Are Family Guy And American Dad Set In The Same Universe?

Four seasons after “Family Guy” started, Seth MacFarlane and the rest of the creative team behind the Griffins’ hilarious world decided to launch another series with “American Dad.” The show features a slightly more intelligent father figure, Stan Smith (but just barely), who, like “Family Guy” patriarch Peter Griffin, is voiced by MacFarlane himself. With so many overlapping creative aspects, such as the voice actors, edgy comedy, and distinctive animation style, it’s understandable if you’ve ever wondered whether “American Dad” and “Family Guy” exist within the same universe. Well, it turns out they do a little.

Debuting in 2005, “American Dad” occasionally winked at the audience, making fragile connections to MacFarlane’s other beloved animated series early on. Characters from “Family Guy” and “American Dad” would also cross over into one another’s series via cameos, most notably in the “Family Guy” parodies of “Star Wars” and one of the show’s best episodes, “Stewie Kills Lois.” As funny as these appearances were, though, it wasn’t firmly established that Langley Falls exists near Quahog until a huge multi-episode event involving “American Dad,” “Family Guy,” and the comparatively short-lived “Family Guy” spin-off centered on the Griffins’ neighbor Cleveland Brown, “The Cleveland Show,” finally crossed the streams during a massive hurricane.

In 2011, MacFarlane’s animated shows all received a strong gust of wind as part of the “Night of the Hurricane” crossover event, beginning with Stoolbend, the hometown of “The Cleveland Show,” then Quahog, and finally Langley Falls. Serving as the climax of the big story, “American Dad” saw the Smiths swept into the same neighborhood, resulting in Stan, Peter, and Cleveland (then voiced by Mike Henry) all sharing the same screen space before Peter’s infant son Stewie (MacFarlane) shoots Stan’s wife Francine (Wendy Schaal).

After that, subsequent “American Dad” and “Family Guy” crossovers proved far less significant, with “Night of the Hurricane” being the only real moment when Stan and Peter’s worlds intertwined. Is this sufficient evidence to confirm that “American Dad” and “Family Guy” exist in the same universe? If so, by that logic, “The Simpsons Guy” episode that featured the Griffins visiting Springfield should validate that “The Simpsons” also exists in that universe. And let’s not forget the Belchers from “Bob’s Burgers,” who served Peter and Homer once when they both visited the Belchers’ restaurant.

Aside from that, both “American Dad” and “Family Guy” have had characters interacting through alternate timelines, dream sequences, quick gags, and other throwaway scenes, but there’s still room for more. MacFarlane has stated he won’t cancel “Family Guy” until viewers lose interest, so if all else fails, there’s still an opportunity for the Smiths to settle in Quahog or for the Griffins to relocate to Langley Falls, finally embracing the animated chaos that would ensue from it.