Seth MacFarlane’s original Family Guy pilot from 1998 uncovered after decades

The long-lost 1998 Family Guy pilot has surfaced online, revealing a full 16-minute version previously thought lost.

The original 1998 Family Guy pilot, long believed to be lost, has finally surfaced online.

Internet sleuths from the Lost Media Wiki recently uncovered the full 16-minute episode on the portfolio website of animator Robert Paulsen, who worked on compositing and digital ink and paint for the pilot.

Close the schools. They found the full Family Guy pilot. pic.twitter.com/UX3YZwUPhc

— 🍉Delhi 2024 SWEEP(?!)🍉 (@DelhiWacky) March 21, 2025

Previously, only the first seven minutes of the pilot had been publicly available, included as a bonus feature in Family Guy Volume 2 on DVD. However, the complete version was found on Paulsen’s site, giving fans a rare look at the early development of Seth MacFarlane’s hit animated series.

MacFarlane originally created the pilot in 1998 after receiving $50,000 from Fox to pitch the show. The success of this test episode led to Family Guy being greenlit, with the official pilot, Death Has a Shadow, premiering in 1999. The storyline of the original pilot closely mirrors the final version, including Stewie building a mind-control device and Peter getting drunk at a stag party. However, one notable difference is that MacFarlane initially voiced Chris Griffin, as Seth Green had not yet been cast.

Now in its 23rd season, Family Guy continues to air on Fox and is available for streaming on Hulu. Fans can now watch this rare piece of television history, offering a glimpse into the early days of one of TV’s most beloved animated comedies.