LOS ANGELES (thefutoncritic.com) -- FOX has renewed "American Dad" for a fifth production cycle while "King of the Hill's" upcoming 13th edition will be its last.
Both decisions come as FOX prepares to roll out its first new animated series in nearly four years - "Sit Down, Shut Up" and "Family Guy" spin-off "The Cleveland Show" - and works on its largest development slate in the genre in some time.
"Dad," which opened after the Super Bowl in 2005, was FOX's last animated newcomer. The series is currently airing the final installments from its third cycle just as production wraps on its fourth. FOX's renewal for a fifth then means "Dad" will be on the airwaves well into 2010.
Said renewal comes as Mike Barker and Matt Weitzman, two of the show's co-creators/executive producers (the other being Seth MacFarlane), ink new two-year, seven-figure overall deals with producer 20th Century Fox Television. The pacts, which have the option for a third year, will keep the duo at the helm of the series for the foreseeable future, albeit now as individual writers instead of a team. They'll also develop new projects for the studio.
As for "Hill," the decision to end the series - the second longest running of its kind (behind only "The Simpsons") - had been expected for some time as the show's wrap party earlier this year was widely assumed to be its swan song.
Viewers however will still have plenty of "Hill" to look forward to: all 13 episodes from its 13th production cycle have yet to air while a handful of installments from its 12th cycle are still in the queue. In other words, there's a good chance Hank Hill and company will be on FOX's 2009-10 schedule.
Dave Krinsky, Garland Testa, Greg Daniels, Howard Klein, Jim Dauterive, John Altschuler, Michael Rotenberg and Mike Judge are the executive producers of the series, a co-production of 20th Century Fox Television, 3 Arts Entertainment, Deedle-Dee Productions and Judgemental Films.
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