View Pilot Here: [link]

Cleveland's epiphany spelled out the problem I've had with Family Guy for the past several seasons. Based from the obvious reasons, Stewie particularly is the last character who deserves a spin-off.

But I'm still wondering where they're going to go from here. It may be a spin-off, but how are they going to distinguish it from Family Guy beyond the characters and setting? The best spin-offs were those that created an identity all on its own. The Simpsons and Daria are two perfect examples.

Unfortunately, all of Seth's cartoons tend to be stylistically monotone, and as seen here, The Cleveland Show has the exact same nuclear family structure as the Griffins (husband, wife, eldest daughter, fat middle son, and smart-ass baby son), though Rallo was much funnier than Stewie has been in months.

The Cleveland Show's next challenge is to avoid being stuck in FG's shadow like American Dad. FG will definitely waste the next season or two trying to replace Cleveland, depending on how well this show does, as will Cleveland probably make recurring references to Quahog. On an already strange note, this show takes place in the same state as American Dad.

Most who create multiple shows try to let their second and third programs stand on their own legs. Matt Groening purposely avoided using yellow skin colors for his characters in Futurama to avoid speculation that it was a Simpsons spin-off. And any references between the two programs are few and far between. Daria steered clear of any evidence of the program it originated from. So having Family Guy and The Cleveland Show constantly remind everyone that they're related may be more of a self-referential liability.

With all that in mind, The Cleveland Show is off to a so-so start. If the show is able to find its own identity, that'll prove that Seth MacFarlane and his associates are capable of doing something truly new and different. But given the challenges, the world won't come to an end if the show fails.

6/10