An animated sitcom is a subgenre of a television sitcom that is animated instead of being filmed live-action , and is generally made or created for adult audiences in most cases. The Simpsons , SpongeBob SquarePants , South Park , and Family Guy are four of the longest-running animated sitcoms.
122-498: American Dad! is an American animated sitcom created by Seth MacFarlane , Mike Barker and Matt Weitzman for the Fox Broadcasting Company . The series moved to TBS for its twelfth season in 2014 and continues to air new episodes to this day. American Dad! is the first television series made to premiere on Fox's Animation Domination block. The series premiered on February 6, 2005, following Super Bowl XXXIX , with
244-499: A rip-off of the predecessor and some critics had already written off American Dad! prior to its birth as nothing more than a pale imitation of Family Guy and MacFarlane's attempts to get his old show back on the air. One example, prior to the American Dad! series debut, a writer of The Washington Post published a piece that reads "But those same executives have also given MacFarlane a whole new animated half-hour to play with in
366-509: A "few cult hits and flops in the '90s", with almost nothing in the 2000s and more in the 2010s. Some critics called Duckman , based on a comic of the same, a "Simpsons-inspired sitcom" which had a pilot in 1991 and premiered in 1994 on the USA Network as part of the "network's Saturday night programming." The show features humans, animals, and hybrids of both intermingling, with "every design intentionally exaggerated and distorted", looking like
488-411: A "force for adult animation." In 1999, Family Guy debuted on Fox . The series was cancelled twice in the first three years, but became one of the network's longest-running series. It would later be praised for its humor, "cynical commentary, and sci-fi adventures" while having a sincere but tragic and real relationship between Brian and Pearl Burton. Beavis and Butt-Head , which began airing in
610-535: A Cartoon Masterpiece Documented an Era and Defined a Generation , argued that culture and events of 1990s "can all be understood through a Simpsons prism." Some critics argued that The Simpsons was responsible for "popularizing adult animation" while influencing "satirical cartoons" like South Park and Family Guy . Others even said that The Simpsons opened the "door for Cartoon Network's Adult Swim" and praised it for being "extremely unique and ... constantly evolving." Andrew J. Crow of Time magazine noted
732-480: A circumstance expands and progresses across a collection of episodes. As an example, one of Hayley's temporary breakups with Jeff expanded across a string of episodes, in which she instead temporarily dated a black man in a koala body, Reginald Koala —known for his very urban mannerisms and behaviors. As another example, since the 9th season episode " Naked to the Limit, One More Time ", Jeff Fischer has been absent from
854-447: A family, but it gives a "new take on the typical American family." Some described The Boondocks as profound, comedic, smart, silly, has social commentary on class relations, racism, and with a unique animation style. Some said that Apple TV+ 's Central Park was one of the best shows of 2020 and described it as the network's "first foray into adult animation." Certain comedians have created their own animated sitcoms. This includes
976-597: A huge fan of the series. Taking note of his Twitter followers' increased fanaticism and excitement over American Dad! and the "Roger" character, MacFarlane began putting considerable amounts of his time and efforts into the series, more so in the last several seasons than ever before (this observation made in fall 2012). In describing American Dad! comedy styles, Barker noted that it is not as reference-laden as Family Guy or South Park . He added that American Dad! ' s humor more frequently derives from "the human condition and emotions that everyone can relate to: ego,
1098-535: A massive hit among American audiences. In response, ABC , CBS and NBC each developed animated series to air in prime time, but none of the shows were successful. One series, Capitol Critters , focused on subjects such as gun control, interracial violence and political corruption. In his review of the series, Variety critic Brian Lowry wrote that he felt that the series' approach was "muddled", and that "the bland central character and cartoonish elements ... will likely be off-putting to many adults, who won't find
1220-415: A muse for his American Dad! writing came from attending the 2008 Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival . During that event, he watched the rock band My Morning Jacket perform a four-hour set in the rain and realized from the experience that he could generate ideas for American Dad! by tapping into music: "From that point on, I realized that music should be playing a bigger role in my writing", Barker told
1342-507: A parody of The Real World , which follows the misadventures of the housemates in the fictional show of the same name and uses a sitcom format with a reality TV show setting, was followed by a direct-to-video film and series finale titled The Drawn Together Movie: The Movie! . Another antimated sitcom was Brickleberry which aired on Comedy Central from 2012 to 2015. It was created by Waco O'Guin and Roger Black , executive produced by O'Guin, Black, and comedian Daniel Tosh . It
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#17328520758571464-439: A popular streaming hub. Critics praised Tuca & Bertie and Solar Opposites for their take on humor and comedy . Shaurya Thapa of Screen Rant argued that Tuca & Bertie offered "a fresh and realistic take on the sitcom formula" while Rafael Motomoyer of Collider argued that Solar Opposites not only mixes "crude humor and knack for violence ... with a long-standing tradition of animated sitcoms" centered on
1586-459: A radio and ultimately tells her not to wait for him and to move on with her life. This story arc is finally resolved in the episode " Holy Shit, Jeff's Back! "; Jeff supposedly returns to Earth but turns out to be an alien called Zebleer masquerading as Jeff and the real Jeff has been dissected. Jeff's brain is transplanted into Zebleer's body allowing the real Jeff to live, after which Stan and Hayley's memories are wiped, leaving them unaware that Jeff
1708-438: A screenwriter out to write the script. The screenwriter gets two weeks to write the script. The script then comes back." Barker explained that they then all edit and rewrite it, "hopefully keeping as much of the first draft as we can and punching the jokes and making sure all the motivations are there, and then we take it to the table and read it." In February 2005, Barker stated that as creative directors, all decisions made about
1830-509: A sneak peek on Cartoon Network on December 30, 2000, the series officially premiered on Adult Swim on September 2, 2001, the night the block launched. It ended on July 22, 2007, with a total of 39 episodes , over the course of four seasons. Later, in October 2018, a special , entitled Harvey Birdman: Attorney General , premiered, and a spin-off, Birdgirl , was ordered in May 2019. Some described
1952-540: A unique style, and centered around "therapist discussions with real celebrities". In March 2000, the first few episodes of God, the Devil and Bob aired on NBC , with nine episodes unaired. The series didn't return until 2011, when the nine remaining episodes aired, from January to March 2011, on Adult Swim . Some said this was because Christian groups, like the American Family Association , had boycotted
2074-439: A year and a half ago, Seth called and asked if Matt and I would be interested in working on a show about a right-wing CIA agent and his liberal daughter. It was right up our alley, and everything just fell into place." On September 14, 2003, Variety reported that Fox Broadcasting had ordered a pilot presentation of the then tentatively titled American Dad! and "If greenlit, American Dad! could launch as early as fall 2004." At
2196-455: Is a "veteran of adult animation" as he worked on Family Guy in the past. In June 2011, two scholars analyzed queer characters and themes in animated sitcoms, arguing that they create "space for queer resistance," analyzing themes, and text, in the animated series Family Guy . They also argued that analyzing the show using postmodern thematic analysis , it creates " deconstructionist instances" that, in their view, "expose and subvert
2318-434: Is a 6-minute version of the first 6 minutes in the series premiere. This precursory pilot was used by MacFarlane, Barker, and Weitzman to sell American Dad! to Fox and was never aired along with the rest of the series. While much of the dialogue and general scenery were simply redone between the precursory pilot and the following series premiere, there are sharp distinctions between the two. Differences also exist between
2440-496: Is also heard snapping on various people, killing three individuals from reckless driving , landing himself in court , and subsequently becoming irate and shooting up numerous people at the city courthouse for being scolded to turn off his mobile phone . There are multiple conflicting reports and models of the number of seasons American Dad! has had. Commentary from American Dad! co-creators Matt Weitzman and Mike Barker has largely been consistent with (A): on September 28, 2012,
2562-404: Is changing, saying that it can be something that is "sophisticated, dramatic, beautiful and nuanced" rather than "crass and cruel." In January 2020, TZGZ , Syfy 's new adult animation block, ordered six 15-minute episodes of the series, which would later become Magical Girl Friendship Squad . At the same time, the short form version, Magical Girl Friendship Squad: Origins , began airing on
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#17328520758572684-544: Is colored and detailed overseas. Yearim Productions Co., Ltd. of Korea are said to handle that end of the pre-production process. Barker has explained that because American Dad! creators are working in animation as opposed to live action , they have the ability to redraw and rewrite up until the show is aired. However, Barker has also stated, "It's really hard to accept anything less than perfect when you start to get wrapped up in this process of being able to constantly make changes. Eventually you have to kind of bring down
2806-503: Is filled with highly advanced, state-of-the-art equipment. Access to the control room is achieved through a handprint reading device that extends from the ground when Stan extends his arm/hand at it; etc. Among the many forms of surreal humor and nonsense elements that have been used by American Dad! is the non sequitur / story within a story technique. This arises when the show's focus becomes sidetracked by entirely unknown and unrelated characters in circumstances that are irrelevant to
2928-522: Is no longer entirely human. This plot point is continued at the end of " Bahama Mama ", where Roger mentions Jeff cannot get Hayley pregnant because he has an alien body, so he agrees to rebirth Jeff in " Roger's Baby ". By the end of the episode, Jeff is human again and with Hayley on Earth. Another example of the usage of story arcs are the Christmas Specials, starting with the Season 7 episode " For Whom
3050-467: Is not the only model for such animation, due to new shows coming to TV and streaming platforms like BoJack Horseman , Big Mouth , Rick and Morty and Undone , which some call a boom at the time that "high-quality adult animation shows" are being produced in France, Japan, and in other parts of the world, a new group of creators is pushing existing boundaries. Even so, fans of The Simpsons turned Hulu into
3172-457: Is redirected deep into the lives of unknown characters who gain possession of Roger's gem-encrusted golden feces – this storyline of the dramas resulting from "The Golden Turd" continues in later episodes. As another example, in the episode " The Missing Kink ", the show's focus is sporadically sidetracked with brief scenes revolving around the life of a drug abusing bird and Francine's inexplicable ability to both understand and communicate with
3294-738: Is said that Jeremy is actually heterosexual but left his wife and children for Richard, who offered him an easy, no-maintenance life as his trophy husband. The following year, from January to December 2012, Unsupervised , an adult animated sitcom ran on FX . Although it was cancelled in November 2012 after one season, it was praised by critics as a coming-of-age story, with two clueless and ridiculous protagonists, while having "realistic looking backgrounds," contrasting with show's look in general. Jeff & Some Aliens , an animated sitcom aired on Comedy Central from January to March 2017. The plot surrounds three aliens who travel to Earth to find
3416-512: Is stunningly clear and dramatic. And his lyrics are specific enough to build stories around while staying flexible enough for different interpretations ." Barker added that through listening to the Wax Fang track Majestic , he was able to come up with major plot elements for the episode " Lost in Space " (this episode features the Wax Fang songs Majestic and At Sea ). Barker has stated that once he and
3538-399: Is the case with Disenchantment , Final Space , Solar Opposites , Central Park , the short-lived series, Hoops , and Q-Force . This positioned Netflix as a leader of adult animation content. The creator of Bojack Horseman , Raphael Bob-Waksberg , said that the show is about "ourselves looking outwards" and argued that the voice actor for Bojack, Will Arnett , can find
3660-627: Is to create laughs combined with groans and going over the line. MacFarlane played a lead role in the animated character designs for American Dad! . In describing the characters' appearances, Weitzman remarked "It's all very bright, very easy on the eyes." In explaining the animated side of the job, Barker stated, "Fifty or so animators from the Fox animation group are involved. A lot is done in-house: poses, models, props, all storyboards and timing." Also as reported in February 2005, animation for American Dad!
3782-549: The Louisville Courier-Journal . "Writing is hard for me, and when you hear music that inspires good ideas, you're really grateful." The beginning of the show's theme song, "Good Morning USA", uses the introduction to " Stars and Stripes Forever ". In particular, Barker has credited music from Wax Fang for his inspiration in writing certain American Dad! plots. Said Barker, "There's just something so inherently cinematic about Wax Fang's music. [Scott] Carney's voice
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3904-530: The Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004. The position of DD/CIA was created administratively by then-D/CIA Porter Goss and received statutory approval from the U.S. Congress in 2010. The first DDCI was Kingman Douglass , appointed by the director of central intelligence in 1946. In April 1953, Congress amended the National Security Act of 1947 to allow the president of
4026-512: The Season 14 episode " Ninety North, Zero West ", where Santa kidnaps Steve to take over the world by unleashing an ancient god in the North Pole . He is seemingly killed off by falling off a cliff and breaking his neck. The storyline continues in the following Season 15 episode " Santa, Schmanta ", albeit not directly related to the story arc, it does explain Santa's death and reveals be was revived at
4148-493: The hegemony of heteronormativity ." Allen Gregory had a short run in 2011 and was cancelled after the first season. This series featured Richard and Jeremy De Longpre, the fathers of the title character, Allen. Jeremy is a former social worker who had a loving wife and family, although this changed after Richard became one of his clients. Richard was attracted to Jeremy to the point where he started stalking him and his family until Jeremy finally agreed to be his husband. It
4270-610: The " science fiction sitcom sub genre". Animated sitcoms have been more controversial than traditional cartoons from the onset. The Flintstones was originally oriented at parents, as an animated version of The Honeymooners , though it was primarily popular with children. David Bennett argued that when it was originally released, it was aimed at an adult audience, and called it the "direct ancestors" of current adult animation, because it covered adult subjects. Bennett stated that it specifically influenced The Simpsons , along with animations on Adult Swim and Netflix . His argument
4392-452: The "foxhole humor" in Bob's Burgers has kept it going, and even argue that the humor in the children's animation, Animaniacs was "far more adult" than the original series in the 1990s . Later in 2020, the reboot of Animaniacs , an all-ages animation had an episode pulled which included a real sex hotline number, with the series no stranger to adult humor as the showrunner, Wellesley Wild,
4514-405: The "goo chambers" all along, with Steve and then Hayley having programmed the vacations, respectively. In the episode " Spelling Bee My Baby ", Steve deliberately misspells his words in a spelling bee so as to express his love for Akiko (who is also competing), instead spelling random Tyler Perry / Madea films. Another technique used by American Dad! is the story arc . On several occasions,
4636-419: The "most watched cable television series." In 2019, it was announced that a writer for Disenchantment , Shion Takeuchi, would be heading her own upcoming Netflix show titled Inside Job , with Alex Hirsch as an executive producer, With a woman named Alma as the protagonist, Takeuchi said she hoped it would "push the boundaries" of adult animation. Hirsch was also quoted as noting that adult animation
4758-405: The 299th episode, titled "300", as the series' three hundredth episode which was in fact the 300th produced, but aired as the 299th episode as the episode "Yule. Tide. Repeat." which was produced prior to "300" was not scheduled to air before the broadcast of "300". While the series premiere of American Dad! is titled "Pilot", "Pilot" is not the show's actual pilot presentation. The actual pilot
4880-671: The Central Intelligence Agency The deputy director of the Central Intelligence Agency ( DD/CIA ) is a statutory office ( 50 U.S.C. § 3037 ) and the second-highest official of the Central Intelligence Agency . The DD/CIA assists the director of the Central Intelligence Agency (D/CIA) and is authorized to exercise the powers of the D/CIA when the director's position is vacant or in
5002-531: The Coward Stan Smith ", etc.). Greg and Terry are a gay couple that live across the street from the Smiths. Within the neighborhood, they are portrayed as running a neater and tidier home than the Smiths. Greg and Terry are also the local news anchor for W-ANG-TV. Also in the area is the high school attended by Steve, Pearl Bailey High School . The voice actors are not assembled as a group when performing
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5124-496: The Sleigh Bell Tolls ", Santa Claus became the main antagonist of the arc, vowing to get revenge on The Smiths after nearly being killed by Steve in the aforementioned episode. The storyline expands in the Season 10 episode " Minstrel Krampus ", the episode concludes with a small change to the status quo, Stan's Father Jack fuses with Krampus' soul and becomes the new Krampus, up until his death in Season 17 . Santa returns in
5246-489: The Smith house and planet Earth altogether. In that episode, Jeff is blindsided when Roger hurls him into a spaceship. This spacecraft belongs to Roger's race of aliens and was intended to return him back to his birth planet; Roger remains behind after casting Jeff into the spaceship. The spaceship immediately takes off and Jeff is not seen until several episodes later, the episode " Lost in Space ". During episodes that aired between
5368-421: The Smith house is shown to consist of a never-before-seen underworld to which various friends and acquaintances of the Smiths party and frolic; in the episode " The Full Cognitive Redaction of Avery Bullock by the Coward Stan Smith ", Stan has a never-before-seen secret control room hidden underground just beside the house. The control room door's exterior side is camouflaged with the grass surrounding it. The room
5490-578: The United States to appoint the DDCI (with U.S. Senate confirmation). The amendment stipulated that the director and deputy director positions could not be simultaneously filled by military officers. Hereafter the "Deputy Director of Central Intelligence" position was replaced by Deputy Director of the Central Intelligence Agency and the Principal Deputy Director of National Intelligence . In
5612-467: The actions of the characters, as well as removing all references to fire from the episodes. As Beavis and Butt-Head began entered its last season in 1997, a new adult animation began airing on MTV which was titled Daria . It would praised for its "progressive characters", sense of humor, and ability to capture absurdity of teen life in suburbs. Beginning around the same time was South Park . It became an "icon for anti-censorship and free speech" and
5734-428: The bird's chirping. The series has abounded with random, unexpected occurrences and surprise plot twists as result of the characters and the very makeup of the program. For example, in the episode " The Full Cognitive Redaction of Avery Bullock by the Coward Stan Smith ", Steve refers to Roger for help in dealing with a school bully, Luiz. Because Steve is able to correctly predict Roger's original game plan of handling
5856-414: The characters in life-threatening, disastrous, terrifying, and traumatic situations. As an example, the episode " A Ward Show " contains scenes of suicide and murder : Roger became Steve's legal guardian and responded to him getting picked on at school by rigging the teachers' cars with explosives and killing them all. Later on in the episode while Principal Lewis was driving his vehicle with Steve as
5978-422: The comedy in anything. Nasdaq argued that shows like Disenchantment were "original content" which had helped Netflix "dominate the online video streaming market," and said that demand for original content will allow Netflix to expand its base of subscribers. This allowed Netflix to gain allegiance of smaller, but more fervent, fanbases, which garnered a wide viewership. Some critics noted that The Simpsons
6100-421: The content but that ABC, and their corporate owner Disney Company , reneged on their promises, and called the show "dead" even though there were six episodes that had not aired. Six episodes of the show, based on Kevin Smith 's 1994 comedy of the same title , were produced, but only two episodes aired before the show was cancelled by ABC. While the pilot of Harvey Birdman, Attorney at Law first aired as
6222-481: The daughter in both series each have a liberal hippie boyfriend turned husband (Jeff likened to Michael Stivic ) to whom the daughter's conservative father is antagonistic. Also in both, the daughter lives in her parents' home with her boyfriend turned husband as a housemate. American Dad! in its original form was even said to have been inspired by All in the Family . In American Dad! ' s initial seasons MacFarlane
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#17328520758576344-469: The director's absence or disability. Under current law, the deputy director is appointed by the president of the United States and is not required to be confirmed by the United States Senate . This position has been held by David Cohen since January 20, 2021. The functions of this position were served by the deputy director of central intelligence (DDCI) until that position was abolished under
6466-730: The disappointing American Dad! The new series officially premieres in May but has a sneak preview tomorrow night in the coveted post-Super Bowl time period ... The look and pace of American Dad! is the same as Family Guy ." In actuality, however, the program's beginnings take cues from the TV series All in the Family , almost a farcical animated version of the live action sitcom. Both shows make use of political satire, bigotry , ludicrous expressions of conservatism from their paternal main character (Stan likened to Archie Bunker ), and equally ludicrous expressions of liberalism from their daughter character (Hayley likened to Gloria Stivic ). Moreover,
6588-449: The early 1990s, another sitcom, was also controversial. This was due to its portrayal of brief nudity, profanity and violence. Although the series was intended for adult audiences, it was shown in the afternoons, and multiple parents claimed that their children had imitated the show's characters. After an incident, MTV responded by moving the series to a later airtime and adding disclaimers to future episodes stating explicitly not to imitate
6710-462: The eccentric upper middle class Smith family in a fictionalized version of Langley, Virginia and their four housemates: Father, husband, CIA agent, Republican , and breadwinner Stan ; his wife and homemaker/ housewife , Francine ; their liberal, hippie, college-aged daughter, Hayley ; and their dorky high-school-aged son, Steve . There are four additional main characters, including Hayley's dimwitted boyfriend and later husband, Jeff Fischer ;
6832-475: The end of the episode. Santa Claus returned in the Season 20 episode "Into the Jingleverse" where he gives Stan virtual reality goggles in order to be King of Presents forever. In discussing the cartoon's distinguishing story arc element, co-creator Mike Barker explained: Much of the wit used in American Dad! has come in the form of black comedy as many of the predicaments and circumstances have made fun of
6954-458: The episode as the 150th. In actuality, it was the show's 151st episode , while the episode " The Full Cognitive Redaction of Avery Bullock by the Coward Stan Smith " was the series actual 150th episode. In addition, Fox promoted the episode's plot as the revealing of Roger's birth planet. While the setting of this episode is a spaceship owned by members of Roger's alien race, to date, Roger's birth planet has yet to be revealed. In 2020, after airing
7076-426: The episode's main plot. Typically when this happens, it is after the show has maintained focus on its main characters for much of the episode; following this, the scenes randomly lose focus and become deeply wrapped up into the lives of never-before-seen characters who are non-central to the plot. A prime example of this is in the episode " Homeland Insecurity ". As opposed to scenes focusing on main characters, attention
7198-409: The extremes, to the point of getting outrageously out of hand. For example, in the episode " Home Wrecker ", Stan and Francine's marital harmony breaks down from a difference of opinion on remodeling the house. It gets to the point where they divide the house in two, each decorating their half of the house in their desired fashion. Still not satisfied with this, they both attempt to drive the other out of
7320-567: The family's unusual goldfish , Klaus , who has the brain of an East German athlete ; Roger , the alien , who is a flamboyant, hedonistic, self-serving master of disguise; and Roger's ex-tumor son Rogu . Stan's boss Avery Bullock , the Deputy Director of the Central Intelligence Agency , is a recurring character. American Dad! centers on the absurd circumstances, adventures and domestic life of its title character Stan Smith , his immediate family , and their four housemates. Adding to all
7442-410: The feds, etc. And for that reason, I think our humor is a little more evergreen ." On developing scripts for American Dad! episodes, co-creator Mike Barker revealed that he and the rest of the show's staff never know when and from where plot line ideas will emerge. "Just as an example," Barker explained, " All About Steve " is an episode where Stan wants his son to be more of a jock and more like he
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#17328520758577564-421: The fictional suburb of Langley Falls, Virginia, in a large two-story residence with a basement and an attic. In addition, the Smith house is apparently enhanced with numerous secret rooms, facilities, and large habitats , these unorthodox attachments usually only seen once apiece (i.e., the episodes " Of Ice and Men ", "Bush Comes to Dinner", " The Missing Kink ", " The Full Cognitive Redaction of Avery Bullock by
7686-471: The fine tuning of things and making things happen just so. Making the episode just kind of pop in its own subtle ways." American Dad! creators have revealed to working significantly in advance of newly broadcast episodes. As many as 20 to 42 unaired episodes are typically ready for finishing touches. Barker explained that a key to this system is making sure that the writing is timeless, as opposed to topical and contemporary. He added that if any material within
7808-476: The first episode of the seventeenth season , TBS aired two episodes that had originally been scheduled to air at the end of the previous season before being pulled from the schedule. While TBS' official website lists these two episodes, "Downtown" and "Cheek to Cheek: A Stripper's Story", as season 14 (Misplaced Pages's season 16 ) episodes 21 and 22, the official YouTube playlist includes them in season 15 (Misplaced Pages's season 17 ) as episodes 2 and 3. TBS also promoted
7930-506: The first part of season 2 of Disenchantment was released on Netflix . In February 2021, it was announced that Tyler, the Creator had teamed up with Lionel Boyce and Davon 'Jasper' Wilson to develop an animated comedy named Shell Beach . In March 2021 it was reported that King of the Hill would be revived, with characters aging 15 years from the end of the series. Deputy Director of
8052-530: The first seven episodes, while another model suggests the first season comprises 23 episodes. Beginning on October 20, 2014, TBS picked up the series for the 12th season following the final three episodes airing on Fox as the 11th season . TBS, TruTV , and Adult Swim , (all owned by Warner Bros. Discovery ), air reruns of the series. On December 16, 2021, the series was renewed for seasons 20 and 21. The 20th season premiered on March 27, 2023. The 21st season premiered on October 28, 2024. The series focuses on
8174-417: The growing relationship between Fry and Leela and an "alien relationship" (Kif and Amy). John Evershed, formerly showrunner on Happy Tree Friends and current founder of Mondo Media , argued that the "enduring popularity" of this genre is a result of The Simpsons , a massive "animation franchise," and said this proves "the time-tested formula" of the genre works, even though it was "controversial" when it
8296-410: The hallways of the Smith house transform into dark and dangerous alleyways every time Roger pays Jeff then ambushes him (in disguise) to steal the money back. He even tries to forcibly rape Jeff; in the episode " The Missing Kink ", Steve and family fish Klaus are shown competing in a one-on-one basketball game between each other, the score nearly tied at 11 to 10; also in the "Missing Kink" episode,
8418-411: The hammer at the color stage and live with what you've got." Barker has explained that, ultimately, the creation process of an American Dad! episode is completed upon the producers' say-so, not anyone else's. When American Dad! co-creator Matt Weitzman was asked what his favorite part was of the show's pre-production process, he answered, "I probably enjoy the editing process a lot. I think I like
8540-404: The history of television," in terms of shows like Family Guy and South Park . These shows, and their subsequent franchises, were said to be part of a shift in the early 2010s toward adult animation , with darker and "more intricate animated comedies" such as Bojack Horseman and Rick and Morty released, with the latter reaching nine million viewers after the first season. Drawn Together ,
8662-429: The home and eventually erect a colossal block wall, dividing the two halves of the house. The rest of the family members are forced to spend one holiday after the next alternating between Fran's and Stan's place (the sides of the house treated as distinct homes). As another example, in the episode " Stan's Food Restaurant ", Stan asks for Roger's help in starting a restaurant. As things progress, Roger makes heavy changes in
8784-704: The influence of The Simpsons on adult animation, with Family Guy , King of the Hill , and Bob's Burgers , among others, featuring some version of the same structure, while "non-family-based shows" have drawn from "Matt Groening's hyper-referential style, irreverence and slapstick humor." He quoted Alex Hirsch , creator of Gravity Falls , as describing adult animation as an "arms race of different ways to copy The Simpsons ." Two of Hirsch's friends from CalArts, Pendleton Ward (creator of Adventure Time ) and J. G. Quintel (creator of Regular Show ) were also inspired by The Simpsons. In 1989, The Simpsons began airing on Fox Broadcasting Company in prime time, becoming
8906-436: The layout, eventually kicking Stan out of the project. Stan retaliates by opening another restaurant next door, which becomes a smashing success. Roger responds by blowing up Stan's restaurant but destroying his own in the process. Stan threatens to kill Roger, but backs down after Roger pulls a gun on him and tells him to relax. American Dad! plots are generally teeming with surrealism and nonsensical elements . Many of
9028-426: The lines of their characters; rather, each of the voice actors perform their lines privately. The voice actors have stated that because of their personalities and tendency to goof off when together as a group, they would never get anything completed if they performed their lines collectively. American Dad! has commonly made use of farces as most of the predicaments that befall the main characters have escalated into
9150-414: The mechanism Francine and the kids are all attached to so as to believe they are all on vacation. Francine and the kids then learn that Stan has been programming a pseudo-vacation every year in a contraption dubbed "the goo chambers". After learning of this, Francine demands they go on a real vacation. Twice they appear to do so, first skiing , then to Italy , until it is ultimately revealed that they are in
9272-494: The most average person to test and understand humans. Most episodes revolve around Jeff having a problem that the aliens can fix with a strange device. In December 2017, the series was canceled after one season. It was described as being "a witty and fun stoner alien romp" which is a comedy akin to Rick and Morty . Other animated sitcoms include Paradise PD , Tuca & Bertie , The Boondocks , and Momma Named Me Sheriff . Some series are on streaming platforms, as
9394-609: The most popular animated sitcoms in each U.S. state . They found that South Park is popular in Colorado , The Simpsons is popular in Oregon and Massachusetts , Family Guy popular in Connecticut , and King of the Hill popular in Kentucky and Tennessee. The report also stated The Simpsons and South Park are the two most popular animated sitcoms, while Rick and Morty is among
9516-622: The network, and 17 NBC-affiliated stations agreed, leading to the show being stopped only after four episodes had aired. Even so, some religious leaders in the United Kingdom supported the show, and critics like Caryn James called it "a little risky" but "relatively benign" when compared to South Park , The Sopranos , and Sex and the City which aired at the time. In June 2000, Kevin Smith criticized ABC over its animated sitcom, Clerks: The Animated Series , telling EW that they delivered
9638-609: The novel The Hunt for Red October , the character Vice Admiral James Greer is the fictional Deputy Director of the CIA; former U.S. Marine Jack Ryan takes over this role after Admiral Greer's death in Clear and Present Danger . He subsequently retires from the position following a highly publicized media scandal and the detonation of a nuclear weapon at the Super Bowl in The Sum of All Fears . In
9760-439: The occurrences, circumstances, and behaviors are unrestrainedly preposterous, senseless, and illogical. As further examples of surrealism on American Dad! —in the episode " Hurricane! ", a ferocious bear pauses in his attack, lowers his eyelids halfway, and repeatedly shakes his head horizontally, shaming Stan for missing him in a harpoon shot and instead spearing Francine into a wall; in the episode " Why Can't We Be Friends? ",
9882-424: The one-season-fewer numbering scheme: FoxFlash, which is the publicity center for Fox, labeled the 2012–13 broadcasts as the "eighth season". Websites releasing the show's season-based ratings have also used the one-season-fewer numbering method . Fox advertisements for the episode " Lost in Space " promoted the episode as American Dad! ' s 150th. Subsequently, numerous mainstream media reports also labeled
10004-457: The ongoing series, Duncanville , is airing on FOX , co-created by Amy Poehler , Mike Scully , and Julie Thacker . Poehler said the series is inspired by The Simpsons . Another animated sitcom on Fox, Bless the Harts , starred Kristen Wiig , and was created by former Saturday Night Live staff writer, Emily Spivey . A September 2018 report by AT&T , using Google Trends , identified
10126-467: The opposite side of the Grand Canyon in a murder-suicide attempt. This resulted in a midair collision between the car with Principal Lewis and Steve in it and the car with the white man and black boy in it. Another example, in the episode " Da Flippity Flop ", Roger leaves a long series of harassing answering machine messages for Steve, trying to get him to sign up for his gym. In these messages, Roger
10248-412: The original comics, with theme music from Frank Zappa and set its sights on "1990s incarnations of political correctness and censorship", making it, a critic argued, a precursor to Family Guy and BoJack Horseman . As for King of the Hill , some noted it had the a great example of "young, adolescent love" within adult animation, specifically between Bobby and Connie. The show was also described as
10370-515: The originally failed series Family Guy (1999–2002). American Dad! was originally intended to be Fox 's answer to the hordes of fans left behind from the original failure of MacFarlane's previous animated venture. Just three short months after American Dad! ' s debut however, Family Guy was revived, leaving American Dad! with a formidable expectation: whether the series could distinguish itself from its counterpart and succeed on its own merits. Instead of taking over creative direction of
10492-560: The passenger, he informed Steve that he was about to drive off the Grand Canyon in a murder-suicide . This culminated in Roger saving the day, his love supernaturally allowing the car to fly once Principal Lewis drove off the Canyon; another vehicle with a random white man and a black boy in it (opposite of Principal Lewis, a black man and Steve, a white boy) had also, coincidentally enough, driven off
10614-438: The plot line and direction of the series go through himself and Weitzman. He explained that the show had reflected their point of view since the beginning. Barker has also credited the program's other staff beyond himself, Weitzman, and MacFarlane, remarking "We couldn't have made it all happen without them." At the time, it was noted that the series had a staff of 17 writers, which was described as "a big undertaking". When Barker
10736-567: The political satire biting enough to merit their continued attention. Similarly, kids probably won't be as smitten with the cartoon aspects or look". The series was cancelled after one month. The Critic was somewhat more successful, but achieved low ratings because of ABC's sporadic scheduling, and was cancelled by the network. Fox picked up the series, but cancelled it four months later. While Fox allowed The Simpsons to portray animated depictions of human buttocks, ABC would not allow similar scenes to appear on The Critic . Others stated that it
10858-420: The precursory pilot and the official series as a whole. Most of these are in the pictorial technique. For example, scenes from the pilot are drawn in a rougher, more cursory fashion with weaker coloration than scenes from the official series. Most prominently, Steve's physical design and outfit in the predecessor greatly contrast from his official design and outfit. In addition, Steve is voiced by Ricky Blitt in
10980-544: The precursory pilot but by Scott Grimes in the official series. There are also variations in Steve's personality. Early episodes of the series featured political banter between the conservative Stan and liberal Hayley. However, the creators learned quickly that this had only "a limited shelf life" and did not provide them as much as they originally thought it would. Said co-creator Matt Weitzman, "There are times when we still have that kind of dynamic between them, but not nearly what it
11102-426: The rest of the first season airing from May 1, 2005. Creative direction of American Dad! had largely been guided by Barker (prior to his departure from the show in season 10) and Weitzman as opposed to MacFarlane, resulting in a series that is different from its counterparts. Unlike MacFarlane's other shows, Family Guy and, to a lesser extent, The Cleveland Show , American Dad! does not lean as heavily on
11224-442: The rest of the show's staff get the idea for the plot line , they spend a couple of weeks in a room with all the screenwriters . There, they break the story and make sure that each act of the two act breaks are strong. As another procedure, Barker stated that they make a point of twisting the story in such a way so as to make audiences come back for more after the commercial break. "The final process," Barker explained, "is sending
11346-588: The ridiculousness and absurdity are the various personality traits of all the show's eccentric main characters, listed as follows: When asked what first spurred the idea for American Dad! Seth MacFarlane answered, "It was right after the [2000] election , and me and co-creator Matt Weitzman were so frustrated with the Bush administration that we would just spend days bitching and complaining, and we figured we should channel this into something creative and hopefully profitable." In early February 2005, Barker stated, "About
11468-424: The same late-night programming block. In February 2020, Fox released an animated sitcom produced by Seungyong Ji and Jordan Grief titled Duncanville , focusing on the story of a kid who "daydreams of making it big without having to wear a suit and tie to do so." In September 2020, Magical Girl Friendship Squad began airing on SYFY. In interviews the same month, series creator Kelsey Stephanides hoped that
11590-457: The script deals with contemporary issues, the creators have to hope that they're also contemporary issues two years down the line. When asked whether or not this method has ever brought on difficulties, Barker answered in the affirmative and explained: In discussing the creation of American Dad! and animated sitcoms in general, MacFarlane has stated: Conversely, Barker has stated: The Smith family and their housemates reside on Cherry Street in
11712-532: The series as funny, entertaining, zany, and amusing. From August to October 2002, the final few episodes of The Oblongs , another adult animation, would air on Adult Swim after The WB did not air the last five episodes of the series. The latter, which some called a "stray gem in the early 2000s," was noted for the romance between a married couple, Bob and Pickles Oblong, who had a healthy relationship where both would "constantly support each other." In 2008, Usha M. Rodrigues and Belinda Smaill argued that bro'Town
11834-404: The series progressed, MacFarlane realized that Mike Barker and Matt Weitzman were on to something uniquely appealing; moreover, he realized they were on to something that sharply contrasted from Family Guy , which audiences appreciated. After the show's first several seasons, MacFarlane not only came to fully understand and appreciate American Dad! ' s value but also came to consider himself
11956-438: The series would expand the "types of new animated stories" with more variety in adult animation, allowing for "different ways" to do adult animation in the future. In December 2020, Hoops was cancelled by Netflix after its first season received low ratings and negative reviews. Hoops was described as "puerile comedy ... perfect for Trump 's America," not funny, and "crude, rude, and aimless." On January 15, 2021,
12078-430: The series, MacFarlane left the job largely in the hands of Barker and Weitzman so as to distinguish American Dad! In its early going, American Dad! brought in strong ratings but fought an uphill battle in gaining widespread acceptance and approval from viewers and critics alike. The popularity of MacFarlane and his involvement with Family Guy had led to foregone conclusions and prejudices against American Dad! as
12200-519: The show and where it was going. After American Dad! ' s initial couple of seasons and as it progressed, the show began to increasingly develop its very own distinct approach and identity, becoming more and more distinguished from all other programs on the air. Standing out from its counterparts increasingly with each passing season, the series has been described as eventually becoming the weirdest show in network prime time . It has been characterized as serving up distinguishing blasts of surrealism. As
12322-856: The show utilized "subversive qualities of animation." From 1972 to 1974, Hanna-Barbera produced Wait Till Your Father Gets Home , an adult-oriented sitcom in the style of All in the Family . The series dealt with subjects such as feminism and the generation gap . In the late 1980s and early 1990s, a number of animated television programs appeared which challenged the Standards & Practices guidelines, including The Simpsons , Beavis and Butt-Head , The Critic , The Brothers Grunt , The Ren & Stimpy Show , Rocko's Modern Life , Cow and Chicken , I Am Weasel , SpongeBob SquarePants , Duckman , and All Grown Up! . In 1987, The Simpsons shorts debuted on Fox 's The Tracey Ullman Show . This show aired in prime time, meaning it
12444-404: The situation himself under an alter ego, Roger throws him a curveball : he not only hires Stelio Kontos (from the episode " Bully for Steve ") who was Stan's bully, to handle the matter, but hires him to bully Steve so Steve's original bully Luiz won't want another bully's sloppy seconds. Then Luiz, encouraged by Steve, goes to beat up the guy that beat him up yet learns that it is Stelio Kontos and
12566-532: The sole English-language mainstream adult-oriented animated sitcom until the 1990s, which saw the debuts of Beavis and Butt-Head , King of the Hill , South Park , Daria , Family Guy and Futurama . Some scholars argued that Matt Groening emulated the sci-fi genre shown in The Jetsons . Futurama would be complimented for its "intelligent, scientifically accurate, and humanized" approach to adventures, romances, and parodies of sci-fi. This included
12688-408: The time, Fox was aiming to develop a new lineup of adult animated sitcoms. American Dad! had a mid-season debut. Its first episode, titled " Pilot ", was originally shown directly following Super Bowl XXXIX on February 6, 2005. The rest of the first season , however, would not launch until May 1, 2005, as part of the debut of Fox's Animation Domination lineup. Initially, it was a replacement for
12810-410: The two aforementioned episodes, allusions to the ongoing plot line are made. For example, in the episode " Spelling Bee My Baby ", Hayley is shown holding out hope for Jeff's return. In the episode, Roger and Stan attempt to rush Hayley through her grieving process so she will be willing to be their tennis official . In the episode " The Longest Distance Relationship " Jeff gets in touch with Hayley via
12932-459: The two bullies team up along with Roger to target Steve. The Stelio Kontos's song sounds, revamped by Roger adding " and Luiz ". As another example, in the episode " The Vacation Goo ", Francine becomes frustrated that she cannot get the family together for Sunday night dinner. For family time, Stan suggests a vacation, and the Smiths have a great time in Maui as a family. This is up until Roger shuts down
13054-500: The two were interviewed and reported that they had 20 episodes completed for the then imminent "eighth season", and were "developing our ninth season". During the show's life on Fox, however, the network contradicted that arrangement, presenting information on the show's then website that followed (B): in listing all episodes from the 2012–13 season, Fox reported each as existing as part of the show's "ninth season". In addition, Fox contradicted its own American Dad! website, also supporting
13176-660: The use of cutaway gags , and is less concerned with conventional "setup-punchline" jokes , instead deriving its humor mostly from the quirky characters, the relationships between family members, and the relatively relatable plots. While the core issues and resolutions are relatable in most episodes, the show nonetheless weaves in fantastical elements, pitching the tone of the show somewhere between observational comedy and farce . The plots are often absurd, but grounded by family stories and real-world issues. American Dad! has been nominated for numerous awards, including four Primetime Emmy Awards and two Annie Awards . In June 2013, it
13298-428: Was a "home grown animated sitcom" that is comparable to The Simpsons . Adult animation became more popular, premiering critically acclaimed shows such as Drawn Together , Family Guy , American Dad! , Archer , Bob's Burgers , Rick and Morty , BoJack Horseman , F Is for Family , and Big Mouth . Some argued that animated sitcoms have formed some of the "most enduring and valuable franchises in
13420-444: Was asked what his favorite part was of the American Dad! pre-production process, he answered, "I like the story breaking process, personally—coming up with the stories. To me, that's the most gratifying." Barker and Matt Weitzman have stated that they are accustomed to feeling scruples with adding certain material into the plots, but always follow this up by going ahead with incorporating the material anyway. They added that their goal
13542-476: Was awarded as top television series by the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers . Since its debut, American Dad! has broadcast 367 episodes (as of October 28, 2024). The total number of seasons and organization of episodes within those seasons are in dispute due to discrepancies in how official sources report this information . One model suggests the first season of American Dad! comprises
13664-699: Was called "one of the most controversial shows on television." In May 1995, another adult animated sitcom began airing on Comedy Central . It was titled Dr. Katz, Professional Therapist , featured the voice talents of Jonathan Katz , Jon Benjamin , and Laura Silverman , won a Peabody Award in 1998. and was animated in a crude, easily recognizable style produced with the software Squigglevision in which all persons and animate objects are colored and have constantly squiggling outlines, while most other inanimate objects are static and usually gray in color. Some critics stated that this series offered "plenty of cleverness and humor for those who looked", with funny lines,
13786-484: Was confirmed by the fact that The Huckleberry Hound Show , created by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera , became a "surprise hit with adult audiences." Even though some argued that The Flintstones later influenced The Simpsons , other scholars said that although the show caused a boom in primetime animation and "subverted conventional TV", the result would be driving animation out of primetime "for almost three decades". Despite this, scholar John Libbey argued that
13908-408: Was described as a welcome addition to the "Sunday lineup," with passionate relationship between Bob and Linda Belcher while maintaining a large audience. In November 2020, the show was approaching its 200th episode. and that Some reviewers called Drawn Together a "bizarre and highly entertaining series" which has a unique style of humor and "level of self-parody." Some reviewers would point to how
14030-404: Was described as focusing more attention on his coexisting obligation of Family Guy. This was to the extent that American Dad! was completely secondary to him, and he did not understand the show. Because he was not getting the show at the time, he was described as "just going along for the ride". Likewise, the rest of the show's creators Mike Barker and Matt Weitzman were also trying to figure out
14152-416: Was in the first season. And I think the show, honestly, has grown and benefited from it, because that would have gotten boring after a while." Animated sitcom The Flintstones , which debuted in 1960, is considered the first example of the animated sitcom genre. A similar cartoon, The Jetsons , which took place in the future rather than the past, followed in 1962. Marc Blake argued it started
14274-477: Was later described as one of the "more vulgar adult-animation offerings" of the 2010s, with Kaitlin Olson only staying "for the first season as the female lead," voicing a "recently transferred Yellowstone ranger named Ethel." It was also said that show had a divided reception from critics but received favorably by audiences, who appreciated the show's "shameless sense of offensive humor and fast-paced writing." Archer
14396-464: Was not self-censored as much as programs intended to air on Saturday mornings. As such, the show would have brief nudity and mild language, while dealing with mature themes and subjects such as death, gambling addiction, religion, and suicide. The first full-length episode, " Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire ", debuted on December 17, 1989. It is the first American animated sitcom not to have a laugh track , unlike other animated sitcoms prior. It remained
14518-409: Was not until the early 1990s that "cartoons specifically for adults" rather than children, did not come to "mainstream prominence" until after the success of The Simpsons , with Fox later airing King of the Hill and Family Guy both of which "generated massive audiences." As animation critic Reuben Baron described it, for a long time, "adult action/drama cartoons" were scarce on television, with only
14640-478: Was released. Evershed also said that the show made clear that animation is "more than just kids content ." Others also argued that the show marked a turning point in U.S. attitudes "toward cartoons written primarily for adult audiences" The Simpsons would later win the Guinness World Records award for "Longest-running animated sitcom (by episode count)." Chris Turner , author of Planet Simpson: How
14762-478: Was said to be a "standard bearer" for adult animation and an "eclectic comedy" and praised for its "tight, fast-paced, and ever impressively intelligent dialogue," with a "power couple": Sterling Archer and Lana Kane. American Dad! was praised for breaking away from the "cynicism and formulas of its adult animation contemporaries" with the romance between Stan Smith and Francine said to be a wonderful romantic pair akin to Archie and Edith Bunker . Bob's Burgers
14884-544: Was when he was his age. That whole episode came about from one of our writers Dave Hemingson coming into our office, telling us he just visited the dentist and he may need to get braces. And the idea of a grown man with braces appealed to us, and we just decided what if we put Stan in braces, and he understands for the first time what it's like to feel like a geek." During the 2012–13 season , Barker revealed that much of his inspiration for American Dad! plots came through listening to music. Barker's revelation to use music as
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