Seth MacFarlane has always paid tribute to his influences and inspirations in his projects. When it comes to "Family Guy," MacFarlane has discussed how "The Simpsons," in part, inspired his crass animated sitcom. There are distinctive differences between the two sitcoms, such as MacFarlane's use of cutaways, and the full display of his unique taste in music. The show's DNA is filled to the brim with references to MacFarlane's favorite visual and musical motifs, so it's not surprising that one of the most iconic parts of the series, its opening theme, is a riff on a popular series.
A "Family Guy" commentary track reveals that the animated sitcom's iconic intro is influenced by Norman Lear's "All In the Family" (via E! News). The opening of the '70s CBS sitcom sees Caroll O'Connor and Jean Stapleton's characters seated at a piano, singing the "All In The Family" theme. The "Family Guy" intro starts off similarly, with Lois (voiced by Alex Borstein) at the piano singing about the perils of modern television, with Peter (voiced by MacFarlane) joining shortly after.
The "Family Guy" creator has never shied away from sharing the love he holds for "All in the Family." Writing for Vanity Fair in 2014, MacFarlane gushed about Lear's sitcom, calling it "arguably the greatest scripted program in the history of TV." With such high praise for the series, it's no wonder MacFarlane decided to pay homage to the series in "Family Guy's" opening sequence. MacFarlane has gone on to reference "All in the Family" on several occasions, especially during the show's iconic cutaways (via YouTube).
