What do you call it when Norman Lear’s All in the Family meets Seth MacFarlane? I call it a guilty pleasure, but MacFarlane calls it American Dad. This program, which has been on the air for six years and just renewed for a seventh season, has built the same kind of audience following that served MacFarlane’s other creation, Family Guy, well and helped it avoid permanent cancellation in 2003.
American Dad tells the tale of Stan Smith, a CIA agent, who is, by his own words, an ultra-conservative, staunch GOP supporting patriot who worships the ground Ronald Reagan walked on. His wife, Francine, is his foil to the same extent Edith was Archie Bunker’s. She is generally the voice of reason to Stan’s extremism which is mostly over the top by miles. The family is rounded out by 14 year old geeky son, Steve and 18 year old neo-liberal daughter, Hayley; and (deep sigh) a talking goldfish named Klaus and (deeper sigh) a space alien named Roger. Roger and Klaus are to American Dad what Brian the dog is to Family Guy – nonhumans whose purpose is to move the story along.
The writing is routinely sharp and depending on your point of view either very adult or extremely juvenile. There just doesn’t seem to be a middle ground. There is no lack of adult situations, language and sexual innuendo in the 23 minute cartoon and no (and I mean no) sexual fetish is off the table. Every time I view this show I am amazed that this program airs before 9 P.M. in some syndication markets. And yet, I am drawn to this program on a weekly basis like a moth to a flame. I don’t know what that says about me, but I think it says a lot about a well voice acted show that has slowly and silently built a steady following over the last six years.
Three of the five animated shows on Sunday night shown on Fox are produced by Seth MacFarlane. But his crown jewel is Emmy-nominated Animation Domination staple American Dad which is simply a funny no holds barred show and one of my guilty pleasures.