MacFarlane pitched a seven-minute pilot to Fox in December 1998, and the show was greenlit and began production. MacFarlane redesigned the films' protagonist, Larry, and his dog, Steve, and renamed them Peter and Brian, respectively. The family was conceived by MacFarlane after developing two animated films, The Life of Larry and Larry & Steve. Set in the fictional city of Quahog, Rhode Island, the show exhibits much of its humor in the form of metafictional cutaway gags that often lampoon American culture. The series centers on the Griffins, a family consisting of parents Peter and Lois their children, Meg, Chris, and Stewie and their anthropomorphic pet dog, Brian. Family Guy is an American adult animated sitcom created by Seth MacFarlane for the Fox Broadcasting Company.