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[American Dad!] - Now Available (in some counties) on Disney+'s Star
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American Dad! is an animated sitcom created by Mike Barker, Matt Weitzman, and Seth MacFarlane as the first original series for the now-defunct Animation Domination line-up on Fox back in 2005. The show centers on the family of Stan Smith, an extremely zealous conservative and high-ranking agent in the CIA. Though American Dad!'s creators originally intended to use the show as a means to channel their frustration with the Bush administration in a creative direction, it has since nearly entirely abandoned this angle in favor of its characters using outrageously disproportionate means to resolve otherwise mundane problems.
New episodes of American Dad! now air Mondays at 9PM on TBS and 10PM on Adult Swim.
Title quote from The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt.
The Smith Family
Stan Smith - Voiced by Seth MacFarlane. A top agent at the CIA, Stan Smith's devotion to right-wing politics, self-sufficiency and machismo hides a vulnerable spirit willing to take anything to extremes. Much of Stan's personality came from taking it upon himself to become the "man of the house" when his father left, including a disdain of childishness and an unsettlingly-close relationship with his mother. Stan often abuses his CIA connections to resolve family troubles. Frenemies with Roger, who he inexplicably lets live with his family. BTW his dad is Krampus.
Quote: "Hey, everybody! I'm off to my study to swaddle myself in the American Flag and pretend I'm baby Jesus."
Francine Smith - Voiced by Wendy Schaal. A particularly odd housewife, Francine's moral character seems to vary wildly between episodes. Amusingly, this incongruous personality makes Francine's relationship with her husband more believable, as she is just as likely to join Stan in some crazy endeavor as she is to scold him. Francine is also the adopted daughter of a Chinese-American couple.
Quote: "Oh yeah, I killed my college roommate. Stabbed her. Can't believe you didn't know that!"
Hayley Dreamkiller Smith - Voiced by Rachel MacFarlane. The eldest child of the Smith family, Hayley's outspoken liberal politics run in opposition to her father's, much to his annoyance. Hayley was originally intended to feature more prominently in the show, but after it moved in a less-political direction she was left with not much to do for a time. She eventually married her boyfriend, Jeff Fischer, giving the couple more of a presence in the show. Even after Jeff's abduction by aliens (long story) Hayley largely managed to stay relevant, and has since his return.
Quote: *singing* "Doin' it, doin' it, duh duh doin' it, doin' it. Someone's at the door! I don't care! Because we're doin' it, doin' it, duh duh doin' it, doin' it. Should we break for lunch? No! Let's keep doin' it, doin' it, duh duh doin' it, doin' it. Should we put on our hiking boots? Yeah! We can wear them while we're doin' it, doin' it. I love the rhythm; it is my method."
Steven Anita Smith - Voiced by Scott Grimes. Stan's "dumb nerd" son and boundless source of disappointment, Steve's enthusiasm and largely positive attitude keep him from letting his self-acknowledged loser status get to him (and also gives him a high level of frankly unearned confidence when it comes to approaching the opposite sex). Many episodes focus on either Stan's attempts to toughen-up Steve or Steve's attempts to make his father proud. Steve is also somehow good friends with Roger, despite Roger having screwed him over many, many times. Steve also has a surprisingly good singing voice and hangs out with his friends Snot, Barry and Toshi quite often.
Quote: *trying to impress a girl with his car* "On a clear night, this one gets Radio Disney! Why did I say that?"
Roger Smith - Voiced by Seth MacFarlane. An alien who crashed at Roswell, Roger was originally intended by the show's creative staff to remain in hiding in the Smith family's attic until a certain event caused his existence to become public knowledge. Thankfully, it was eventually decided that Roger's character would instead leave the house in disguises, which over the course of the show's run has developed into Roger having an impossible number of double lives under dozens (Hundreds? Thousands? Billions?) of alternate personas, the maintenance of which upholds the social fabric of the community. Because of this, most episodes whose plots would otherwise require a new character instead feature Roger in a new persona. Roger is also a dangerous sociopath and, due to a quirk of his species' biology, can die if he doesn't vent his inner "bitchiness", so the Smiths really should not let him live with them.
Quote: "I tell you, it's a cruel, cruel world out here. Did you know I saw a man beat down another man today for a sandwich? A sandwich, Francine." *holds up a sub sandwhich* "This sandwich."
Klaus Heisler - Voiced by Dee Bradley Baker. As a former East German Winter Olympic skier in the body of a goldfish, it's kind of difficult to keep Klaus involved in the action (American Dad!'s creators have even admitted in the past that they probably should've made Klaus a parrot instead). Very few episodes give Klaus a major role in the main plot, and much of the time he only serves to give other characters (usually Stan) advice. Despite this, he's still gotten quite a bit of mileage. Unlike Roger, whose true nature is kept a secret from the outside world, nobody really seems to care about a talking fish.
Quote: "Who's your least favorite character now, Reddit?"
Rogu - Roger's tumor baby. First appears in season 14, episode 16 ("Persona Assistant"). I have no idea if he'll ever be seen again, but here he is anyway!
Quote: "Rogu save daddy!"
Recommended Episodes (By Season)
Season 2
15 - With Friends Like Steve's
16 - Tears of a Clooney
Season 33 - Failure is Not a Factory-Installed Option
14 - An Apocalypse to Remember
15 - Four Little Words
19 - Joint Custody
Season 4
1 - The Vacation Goo
3 - Dope & Faith
6 - 42-Year-Old Virgin
10 - Tearjerker
15 - Stanny Slickers II: The Legend of Ollie's Gold
Season 5
1 - 1600 Candles
2 - The One That Got Away
3 - One Little Word
5 - Escape From Pearl Bailey
7 - Phantom of the Telethon
14 - Bar Mitzvah Hustle
15 - Wife Insurance
19 - Daddy Queerest
20 - Stan's Night Out
Season 6
1 - In Country...Club
9 - Rapture's Delight
11 - A Jones for a Smith
14 - Cops & Roger
16 - Bully for Steve
18 - Great Space Roaster
Season 7
2 - Son of Stan
8 - For Whom the Sleigh Bell Tolls
10 - Stanny Boy and Frantastic
11 - A Piñata Named Desire
Season 8
1 - Hot Water
2 - Hurricane
4 - The Worst Stan
5 - Virtual In-Stanity
9 - Stanny Tendergrass
Season 9
6 - AD-ventures in Hayley Sitting
8 - Finger Lenting Good
10 - Blood Crieth Unto Heaven
11 - Max Jets
13 - For Black Eyes Only
18 - Lost In Space
Season 10
2 - Poltergasm
8 - Minstrel Krampus
16 - She Swill Survive
17 - Rubberneckers
15 - With Friends Like Steve's
16 - Tears of a Clooney
Season 33 - Failure is Not a Factory-Installed Option
14 - An Apocalypse to Remember
15 - Four Little Words
19 - Joint Custody
Season 4
1 - The Vacation Goo
3 - Dope & Faith
6 - 42-Year-Old Virgin
10 - Tearjerker
15 - Stanny Slickers II: The Legend of Ollie's Gold
Season 5
1 - 1600 Candles
2 - The One That Got Away
3 - One Little Word
5 - Escape From Pearl Bailey
7 - Phantom of the Telethon
14 - Bar Mitzvah Hustle
15 - Wife Insurance
19 - Daddy Queerest
20 - Stan's Night Out
Season 6
1 - In Country...Club
9 - Rapture's Delight
11 - A Jones for a Smith
14 - Cops & Roger
16 - Bully for Steve
18 - Great Space Roaster
Season 7
2 - Son of Stan
8 - For Whom the Sleigh Bell Tolls
10 - Stanny Boy and Frantastic
11 - A Piñata Named Desire
Season 8
1 - Hot Water
2 - Hurricane
4 - The Worst Stan
5 - Virtual In-Stanity
9 - Stanny Tendergrass
Season 9
6 - AD-ventures in Hayley Sitting
8 - Finger Lenting Good
10 - Blood Crieth Unto Heaven
11 - Max Jets
13 - For Black Eyes Only
18 - Lost In Space
Season 10
2 - Poltergasm
8 - Minstrel Krampus
16 - She Swill Survive
17 - Rubberneckers
Clips
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h4B6TsZNFGw
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QOl56KOTERA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FAjy4iasmtI&index=34&list=PLJBo3iyb1U0d4BowpEAPu_fwFn9LMvvqs Hexmage-PA on
+4
Posts
I'll be adding more to the OP.
The quality of the show has been really consistent.
The season premiere was pretty great. Slave whales!
It seemed like the normal fluidity wasn't really there so everyone just stayed in place a bit more, even the dance off felt jarring (and they might have done that on purpose because of the animation), and the sound was sort of off.
"It looks like my pillow is in my pillow case, but it is not."
It was a good episode. I'd say the lack of Mike Barker is showing in that something seems off, but I assume he was still involved in these episodes. The show just seems to have become very Roger/Stan centric. Of the first 7 episodes (Yes amazingly there have already been seven episodes), only 2 have focused on characters outside Roger/Stan, the one about Steve/Karate and the one about Hayley becoming Blonde. The show is usually much better at integrating all the characters since there is such a strong ensemble.]
Maybe it's just me though.
There are still great jokes, like the aforementioned pillow gag, and Stan doing air guitar to loud internal rock music while all the kids think he's having a seizure.
"Finally, I can sleep"
"Then do it, snitch!"
"Please surrender farther away from the still-exploding building. Move like someone who wants to live."
BTW, Gwen was played by Uma Thurman.
Take that Fox!
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White Rice would have been a better show callback high five.
Roger Passes the Bar- I liked it, really liked the b-plot and the twist about what happened to Steve and his friends
A Boy Named Michael- Greg and Terry episodes are always good and weird, particularly Terry hiding him being not-so gay as Greg.
Blagsnarst, A Love Story- I liked South Park's take on how the Hobbit got powerful, sad end with the Fox bookbeing put up on the shelf. That had more feeling than most dramas push on us.
Blonde Ambition- already saw it, liked it, animation felt weird.
CIAPOW- One of the best this season, despite the weak b-plot about slow-mo race save for the boner.
Scents and Sensei-bility- good premise but sort of whiffed on the pitch with Kobra Kai guy, b-story was much better with Klaus being outside. And then killing all the animals, because that's what germans do, right.
Big Stan on Campus- best of the season, everything about Stan trying to be the cool uncle was great, including the slow-mo pepper spray POV.
Now and Gwen- good, trying to run in my head if Francine's sister was ever mentioned earlier, or if she popped up like Stan's half-brother.
It feels like the TBS switch made them pull out some scripts that might have been tabled but were actually really good, but it's been a win/win for everyone I guess.
Neither popped up. Stan mentions his half brother in Meter Made, although he said he lived on a lake in Wisconsin or something. Francine's sister Gwen has been mentioned a bunch including the episode where Stan found Francine's biological parents. Gwen was the entire reason Francine initially turned on her adopted parents.
It's the Mind Quad of super cutaways!
That poor Cop . . .
The helicopter pilot? But he had the most upbeat can-do attitude!
I appreciate the fact that they have a leash long enough to stroke this callback
It shows either/both a trust in the audience to buy in and/or a complete disregard for the audience and i love them when do stuff like that - blood crieth unto heaven is a good example too, and the indie movie parody ep
and the gengars who are guiding me" -- W.S. Merwin
I mean we have had what? The Apocalypse, Krampus, Hillbillie standoff with Santa and now one of the most twisted It's a Wonderful Life parodies.
It was fantastic.
Also yay for Roger. He has been on fire this season.
do i. . .do i sometimes dress in women's clothing?
Now there's enough episodes to make a Christmas marathon! A deeply disturbed, confusing to non-viewers marathon!
Switch (JeffConser): SW-3353-5433-5137 Wii U: Skeldare - 3DS: 1848-1663-9345
PM Me if you add me!
My father-in-law has never seen American Dad. I record and re-watch reruns when I'm bored. He happened to come into the living room when I was about 2/3 of the way through the Rapture episode. He was thoroughly confused.
It also had two great moments of Stan being freaked out by folding pictures and Greg & Terry and their love of naked Merv Griffin.
I just wish it wasn't on Monday nights.
I'm digging the Monday night scheduling. A new American Dad at 9, a rerun at 9:30, and then an hour of Better Call Saul. 'Tis good to have basic cable.
I still love when Jesus shows up in this show.
Kinda curious why Stan went completely insane, though.