Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
moving to the right page
Deleted line(s) 103 (click to see context) :
* AllPeriodsArePMS: In S4 Ep01, "1600 Candles," Stan and Francine recall Hayley's first period, in which they are cowering against the wall with Stan holding up a fork in defense, as Hayley screams, "What do you mean every month?!"
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
* TheKrampus: He's NotEvilJustMisunderstood. [[spoiler:Turns out that Santa Clause is the real "bad guy". He's a CorruptCorporateExecutive who makes all his money in toy shares. "Bad" children buy the most toys, and the Krampus is only trying to set them on the path to being good.]]
Deleted line(s) 158 (click to see context) :
*** Might actually qualify as [[FridgeBrilliance Fridge Brilliance]], as in previous episodes Roger had changed outfits and positions absurdly fast. While normally these would probably be attributed to the [[RuleofFunny Rule of Funny]], this "new" power could shed some light on what was actually going on. If you do accept that, then multiple instances where this power would have been exceedingly usefuly suddenly become [[ForgotICouldFly Forgot I Could Fly]]. Although, this is [[TheAlcoholic Roger]]...
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
Menstrual Menace is about supernatural horrors caused by a woman\'s period. All Periods Are PMS is about women being cranky that time of the month. See this
Trope Repair Shop thread for more info. Zero Context Examples will be deleted.
Trope Repair Shop thread for more info. Zero Context Examples will be deleted.Changed line(s) 102 (click to see context) from:
* MenstrualMenace: In S4 Ep01, "1600 Candles," Stan and Francine recall Hayley's first period, in which they are cowering against the wall with Stan holding up a fork in defense, as Hayley screams, "What do you mean every month?!"
to:
* MenstrualMenace: AllPeriodsArePMS: In S4 Ep01, "1600 Candles," Stan and Francine recall Hayley's first period, in which they are cowering against the wall with Stan holding up a fork in defense, as Hayley screams, "What do you mean every month?!"
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Changed line(s) 191 (click to see context) from:
* NoodleImplement: Toshi's coconut girlfriend in "Failure Is Not A Factory-Installed Option." Whether or not Steve, Barry, and Snot also have one is never made clear.
to:
* NoodleImplement: NoodleImplements: Toshi's coconut girlfriend in "Failure Is Not A Factory-Installed Option." Whether or not Steve, Barry, and Snot also have one is never made clear.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
* {{Melodrama}}: Taken UpToEleven for [[PlayedForLaughs comedic effect]] in "A Ward Show." After Steve gets beaten up, Roger (acting as Steve's guardian) reacts with unmitigated despair, to the point where he rips his shirt off in angst and does a SkywardScream, complete with dramatic music and rain starting to fall ''inside the house''. Not to say that your child/ward getting beaten up isn't a serious matter, but...yeesh.
Changed line(s) 218 (click to see context) from:
* OurNudityIsDifferent: PlayedForLaughs in an early episode in the series, where Stan sets up a deal with Ikea to refurnish all of Iraq so it looks like "your first apartment". This cues a CutawayGag of a citizen appreciating 80s lifestyle look of his new home, before being appalled at his wife's blatant display of nudity and telling her to put some clothes on. She's fully clothed except for her eyes, so she covers up her eyes and immediately trips over a table.
to:
* OurNudityIsDifferent: PlayedForLaughs in an early episode in the series, pilot episode, where Stan sets up a deal with Ikea to refurnish all of Iraq so it looks like "your first apartment". This cues a CutawayGag of shows a citizen appreciating 80s lifestyle look of his new home, before Muslim man being appalled at his wife's blatant display of nudity and telling her to put some clothes on. She's fully clothed except for her eyes, so she covers up her eyes and immediately trips over a table.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Added DiffLines:
* OneSteveLimit: [[AvertedTrope Averted]] for a gag in "Adventures in Hayleysitting," where Hayley and Jeff search the neighborhood for Steve and call out his name, only to be answered by another guy named Steve.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Changed line(s) 153 (click to see context) from:
** "How did you know I was fireproof? Even I didn't know! Wait, you did know right? I'm gonna go with yes to preserve the friendship"
to:
** "How did you know I was fireproof? Even I didn't know! Wait, you did know right? I'm gonna go with yes to preserve the friendship"friendship."
Added DiffLines:
* Played with in that for nearly the entire episode, her face is concealed from the audience, through methods from facing the opposite direction to having her face concealed by a desk lamp. She's practically TheFaceless... until the camera cuts to her at the last possible moment.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Added DiffLines:
* MistakenForSubculture: An episode had one of Steve's friends under fire for supposedly stealing a classmate's Bar Mitzvah money. When a bunch of bald guys ragged on him for it, he said "you're skinheads, you hate us." Turns out they were just the [[{{Superman}} Lex Luthor]] fan club; the skinheads were one table over.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Changed line(s) 73 (click to see context) from:
* LogicBomb: In two separate episodes[[hottip:*:"Shallow Vows" and "I Am the Walrus", for the curious]], a Smith encounters evidence that one of Roger's personas is actually a real person; this is their reaction.
to:
* LogicBomb: In two separate episodes[[hottip:*:"Shallow episodes[[note]]"Shallow Vows" and "I Am the Walrus", for the curious]], curious[[/note]], a Smith encounters evidence that one of Roger's personas is actually a real person; this is their reaction.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
[[foldercontrol]]
[[folder:K]]
[[folder:K]]
[[/folder]]
[[folder:L]]
[[folder:L]]
[[/folder]]
[[folder:M]]
[[folder:M]]
[[/folder]]
[[folder:N]]
[[folder:N]]
[[/folder]]
[[folder:O]]
[[folder:O]]
Changed line(s) 214 (click to see context) from:
** When Stan gets cottage cheese on himself in "Delorean Story-An".
to:
** When Stan gets cottage cheese on himself in "Delorean Story-An".Story-An".
[[/folder]]
----
[[/folder]]
----
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Changed line(s) 24 (click to see context) from:
* KnightTemplarParent: Both Stan and Francine at times. Also, Toshi and Akiko's ControlFreak [[AllAsiansAreAlike mother]].
to:
* KnightTemplarParent: Both Stan and Francine at times. Also, Toshi and Akiko's ControlFreak [[AllAsiansAreAlike [[EducationMama mother]].
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Added DiffLines:
* LiteralMetaphor: In one episode, Francine gets sick of Roger's {{Jerkass}} nature and asks him if it would kill him to be nice to a change. As it turns out, Roger's species are MadeOfEvil and have to let their "bitchiness" out or it will turn to bile and fatally poison them. So, as it turns out, being nice ''will'' literally kill Roger.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
Grammar were bad
Changed line(s) 116 (click to see context) from:
* MsFanservice: Both Hayley and Francine has been used to cater to a variety of fetishes over the course of the series.
to:
* MsFanservice: Both Hayley and Francine has have been used to cater to a variety of fetishes over the course of the series.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Added DiffLines:
** Stan in "Wiener of Our Discontent" when he finds out that Roger actually ''does'' have a "Fortress of Solitude".
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
Added a subpoint to newpowersastheplotdemands
Added DiffLines:
*** Might actually qualify as [[FridgeBrilliance Fridge Brilliance]], as in previous episodes Roger had changed outfits and positions absurdly fast. While normally these would probably be attributed to the [[RuleofFunny Rule of Funny]], this "new" power could shed some light on what was actually going on. If you do accept that, then multiple instances where this power would have been exceedingly usefuly suddenly become [[ForgotICouldFly Forgot I Could Fly]]. Although, this is [[TheAlcoholic Roger]]...
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Added DiffLines:
* KnightTemplarParent: Both Stan and Francine at times. Also, Toshi and Akiko's ControlFreak [[AllAsiansAreAlike mother]].
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Added DiffLines:
** Averted in "Lost in Space." Stan, Francine, and Steve ([[AndZoidberg and Klaus]]) do not appear.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Added DiffLines:
* LoveHurts: The reason why the emperor of Roger's species locked Jeff up and turned his race's mothership into a gigantic shopping mall was to cope with the fact that [[spoiler: Roger]] cheated on him and broke his heart.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Added DiffLines:
** Lessie the maid acts as one to Cookie, the emotionally deprived drug addicted daughter to the senator Stan has been sucking up to. In about half a minute she revives the overdosing Cookie with a shot of adrenaline, asks if she'd like some cake, and simply says "you're a troubled child" when Cookie screams at her.
--->'''Lessie''': I washed you in the sink when you were a baby, I ain't gonna let you die!
--->'''Lessie''': I washed you in the sink when you were a baby, I ain't gonna let you die!
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Changed line(s) 117 (click to see context) from:
** "For Whom The Sleighbell Tolls" Roger getting drunk on moonshine in, and imagining himself in a DonkeyKong scenario dodging liquor barrels
to:
** "For Whom The Sleighbell Tolls" Roger getting drunk on moonshine in, and imagining himself in a DonkeyKong VideoGame/DonkeyKong scenario dodging liquor barrels
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Deleted line(s) 195 (click to see context) :
* OverlyLongGag: Weenie and the Butt, and from the same episode, Darth Vader as a Meter Maid, though there are a LOT more.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Added DiffLines:
* OverlyLongGag: Weenie and the Butt, and from the same episode, Darth Vader as a Meter Maid, though there are a LOT more.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Added DiffLines:
* NoOneCouldSurviveThat: PlayedForLaughs in ''For Black Eyes Only'', where it is revealed that Tearjerker survived falling into a volcano. You can survive a volcano if you fall in at just the right angle, apparently.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Added DiffLines:
** The Ladybugs have apparently gotten away with killing their members who know too much and continue to cheat on their husbands without any consequences. The worst part is that every woman in Langley Falls (except for Francine and Linda) is a member.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
gah. epic fail on my part. Not even the right page.
Deleted line(s) 184 (click to see context) :
* OneWomanWail: The background music for some of the areas, most notably in Thousand Cuts.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Added DiffLines:
* OneWomanWail: The background music for some of the areas, most notably in Thousand Cuts.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Added DiffLines:
** In AT. The Abusive Terristial, when Roger calls Steve, he is in hysteria about Henry killing him. About '''five''' seconds later, he calls again and says that everything is fine.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Added DiffLines:
** A strange case is Buckle, the Jewish Ex-Disney Imagineer mountain man introduced in "An Apocalypse To Remember". In his debut episode, he spoke with a normal, albeit gravely voice, but as it was revealed that [[spoiler: he went completely off the deep end spending years in isolation, away from any female contact, and being convinced that he and Hayley were supposed to repopulate the Earth after the supposed nuclear war,]] his voice is firmly established as staying in nothing lower than a booming shout.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Added DiffLines:
* TheLawOfConservationOfDetail: In the opening scene of "Why Can't We Be Friends", the rock that Stan throws at Snot is there from the beginning as opposed to being pulled out of nowhere or just showing up.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Added DiffLines:
* KafkaKomedy: A minor version is invoked with Terry's homophobic father, Tank; after claiming Stan and Greg are a gay to stall coming out, Tank proceeds to make the situation worse by antagonizing ''everything'' Stan does simply because he thinks he is CampGay.
-->[Stan leaves Greg & Terry's house]\\
'''Tank''': Look at him. He's just gonna float away. Float away '''''like a fairy.'''''\\
[Stan carries two heavy trash cans to the sidewalk]\\
'''Tank''': Look at him! Carrying those heavy trash cans '''''like a girl!'''''\\
[Stan moves a giant rock]\\
'''Tank''': I bet he wished that rock was '''''a big, naked man!'''''\\
[Stan wolf whistles at a lady on a bike]\\
'''Tank''': Yeah, '''''whistle a show tune ya drag queen!'''''
* KaleidoscopeHair: Subverted with Roger, who has a collection of wigs that he swaps around for roleplaying. Many of them are different in color.
* KansasCityShuffle: Steve's plan in ''Bar Mitzvah Shuffle''.
* KarmaHoudini: Nearly all the family has gotten away with some horrific crime at some point in the show's run, Roger and Stan are probably the most recurring examples however. It may be balanced by all of them having [[TheChewToy Chew Toy]] traits however.
** One notable example: In order to fix the course of history, Stan had to make the assassination attempt on Ronald Regan because John Hinkley was never motivated to do it. History was fixed (with some added benefits of making it easier to buy guns) and Stan didn't have any repercussions happen to him for trying to kill Regan.
** Another notable example: Roger enslaves a group of foster children to work in inhumane conditions at his vineyard for nearly a year, and gives two of the girls to Steve, who dresses them in skimpy costumes and sexually harasses them. The only punishment? CPS takes them away, which actually makes Roger happy because the wine they made wasn't any good.
* KentBrockmanNews: Greg and Terry are low on exposition but high on drama, usually doing their dirty laundry over the airwaves.
-->'''Terry:''' "This recession is affecting everyone, even we're cutting back. [[{{Pun}} Last night we only sixty-eighted]].
-->'''Greg:''' "Really? ...That's terrible."
-->'''Terry:''' *smug smile* "Oh well."
* KickMePrank:
** During the opening, Hayley sticks a peace sign on Stan's back, while Francine takes it off before he even notices.
** When Stan gets braces, the other employees prank him by sticking "Shoot Me" on his back. He was lucky he was wearing his bullet proof vest.
* KilledOffForReal: [[spoiler: Miriam Bullock, off screen by Roger in his infamous Ricky Spanish persona. Lucky for him, Avery is too strung out on drugs to care when Roger later admits it to him.]]
* LackOfEmpathy: Roger and Stan take this to extremes at times. Roger's mindset got screwed up psychologically the first time he felt for anyone before himself. Roger is also very casual and matter-of-fact about describing himself as a sociopath ("Cops & Roger"). Being a SethMacFarlane work however, nearly every character displays this trait at times (though it's not as prevalent here as it is on, say, ''FamilyGuy'').
* LanternJawOfJustice: Stan Smith, an unusual non-superhero iteration.
* LargeHam: Stan Smith, as early as the pilot. ("Did somebody order a ''brand new'' '''dog'''?!")
** Similar with Principle Lewis, established the same time as Stan. "You can '''''READ!!!!'''''" "The system '''''WORKS!!!!!!!!'''''"
** Avery Bullock.
** Roger, but usually only when imitating something from a film or another show.
** Like father like son for Steve at times.
** The Antichrist from "Rapture's Delight" (but considering that Andy Samberg -- who can be a LargeHam in his ''SNL'' sketches -- voiced him, that's not a big surprise)
** Also, Barry, from time to time, thus making it a visual pun. '''''They'll give us boo-boos on our feelings!'''''
* LaserGuidedKarma: In ''Hurricane!'' Roger drowns his annoyingly clingy girlfriend. He's then electrocuted by Stan by accident and blackened to a crisp after Stan lets a bear into the house.
* TheLastHorseCrossesTheFinishLine: Stan is frequently subjected to this trope. One [[{{Squick}} noteworthy example]] comes from the episode "Deacon Stan, Jesus Man". In that episode, Roger was going through his reproductive cycle, and accidentally eaten all of Francine's potato salad for the pot-luck wake. Scrambling to make more, he realized he was out of mayonnaise, and had to resort to desperate measures. It was not until after the wake that Roger revealed that he made the salad, and that the secret ingredient was [[spoiler: his breast milk.]] Cue Steve, Klaus, Hayley, and Francine recoiling in horror and even vomiting from the news. But it takes Stan a full 90 seconds (the average length for a [[BreakingTheFourthWall commercial break]] to run its course) for him to realize, and take advantage, of the situation.
** Given a rather hilarious, and subtle, [[LampshadeHanging lampshade]] by [[PatrickStewart Bullock]] in "Francine's Flashback":
-->'''Stan''': Yeah, I'm uh laying low. Today is the anniversary of a huge fight me and Francine had last year.
-->'''Johnson''': Yeah what about?
-->'''Stan''': Oh I [[ForgottenAnniversary forgot our anniversary]]. Huh, I'm never going to do that again.
-->''(Johnson tries to speak up, but Bullock raises his hand to silence him.)''
-->''(A long, awkward {{Beat}})''
-->'''Stan (realizing)''': AAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!
-->'''Bullock''': There it is.
* LastNoteNightmare: After Stan is done singing while hallucinating (''The Magnificent Steven'') the transition back from his [[ArtShift Disney-style]] vision to the real world features a classic example.
* LaughablyEvil: Roger really leans into trope on occasion. He lacks much along the lines of consistent redeeming aspects and is [[LackOfEmpathy extremely unempathetic]] to the atrocities he has committed throughout the show's run. Neverless he is as funny as hell and is arguably the show's EnsembleDarkhorse.
* LawyerFriendlyCameo: [[LampshadeHanging Lampshaded]] in ''Spring Break-up''.
-->'''Partier:''' Carmen Selectra? Doesn't he mean Carmen ELECTRA?\\
'''Second partier:''' No! No, he doesn't!
* LeParkour: Stan and Francine engage in "freerunning" through apartment buildings with an energetic young couple. Francine makes a game effort for a first-timer, but Stan can barely keep up and falls several floors down a stairwell and breaks his legs (with his shinbone sticking out of one).
* LetsGetDangerous: When properly motivated, Hayley has been able to easily compete with, and even overpower, Stan(a highly skilled weapons expert) on several occasions.
* LetUsNeverSpeakOfThisAgain: In S3 Ep01, "The Vacation Goo", the Smiths end up [[spoiler: engaging in cannibalism unnecessarily.]] Francine comments that nothing bonds a family like a dark, horrible secret.
* LifetimeMovieOfTheWeek: "A.T. The Abused Terrestrial" parodies the concept; Roger seeks attention from another boy when Steve starts paying less attention to him, but the boy eventually turns abusive and Steve goes to save Roger from him.
* LikeFatherLikeSon: Or rather like daughter. Despite her radically different political views, Hayley's actual ''personality'' is very similar to her father, right down to the patronizing way she treats her romantic partner.
** Subverted with Steve and Stan, and again with Stan's estranged father Jack. Though in this case, it also works in that the failure to have any sort of relationship with their son/father is pretty much the same.
* LikesOlderWomen: One episode's side story was about Steve frequently making out with a friend of his grandfather's. And as turns out [[spoiler:his best friend Snot does too. The episode even ends with the two declaring that no woman will come between their friendship, right before an elderly woman walks by with an oxygen tank, whom they eagerly chase after.]]
* LimitedWardrobe: [[LampshadeHanging Lampshaded]] by Hayley in one episode when Steve is locked in Hayley's closet:
-->'''Steve''': Let me out, or I'll rip up all your clothes!\\
'''Hayley''': Go ahead! If you haven't noticed, I only wear this one outfit!
** Done again in ''Stanny Boy And Frantastic'' with Stan:
-->[Stan opens a wardrobe containing only several duplicate suits]\\
'''Stan''': Maybe this blue suit, with the white shirt and a black tie? Yeah, that's it!
* LivingADoubleLife: Roger and his disguises, to the point of [[ZigZaggedTrope zig zagging]].
** Played straight with Hayley turning out to be a pie maker.
* LivingEmotionalCrutch: Stan, on several occasions, has been shown to be completely incompetent at most tasks despite working as a [=CIA=] agent; in "Fartbreak Hotel", Stan asserts that he is more than capable of dressing himself, but after Francine leaves, he realizes can't remember if navy or black socks go better with his suit ''and spends the rest of the episode trapped in his room sobbing'' '''''because he can't figure out which socks to wear.'''''
* LogicBomb: In two separate episodes[[hottip:*:"Shallow Vows" and "I Am the Walrus", for the curious]], a Smith encounters evidence that one of Roger's personas is actually a real person; this is their reaction.
* LotusEaterMachine: The focus of S3 Ep01, "The Vacation Goo". The titular goo is a CIA invention that works like virtual reality and is exploited by Stan (and later the other Smiths) to get some alone time while the family is "experiencing" a family vacation.
** According to ''Rapture's Delight'', [[spoiler: Stan's vision of heaven is this, despite being dead he's still living his everyday life because it's his heart's greatest desire.]]
* LipstickLesbian: The Smiths' neighbor, Linda Memari, who is also in love with Francine.
* LostAesop: In "Hurricane!" a running theme is how, in a crisis, Stan will make decisions that at first ''sound'' like they could work, but actually always end up making things worse. When Stan comes to realize this and has a HeroicBSOD, Klaus cheers him up by saying he's got to keep trying 'til he gets it right. So Stan gets up, dusts himself off . . . and just makes everything a whole lot worse while trying to help. The episode closes with Francine telling him to just accept that, in a crisis, he needs to stand back and let others handle things. Stan ponders that for a moment . . . then decides he's not gonna do it for no adequately explained reason.
* LoveMartyr: Hayley's long-suffering loser boyfriend Jeff. He even calls her on the phone ''when she's in the next room'' because he just wrote her a song about loneliness.
** His persistence eventually pays off when she [[spoiler:marries him in season six.]]
* MagicFeather: In "The Scarlett Getter" Steve believes wearing a pair of Hayley's panties gives him good luck. After Snot steals them Hayley explains to Steve using an old episode of ''TheSmurfs'' as an example, that it was really his confidence that gave him luck, not the panties. This trope is subverted when it is revealed Hayley does believe they're magic and beats up Snot and takes back the panties from him.
* MailOrderBride: She's Russian, of course, and she comes with a fidelity contract. Toshi snags her, which is [[ContinuityNod mentioned in a later episode]].
* MamaBear: In "100 A.D.", Francine actually tries to [[spoiler: shoot Jeff Fischer when it appears as though he's willing to dump Hayley in order to collect Stan's $50,000 bounty on them. The idea is actually a ruse he and Hayley came up with in order to get the money and still elope, but he would have been dead had the gun had any bullets in it.]]
** In "Season's Beatings" Hayley fights Stan to keep him from killing her adopted baby even though it's revealed [[spoiler: he's the Anti-Christ.]]
* ManChild: Everyone who works at the CIA ends up being one sooner or later. Notable examples includes shooting tranquilizer darts like spitwads in a classroom, and placing [[KickMePrank "Shoot Me"]] signs on others backs. Bullock himself is no exception, though he sometimes has to scold other employees for acting childish...by giving them punishments you'd expect a 4th grade teacher to give her students.
** The CIA evidently even has a "Show-and-Tell day." Which the agents go through with the same (lack of) enthusiasm as an eight-year-old.
---> '''Sanders:''' ''(completely monotone)'' This [medal] was my grandpa's. He got it in the war. He was very brave.
* MandatoryLine: [[LampshadeHanging Lampshaded]] in ''Escape from Pearl Bailey'': "Nice of Steve to acknowledge us this week, even if it was only this once."
* AManIsNotAVirgin: Initially inverted- Stan tries to impart to Steve that sexual urges are evil and should be repressed. However, played straight with regard to Stan himself; Stan's lack of sexual experience outside his marriage to Francine is often used to make jokes at his expense, and it is actually what drives the plot of ''When A Stan Loves a Woman''.
** Also played with in another episode where Stan's CIA buddies tease Stan about being a virgin... of killing someone. That's right, Stan has never actually personally killed someone before.
* MarsNeedsWomen: Klaus the goldfish is in lust with Francine Smith. True, he used to be human, but still...
** Reggie the Koala and Hayley have a brief fling in Season 5, though Reggie, like Klaus, used to be human.
* MasculineGirlFeminineBoy: Hayley and Steve.
* MenstrualMenace: In S4 Ep01, "1600 Candles," Stan and Francine recall Hayley's first period, in which they are cowering against the wall with Stan holding up a fork in defense, as Hayley screams, "What do you mean every month?!"
* {{Metaphorgotten}}:
** From the very first episode, this exchange takes place when Stan tries to explain why Roger can't leave the house.
-->'''Stan''': You can't leave the house, the C.I.A. will erase our minds! You ever see the movie ''Film/{{Memento}}''? Wasn't quite as good the second time.
-->''({{Beat}})''
-->'''Stan (cnt'd)''': Anyway, you can't leave the house.
* MexicanStandoff: Most notably Joanna vs. Stan in ''When A Stan Loves A Woman''. Apparently "a little gunplay" is something that Stan finds arousing.
--> '''Stan Smith''': Francine, this happens every time! First you pull out a gun and threaten to shoot me. Then I pull out ''my'' gun. Eventually, your arm gets tired, you leave, and we have passionate "nobody-got-shot" sex.
* MightyWhitey: Referenced, when Stan escapes on a Predator Drone used as decoration for a float.
--> '''Old Chinese Guy:''' "The dragon awakens! The prophecy has been fulfilled!"\\
'''Chinese Girl:''' "With a white guy riding it... [[SarcasmMode Awesome]]."
* MindRape: Said word for word by Stan after getting tricked by a car salesman.
-->'''Stan:''' Son of bitch, he mind raped me!
* MindScrew: Usually interwoven with [[RefugeInAudacity some audacious plotting]]. See ''Widowmaker'' for an example that would make Series/JonathanCreek and Series/{{Columbo}} proud.
* MissConception: Subverted in a SpaceWhaleAesop kind of way in S1 Ep07, "Deacon Stan, Jesus Man," due to some [[FaceFullOfAlienWingWong alien spawn]], Steve's gymnast crush does get pregnant from a kiss.
* MisterSeahorse: Roger and then Steve in "Deacon Stan, Jesus Man"
* MoodWhiplash: In ''A Ward Show'', when Roger discovers Steve has been beat up, he [[spoiler: performs three BigNo's, before pulling a SkywardScream, dramatically tearing his shirt off and screaming through the inexplicable indoor thunder and rain. Cut to Roger and Steve quietly enjoying soup together and calmly discussing it.]]
** Done again in ''Stanny Slickers 2: The Legend of Ollie's Gold'' - in the final minutes, Stan learns that his true legacy is his children, rather than the eponymous gold. The family shares a heartwarming moment, and:
---> '''Stan:''' And the robot and piercings are gone by tomorrow or this pit becomes your grave.
** In ''Red October Sky'' when Hayley announces to Francine that Mr. Hallworthy has died, she feels sad.... until:
---> '''Francine:''' (happy) Nutty bars! They sell nutty bars now! I asked the man and he got them!
* {{Montages}}: usually bizarre and accompanied by lively music.
** A good example is [[LampshadeHanging shaded]] in ''Pulling Double Booty''. ("Haha - you thought they got top hats!")
** Sometimes they use Night Ranger. Yeah, frickin' '''Night Ranger'''.
* MsFanservice: Both Hayley and Francine has been used to cater to a variety of fetishes over the course of the series.
* MushroomSamba: Joint Custody when Stan and Roger get high on burned weed.
** "The Magnificent Steven" when Stan eats Mad Cow tainted beef and trips in his undies.
** "My Morning Straitjacket" Non-drug related but when Stan daydreams about My Morning Jacket frontman Jim James.
** "A Jones for a Smith" Stan smokes crack in his bathroom and sees his world as a commercial for crack as a prescription medication.
** "100 A.D." when Roger injects amphetamines into his eyes while driving (much to passenger Steve's horror); in Son Of Stan when Roger uses a bong in order to "think like a stoner" so that he can track down the eloped Hayley and Jeff (when his trip ends, he discovers it took him straight to them, much to his surprise).
** "For Whom The Sleighbell Tolls" Roger getting drunk on moonshine in, and imagining himself in a DonkeyKong scenario dodging liquor barrels
* MyBelovedSmother: Francine in ''Iced Iced Babies''.
** Sublimely inverted by Stan in ''Oedipal Panties''.
* MusicalEpisode: ''Hot Water'', which serves as a Theatre/LittleShopOfHorrors parody
* MyGodWhatHaveIDone: Stan says this ''exactly'' world-for-word when he realizes that keeping Steve down from being the alpha-male means he won't become the man Stan wants him to be.
* MySisterIsOffLimits: In "Best Little Horror House in Langley Falls" Toshi is ready to kill Steve with a samurai sword for not bringing his sister Akiko home in time at Halloween.
* MysteriousPast: Roger's past on Earth is referenced and rarely shown, with an exception in the Christmas special ''The Best Christmas Story Never Told''. His history on his home planet (including which planet it actually '''was''') is even ''more'' rarely referenced and never shown.
** In one episode, Roger learned that his initial purpose for coming to Earth was to be a crash test dummy for a spaceship that his people were testing, not The Decider of the fate of planet as he was told. [[HilarityEnsues Stan was less than supportive.]]
** We are given a brief glimpse of what seems to be his home planet in a flashback in "Brains, Brains and Automobiles".
* NarratingThePresent: Klaus in one episode. When asked what he was doing he explained he was pretending his life was a DVD and he was doing the [[DVDCommentary audio commentary]]. Later in the episode Klaus' voice is head narrating over the scene so that we can't hear what anyone is saying. According to Klaus we miss the funniest line in the episode because of this.
* NeverASelfMadeWoman: Averted in "Fart-Break Hotel". Francine ultimately comes to the conclusion that extreme devotion to family or career/non-family activities to the exclusion of the other is bad. She only becomes happier when she is able to balance the two as she finds fulfillment in both.
* NeverHeardThatOneBefore: During the Halloween episode, we get this exchange between Stan and Terry.
--> '''Terry:''' Looking forward to your party tonight.
--> '''Stan:''' It'll scare you straight!
--> '''Terry:''' (Dryly) Every year...
* NewJobEpisode: Stan in ''Meter Made''; Roger and Francine from time to time.
* NewPowersAsThePlotDemands: Roger ''is'' this trope. His notable achievements include being buoyant enough to be used as a raft (''Choosy Wives Choose Smith''), resistance to fire (''Big Trouble In Little Langley'') and becoming immune to gravity when he inhales marijuana smoke (''Joint Custody'').
** "How did you know I was fireproof? Even I didn't know! Wait, you did know right? I'm gonna go with yes to preserve the friendship"
** Roger can also probe people to gain all their memories (''Roger 'N' Me'').
** Well, he IS supposed to be a crash test dummy.
** Roger apparently can now move "Really, really fast", showing us how [[spoiler: he faked the death of one of his own personas by opening up a manhole cover, pulling out a body double mannequin, going back down into the sewer, coming back out with red paint and various other colors and is able to decorate the body with enough time to reflect on his creation before a bus ran it over]], all within a split second.
** In the first episode, Roger spontaneously fires some green alien goop from his pores that gets on everything. He casually remarks that this happens "every ten hours, like clockwork." After the pilot this is never mentioned again.
* NewsTravelsFast: When Hayley breaks up with Bullock on live TV, the news ticker at the bottom reports in exact and ''greater'' detail about the break-up more than even Bullock himself is learning as he's having the conversation with Hailey.
* NightmareFace: Francine's face after being disfigured by acid.
* NightmareFuel: {{In-universe}} example with "Vacation Goo". When Francine decides to take the Smith family on an actual vacation and not one that is a [[spoiler: virtual simulation]], the experience turns out to be so traumatizing that they decide the only way to take quality family vacations is to do it through a virtual simulator.
* NightmareFetishist: Francine is ''really'' happy that Stan has the blood of a man he killed on his hands, and has him carry her up to the bedroom, after he boops her nose with blood.
* NoBisexuals: Stan purchased a gaydar watch from Sky Mall, which is 45% straight, 45% gay, and 10% curious.
** Hayley has hinted a couple of times that she might be bisexual, most prominently in ''Pulling Double Booty'', where she suggests having a three-way with a waitress and Bill the Double (actually Stan impersonating Bill)
*** And in ''Haylias'', where Hayley tells her parents that she's moving to France to have an affair with many men and even experiment with a woman named Simone.
** Steve and Klaus aren't exactly 100% straight.
* NobodyEverComplainedBefore: When Stan goes to Heaven and is denied a chance to return to life, he pulls out his gun and threatens to shoot. Everyone laughs and points out that Earth Guns don't work. The Bailiff pulls out a Heaven Gun and mentions that these do. Stan immediately grabs the gun and threatens to shoot his now-hostage lawyer. Everyone is shocked as Stan runs away. One guy complains.
-->''(Stan grabs the gun; various reactions of gasping and other comments from the crowd)''\\
'''Bystander:''' "Why do we have those again?"\\
''(Stan runs away with his lawyer as a hostage)''\\
''({{beat}})''\\
'''Bystander:''' "Seriously, ''why'' do we have Heaven Guns? I don't mean to be ''that guy'', I'm happy here... but why is this not an issue?"
* NoHoldsBarredBeatdown: Numerous times throughout the series, including: Francine beating up Stan for forgetting their anniversary, which was so brutal, it was filmed for an episode of ''Series/{{Cops}}''. Stan beating up Bullock, an elderly security guard, and a meter maid in three separate episodes. Hayley beating Snot within an inch of his life after she learned he stole her lucky panties, although Snot seemed to have enjoyed it.
* NoodleIncident:
--> '''Stan''': "That's the 2nd time my life has been saved by hip-hop. ''*camera zooms in on his face*'' But that's a story for another day..."
** When Haley returns from being sabotaged by Stan:
--->''(Hayley appears holding bloody pickaxe, wearing torn clothing and a shackle on her ankle)''
--->'''Stan:''' (gasp) You escaped the pit of no return?! How'd you get past my-
--->'''Hayley:''' They're all dead, Dad.
--->'''Stan:''' Even the younglings?
--->'''Hayley:''' I even made a wallet from their hides.
*** This is done again in the following episode when Hayley escapes being trapped in the basement:
--->'''Hayley:''' Hello father! Wondering how I escaped from the basement?
--->'''Stan:''' No, not really.
--->'''Hayley:''' Oh. (beat) ...but it involved training rats.
** In ''Virtual In-Stanity'':
-->'''Klaus''': You're really gonna kill five people ''over twenty dollars?!''\\
'''Roger''': Are you really asking that to the guy who, just last week, killed ''six'' people over ''nineteen dollars''?
* NoodleImplement: Toshi's coconut girlfriend in "Failure Is Not A Factory-Installed Option." Whether or not Steve, Barry, and Snot also have one is never made clear.
** Another example is from ''American Dream Factory's'' B-story, where Roger enters carrying an abacus, an octopus and a hairdryer, but fails to explain the obscure thing he's doing because whatever Steve's doing with his guitar "looks more interesting."
* NotDistractedByTheSexy: Stan takes in a stripper who's the same age as Hayley purely for non-sexual reasons.
* NotEvenBotheringWithTheAccent: PatrickStewart, as American CIA head Avery Bullock, makes no attempt to conceal his British accent. This is [[LampshadeHanging lampshaded]] in at least one episode.
* NotGoodWithRejection: Exaggerated with Hayley. If a boy dumps her, she will go on a destructive rampage. It's getting to the point where the police tell Stan and Francine that if she gets dumped again, Hayley will have to go to prison.
* NotSoDifferent: A defining point between Stan and Hayley's political views in early episodes. Actually, Stan has this chemistry with nearly all of the Smiths, whenever you wonder how he came to be a family man, the others will show they can be just as immoral or insane as he is.
-->'''Travis:''' ''*to Stan and Francine*'' You're ''both'' complete lunatics! You two were made for each other!
* NoWomansLand: Saudi Arabia turns out to be one in ''Stan of Arabia'', much to Francine's frustration and Stan's delight.
* ObjectTrackingShot: Done with Steve's [[spoiler: pubic hair]] ''a la'' the feather scene from ''ForrestGump'' in ''1600 Candles.''
* ObnoxiousInLaws: Francine's adoptive parents basically force their views/lifestyle on Stan whenever they visit, much to his displeasure.(Francine's adoptive parents are Chinese)
* OffingTheOffspring: Stan tries to do this to Steve and Haley in "Old Stan in the Mountain", when he mistakenly believes they're going to do him in.
* OhCrap:
-->'''Steve''': [To the cat that has been viciously attacking him all episode, and has now appeared to die in his arms] Poor Simon... you're in a better place now. You look so peaceful; almost as if you're ''[[NotQuiteDead sleeping...]]'' [beat] Oh, shit. [Cue mauling]
* OhLookMoreRooms: Explored in ''Toy Whorey'' when Roger goes to fetch wine, only to pass through several ridiculous rooms.
* OneDialogueTwoConversations: A moment from ''Pulling Double Booty'' provides the page quote for that article.
** Also done in ''Stannie Get Your Gun.'' It's even somewhat [[LampshadeHanging lampshaded]] by Roger ("I just love it when crap lines up like that.")
* OneWePreparedEarlier: ''American Dad'' premiered with one of these. Subsequent episodes would show the origins of various character relationships in {{Flashback}} (such as the fifth episode, ''Roger Codger'', which flashed back to how Roger came to live with the Smiths).
* OnlySaneMan: Hayley usually emerges as the only sane ''woman'' a lot of the time. Sometimes falls to Steve.
* OperatorFromIndia: In ''Four Little Words'', Francine is teaching English to a village of Indian children. The phrase she is teaching them to say is "Thank you for calling Apple tech support".
* OpposedMentors: played with this. Stan and Francine wanted to raise Steve different ways, and Steve ended up with a clone, allowing both parents to try their own ways. It turned out neither one alone worked.
* OscarBait: Mercilessly spoofed with ''Oscar Gold'', the ShowWithinAShow in ''Tearjerker''.
* TheOtherDarrin: Reggie the Koala gained a new voice actor in Season 5; the two actors don't sound particularly alike.
* OurNudityIsDifferent: PlayedForLaughs in an early episode in the series, where Stan sets up a deal with Ikea to refurnish all of Iraq so it looks like "your first apartment". This cues a CutawayGag of a citizen appreciating 80s lifestyle look of his new home, before being appalled at his wife's blatant display of nudity and telling her to put some clothes on. She's fully clothed except for her eyes, so she covers up her eyes and immediately trips over a table.
* OutOfFocus: After Hayley got married, she and Jeff were gone from the show for quite a few episodes. Probably due to her status as TheArtifact, and there being less dynamic plots to write for her, as opposed to the other family members.
* OutsideInsideSlur: {{Inverted|Trope}}. Francine is starring in a comedy based on her adoptive Chinese family. Her mother -- in the show -- calls her a "reverse banana": white on the outside, yellow on the inside (i.e., actually Asian) as a compliment.
* OverlyLongGag: Mostly avoided, but one does occur in ''Finances With Wolves'' during a very long sequence where Stan tries to park at the mall.
** Also the "Golden Turd" sequences. Arguably not a gag, but still...
** In "Weiner of Our Discontent", Stan laughs for a full 30 seconds in a manner seen previously in FamilyGuy. The gag was so long that, according to the [[WordOfGod DVD commentary]], SethMacFarlane was exhausted due to performing the entirety of the laughing in single takes.
** Con Heir drags the same lengthy gag into the episode three times.
-->[Francine tells Stan that his family's love makes him the richest man in the world]\\
'''Stan''': [picks up phone] Hello, Bill Gates? Turn's out ''I'm'' the richest guy in the world because I have an adoring wife and a loving family! [...] Hello? Unicef? I'd like to donate some of my immense riches. What's that? Children are still starving in Africa because wife love is worthless to you? What an odd policy!\\
[Later, when Stan quits his job for adventure]\\
'''Francine''': Oh! Adventure?! Hold on. [picks up phone] Hello, Mastercard? Do you accept payment in the form of adventure? [...] Hello, colleges? I'd like to pay my son's tuition, but I don't have any money, but my husband is rich in adventure!\\
[Later, when Stan discovers his father chose a life of crime over him]\\
'''Jack''': Oh, hold on one second. [picks up phone] Hello, French Riviera? Yes, can I buy a Chateau with my son's love?\\
'''Stan''': [[LampshadeHanging Yes! Yes! We all know the bit!]]
** When Stan gets cottage cheese on himself in "Delorean Story-An".
-->[Stan leaves Greg & Terry's house]\\
'''Tank''': Look at him. He's just gonna float away. Float away '''''like a fairy.'''''\\
[Stan carries two heavy trash cans to the sidewalk]\\
'''Tank''': Look at him! Carrying those heavy trash cans '''''like a girl!'''''\\
[Stan moves a giant rock]\\
'''Tank''': I bet he wished that rock was '''''a big, naked man!'''''\\
[Stan wolf whistles at a lady on a bike]\\
'''Tank''': Yeah, '''''whistle a show tune ya drag queen!'''''
* KaleidoscopeHair: Subverted with Roger, who has a collection of wigs that he swaps around for roleplaying. Many of them are different in color.
* KansasCityShuffle: Steve's plan in ''Bar Mitzvah Shuffle''.
* KarmaHoudini: Nearly all the family has gotten away with some horrific crime at some point in the show's run, Roger and Stan are probably the most recurring examples however. It may be balanced by all of them having [[TheChewToy Chew Toy]] traits however.
** One notable example: In order to fix the course of history, Stan had to make the assassination attempt on Ronald Regan because John Hinkley was never motivated to do it. History was fixed (with some added benefits of making it easier to buy guns) and Stan didn't have any repercussions happen to him for trying to kill Regan.
** Another notable example: Roger enslaves a group of foster children to work in inhumane conditions at his vineyard for nearly a year, and gives two of the girls to Steve, who dresses them in skimpy costumes and sexually harasses them. The only punishment? CPS takes them away, which actually makes Roger happy because the wine they made wasn't any good.
* KentBrockmanNews: Greg and Terry are low on exposition but high on drama, usually doing their dirty laundry over the airwaves.
-->'''Terry:''' "This recession is affecting everyone, even we're cutting back. [[{{Pun}} Last night we only sixty-eighted]].
-->'''Greg:''' "Really? ...That's terrible."
-->'''Terry:''' *smug smile* "Oh well."
* KickMePrank:
** During the opening, Hayley sticks a peace sign on Stan's back, while Francine takes it off before he even notices.
** When Stan gets braces, the other employees prank him by sticking "Shoot Me" on his back. He was lucky he was wearing his bullet proof vest.
* KilledOffForReal: [[spoiler: Miriam Bullock, off screen by Roger in his infamous Ricky Spanish persona. Lucky for him, Avery is too strung out on drugs to care when Roger later admits it to him.]]
* LackOfEmpathy: Roger and Stan take this to extremes at times. Roger's mindset got screwed up psychologically the first time he felt for anyone before himself. Roger is also very casual and matter-of-fact about describing himself as a sociopath ("Cops & Roger"). Being a SethMacFarlane work however, nearly every character displays this trait at times (though it's not as prevalent here as it is on, say, ''FamilyGuy'').
* LanternJawOfJustice: Stan Smith, an unusual non-superhero iteration.
* LargeHam: Stan Smith, as early as the pilot. ("Did somebody order a ''brand new'' '''dog'''?!")
** Similar with Principle Lewis, established the same time as Stan. "You can '''''READ!!!!'''''" "The system '''''WORKS!!!!!!!!'''''"
** Avery Bullock.
** Roger, but usually only when imitating something from a film or another show.
** Like father like son for Steve at times.
** The Antichrist from "Rapture's Delight" (but considering that Andy Samberg -- who can be a LargeHam in his ''SNL'' sketches -- voiced him, that's not a big surprise)
** Also, Barry, from time to time, thus making it a visual pun. '''''They'll give us boo-boos on our feelings!'''''
* LaserGuidedKarma: In ''Hurricane!'' Roger drowns his annoyingly clingy girlfriend. He's then electrocuted by Stan by accident and blackened to a crisp after Stan lets a bear into the house.
* TheLastHorseCrossesTheFinishLine: Stan is frequently subjected to this trope. One [[{{Squick}} noteworthy example]] comes from the episode "Deacon Stan, Jesus Man". In that episode, Roger was going through his reproductive cycle, and accidentally eaten all of Francine's potato salad for the pot-luck wake. Scrambling to make more, he realized he was out of mayonnaise, and had to resort to desperate measures. It was not until after the wake that Roger revealed that he made the salad, and that the secret ingredient was [[spoiler: his breast milk.]] Cue Steve, Klaus, Hayley, and Francine recoiling in horror and even vomiting from the news. But it takes Stan a full 90 seconds (the average length for a [[BreakingTheFourthWall commercial break]] to run its course) for him to realize, and take advantage, of the situation.
** Given a rather hilarious, and subtle, [[LampshadeHanging lampshade]] by [[PatrickStewart Bullock]] in "Francine's Flashback":
-->'''Stan''': Yeah, I'm uh laying low. Today is the anniversary of a huge fight me and Francine had last year.
-->'''Johnson''': Yeah what about?
-->'''Stan''': Oh I [[ForgottenAnniversary forgot our anniversary]]. Huh, I'm never going to do that again.
-->''(Johnson tries to speak up, but Bullock raises his hand to silence him.)''
-->''(A long, awkward {{Beat}})''
-->'''Stan (realizing)''': AAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!
-->'''Bullock''': There it is.
* LastNoteNightmare: After Stan is done singing while hallucinating (''The Magnificent Steven'') the transition back from his [[ArtShift Disney-style]] vision to the real world features a classic example.
* LaughablyEvil: Roger really leans into trope on occasion. He lacks much along the lines of consistent redeeming aspects and is [[LackOfEmpathy extremely unempathetic]] to the atrocities he has committed throughout the show's run. Neverless he is as funny as hell and is arguably the show's EnsembleDarkhorse.
* LawyerFriendlyCameo: [[LampshadeHanging Lampshaded]] in ''Spring Break-up''.
-->'''Partier:''' Carmen Selectra? Doesn't he mean Carmen ELECTRA?\\
'''Second partier:''' No! No, he doesn't!
* LeParkour: Stan and Francine engage in "freerunning" through apartment buildings with an energetic young couple. Francine makes a game effort for a first-timer, but Stan can barely keep up and falls several floors down a stairwell and breaks his legs (with his shinbone sticking out of one).
* LetsGetDangerous: When properly motivated, Hayley has been able to easily compete with, and even overpower, Stan(a highly skilled weapons expert) on several occasions.
* LetUsNeverSpeakOfThisAgain: In S3 Ep01, "The Vacation Goo", the Smiths end up [[spoiler: engaging in cannibalism unnecessarily.]] Francine comments that nothing bonds a family like a dark, horrible secret.
* LifetimeMovieOfTheWeek: "A.T. The Abused Terrestrial" parodies the concept; Roger seeks attention from another boy when Steve starts paying less attention to him, but the boy eventually turns abusive and Steve goes to save Roger from him.
* LikeFatherLikeSon: Or rather like daughter. Despite her radically different political views, Hayley's actual ''personality'' is very similar to her father, right down to the patronizing way she treats her romantic partner.
** Subverted with Steve and Stan, and again with Stan's estranged father Jack. Though in this case, it also works in that the failure to have any sort of relationship with their son/father is pretty much the same.
* LikesOlderWomen: One episode's side story was about Steve frequently making out with a friend of his grandfather's. And as turns out [[spoiler:his best friend Snot does too. The episode even ends with the two declaring that no woman will come between their friendship, right before an elderly woman walks by with an oxygen tank, whom they eagerly chase after.]]
* LimitedWardrobe: [[LampshadeHanging Lampshaded]] by Hayley in one episode when Steve is locked in Hayley's closet:
-->'''Steve''': Let me out, or I'll rip up all your clothes!\\
'''Hayley''': Go ahead! If you haven't noticed, I only wear this one outfit!
** Done again in ''Stanny Boy And Frantastic'' with Stan:
-->[Stan opens a wardrobe containing only several duplicate suits]\\
'''Stan''': Maybe this blue suit, with the white shirt and a black tie? Yeah, that's it!
* LivingADoubleLife: Roger and his disguises, to the point of [[ZigZaggedTrope zig zagging]].
** Played straight with Hayley turning out to be a pie maker.
* LivingEmotionalCrutch: Stan, on several occasions, has been shown to be completely incompetent at most tasks despite working as a [=CIA=] agent; in "Fartbreak Hotel", Stan asserts that he is more than capable of dressing himself, but after Francine leaves, he realizes can't remember if navy or black socks go better with his suit ''and spends the rest of the episode trapped in his room sobbing'' '''''because he can't figure out which socks to wear.'''''
* LogicBomb: In two separate episodes[[hottip:*:"Shallow Vows" and "I Am the Walrus", for the curious]], a Smith encounters evidence that one of Roger's personas is actually a real person; this is their reaction.
* LotusEaterMachine: The focus of S3 Ep01, "The Vacation Goo". The titular goo is a CIA invention that works like virtual reality and is exploited by Stan (and later the other Smiths) to get some alone time while the family is "experiencing" a family vacation.
** According to ''Rapture's Delight'', [[spoiler: Stan's vision of heaven is this, despite being dead he's still living his everyday life because it's his heart's greatest desire.]]
* LipstickLesbian: The Smiths' neighbor, Linda Memari, who is also in love with Francine.
* LostAesop: In "Hurricane!" a running theme is how, in a crisis, Stan will make decisions that at first ''sound'' like they could work, but actually always end up making things worse. When Stan comes to realize this and has a HeroicBSOD, Klaus cheers him up by saying he's got to keep trying 'til he gets it right. So Stan gets up, dusts himself off . . . and just makes everything a whole lot worse while trying to help. The episode closes with Francine telling him to just accept that, in a crisis, he needs to stand back and let others handle things. Stan ponders that for a moment . . . then decides he's not gonna do it for no adequately explained reason.
* LoveMartyr: Hayley's long-suffering loser boyfriend Jeff. He even calls her on the phone ''when she's in the next room'' because he just wrote her a song about loneliness.
** His persistence eventually pays off when she [[spoiler:marries him in season six.]]
* MagicFeather: In "The Scarlett Getter" Steve believes wearing a pair of Hayley's panties gives him good luck. After Snot steals them Hayley explains to Steve using an old episode of ''TheSmurfs'' as an example, that it was really his confidence that gave him luck, not the panties. This trope is subverted when it is revealed Hayley does believe they're magic and beats up Snot and takes back the panties from him.
* MailOrderBride: She's Russian, of course, and she comes with a fidelity contract. Toshi snags her, which is [[ContinuityNod mentioned in a later episode]].
* MamaBear: In "100 A.D.", Francine actually tries to [[spoiler: shoot Jeff Fischer when it appears as though he's willing to dump Hayley in order to collect Stan's $50,000 bounty on them. The idea is actually a ruse he and Hayley came up with in order to get the money and still elope, but he would have been dead had the gun had any bullets in it.]]
** In "Season's Beatings" Hayley fights Stan to keep him from killing her adopted baby even though it's revealed [[spoiler: he's the Anti-Christ.]]
* ManChild: Everyone who works at the CIA ends up being one sooner or later. Notable examples includes shooting tranquilizer darts like spitwads in a classroom, and placing [[KickMePrank "Shoot Me"]] signs on others backs. Bullock himself is no exception, though he sometimes has to scold other employees for acting childish...by giving them punishments you'd expect a 4th grade teacher to give her students.
** The CIA evidently even has a "Show-and-Tell day." Which the agents go through with the same (lack of) enthusiasm as an eight-year-old.
---> '''Sanders:''' ''(completely monotone)'' This [medal] was my grandpa's. He got it in the war. He was very brave.
* MandatoryLine: [[LampshadeHanging Lampshaded]] in ''Escape from Pearl Bailey'': "Nice of Steve to acknowledge us this week, even if it was only this once."
* AManIsNotAVirgin: Initially inverted- Stan tries to impart to Steve that sexual urges are evil and should be repressed. However, played straight with regard to Stan himself; Stan's lack of sexual experience outside his marriage to Francine is often used to make jokes at his expense, and it is actually what drives the plot of ''When A Stan Loves a Woman''.
** Also played with in another episode where Stan's CIA buddies tease Stan about being a virgin... of killing someone. That's right, Stan has never actually personally killed someone before.
* MarsNeedsWomen: Klaus the goldfish is in lust with Francine Smith. True, he used to be human, but still...
** Reggie the Koala and Hayley have a brief fling in Season 5, though Reggie, like Klaus, used to be human.
* MasculineGirlFeminineBoy: Hayley and Steve.
* MenstrualMenace: In S4 Ep01, "1600 Candles," Stan and Francine recall Hayley's first period, in which they are cowering against the wall with Stan holding up a fork in defense, as Hayley screams, "What do you mean every month?!"
* {{Metaphorgotten}}:
** From the very first episode, this exchange takes place when Stan tries to explain why Roger can't leave the house.
-->'''Stan''': You can't leave the house, the C.I.A. will erase our minds! You ever see the movie ''Film/{{Memento}}''? Wasn't quite as good the second time.
-->''({{Beat}})''
-->'''Stan (cnt'd)''': Anyway, you can't leave the house.
* MexicanStandoff: Most notably Joanna vs. Stan in ''When A Stan Loves A Woman''. Apparently "a little gunplay" is something that Stan finds arousing.
--> '''Stan Smith''': Francine, this happens every time! First you pull out a gun and threaten to shoot me. Then I pull out ''my'' gun. Eventually, your arm gets tired, you leave, and we have passionate "nobody-got-shot" sex.
* MightyWhitey: Referenced, when Stan escapes on a Predator Drone used as decoration for a float.
--> '''Old Chinese Guy:''' "The dragon awakens! The prophecy has been fulfilled!"\\
'''Chinese Girl:''' "With a white guy riding it... [[SarcasmMode Awesome]]."
* MindRape: Said word for word by Stan after getting tricked by a car salesman.
-->'''Stan:''' Son of bitch, he mind raped me!
* MindScrew: Usually interwoven with [[RefugeInAudacity some audacious plotting]]. See ''Widowmaker'' for an example that would make Series/JonathanCreek and Series/{{Columbo}} proud.
* MissConception: Subverted in a SpaceWhaleAesop kind of way in S1 Ep07, "Deacon Stan, Jesus Man," due to some [[FaceFullOfAlienWingWong alien spawn]], Steve's gymnast crush does get pregnant from a kiss.
* MisterSeahorse: Roger and then Steve in "Deacon Stan, Jesus Man"
* MoodWhiplash: In ''A Ward Show'', when Roger discovers Steve has been beat up, he [[spoiler: performs three BigNo's, before pulling a SkywardScream, dramatically tearing his shirt off and screaming through the inexplicable indoor thunder and rain. Cut to Roger and Steve quietly enjoying soup together and calmly discussing it.]]
** Done again in ''Stanny Slickers 2: The Legend of Ollie's Gold'' - in the final minutes, Stan learns that his true legacy is his children, rather than the eponymous gold. The family shares a heartwarming moment, and:
---> '''Stan:''' And the robot and piercings are gone by tomorrow or this pit becomes your grave.
** In ''Red October Sky'' when Hayley announces to Francine that Mr. Hallworthy has died, she feels sad.... until:
---> '''Francine:''' (happy) Nutty bars! They sell nutty bars now! I asked the man and he got them!
* {{Montages}}: usually bizarre and accompanied by lively music.
** A good example is [[LampshadeHanging shaded]] in ''Pulling Double Booty''. ("Haha - you thought they got top hats!")
** Sometimes they use Night Ranger. Yeah, frickin' '''Night Ranger'''.
* MsFanservice: Both Hayley and Francine has been used to cater to a variety of fetishes over the course of the series.
* MushroomSamba: Joint Custody when Stan and Roger get high on burned weed.
** "The Magnificent Steven" when Stan eats Mad Cow tainted beef and trips in his undies.
** "My Morning Straitjacket" Non-drug related but when Stan daydreams about My Morning Jacket frontman Jim James.
** "A Jones for a Smith" Stan smokes crack in his bathroom and sees his world as a commercial for crack as a prescription medication.
** "100 A.D." when Roger injects amphetamines into his eyes while driving (much to passenger Steve's horror); in Son Of Stan when Roger uses a bong in order to "think like a stoner" so that he can track down the eloped Hayley and Jeff (when his trip ends, he discovers it took him straight to them, much to his surprise).
** "For Whom The Sleighbell Tolls" Roger getting drunk on moonshine in, and imagining himself in a DonkeyKong scenario dodging liquor barrels
* MyBelovedSmother: Francine in ''Iced Iced Babies''.
** Sublimely inverted by Stan in ''Oedipal Panties''.
* MusicalEpisode: ''Hot Water'', which serves as a Theatre/LittleShopOfHorrors parody
* MyGodWhatHaveIDone: Stan says this ''exactly'' world-for-word when he realizes that keeping Steve down from being the alpha-male means he won't become the man Stan wants him to be.
* MySisterIsOffLimits: In "Best Little Horror House in Langley Falls" Toshi is ready to kill Steve with a samurai sword for not bringing his sister Akiko home in time at Halloween.
* MysteriousPast: Roger's past on Earth is referenced and rarely shown, with an exception in the Christmas special ''The Best Christmas Story Never Told''. His history on his home planet (including which planet it actually '''was''') is even ''more'' rarely referenced and never shown.
** In one episode, Roger learned that his initial purpose for coming to Earth was to be a crash test dummy for a spaceship that his people were testing, not The Decider of the fate of planet as he was told. [[HilarityEnsues Stan was less than supportive.]]
** We are given a brief glimpse of what seems to be his home planet in a flashback in "Brains, Brains and Automobiles".
* NarratingThePresent: Klaus in one episode. When asked what he was doing he explained he was pretending his life was a DVD and he was doing the [[DVDCommentary audio commentary]]. Later in the episode Klaus' voice is head narrating over the scene so that we can't hear what anyone is saying. According to Klaus we miss the funniest line in the episode because of this.
* NeverASelfMadeWoman: Averted in "Fart-Break Hotel". Francine ultimately comes to the conclusion that extreme devotion to family or career/non-family activities to the exclusion of the other is bad. She only becomes happier when she is able to balance the two as she finds fulfillment in both.
* NeverHeardThatOneBefore: During the Halloween episode, we get this exchange between Stan and Terry.
--> '''Terry:''' Looking forward to your party tonight.
--> '''Stan:''' It'll scare you straight!
--> '''Terry:''' (Dryly) Every year...
* NewJobEpisode: Stan in ''Meter Made''; Roger and Francine from time to time.
* NewPowersAsThePlotDemands: Roger ''is'' this trope. His notable achievements include being buoyant enough to be used as a raft (''Choosy Wives Choose Smith''), resistance to fire (''Big Trouble In Little Langley'') and becoming immune to gravity when he inhales marijuana smoke (''Joint Custody'').
** "How did you know I was fireproof? Even I didn't know! Wait, you did know right? I'm gonna go with yes to preserve the friendship"
** Roger can also probe people to gain all their memories (''Roger 'N' Me'').
** Well, he IS supposed to be a crash test dummy.
** Roger apparently can now move "Really, really fast", showing us how [[spoiler: he faked the death of one of his own personas by opening up a manhole cover, pulling out a body double mannequin, going back down into the sewer, coming back out with red paint and various other colors and is able to decorate the body with enough time to reflect on his creation before a bus ran it over]], all within a split second.
** In the first episode, Roger spontaneously fires some green alien goop from his pores that gets on everything. He casually remarks that this happens "every ten hours, like clockwork." After the pilot this is never mentioned again.
* NewsTravelsFast: When Hayley breaks up with Bullock on live TV, the news ticker at the bottom reports in exact and ''greater'' detail about the break-up more than even Bullock himself is learning as he's having the conversation with Hailey.
* NightmareFace: Francine's face after being disfigured by acid.
* NightmareFuel: {{In-universe}} example with "Vacation Goo". When Francine decides to take the Smith family on an actual vacation and not one that is a [[spoiler: virtual simulation]], the experience turns out to be so traumatizing that they decide the only way to take quality family vacations is to do it through a virtual simulator.
* NightmareFetishist: Francine is ''really'' happy that Stan has the blood of a man he killed on his hands, and has him carry her up to the bedroom, after he boops her nose with blood.
* NoBisexuals: Stan purchased a gaydar watch from Sky Mall, which is 45% straight, 45% gay, and 10% curious.
** Hayley has hinted a couple of times that she might be bisexual, most prominently in ''Pulling Double Booty'', where she suggests having a three-way with a waitress and Bill the Double (actually Stan impersonating Bill)
*** And in ''Haylias'', where Hayley tells her parents that she's moving to France to have an affair with many men and even experiment with a woman named Simone.
** Steve and Klaus aren't exactly 100% straight.
* NobodyEverComplainedBefore: When Stan goes to Heaven and is denied a chance to return to life, he pulls out his gun and threatens to shoot. Everyone laughs and points out that Earth Guns don't work. The Bailiff pulls out a Heaven Gun and mentions that these do. Stan immediately grabs the gun and threatens to shoot his now-hostage lawyer. Everyone is shocked as Stan runs away. One guy complains.
-->''(Stan grabs the gun; various reactions of gasping and other comments from the crowd)''\\
'''Bystander:''' "Why do we have those again?"\\
''(Stan runs away with his lawyer as a hostage)''\\
''({{beat}})''\\
'''Bystander:''' "Seriously, ''why'' do we have Heaven Guns? I don't mean to be ''that guy'', I'm happy here... but why is this not an issue?"
* NoHoldsBarredBeatdown: Numerous times throughout the series, including: Francine beating up Stan for forgetting their anniversary, which was so brutal, it was filmed for an episode of ''Series/{{Cops}}''. Stan beating up Bullock, an elderly security guard, and a meter maid in three separate episodes. Hayley beating Snot within an inch of his life after she learned he stole her lucky panties, although Snot seemed to have enjoyed it.
* NoodleIncident:
--> '''Stan''': "That's the 2nd time my life has been saved by hip-hop. ''*camera zooms in on his face*'' But that's a story for another day..."
** When Haley returns from being sabotaged by Stan:
--->''(Hayley appears holding bloody pickaxe, wearing torn clothing and a shackle on her ankle)''
--->'''Stan:''' (gasp) You escaped the pit of no return?! How'd you get past my-
--->'''Hayley:''' They're all dead, Dad.
--->'''Stan:''' Even the younglings?
--->'''Hayley:''' I even made a wallet from their hides.
*** This is done again in the following episode when Hayley escapes being trapped in the basement:
--->'''Hayley:''' Hello father! Wondering how I escaped from the basement?
--->'''Stan:''' No, not really.
--->'''Hayley:''' Oh. (beat) ...but it involved training rats.
** In ''Virtual In-Stanity'':
-->'''Klaus''': You're really gonna kill five people ''over twenty dollars?!''\\
'''Roger''': Are you really asking that to the guy who, just last week, killed ''six'' people over ''nineteen dollars''?
* NoodleImplement: Toshi's coconut girlfriend in "Failure Is Not A Factory-Installed Option." Whether or not Steve, Barry, and Snot also have one is never made clear.
** Another example is from ''American Dream Factory's'' B-story, where Roger enters carrying an abacus, an octopus and a hairdryer, but fails to explain the obscure thing he's doing because whatever Steve's doing with his guitar "looks more interesting."
* NotDistractedByTheSexy: Stan takes in a stripper who's the same age as Hayley purely for non-sexual reasons.
* NotEvenBotheringWithTheAccent: PatrickStewart, as American CIA head Avery Bullock, makes no attempt to conceal his British accent. This is [[LampshadeHanging lampshaded]] in at least one episode.
* NotGoodWithRejection: Exaggerated with Hayley. If a boy dumps her, she will go on a destructive rampage. It's getting to the point where the police tell Stan and Francine that if she gets dumped again, Hayley will have to go to prison.
* NotSoDifferent: A defining point between Stan and Hayley's political views in early episodes. Actually, Stan has this chemistry with nearly all of the Smiths, whenever you wonder how he came to be a family man, the others will show they can be just as immoral or insane as he is.
-->'''Travis:''' ''*to Stan and Francine*'' You're ''both'' complete lunatics! You two were made for each other!
* NoWomansLand: Saudi Arabia turns out to be one in ''Stan of Arabia'', much to Francine's frustration and Stan's delight.
* ObjectTrackingShot: Done with Steve's [[spoiler: pubic hair]] ''a la'' the feather scene from ''ForrestGump'' in ''1600 Candles.''
* ObnoxiousInLaws: Francine's adoptive parents basically force their views/lifestyle on Stan whenever they visit, much to his displeasure.(Francine's adoptive parents are Chinese)
* OffingTheOffspring: Stan tries to do this to Steve and Haley in "Old Stan in the Mountain", when he mistakenly believes they're going to do him in.
* OhCrap:
-->'''Steve''': [To the cat that has been viciously attacking him all episode, and has now appeared to die in his arms] Poor Simon... you're in a better place now. You look so peaceful; almost as if you're ''[[NotQuiteDead sleeping...]]'' [beat] Oh, shit. [Cue mauling]
* OhLookMoreRooms: Explored in ''Toy Whorey'' when Roger goes to fetch wine, only to pass through several ridiculous rooms.
* OneDialogueTwoConversations: A moment from ''Pulling Double Booty'' provides the page quote for that article.
** Also done in ''Stannie Get Your Gun.'' It's even somewhat [[LampshadeHanging lampshaded]] by Roger ("I just love it when crap lines up like that.")
* OneWePreparedEarlier: ''American Dad'' premiered with one of these. Subsequent episodes would show the origins of various character relationships in {{Flashback}} (such as the fifth episode, ''Roger Codger'', which flashed back to how Roger came to live with the Smiths).
* OnlySaneMan: Hayley usually emerges as the only sane ''woman'' a lot of the time. Sometimes falls to Steve.
* OperatorFromIndia: In ''Four Little Words'', Francine is teaching English to a village of Indian children. The phrase she is teaching them to say is "Thank you for calling Apple tech support".
* OpposedMentors: played with this. Stan and Francine wanted to raise Steve different ways, and Steve ended up with a clone, allowing both parents to try their own ways. It turned out neither one alone worked.
* OscarBait: Mercilessly spoofed with ''Oscar Gold'', the ShowWithinAShow in ''Tearjerker''.
* TheOtherDarrin: Reggie the Koala gained a new voice actor in Season 5; the two actors don't sound particularly alike.
* OurNudityIsDifferent: PlayedForLaughs in an early episode in the series, where Stan sets up a deal with Ikea to refurnish all of Iraq so it looks like "your first apartment". This cues a CutawayGag of a citizen appreciating 80s lifestyle look of his new home, before being appalled at his wife's blatant display of nudity and telling her to put some clothes on. She's fully clothed except for her eyes, so she covers up her eyes and immediately trips over a table.
* OutOfFocus: After Hayley got married, she and Jeff were gone from the show for quite a few episodes. Probably due to her status as TheArtifact, and there being less dynamic plots to write for her, as opposed to the other family members.
* OutsideInsideSlur: {{Inverted|Trope}}. Francine is starring in a comedy based on her adoptive Chinese family. Her mother -- in the show -- calls her a "reverse banana": white on the outside, yellow on the inside (i.e., actually Asian) as a compliment.
* OverlyLongGag: Mostly avoided, but one does occur in ''Finances With Wolves'' during a very long sequence where Stan tries to park at the mall.
** Also the "Golden Turd" sequences. Arguably not a gag, but still...
** In "Weiner of Our Discontent", Stan laughs for a full 30 seconds in a manner seen previously in FamilyGuy. The gag was so long that, according to the [[WordOfGod DVD commentary]], SethMacFarlane was exhausted due to performing the entirety of the laughing in single takes.
** Con Heir drags the same lengthy gag into the episode three times.
-->[Francine tells Stan that his family's love makes him the richest man in the world]\\
'''Stan''': [picks up phone] Hello, Bill Gates? Turn's out ''I'm'' the richest guy in the world because I have an adoring wife and a loving family! [...] Hello? Unicef? I'd like to donate some of my immense riches. What's that? Children are still starving in Africa because wife love is worthless to you? What an odd policy!\\
[Later, when Stan quits his job for adventure]\\
'''Francine''': Oh! Adventure?! Hold on. [picks up phone] Hello, Mastercard? Do you accept payment in the form of adventure? [...] Hello, colleges? I'd like to pay my son's tuition, but I don't have any money, but my husband is rich in adventure!\\
[Later, when Stan discovers his father chose a life of crime over him]\\
'''Jack''': Oh, hold on one second. [picks up phone] Hello, French Riviera? Yes, can I buy a Chateau with my son's love?\\
'''Stan''': [[LampshadeHanging Yes! Yes! We all know the bit!]]
** When Stan gets cottage cheese on himself in "Delorean Story-An".
