History AmericanDad / TropesUToZ

* UnwittingInstigatorOfDoom: In "Best Little Horror House in Langley Falls", Stan finds his haunted house outdone by his neighbor Buckle's, so he uses his CIA influence to pull in five dangerous criminals to his house. The criminals fail to scare anyone so Roger tries to make them scarier by ripping off Francine's nun costume in front of them, leaving her in her underwear (which gets them riled up and horny) and then [[WhatAnIdiot lets all of them loose]], [[FromBadToWorse causing them to go]] [[OhCrap on a killing spree]], [[ThisIsGonnaSuck leading everyone in the house to run for their lives]]!

* WeWantOurJerkBack: In ''Frannie 911'', Roger is forced to become nice, but when the family discovers that being nice is actually harming his health, they beg him to go back to being a jerk.
** In ''The Boring Identity'', Francine tries to change Stan's personality after he gets EasyAmnesia. It [[GoneHorriblyRight goes horribly right]], of course.

--> '''Steve''': Are we having a ''father/son'' moment?
--> '''Stan''': ''[[GroinAttack [hits Steve in the crotch]]]'' We were. You ruined it by mentioning it.

-->'''Roger''': Stan, remember: the first rule of any wedding is the bride is always beautiful. The second rule you can read on my website. You have to be 18 to log on. I have some sexy barnyard stuff on there that is ''not'' for everyone; I could get in a lot of trouble. If you do decide to check it out you're gonna have to clear your history right away-- ''you may need to un-install your browser.'' I'm telling you, scrub that thing clean. If you think you're being too cautious ''you're not.'' '''''They will take us both to jail.'''''

* UltimateGamer386: Steve Smith

* UnevilLaugh: Francine tries to do an EvilLaugh in "Spelling Bee My Baby". Key word being "tries."
* TheUnfairSex: The episode Stan Time is a perfect example of this trope. Throughout the episode Stan literally spends every waking hour waiting on his family hand and foot. All he asks for is time to read a book. When they refuse to give it to him he takes it in the form of pills that keeps its users awake, but well-rested. When Francine finds out about them she decided to take them as well. As mentioned Stan spends every waking moment waiting on his family. So when he doesn’t want to give up the time he set aside for himself Francine decides to keep taking the pills and eventually abandons Stan and her family. In the end it is Stan and no one else who has to learn not to take his loved ones for granted.
** Punctuated by Francine having almost the ''exact same Aesop'' in a later episode, however while Francine learns to be appreciative of what she has, she is granted a fair compromise and some time to herself, something Stan is guilt tripped into thinking is hurtful and selfish in his case.
** Stan and Francine are often given similar Aesops for example both have had episodes where they check out the opposite sex and in both cases Stan is the one in the wrong. Even when it turns out that Francine is just an [[AllTakeAndNoGive incredibly selfish lover]] Stan is still wrong for trying to hard. What makes it worse Francine is treated very sympathetically even though she was openly lusting after her daughter’s boyfriend to the point of putting her families lives in danger. While Stan who was merely utilizing the MaleGaze was villainized with everyone calling him out over looking at other woman when he has such a hot wife.

* TheUnintelligible: Inverted with Toshi. He only speaks Japanese, but it's subtitled, so the audience can understand him but none of the characters can. This is lampshaded a few times, such as when Toshi mentions that he is haunted by the disembodied spirit of a 12th century samurai. When the spirit talks to him in Japanese, Toshi can't understand it properly.
** He can also speak Russian and in one episode Francine ends a phone conversation with him with "Bueno gracias." Though the last may just be another joke about everyone perpetually misunderstanding him.
** He actually speaks English at one point, after Snot yells at him to learn the language: "EAT... MY... BOWLS!"

-->'''Klaus:''' This man is crazy!
-->'''Stan:''' Would a crazy man ''drink you''?! ''[begins drinking from Klaus' bowl]''
* UnsympatheticComedyProtagonist: Stan Smith, though he is shaping up to be a fairly sympathetic character. True, he retains ''some'' {{Jerkass}} qualities, but enough episodes end with *him* delivering the {{Aesop}} or at least on the moral high ground for him to go beyond just being an {{Expy}} of [[WesternAnimation/FamilyGuy Peter Griffin]] or, worse -- {{Jerkass}} [[WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons Homer]].

* UnCanceled: ''American Dad'' ended its run on FOX due to low ratings, inconsistent scheduling, and plans to revamp the Sunday night line-up. TBS picked up the show and started airing new episodes in fall of 2014, making this the second Creator/SethMacFarlane show to get canceled and revived, and the first one to get canceled by FOX and revived on another network (''WesternAnimation/FamilyGuy'' does air in reruns on cable, but it's still on FOX).

** Things seem to be taking a turn for the better as of "Father's Daze." The presidential candidate is exposed by a newspaper for corruption and ends up getting killed by his running mate over the golden turd, just before also getting killed by the Secret Service. A cleaning woman then finds the turd and gives it to Pope Francis, who presents it to a group of religious leaders and vows to destroy it by returning it to its source (i.e. Roger).

* WholePlotReference: Done very sparingly, and (usually) effectively; the show still manages to put its own unique twist on things even when it's largely basing its plot on an existing story. An excellent example is ''Irregarding Steve'', which not only features Steve and Roger in a take-off on ''{{Midnight Cowboy}}'', but has a running B-story which recreates ''Film/WhatsEatingGilbertGrape'' with ''squirrels''.[[note]]Doubles as a StealthPun: It's ''Gilbert Grape'' "in a nutshell".[[/note]]

* UglyGuyHotWife: Averted for once in a family sitcom, as Stan is just as attractive as Francine.

** "The Kidney Stays in the Picture" has Stan and Francine go back to the year 1996 to ensure that their daughter Hayley is conceived. The problem occurs up when you realize that because the episode aired in 2012, which would make Hayley '''16 years old'''. Seeing as how she's a married college student, that doesn't seem likely. Additionally, she stated all the way back in "Stan Knows Best" that she was 18.

* WritersCannotDoMath: Averted in "Four Little Words." After thinking she's killed her friend, Francine leaves and says there's six months worth of casserole in the freezer. Cut to an indeterminate amount of time later.

* UnCancelled: ''American Dad'' is ending its run on FOX due to low ratings, inconsistent scheduling, and plans to revamp the Sunday night line-up (as of now, ''American Dad'' airs at 7:30pm, due to FOX airing the hour-long ''Cosmos'' documentary series). However, TBS just picked up the show and will be airing new episodes in fall of 2014, making this the second Creator/SethMacFarlane show to get canceled and revived, and the first one to get canceled by FOX and revived on another network (''WesternAnimation/FamilyGuy'' does air in reruns on cable, but it's still on FOX).

* TheUnfairSex: The episode Stan Time is a perfect example of this trope. Throughout the episode Stan literally spends every waking hour waiting on his family hand and foot. All he asks for is time to read a book. When they refuse to give it to him he takes it in the form of pills that keeps its users awake, but well-rested. When Francine finds out about them she decided to take them as well. As mentioned Stan spends every waking moment waiting own his family. So when he doesn’t want to give up the time he set aside for himself Francine decides to keep taking the pills and eventually abandons Stan and her family. In the end it is Stan and no one else who has to learn not to take his loved ones for granted.

** In "Bollocks To Stan", Hayley spends the whole episode switching between Bollock and Jeff, and dumping them in the most callous manner (as well as endangering Stan's career and the family's upbringing in the process). The Aesop is about Stan not treating her with enough respect.

* WaxingLyrical: [[AnnieGetYourGun "Anything you can do I can do better" claims Stan; "No, you can't" rebutts Roger.]] According to Francine this happens often.

** Roger's [[NoCelebritiesWereHarmed Paul Lynde]] basis was also more noticeable in early episodes.

* UnusualEuphemism: In "Iced, Iced Babies" Stan says that when Francine goes through menopause her "uterus will [[TheVietnamWar fall like Saigon]], and Steve was the last chopper out."

* UnCancelled: ''American Dad'' is ending its run on FOX due to low ratings, inconsistent scheduling, and plans to revamp the Sunday night line-up (as of now, ''American Dad'' airs at 7:30pm, due to FOX airing the hour-long ''Cosmos'' documentary series). However, TBS just picked up the show and will be airing new episodes in fall of 2014, making this the second SethMacFarlane show to get canceled and revived, and the first one to get canceled by FOX and revived on another network (''WesternAnimation/FamilyGuy'' does air in reruns on cable, but it's still on FOX).

* WholePlotReference: Done very sparingly, and (usually) effectively; the show still manages to put its own unique twist on things even when it's largely basing its plot on an existing story. An excellent example is ''Irregarding Steve'', which not only features Steve and Roger in a take-off on ''{{Midnight Cowboy}}'', but has a running B-story which recreates ''Film/WhatsEatingGilbertGrape'' with ''squirrels''.

* UnstoppableRage: At least two separate episodes show Hayley as being capable of this. One happens when she gets dumped. The other takes place when she becomes hormonal as a result of going through puberty. [[AllPeriodsArePMS "What do you mean 'the rest of my life'?"]]

* TheUntwist: [[invoked]] PlayedForLaughs. In the end of the episode "Roy Rogers [=MacFreely=]", the titular Roy Rogers turns out to be...Roger.

* UnusuallyUninterestingSight: In the episode "Adventures in Hayley-sitting", no one in the room (besides the killer and his daughter) seem to be phased at all by the fact that a man suddenly got his head blown clean off with a shotgun. Steve and his friends (all roughly 14 years old), along with Hayley and Jeff, simply walk away from the scene while the shooter has an emotional breakdown and his daughter weeps in fear.
* UnwantedAssistance: In "Hurricane!", despite Francine's pleas, Stan continues to try and save his family from the disaster...only it makes things ''worse'', such as bringing in a {{bear|sAreBadNews}} to kill the [[ThreateningShark shark]] that is attacking them, since they are "natural enemies", but the two predators work together instead.

* UngratefulBastard: In Pulling Double Booty Hayley confesses that the reason that she goes on a rampage every time a guy breaks up with her is that Stan has never said he loves her so this must mean he doesn’t care about her. keep in mind that by this point in the series Stan has beat up his boss for disrespecting her, taken a bullet for her, pays for all aspects of her life, and goes to [[WellIntentionedExtremist ridiculous lengths to prevent her from making what he considers to be mistakes. Instead of invoking sympathy this statement makes Hayley come across as an incredibly hypocritical spoiled brat
* UltimateGamer386: Steve Smith
* UltimateJobSecurity: Steve's teacher in "Toy Whorey":
-->'''Teacher''': [pointing to "Tenure" written on board] And that's why it's virtually impossible for me to get fired, no matter what I do. [flying-kicks a student in the face]

* UnusuallyUninterestingSight and NotDistractedByTheSexy: The B-Plot for "Stan Time" features Roger and Steve trying to write a porn film but unable to come up with a script, while completely ignoring the sexual antics of two young blonde waitresses.
** More recent episodes have him sidetracked in his quest for boob, though - even to the point where he'll ignore it altogether.
** Nobody seems to particularly care that Klaus and Reginald can talk.
** In the fifth Christmas special, "Season's Beatings", Steve is possessed by the Anti-Christ early on, causing his eyes to turn {{red|EyesTakeWarning}}, his head to face the wrong way, and giving him the ability to climb on walls. The only reaction this gets from anyone is Francine telling him to "stop babbling at your sister in Aramaic. It's a dead language."

* YouDoNOTWantToKnow: The website of Roger's persona in "Shallow Vows" allegedly has some awful images on it:
-->'''Roger''': The second rule you can read on my website. You have to be 18 to log on. I have some sexy barnyard stuff on there that is ''not'' for everyone, I could get in a lot of trouble. If you do decide to check it out you're gonna have to clear your history right away- ''you may need to un-install your browser.'' I'm telling you, scrub that thing clean. If you think you're being too cautious ''you're not.'' '''''They will take us both to jail.'''''

** For Stan and Francine - Mr. Pibb.
** For Steve - Peanut Butter.
--->'''Steve''': Peanut Butter! Of course! That's my favorite thing in the world! If it weren't for the frozen moon of Saturn - Io, it would be my most favorite thing in the UNIVERSE!
* YourMom: In the episode ''Bully to Steve'', Stan bullies Steve to make him tougher. He makes several YourMom comments (worded as "Yeah, that's what your mom said last night!") towards him, which are likely true.
** In ''Great Space Roaster'', Roger forces the members of the family to insult each other. Steve tells this to Francine: "Mom, you are not smart. I don't tell "yo mama's so dumb" jokes. I tell "my mama's so dumb" jokes. Example: my mama's so dumb, [[DepartmentOfRedundancyDepartment I don't tell "yo mama's so dumb" jokes. I tell "my mama's so dumb" jokes.]]"

* WholePlotReference: Done very sparingly, and (usually) effectively; the show still manages to put its own unique twist on things even when it's largely basing its plot on an existing story. An excellent example is ''Irregarding Steve'', which not only features Steve and Roger in a take-off on ''{{Midnight Cowboy}}'', but has a running B-story which recreates ''What's Eating Gilbert Grape'' with ''squirrels''.
** The episode "Hot Water" is ''Theatre/LittleShopOfHorrors'' with a soul/R&B theme, Cee Lo Green, and a murderous hot tub.
** Lampshaded in "Return of the Bling" when Roger bites Stan's finger off when the plot has already been resolved and they're literally ten seconds away from the credits, the only reason being "It was in the movie."
** Besides the addition of a school election and revenge plot, the episode ''Escape From Pearl Bailey High'' is a near perfect homage to the cult 1979 movie ''Film/TheWarriors'', complete with Principle Lewis taking place of the DJ informant.

* WholePlotReference:

* VerbalTic: Klaus speaks English at all times, but sometimes replaces words with their German equivalent in a given sentence (usually "meine" in place of "my" and "und" in place of "and").

* WellDoneSonGuy: Steve. He tries to get his dad to respect him multiple times... the results are mixed.

--> '''Stan''': ''[[GroinAttack *hits Steve in the crotch*]]'' We were, you ruined it by mentioning it.

-->[a voiceover of a lighthearted flashback plays as Stand pummels the elderly man]\\

'''Guard''': (laughs) I never stopped enjoying it Sheila... In a way, those paintings are my family...