'Family Guy' spinoff gets second season before the first one starts

FOX's "Family Guy" spinoff "The Cleveland Show" won't hit the air for several months, but once it does it will be around for a while.

The network has taken the unusual step of picking up a second season of the animated series before the first one has premiered. FOX has asked for 13 more episodes of the series, according to The Hollywood Reporter, which brings its total to 35.

What's more, this is the second extension the show has received. FOX initially picked up the show with the intention of having it on the air this season, then decided to push its debut to fall 2009. As a vote of confidence, the network pitched in a full-season order.

The additional 13 episodes will carry the show into the 2010-11 season.

"Cleveland" follows Peter Griffin's friend Cleveland Brown (voiced by Mike Henry) as he and son Cleveland Jr. move to Virginia to live with Cleveland's high school sweetheart ( Sanaa Lathan). The cast also includes Nia Long, Kevin Michael Richardson and Arianna Huffington

"Family Guy" creator Seth MacFarlane, Rich Appel and Henry co-created the series and are executive producing.