike anything you've ever seen on our show." The crossover reaches its ending with the American Dad! episode "Hurricane!
". Mike Barker teased that "We have the burden of going last, so we end up flooding the house and turning it upside down. Basically, we're doing The Poseidon Adventure — with a shark loose in the house. Roger's one-night stand ends up caught on the ceiling." Ultimately, the house drifts and ends up in the same neighborhood as the Griffin and Brown homes. And yes, fans will finally get to see the casts of all three shows together as the sun comes out.
In April 2011, the Fox executives officially announced that the event would air on May 1. However, on April 29, it was announced that the crossover event would be removed from the schedule, in response to a series of tornadoes that killed more than 300 people in the Southern United States
. It was subsequently replaced by repeats of "I Am the Walrus
" from American Dad!, "Brian Writes a Bestseller" from Family Guy, and "Ain't Nothin' But Mutton Bustin'" from The Cleveland Show. MacFarlane agreed with the decisions after being consulted with the executives of Fox, and a spokeswoman for the company later announced that the episodes would air the following season. They had since aired October 2, right after a public service announcement for Red Cross.
Fictional crossover
A fictional crossover is the placement of two or more otherwise discrete fictional characters, settings, or universes into the context of a single story. They can arise from legal agreements between the relevant copyright holders, or because of unauthorized efforts by fans, or even amid common...
event in the Animation Domination block on Fox
Fox Broadcasting Company
Fox Broadcasting Company, commonly referred to as Fox Network or simply Fox , is an American commercial broadcasting television network owned by Fox Entertainment Group, part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation. Launched on October 9, 1986, Fox was the highest-rated broadcast network in the...
with all three animated television series created by Seth MacFarlane
Seth MacFarlane
Seth Woodbury MacFarlane is an American animator, writer, comedian, producer, actor, singer, voice actor, and director best known for creating the animated sitcoms Family Guy, American Dad! and The Cleveland Show, for which he also voices many of the shows' various characters.A native of Kent,...
: Family Guy
Family Guy
Family Guy is an American animated television series created by Seth MacFarlane for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series centers on the Griffins, a dysfunctional family consisting of parents Peter and Lois; their children Meg, Chris, and Stewie; and their anthropomorphic pet dog Brian...
, American Dad!
American Dad!
American Dad! is an American animated television series created by Seth MacFarlane and owned by Underdog Productions and Fuzzy Door Productions. It is produced in association with 20th Century Fox Television...
and The Cleveland Show
The Cleveland Show
The Cleveland Show is an American animated television series that premiered on September 27, 2009, as a part of the "Animation Domination" lineup on Fox in the United States...
. The event depicts a storm which hits the towns of Stoolbend, Quahog and Langley Falls. It was originally scheduled to air May 1, but a series of tornadoes killing many people in the South prompted Fox to postpone the episodes for the following season. It eventually aired on October 2, 2011.
Plot
The crossover begins on the The Cleveland Show episode "The Hurricane!The Hurricane!
"The Hurricane!" is the second episode of the third season of the animated comedy series The Cleveland Show and is the first part of an animated triple-crossover with Family Guy and American Dad!, the first such event in the animated television line-up of Fox...
" when the storm hits Stoolbend, forcing the Browns to cancel their vacation plans. In the meantime, Cleveland, Jr. shocks everyone with his 'atheism'. The crossover continues on the Family Guy episode "Seahorse Seashell Party
Seahorse Seashell Party
"Seahorse Seashell Party" is the second episode of the tenth season of the animated comedy series Family Guy. It originally aired on October 2, 2011 in the United States on Fox. The episode mainly centers around the Griffin family, who are riding out an oncoming hurricane. In their attempt to pass...
" when the storm moves from Stoolbend to Quahog and the Griffins try to find ways to pass the time. Brian consumes questionable substances and Meg finally lashes out at the family for all the times they picked on her. The crossover ends on the American Dad! episode "Hurricane!
Hurricane!
"Hurricane!" is the second episode of the seventh season of the animated comedy series American Dad!. It aired on Fox in the United States on October 2, 2011. The episode plot mainly revolves around the Smith family, who prepare for evacuation in response to an oncoming hurricane. Reluctant to...
" when the storm moves from Quahog to Langley Falls, leading the Smiths to fight like mad to survive after the sea wall breaks. After the storm passes, the houses of the three families end up in the same neighborhood and Stan, Cleveland and Peter face each other in a stand-off, during which Francine comes out the front door, leading Stan to accidentally shooting her, which Peter claims to be "classic American Dad."
Development
The crossoverFictional crossover
A fictional crossover is the placement of two or more otherwise discrete fictional characters, settings, or universes into the context of a single story. They can arise from legal agreements between the relevant copyright holders, or because of unauthorized efforts by fans, or even amid common...
event is the first of its kind in the history of the animated television line-up on Fox. Kevin Reilly, the entertainment president of the Fox Broadcasting Company, originally pitched the idea for the crossover, which was inspired by theme nights of comedy shows from the 1980s. Creator Seth MacFarlane
Seth MacFarlane
Seth Woodbury MacFarlane is an American animator, writer, comedian, producer, actor, singer, voice actor, and director best known for creating the animated sitcoms Family Guy, American Dad! and The Cleveland Show, for which he also voices many of the shows' various characters.A native of Kent,...
said that Reilly brought the idea to the writers, since a crossover of its kind had not been done in a while and Reilly thought "it might be kind of cool." Instead of having the American Dad!
American Dad!
American Dad! is an American animated television series created by Seth MacFarlane and owned by Underdog Productions and Fuzzy Door Productions. It is produced in association with 20th Century Fox Television...
characters visit Family Guy
Family Guy
Family Guy is an American animated television series created by Seth MacFarlane for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series centers on the Griffins, a dysfunctional family consisting of parents Peter and Lois; their children Meg, Chris, and Stewie; and their anthropomorphic pet dog Brian...
and The Cleveland Show
The Cleveland Show
The Cleveland Show is an American animated television series that premiered on September 27, 2009, as a part of the "Animation Domination" lineup on Fox in the United States...
, MacFarlane chose to do one central storyline so that each writing staff would not have to write stories for unfamiliar characters. The three-episode-block was an "enormous challenge" and a "substantial undertaking", but MacFarlane said he is willing to do it again if the ratings prove the event to be a success. The event was first announced in July 2010 by MacFarlane at the Comic-Con International in San Diego. MacFarlane revealed that the three dads of each family, Peter, Stan and Cleveland, would appear in the same scene.
A general preview of the "Fox Animation Domination Crossover" was given at greater length at an interview with TV Guide
TV Guide
TV Guide is a weekly American magazine with listings of TV shows.In addition to TV listings, the publication features television-related news, celebrity interviews, gossip and film reviews and crossword puzzles...
. Having a running time of 90 minutes, the crossover begins with The Cleveland Show episode "The Hurricane!
The Hurricane!
"The Hurricane!" is the second episode of the third season of the animated comedy series The Cleveland Show and is the first part of an animated triple-crossover with Family Guy and American Dad!, the first such event in the animated television line-up of Fox...
". Mike Henry exclaimed that "the hurricane comes at a very inopportune time for the Browns because they're about to go on a cruise." He continued: "They decide to have a cruise in the house, but that doesn't turn out to be so much fun." The crossover resumes with the Family Guy episode "Seahorse Seashell Party
Seahorse Seashell Party
"Seahorse Seashell Party" is the second episode of the tenth season of the animated comedy series Family Guy. It originally aired on October 2, 2011 in the United States on Fox. The episode mainly centers around the Griffin family, who are riding out an oncoming hurricane. In their attempt to pass...
". Steve Callaghan
Steve Callaghan
Steve Callaghan is an American screenwriter, producer and voice actor, best known for his work on Family Guy. He is a graduate of the Department of Public Policy at the UCLA School of Public Affairs...
said "Cabin fever escalates and Brian decides to use the time to take mushrooms. Stewie has to be his coach and walk him through his trip. You'll see images unlike anything you've ever seen on our show." The crossover reaches its ending with the American Dad! episode "Hurricane!
Hurricane!
"Hurricane!" is the second episode of the seventh season of the animated comedy series American Dad!. It aired on Fox in the United States on October 2, 2011. The episode plot mainly revolves around the Smith family, who prepare for evacuation in response to an oncoming hurricane. Reluctant to...
". Mike Barker teased that "We have the burden of going last, so we end up flooding the house and turning it upside down. Basically, we're doing The Poseidon Adventure — with a shark loose in the house. Roger's one-night stand ends up caught on the ceiling." Ultimately, the house drifts and ends up in the same neighborhood as the Griffin and Brown homes. And yes, fans will finally get to see the casts of all three shows together as the sun comes out.
In April 2011, the Fox executives officially announced that the event would air on May 1. However, on April 29, it was announced that the crossover event would be removed from the schedule, in response to a series of tornadoes that killed more than 300 people in the Southern United States
April 25–28, 2011 tornado outbreak
An extremely large and violent tornado outbreak, the largest tornado outbreak ever recorded, and popularly known as the 2011 Super Outbreak, occurred from April 25 to 28, 2011. The outbreak affected the Southern, Midwestern, and Northeastern United States, leaving catastrophic destruction in...
. It was subsequently replaced by repeats of "I Am the Walrus
I Am the Walrus (American Dad!)
"I Am the Walrus" is the thirteenth episode of the sixth season of American Dad!. It first aired on Fox in the United States on March 27, 2011. This episode mainly centers around Stan and his son Steve, who are both competing for the dominant role of the house. Steve is the first person to finish...
" from American Dad!, "Brian Writes a Bestseller" from Family Guy, and "Ain't Nothin' But Mutton Bustin'" from The Cleveland Show. MacFarlane agreed with the decisions after being consulted with the executives of Fox, and a spokeswoman for the company later announced that the episodes would air the following season. They had since aired October 2, right after a public service announcement for Red Cross.
Ratings
The following table presents the ratings for the event.| Program | Ratings/Share | Viewers (Millions) |
|---|---|---|
| The Cleveland Show: "The Hurricane" | 2.6/6 | 5.47 |
| Family Guy: "Seahorse Seashell Party" | 3.5/8 | 6.91 |
| American Dad!: "Hurricane!" | 2.7/6 | 5.71 |
| Average Ratings/Share | 3/7 | |
| Average Viewers | 6.03 | |