Seth Macfarlane will host the Oscars in 2013, that much we know. But how will it go down? And can the Family Guy creator pull in the all-important viewers? Let’s have a look.

p>The brief is clear; the goal is set: build upon last year’s 14.9m viewers, and get somewhere closer to the gargantuan viewing figures of the Superbowl, which, in its last incarnation garnered an incredible 113m. Method? Get one of the most successful people of the year to present the show; a man who has all but conquered the widely coveted 18-49 market with his lively brand of comedy, which cumulated in Ted: the box office smash, via hit animations like Family Guy, American Dad and The Cleveland show. Macfarlane, bizarrely, represents a fairly safe bet for the Oscars. His comic style will undoubtedly ruffle a few feathers, but given Ricky Gervias’ award show stylings, that kind of thing has become the norm. More importantly for the Oscars people, though, is Macfarlane’s ability to draw in the numbers, which is what the whole business is about.

Macfarlane ends a superb year, with the aforementioned Ted making $420 million at the worldwide box office, making it one of the year’s most successful films. And his Family Guy franchise continues to enjoy fantastic success. It’s probably the second most popular animation behind The Simpsons. With his geeky connection to fans, and his love for all things TV, booted by the fact he’s a tremendously successful comedy writer, he represents a good choice for the Academy Awards, which kick off in winter, 2013.