History WesternAnimation / AmericanDad

Vote for the best episode [[https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/crowner.php/BestEpisode/AmericanDad here.]] Recap page [[Recap/AmericanDad here]].

Because of low ratings and Fox's plans to revert the Sunday night line-up from "Animation Domination" to "Sunday Funday", ''American Dad'' was canceled on Fox, but has since been picked up by Creator/{{TBS}}. On May 14th, 2023, the show was [[https://insidethemagic.net/2023/05/wga-strike-seth-mcfarlane-fox-emd1/ confirmed by creator Seth MacFarlane to have been suspended for an unspecified amount of time]] due to the ongoing writer's strike.

[[caption-width-right:350:L to R: [[HeroicComedicSociopath Roger]], [[TalkingAnimal Klaus]], [[BewareTheNiceOnes Francine]], [[WellIntentionedExtremist Stan]], [[ExtravertedNerd Steve]], and [[SoapboxSadie Hayley]].[[note]]Not pictured: [[TheStoner Jeff Fischer]], [[CousinOliver Rogu]].[[/note]]]]

Because of low ratings and Fox's plans to revert the Sunday night line-up from "Animation Domination" to "Sunday Funday", ''American Dad'' was canceled on Fox, but has since been picked up by Creator/{{TBS}}. On May 14th, 2023, the show was [[https://insidethemagic.net/2023/05/wga-strike-seth-mcfarlane-fox-emd1/ confirmed by creator Seth MacFarlane to have been cancelled for an unspecified amount of time]] due to the ongoing writer's strike.

[[caption-width-right:350:L to R: [[HeroicComedicSociopath Roger]], [[TalkingAnimal Klaus]], [[BewareTheNiceOnes Francine]], [[WellIntentionedExtremist Stan]], [[ExtravertedNerd Steve]], and [[SoapboxSadie Hayley]].[[note]]Not pictured: [[TheStoner Jeff Fischer]].[[/note]]]]

Because of low ratings and Fox's plans to revert the Sunday night line-up from "Animation Domination" to "Sunday Funday", ''American Dad'' was canceled on Fox, but has since been picked up by Creator/{{TBS}}. On May 14th, 2023, the show was confirmed by creator Seth MacFarlane to have been cancelled due to the ongoing writer's strike.

Because of low ratings and Fox's plans to revert the Sunday night line-up from "Animation Domination" to "Sunday Funday", ''American Dad'' was canceled on Fox, but has since been picked up by Creator/{{TBS}}.

Vote for the best episode [[https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/crowner.php/BestEpisode/AmericanDad here]]. Recap page [[Recap/AmericanDad here]].

->''Bye, have a beautiful time!''

->''"Good morning USA,''\\

''Good morning USA!"''

[[caption-width-right:350:[[HeroicComedicSociopath Roger]], [[TalkingAnimal Klaus]], [[BewareTheNiceOnes Francine]], [[WellIntentionedExtremist Stan]], [[ExtravertedNerd Steve]], and [[SoapboxSadie Hayley]].[[note]]Not pictured: [[TheStoner Jeff Fischer]].[[/note]]]]

** [[CrapsackWorld/AmericanDad Crapsack World]]

A pillory of American ultra conservatism played out on UsefulNotes/RupertMurdoch's [[Creator/{{Fox}} network]], it follows the daily life of [[CharacterDevelopment initially-paranoid]] and extremely patriotic CIA agent Stan Smith, his over-protective wife Francine, nerdy teenage son Steve, and liberal and rebellious teenage daughter Hayley. The pilot episode explains that, on a mission, Stan uncovered a runaway talking alien named Roger, who lives in the family's attic for protection from getting turned in to the federal agency, until he adapted more to the outside world and became more outgoing through the use of various disguises later in the series. They also have a talking German goldfish named Klaus, who used to be a human.

Early in its run, ''American Dad!'' was viewed as a clone of ''Family Guy'', but it quickly outgrew this reputation and developed its own identity. It has accomplished this largely by emphasizing story and character development and not including most of ''Family Guy'''s trademark shticks, like the {{cutaway gag}}s, {{flashback twist}}s, {{big lipped alligator moment}}s, {{overly long gag}}s, and its excessive use of {{take that}}s (though the occasional one does occur), making it a show that even detractors of Creator/SethMacFarlane's works could enjoy. Initially, the show relied on caricatures of political personalities, as well as some of the more visible and controversial aspects of the right wing's policies and ideologies (although granted, usually the [[StrawCharacter Strawman Political]] version of said policies) and was, in [=MacFarlane=]'s words, "...going to be the next ''Series/AllInTheFamily''". Over time, however, as the characters' personalities began to be fleshed out, the show became less and less political in nature, to the point where only a small portion of the episodes featured politics as an active theme (curiously, as this was taking place, ''Family Guy'' was steadily becoming ''more'' political).

The show began to [[GrowingTheBeard grow its beard]] in the two-part episode "Stan of Arabia" (whose part 2 scriptwriters were ''Series/HowIMetYourMother'' creators Carter Bays and Craig Thomas) midway through the second season. Since then, the plots have become more eccentric and arguably more entertaining as a result. The show has shown a willingness to experiment with unconventional storytelling techniques, such as "Star Trek", in which Steve's brief success as a children's author is told in the style of a 1940s FilmNoir story, "Of Ice and Men", which is related as a ''[[Film/ThePrincessBride Princess Bride]]''-style bedtime story told by a years older (and now human) Klaus to his young grandson, and "Blood Crieth Unto Heaven", which is performed as a stage play. The quality varies wildly from episode to episode, but the risks the writers take often lead to stories laced with snappy dialogue and strong performances from the voice actors, making it one of the better works of Creator/SethMacFarlane.

Because of low ratings and Fox's plans to revert the Sunday night line-up from "Animation Domination" to "Sunday Funday", ''American Dad'' was canceled on Fox. Creator/{{TBS}} picked up the show, which has since been renewed for a 19th season, meaning that the show will run into at least 2022.

** [[BitingTheHandHumor/FoxAnimatedShows Biting-the-Hand Humor]][[note]]Also includes examples from some other {{Creator/Fox}} animated series.[[/note]]

** [[ShoutOut/AmericanDad Shout-Out]]

%% Image selected per Image Pickin' thread: https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/posts.php?discussion=1549594694015595700

''American Dad!'' is the second cartoon sitcom from the creator of ''WesternAnimation/FamilyGuy'', Creator/SethMacFarlane, along with Matt Weitzman and Mike Barker.

''American Dad!'' is the second cartoon sitcom from the creator of ''WesternAnimation/FamilyGuy'', Creator/SethMacFarlane, along with Matt Weitzman and Mike Barker. A pillory of American ultra conservatism played out on UsefulNotes/RupertMurdoch's [[Creator/{{Fox}} network]], it follows the daily life of [[CharacterDevelopment initially-paranoid]] and extremely patriotic CIA agent Stan Smith, his over-protective wife Francine, nerdy teenage son Steve, and liberal and rebellious teenage daughter Hayley. The pilot episode explains that, on a mission, Stan uncovered a runaway talking alien named Roger, who lives in the family's attic for protection from getting turned in to the federal agency, until he adapted more to the outside world and became more outgoing through the use of various disguises later in the series. They also have a talking German goldfish named Klaus, who used to be a human.

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/american_dad_poster.png

[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/American-Dad_1050.jpg]]

[[quoteright:349:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/American-Dad_1050.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:349:[[HeroicComedicSociopath Roger]], [[BewareTheNiceOnes Francine]], [[WellIntentionedExtremist Stan]], [[TalkingAnimal Klaus]], [[SoapboxSadie Hayley]], and [[ExtravertedNerd Steve]].[[note]]Not pictured: [[TheStoner Jeff Fischer]].[[/note]]]]

''American Dad!'' is the second cartoon sitcom from the creator of ''WesternAnimation/FamilyGuy'', Creator/SethMacFarlane, along with Matt Weitzman and Mike Barker. A pillory of American ultra conservatism played out on UsefulNotes/RupertMurdoch's [[Creator/{{Fox}} network]], it follows the daily life of [[CharacterDevelopment initially-paranoid]] and extremely patriotic CIA agent Stan Smith, his over-protective wife Francine, nerdy teenage son Steve, and liberal and rebellious teenage daughter Hayley. The pilot episode explains that, on a mission, Stan uncovered a runaway talking alien named Roger, who lives in the family's attic for protection from getting turned in to the federal agency, until he adapted more to the outside world and became more outgoing through the use of various disguises later in the series. They also have a talking German goldfish named Klaus, who used to be an human.

[[caption-width-right:349:[[HeroicComedicSociopath Roger]], [[BewareTheNiceOnes Francine]], [[WellIntentionedExtremist Stan]], [[TalkingAnimal Klaus]], [[SoapboxSadie Hayley]], and [[ExtravertedNerd Steve]].[[note]]Not pictured: [[TheStoner Jeff Fischer]].]]

The show began to [[GrowingTheBeard grow its beard]] in the two-part episode "Stan of Arabia" (whose part 2 scriptwriters were ''Series/HowIMetYourMother'' creators Carter Bays and Craig Thomas) midway through the second season. Since then the plots have become more eccentric and arguably more entertaining as a result. The show has shown a willingness to experiment with unconventional storytelling techniques, such as "Star Trek", in which Steve's brief success as a children's author is told in the style of a 1940s FilmNoir story, "Of Ice and Men", which is related as a ''[[Film/ThePrincessBride Princess Bride]]''-style bedtime story told by a years older (and now human) Klaus to his young grandson, and "Blood Crieth Unto Heaven", which is performed as a stage play. The quality varies wildly from episode to episode, but the risks the writers take often lead to stories laced with snappy dialogue and strong performances from the voice actors.

Because of low ratings and Fox's plans to revert the Sunday night line-up from "Animation Domination" to "Sunday Funday", ''American Dad'' was canceled on Fox[[note]]But not before airing three leftover season 10 episodes as a separate mini 11th season on September 14th and September 21st 2014[[/note]]. Creator/{{TBS}} picked up the show, which has since been renewed for a 19th season, meaning that the show will run into at least 2022.