American Dad Gets a Fifth Season

"American Dad" executive producers Mike Barker and Matt Weitzman have signed new overall deals with 20th Century Fox TV, reports Variety. 

The deals come as Fox officially greenlights a fifth season of "Dad." The show is in its fourth year, but the lengthy timetable for animated series usually requires an early pickup. Barker and Weitzman are locked to continue as showrunners on "Dad," which comes from the Seth MacFarlane hit-making factory. 

Barker and Weitzman -- who until now have operated as writing partners under their Underdog Productions -- have separated and signed individual pacts with the studio. 

Production on the fourth season of "Dad" is wrapping up, just as the show's writing team is starting to break stories for the show's fifth season.