Written by DJ Chapman | Photos Courtesy of Turner Broadcasting/TBS
As American Dad! enters its 11th season, it joins the roster of animated shows attempting to stay funny, relevant, and fresh across multiple decades. Yesterday’s season premiere, which actually aired on FOX three episodes ago, officially marked the new move to TBS.
The full cast has returned in Season 11 with Stan (Seth MacFarlane), Francine (Wendy Schaal), Hayley (Rachael MacFarlene), Steve (Scott Grimes), and Roger (Seth MacFarlane). As always with American Dad!, it’s strongest attribute is the voice actors’ ability to catch the subtle humor in the show’s writing. It is good to see consistency in a show that has been ongoing for almost ten years. While show’s animation techniques are always evolving, the humor of the show still remains the same, with jokes that make you laugh, cringe, and sometimes leave you scratching your head asking, “What is even going on right now?”
This episode was a duo ensemble piece, meaning there were two parallel stories, one with Stan and Steve, the other with Hayley, Roger, and Francine. American Dad! always does a good job of cutting between the action. You don’t forget what is happening in one story arch, yet it does not feel like you’re missing out on the other. Character interaction and subtle jokes are what sell the show, but the moral of the story is never something that stays with you. You might as well say, “family is everything.”
One of the downfalls with this episode is that the pacing was too jagged. One moment there is a strong string of jokes, but the next moment it’s stale. In addition, some jokes are hit or miss due to vague references without follow-up. However, it is easy to say that American Dad! isn’t for everyone. Some can easily watch an episode with very little context of the “nuclear” family dynamic and realize what is going on very quickly.
This episode of American Dad! is definitely worth watching if you are a fan or haven’t seen the show yet. It is great having the show on TBS because as they can have some fun with it, like saying “shit” without it being censored, which is a small touch that goes a long way. As long as American Dad! sets a good pace with relevant jokes and plot, I have no doubt that it will continue to be a success.
Rating: 7/10
New episodes of American Dad! air every Monday at 9:00 PM EST on TBS. Check back soon for our interviews with the cast!
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