Cleveland Show

Maybe it's not farewell for Cleveland Brown after all. Fox is denying a report that its "Family Guy" spinoff "The Cleveland Show" has been axed after four seasons. While not saying anything on the record, Fox sources say the show -- about black patriarch Cleveland Brown and his family -- hasn't been canceled, although the network hasn't ordered any new episodes, either. It's possible that the show could go on hiatus for awhile as Fox focuses on "The Simpsons," "Family Guy," "Bob's Burgers" and other animated shows for next season.

Maybe it's not farewell for Cleveland Brown after all. Fox is denying a report that its "Family Guy" spinoff "The Cleveland Show" has been axed after four seasons. While not saying anything on the record, Fox sources say the show -- about black patriarch Cleveland Brown and his family -- hasn't been canceled, although the network hasn't ordered any new episodes, either. It's possible that the show could go on hiatus for awhile as Fox focuses on "The Simpsons," "Family Guy," "Bob's Burgers" and other animated shows for next season.

It's a new year, and Mike Henry, lead voice, co-creator and an executive producer on "The Cleveland Show," is celebrating with a new episode Sunday night on Fox. Last year was pretty good for Henry, who lives on the beach in Santa Monica with wife Sara and their 2-year-old daughter Josie. His animated show, a September spinoff from Seth MacFarlane's mega-hit "Family Guy," quickly found its own following. "At first I was a little nervous," admitted Henry, "but once that first table read was under my belt, we were rolling right along.

Customized TV Listings are available here: www.latimes.com/tvtimes Click here to download TV listings for the week of April 7 -13, 2013 in PDF format This week's TV Movies     SERIES Fast Lane This new series takes viewers to Italy for a drive in a $300,000 Lamborghini and a ride on a Vespa through a Tuscan village. 1 p.m. Travel Undercover Boss When an alarm company marketing executive goes under cover, he deals with a life-or-death situation when answering a call.

Bruce Springsteen will cross picket lines to perform Wednesday night in front of 65,000 fans in Cleveland Stadium, a Belkin Productions official said today. Striking members of Local 85 of the Ushers, Ticket Takers, Doormen and Guards union are planning to set up picket lines at the stadium over a wage dispute. There had been a question of whether "The Boss"--who is pro-organized labor--would honor the strike and cancel his performance.

Seth MacFarlane's film directing debut, "Ted," opens on Friday, and while the creator of "Family Guy," "The Cleveland Show" and "American Dad" certainly has his hands full doing the normal film promotional duties, he's managed to make headlines of a different sort with an act that's pretty surprising if you only know him from "Family Guy" and filthy teddy bear movies: He's donated the papers of famed scientist and astronomer Carl Sagan to the Library...

Seth MacFarlane, 36, created "Family Guy," Fox's animated sitcom, which this year became the first cartoon series nominated for a prime-time Emmy since "The Flintstones" in 1961. Fox just released the DVD "Family Guy: Something, Something, Something Dark Side," a follow-up to the 2007 "Blue Harvest" episode that spoofed the "Star Wars" franchise. Why do an extended "Star Wars" parody? Everybody knows "Star Wars" -- at least, everybody in our audience. And Lucasfilm is probably the only company out there right now that is progressive enough to allow this.

Sanaa LATHAN appears in "The Family That Preys," Tyler Perry's new film about two families torn apart by greed and scandal. But she's also been busy, having starred in a TV adaptation of "A Raisin in the Sun" on ABC this year, costarring in the forthcoming Fox "Family Guy" spinoff "The Cleveland Show" -- and dating Adewale "Wally" Ogunleye of the Chicago Bears. We caught up with her while she prepped for "Prey's" New York premiere. So how did you end up in that "Alien vs. Predator" mess?

TV ratings haven't toppled over a cliff this season. That counts as something of a triumph for the networks, given that they spent much of the last few seasons seemingly balanced on the edge of oblivion. A few new hits have emerged -- real hits, not just middling shows that PR people and overexcited fans wish were hits. This list includes ABC's sitcom "Modern Family," CBS' crime drama "NCIS: Los Angeles" and Fox's animated "The Cleveland Show," a spinoff of "Family Guy." The herds are finding other fresh favorites too, such as ABC's sci-fi remake "V," CBS' court drama "The Good Wife," Fox's exuberantly goofy high-school musical "Glee" and CW's zeitgeist-grabbing "Vampire Diaries."

Customized TV Listings are available here: www.latimes.com/tvtimes Click here to download TV listings for the week of April 7 -13, 2013 in PDF format This week's TV Movies     SERIES Fast Lane This new series takes viewers to Italy for a drive in a $300,000 Lamborghini and a ride on a Vespa through a Tuscan village. 1 p.m. Travel Undercover Boss When an alarm company marketing executive goes under cover, he deals with a life-or-death situation when answering a call.

Seth MacFarlane's film directing debut, "Ted," opens on Friday, and while the creator of "Family Guy," "The Cleveland Show" and "American Dad" certainly has his hands full doing the normal film promotional duties, he's managed to make headlines of a different sort with an act that's pretty surprising if you only know him from "Family Guy" and filthy teddy bear movies: He's donated the papers of famed scientist and astronomer Carl Sagan to the Library...

For a while there, it looked like family television was dead. In answer to the hard-R rating of cable, both network dramas and comedies became increasingly dark, grisly and/or sexually oriented, while the family comedy, once the keystone of prime time, dwindled to "The Simpsons" and a couple of live-action shows, one of which was "Two and a Half Men." Finding a show the whole family could watch was virtually impossible -- the kids got Disney Channel, Cartoon Network, Nickelodeon and asked to turn the volume down.

It's a new year, and Mike Henry, lead voice, co-creator and an executive producer on "The Cleveland Show," is celebrating with a new episode Sunday night on Fox. Last year was pretty good for Henry, who lives on the beach in Santa Monica with wife Sara and their 2-year-old daughter Josie. His animated show, a September spinoff from Seth MacFarlane's mega-hit "Family Guy," quickly found its own following. "At first I was a little nervous," admitted Henry, "but once that first table read was under my belt, we were rolling right along.

Seth MacFarlane, 36, created "Family Guy," Fox's animated sitcom, which this year became the first cartoon series nominated for a prime-time Emmy since "The Flintstones" in 1961. Fox just released the DVD "Family Guy: Something, Something, Something Dark Side," a follow-up to the 2007 "Blue Harvest" episode that spoofed the "Star Wars" franchise. Why do an extended "Star Wars" parody? Everybody knows "Star Wars" -- at least, everybody in our audience. And Lucasfilm is probably the only company out there right now that is progressive enough to allow this.

TV ratings haven't toppled over a cliff this season. That counts as something of a triumph for the networks, given that they spent much of the last few seasons seemingly balanced on the edge of oblivion. A few new hits have emerged -- real hits, not just middling shows that PR people and overexcited fans wish were hits. This list includes ABC's sitcom "Modern Family," CBS' crime drama "NCIS: Los Angeles" and Fox's animated "The Cleveland Show," a spinoff of "Family Guy." The herds are finding other fresh favorites too, such as ABC's sci-fi remake "V," CBS' court drama "The Good Wife," Fox's exuberantly goofy high-school musical "Glee" and CW's zeitgeist-grabbing "Vampire Diaries."

The folks behind "Family Guy" have been saying some of the most alarming things. Like "sweet and funny" and "sense of family." They are using these words to describe "The Cleveland Show," a "Family Guy" spinoff that premieres Sunday night. Coming from Seth MacFarlane's crew, such descriptions are like tiny time bombs disguised as rubber ducks, or festively wrapped birthday gifts filled with fake vomit and itching powder. Because while executive producer Rich Appel may be sincere when he says "The Cleveland Show" is "kinder and gentler" than its predecessor, he is working from the same warped palette that gave us Stewie, the erudite and profane baby who most recently beat his dog to a bloody pulp for laughs on the Emmy broadcast last Sunday.

For a while there, it looked like family television was dead. In answer to the hard-R rating of cable, both network dramas and comedies became increasingly dark, grisly and/or sexually oriented, while the family comedy, once the keystone of prime time, dwindled to "The Simpsons" and a couple of live-action shows, one of which was "Two and a Half Men." Finding a show the whole family could watch was virtually impossible -- the kids got Disney Channel, Cartoon Network, Nickelodeon and asked to turn the volume down.

The folks behind "Family Guy" have been saying some of the most alarming things. Like "sweet and funny" and "sense of family." They are using these words to describe "The Cleveland Show," a "Family Guy" spinoff that premieres Sunday night. Coming from Seth MacFarlane's crew, such descriptions are like tiny time bombs disguised as rubber ducks, or festively wrapped birthday gifts filled with fake vomit and itching powder. Because while executive producer Rich Appel may be sincere when he says "The Cleveland Show" is "kinder and gentler" than its predecessor, he is working from the same warped palette that gave us Stewie, the erudite and profane baby who most recently beat his dog to a bloody pulp for laughs on the Emmy broadcast last Sunday.

Sanaa LATHAN appears in "The Family That Preys," Tyler Perry's new film about two families torn apart by greed and scandal. But she's also been busy, having starred in a TV adaptation of "A Raisin in the Sun" on ABC this year, costarring in the forthcoming Fox "Family Guy" spinoff "The Cleveland Show" -- and dating Adewale "Wally" Ogunleye of the Chicago Bears. We caught up with her while she prepped for "Prey's" New York premiere. So how did you end up in that "Alien vs. Predator" mess?