The Cleveland Show The family was conceived by MacFarlane after developing two animated series, Family Guy and American Dad!. MacFarlane took the Family Guy' character Cleveland and his son Cleveland Jr but redesigned Junior. MacFarlane and Mike Henry pitched a 22 minute pilot to Fox which aired on September 27, 2009 but had been leaked on the internet in June 2009. Before the show premiered, the show had already been renewed for a 22 episode second season. After the first season of the show aired it was renewed for a third and was given the green light to start production. Shortly after the second season of The Cleveland Show aired in 2011, Fox renewed the series for a third season.