I Am the Walrus (American Dad!)
Encyclopedia
"I Am the Walrus" is the thirteenth episode of the sixth season of American Dad!
. It first aired on Fox
in the United States on March 27, 2011. This episode mainly centers around Stan
and his son Steve
, who are both competing for the dominant role of the house. Steve is the first person to finish his meal, much to Stan's dismay. Stan becomes intimidated by his son, and he is afraid that his stance as the alpha male of the household will be dethroned. Meanwhile, Hayley and Jeff are suffering marital relationship problems, so they seek marriage counseling.
This episode was directed by Tim Parsons, with Jennifer Graves serving as co-director for the episode. It was written by Keith Heisler. It was met with mostly positive reception from critics, with much of the praise stemming from the main storyline. It was viewed by over 4.9 million viewers, and it acquired a 3.0 rating in the 18-49 demographic upon its initial airing, according to the Nielsen ratings
. It featured guest appearances from Jeff Fischer
, as well as several recurring actors and actresses for the series.
on animals that aired earlier. Shortly after the conversation, Steve is the first person to finish his meal, much to Stan's surprise. Stan later becomes insecure about the incident, and he is afraid that his stance as the alpha male of the household will be dethroned. The next morning, when Steve is watching a movie on television, Stan abruptly pushes him off the couch and claims it as his "territory". Steve becomes furious, and he tells Francine about the situation in the kitchen
. Francine tells him that Stan is intimidated by him, and that he feels that he will be dethroned of his dominance by him. Puzzled, Steve talks to Stan about the issue and openly challenges him of his position as the dominant person in the household. Though Steve manages to outdo him in everything, Stan is inspired by a walrus documentary to do the one thing his son can not do: have sex
. Turning to Roger for help, Steve is suggested to go to a party
to get laid. Informed by Klaus of this, Stan rushes to the party to stop his son. However, upon arriving there, Stan learns that Steve's various attempts to have sex with a girl failed miserably as the boy is having mental breakdown
. Stan later apologizes to him, and admits to having failed to raise him to be a man.
In concurrence with the chain of events, after continuously getting into arguments, Jeff and Hayley decide to take marriage counseling. They arrive at a class dedicated to pottery
where the session is intended to start at, learning the counselor to be Principal Lewis. Hayley opts out of the session, but Jeff insists that she stay with the plan. The couple later arrive at Principal Lewis' home, where he tells him that their first goal to accomplish is to clean his house. Confused, Hayley and Jeff refuse to do it, forcing Lewis to hold them at gunpoint to do the laborious tasks. Jeff later pulls out drugs that have the ability to paralyze, and Principal Lewis takes them and is later used by Stan to teach Steve how to shave
.
episode "100 A.D.". Jennifer Graves served as the co-director for the episode. It was written by series regular Keith Heisler. This would be the second time Heisler has written an episode for the season, having also written season six episode "100 A.D.". Seth MacFarlane
, the creator and executive producer of American Dad!, as well as its sister shows Family Guy
and The Cleveland Show
, served as the executive producer
for the episode, along with series veterans Mike Barker, Rick Wiener, Matt Weitzman
, Eli Dolleman, and Kenny Schwartz. Diana Retchey was the animation producer for the episode, in her tenth episode of the season. Amanda Bell served as the production manager, and this episode would be Bell's tenth episode of the season where she served as the production manager.
Several recurring voice actors were featured in this episode. Curtis Armstrong
, Daisuke Suzuki
and Eddie Kaye Thomas
guest starred as Steve's friends in the episode, while Kevin Michael Richardson
would return to play his part as Principal Lewis. Jeff Fischer
would return to resume his role as Hayley's husband. Armstrong, Suzuki, Thomas, and Richardson all previously reprised their roles in the season six episode "You Debt Your Life
", while Fischer previously reprised his role in the season six episode "For Whom the Sleigh Bell Tolls
".
The episode makes several references to pop culture referencing films, music and media. The song "Pony
" by Ginuwine
plays during this sequence. Steve and Roger get distracted from the problem with Stan with watching Airplane!
after they quote the classic "Don't call me Shirley" scene. They even watch Airplane II: The Sequel
, which Steve says is better than the first film, but actual reception was generally negative. The title of the episode is a reference to The Beatles' song of the same name
. The sequence where Steve picks up a line of comic books, is a call back to the Family Guy episodes "Peter's Got Woods" and "Back to the Woods
", in which James Woods
eats a trail of candy.
". It was the first new episode of American Dad! shortly following a month-long hiatus. It was preceded by The Simpsons
, Bob's Burgers
, and and a rerun of its sister show Family Guy
. Its other relative show, The Cleveland Show
, was notably absent, as it did not air on that date. It was viewed by 4.9 million viewers upon its original airing, despite airing simultaneously with Celebrity Apprentice
on NBC
, Undercover Boss
on CBS
, and a rerun of Desperate Housewives
on ABC
. The total viewership of the episode was slightly higher than Bob's Burgers, but significantly lower than Family Guy and The Simpsons. It achieved a 3.0 rating in the 18–49 demographic group, according to the Nielson ratings, the third highest rating in the line-up. The episode's total viewership and ratings were significantly up from the previous episode, "You Debt Your Life
", which was viewed by 4.25 million viewers upon its initial airing, and garnered a 2.0 rating in the 18–49 demographic. The episode's ratings and total viewership were also the highest since the season six episode "For Whom the Sleigh Bell Tolls", which was viewed by 6.26 million viewers and acquired a 3.1 rating in the 18-49 demographic.
"I Am the Walrus" was met with mostly positive reviews from critics. Rowan Kaiser of The A.V. Club
gave the episode a positive review. In her review for the episode, she opined: "The episode itself didn't disappoint either, as [...] this was a quality half-hour of jokes. Kaiser praised the argument between Stan and Steve, calling it a "superb sequence". Concluding her review, Kaiser went on to write, "Despite all the absurdity, the episode even manages to successfully come around to an emotional resolution when Stan, realizing that Steve is an utter failure at attempted mating, resolves to see Steve as a son instead of potential masculine competition. Then [...] there's a rape joke. But, it being American Dad, it's actually a surprisingly funny rape joke." She went on to give the episode an "A-", scoring higher than The Simpsons episode "Love Is a Many Strangled Thing
", but scoring lower than Bob's Burger's episode "Spaghetti Western and Meatballs". Jason Hughes of TV Squad also reacted positively, writing, "It was good to have American Dad back in the lineup. Roger was in fine form, and I can at least appreciate that they're trying to figure out how to make Hayley and Jeff work in the family dynamic. They never quite got there with Hayley alone, so maybe things will work better this way." However, he was more critical on the sub-plot. In his review for the episode, Hughes opined: "The B-story left me wanting. The writers are still trying to figure out the new dynamic of having Hayley married and Jeff living in the house with the Smiths. The whole thing has been barely addressed, and this week we got a fairly weak exploration of them having fairly standard marital problems." Dyana Maria of Daemon's TV praised the episode, writing, "Even though the father-son rivalry is not a new situation for comedy, I think American Dad was successful in putting it’s own spin on the scenario and making it feel fresh. After a couple weeks away, it was nice to have a new episode of American Dad back on the Animation Domination lineup and I think tonight’s episode was a particularly funny return."
American Dad!
American Dad! is an American animated television series created by Seth MacFarlane and owned by Underdog Productions and Fuzzy Door Productions. It is produced in association with 20th Century Fox Television...
. It first aired on Fox
Fox Broadcasting Company
Fox Broadcasting Company, commonly referred to as Fox Network or simply Fox , is an American commercial broadcasting television network owned by Fox Entertainment Group, part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation. Launched on October 9, 1986, Fox was the highest-rated broadcast network in the...
in the United States on March 27, 2011. This episode mainly centers around Stan
Stan Smith
Stanley Roger "Stan" Smith is a former American tennis player and two time Grand Slam singles champion who also, with his partner Bob Lutz, formed one of the most successful doubles teams of all time. Together, they won many major titles all over the world...
and his son Steve
Steve Smith (American Dad!)
Steven Anita “Steve” Smith is a character from the animated television series American Dad!. He is Stan and Francine Smith's only son and Hayley's younger brother as well as the youngest of the series' 6 main characters. Steve is voiced by Scott Grimes.According to TVTDB.com, Steve's original...
, who are both competing for the dominant role of the house. Steve is the first person to finish his meal, much to Stan's dismay. Stan becomes intimidated by his son, and he is afraid that his stance as the alpha male of the household will be dethroned. Meanwhile, Hayley and Jeff are suffering marital relationship problems, so they seek marriage counseling.
This episode was directed by Tim Parsons, with Jennifer Graves serving as co-director for the episode. It was written by Keith Heisler. It was met with mostly positive reception from critics, with much of the praise stemming from the main storyline. It was viewed by over 4.9 million viewers, and it acquired a 3.0 rating in the 18-49 demographic upon its initial airing, according to the Nielsen ratings
Nielsen Ratings
Nielsen ratings are the audience measurement systems developed by Nielsen Media Research, in an effort to determine the audience size and composition of television programming in the United States...
. It featured guest appearances from Jeff Fischer
Jeff Fischer (actor)
Jeff Fischer is an American voice actor known for his work in commercials, cartoons, and video games. In 2005 he was chosen to announce the Teen Choice Awards....
, as well as several recurring actors and actresses for the series.
Plot
The Smith family have dinner together, and Stan talks about the events that occurred on a documentaryDocumentary
A documentary is a creative work of non-fiction, including:* Documentary film, including television* Radio documentary* Documentary photographyRelated terms include:...
on animals that aired earlier. Shortly after the conversation, Steve is the first person to finish his meal, much to Stan's surprise. Stan later becomes insecure about the incident, and he is afraid that his stance as the alpha male of the household will be dethroned. The next morning, when Steve is watching a movie on television, Stan abruptly pushes him off the couch and claims it as his "territory". Steve becomes furious, and he tells Francine about the situation in the kitchen
Kitchen
A kitchen is a room or part of a room used for cooking and food preparation.In the West, a modern residential kitchen is typically equipped with a stove, a sink with hot and cold running water, a refrigerator and kitchen cabinets arranged according to a modular design. Many households have a...
. Francine tells him that Stan is intimidated by him, and that he feels that he will be dethroned of his dominance by him. Puzzled, Steve talks to Stan about the issue and openly challenges him of his position as the dominant person in the household. Though Steve manages to outdo him in everything, Stan is inspired by a walrus documentary to do the one thing his son can not do: have sex
Sex
In biology, sex is a process of combining and mixing genetic traits, often resulting in the specialization of organisms into a male or female variety . Sexual reproduction involves combining specialized cells to form offspring that inherit traits from both parents...
. Turning to Roger for help, Steve is suggested to go to a party
Party
A party is a gathering of people who have been invited by a host for the purposes of socializing, conversation, or recreation. A party will typically feature food and beverages, and often music and dancing as well....
to get laid. Informed by Klaus of this, Stan rushes to the party to stop his son. However, upon arriving there, Stan learns that Steve's various attempts to have sex with a girl failed miserably as the boy is having mental breakdown
Mental breakdown
Mental breakdown is a non-medical term used to describe an acute, time-limited phase of a specific disorder that presents primarily with features of depression or anxiety.-Definition:...
. Stan later apologizes to him, and admits to having failed to raise him to be a man.
In concurrence with the chain of events, after continuously getting into arguments, Jeff and Hayley decide to take marriage counseling. They arrive at a class dedicated to pottery
Pottery
Pottery is the material from which the potteryware is made, of which major types include earthenware, stoneware and porcelain. The place where such wares are made is also called a pottery . Pottery also refers to the art or craft of the potter or the manufacture of pottery...
where the session is intended to start at, learning the counselor to be Principal Lewis. Hayley opts out of the session, but Jeff insists that she stay with the plan. The couple later arrive at Principal Lewis' home, where he tells him that their first goal to accomplish is to clean his house. Confused, Hayley and Jeff refuse to do it, forcing Lewis to hold them at gunpoint to do the laborious tasks. Jeff later pulls out drugs that have the ability to paralyze, and Principal Lewis takes them and is later used by Stan to teach Steve how to shave
Shaving
Shaving is the removal of hair, by using a razor or any other kind of bladed implement, to slice it down to the level of the skin. Shaving is most commonly practiced by men to remove their facial hair and by women to remove their leg and underarm hair...
.
Production
"I Am the Walrus" was directed by series regular Tim Parsons, in his second episode of the season. This would be the first episode that Parsons would direct since the season sixAmerican Dad! (season 6)
American Dad!'s sixth season began airing on October 3, 2010. and ended after 19 episodes on May 22, 2011. Guest stars of this season include Jason Alexander, Sarah Chalke, Hector Elizondo, Anthony Michael Hall, Hayden Panettiere, Lou Diamond Phillips and Burt Reynolds.-Episodes:-External links:* ...
episode "100 A.D.". Jennifer Graves served as the co-director for the episode. It was written by series regular Keith Heisler. This would be the second time Heisler has written an episode for the season, having also written season six episode "100 A.D.". Seth MacFarlane
Seth MacFarlane
Seth Woodbury MacFarlane is an American animator, writer, comedian, producer, actor, singer, voice actor, and director best known for creating the animated sitcoms Family Guy, American Dad! and The Cleveland Show, for which he also voices many of the shows' various characters.A native of Kent,...
, the creator and executive producer of American Dad!, as well as its sister shows Family Guy
Family Guy
Family Guy is an American animated television series created by Seth MacFarlane for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series centers on the Griffins, a dysfunctional family consisting of parents Peter and Lois; their children Meg, Chris, and Stewie; and their anthropomorphic pet dog Brian...
and The Cleveland Show
The Cleveland Show
The Cleveland Show is an American animated television series that premiered on September 27, 2009, as a part of the "Animation Domination" lineup on Fox in the United States...
, served as the executive producer
Executive producer
An executive producer is a producer who is not involved in any technical aspects of the film making or music process, but who is still responsible for the overall production...
for the episode, along with series veterans Mike Barker, Rick Wiener, Matt Weitzman
Matt Weitzman
Matt Weitzman is one of the creators of American Dad!, and one of the original writers of Family Guy. Matt has written on twelve television shows including Daddy Dearest, Off Centre and Damon. He has also written several films including Freebie.Matt Weitzman was born in Los Angeles, California...
, Eli Dolleman, and Kenny Schwartz. Diana Retchey was the animation producer for the episode, in her tenth episode of the season. Amanda Bell served as the production manager, and this episode would be Bell's tenth episode of the season where she served as the production manager.
Several recurring voice actors were featured in this episode. Curtis Armstrong
Curtis Armstrong
Curtis Armstrong is an American actor best known for his portrayal as Booger in the Revenge of the Nerds movies, as Herbert Viola on Moonlighting, and as famed record producer Ahmet Ertegün in the film Ray.-Early life:...
, Daisuke Suzuki
Daisuke Suzuki
is the songwriter of J-Pop group Girl Next Door.He debuted as Rubii in 1998. He is also the voice of Toshii on American Dad....
and Eddie Kaye Thomas
Eddie Kaye Thomas
Eddie Kaye Thomas is an American film, television, and stage actor who rose to prominence in 1999 as Paul Finch in the American Pie film series.-Early life:Thomas was born in Staten Island, NY...
guest starred as Steve's friends in the episode, while Kevin Michael Richardson
Kevin Michael Richardson
Kevin Michael Richardson is an American actor and voice actor who currently stars as Cleveland Brown, Jr. in The Cleveland Show...
would return to play his part as Principal Lewis. Jeff Fischer
Jeff Fischer (actor)
Jeff Fischer is an American voice actor known for his work in commercials, cartoons, and video games. In 2005 he was chosen to announce the Teen Choice Awards....
would return to resume his role as Hayley's husband. Armstrong, Suzuki, Thomas, and Richardson all previously reprised their roles in the season six episode "You Debt Your Life
You Debt Your Life
"You Debt Your Life" is the twelfth episode of the sixth season of American Dad!. It aired on Fox in the United States on February 20, 2011. The episode focuses on two of the show's main characters, Roger the Alien and Stan Smith. After he saves Roger from being run over by a bus, Stan has repaid...
", while Fischer previously reprised his role in the season six episode "For Whom the Sleigh Bell Tolls
For Whom the Sleigh Bell Tolls
"For Whom the Sleigh Bell Tolls" is the eighth episode of the sixth season of American Dad! It originally aired on Fox in the United States on December 12, 2010. The episode follows the events caused by Stan Smith, as he gives his son Steve a machine gun for Christmas, even though his wife Francine...
".
Cultural references
Pony (Ginuwine song)
"Pony" is the first single of American R&B singer Ginuwine, released as a single from his first LP, Ginuwine...The Bachelor, in 1996. The song was written by Ginuwine with Swing Mob associates Static Major and Timbaland, who produced the recording...
" by Ginuwine
Ginuwine
Elgin Baylor Lumpkin , better known by his stage name Ginuwine is an American singer-songwriter and actor. Signed to Epic Records since the mid-1990s, Ginuwine had released a number of multi-platinum and platinum-selling albums and singles, becoming one of R&B's top artists during the late 1990's...
plays during this sequence. Steve and Roger get distracted from the problem with Stan with watching Airplane!
Airplane!
Airplane! is a 1980 American satirical comedy film directed and written by David Zucker, Jim Abrahams, and Jerry Zucker and released by Paramount Pictures...
after they quote the classic "Don't call me Shirley" scene. They even watch Airplane II: The Sequel
Airplane II: The Sequel
Airplane II: The Sequel is an American comedy sequel to the 1980 film Airplane!. First released on December 10, 1982, the film was written and directed by Ken Finkleman and stars Robert Hays, Julie Hagerty, Lloyd Bridges, Chad Everett, William Shatner, Rip Torn, and Sonny Bono.-Plot:In the near...
, which Steve says is better than the first film, but actual reception was generally negative. The title of the episode is a reference to The Beatles' song of the same name
I Am the Walrus
"I Am the Walrus" is a 1967 song by The Beatles, written by John Lennon and credited to Lennon–McCartney. Lennon claimed he wrote the first two lines on separate acid trips. The song was in the Beatles' 1967 television film and album Magical Mystery Tour, and was the B-side to the #1 hit "Hello,...
. The sequence where Steve picks up a line of comic books, is a call back to the Family Guy episodes "Peter's Got Woods" and "Back to the Woods
Back to the Woods (Family Guy)
"Back to the Woods" is the ninth episode of season six in the FOX animated series Family Guy that aired on February 17, 2008. James Woods and Barry Manilow play themselves in special guest appearances, and impressionist Dave Van Dam portrays David Letterman...
", in which James Woods
James Woods
James Howard Woods is an American film, stage and television actor. Woods is known for starring in critically acclaimed films such as Once Upon a Time in America, Salvador, Nixon, Ghosts of Mississippi, Casino, and in the television legal drama Shark. He has won three Emmy Awards, and has gained...
eats a trail of candy.
Reception
"I Am the Walrus" was first broadcast on March 27, 2011 as part of the animation television night on Fox. The episode ended the line-up, the first time an American Dad! episode ended the animation television night on Fox since the season-six episode "For Whom the Sleigh Bell TollsFor Whom the Sleigh Bell Tolls
"For Whom the Sleigh Bell Tolls" is the eighth episode of the sixth season of American Dad! It originally aired on Fox in the United States on December 12, 2010. The episode follows the events caused by Stan Smith, as he gives his son Steve a machine gun for Christmas, even though his wife Francine...
". It was the first new episode of American Dad! shortly following a month-long hiatus. It was preceded by The Simpsons
The Simpsons
The Simpsons is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series is a satirical parody of a middle class American lifestyle epitomized by its family of the same name, which consists of Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie...
, Bob's Burgers
Bob's Burgers
Bob's Burgers is an American animated television sitcom, which premiered on January 9, 2011 on the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series was created by Loren Bouchard and focuses on the Belcher family, who runs a hamburger restaurant. On April 7, 2011, Bob's Burgers was renewed for a second season...
, and and a rerun of its sister show Family Guy
Family Guy
Family Guy is an American animated television series created by Seth MacFarlane for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series centers on the Griffins, a dysfunctional family consisting of parents Peter and Lois; their children Meg, Chris, and Stewie; and their anthropomorphic pet dog Brian...
. Its other relative show, The Cleveland Show
The Cleveland Show
The Cleveland Show is an American animated television series that premiered on September 27, 2009, as a part of the "Animation Domination" lineup on Fox in the United States...
, was notably absent, as it did not air on that date. It was viewed by 4.9 million viewers upon its original airing, despite airing simultaneously with Celebrity Apprentice
Celebrity Apprentice
Celebrity Apprentice is a variation of the TV series, The Apprentice, in which the competitors are already celebrities from various walks of life. Thus far, the concept has been used, with some variations, in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia.Installments of the American series...
on NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
, Undercover Boss
Undercover Boss
Undercover Boss is a television franchise series that has been released in multiple countries, originating in 2009 on the British Channel 4...
on CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
, and a rerun of Desperate Housewives
Desperate Housewives
Desperate Housewives is an American television comedy-drama series created by Marc Cherry and produced by ABC Studios and Cherry Productions. Executive producer Cherry serves as Showrunner. Other executive producers since the fourth season include Marc Cherry, Bob Daily, George W...
on ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
. The total viewership of the episode was slightly higher than Bob's Burgers, but significantly lower than Family Guy and The Simpsons. It achieved a 3.0 rating in the 18–49 demographic group, according to the Nielson ratings, the third highest rating in the line-up. The episode's total viewership and ratings were significantly up from the previous episode, "You Debt Your Life
You Debt Your Life
"You Debt Your Life" is the twelfth episode of the sixth season of American Dad!. It aired on Fox in the United States on February 20, 2011. The episode focuses on two of the show's main characters, Roger the Alien and Stan Smith. After he saves Roger from being run over by a bus, Stan has repaid...
", which was viewed by 4.25 million viewers upon its initial airing, and garnered a 2.0 rating in the 18–49 demographic. The episode's ratings and total viewership were also the highest since the season six episode "For Whom the Sleigh Bell Tolls", which was viewed by 6.26 million viewers and acquired a 3.1 rating in the 18-49 demographic.
"I Am the Walrus" was met with mostly positive reviews from critics. Rowan Kaiser of The A.V. Club
The A.V. Club
The A.V. Club is an entertainment newspaper and website published by The Onion. Its features include reviews of new films, music, television, books, games and DVDs, as well as interviews and other regular offerings examining both new and classic media and other elements of pop culture. Unlike its...
gave the episode a positive review. In her review for the episode, she opined: "The episode itself didn't disappoint either, as [...] this was a quality half-hour of jokes. Kaiser praised the argument between Stan and Steve, calling it a "superb sequence". Concluding her review, Kaiser went on to write, "Despite all the absurdity, the episode even manages to successfully come around to an emotional resolution when Stan, realizing that Steve is an utter failure at attempted mating, resolves to see Steve as a son instead of potential masculine competition. Then [...] there's a rape joke. But, it being American Dad, it's actually a surprisingly funny rape joke." She went on to give the episode an "A-", scoring higher than The Simpsons episode "Love Is a Many Strangled Thing
Love Is a Many Strangled Thing
"Love Is a Many Strangled Thing" is the seventeenth episode of The Simpsons twenty-second season. It aired on the Fox network in the United States on March 27, 2011.-Plot:...
", but scoring lower than Bob's Burger's episode "Spaghetti Western and Meatballs". Jason Hughes of TV Squad also reacted positively, writing, "It was good to have American Dad back in the lineup. Roger was in fine form, and I can at least appreciate that they're trying to figure out how to make Hayley and Jeff work in the family dynamic. They never quite got there with Hayley alone, so maybe things will work better this way." However, he was more critical on the sub-plot. In his review for the episode, Hughes opined: "The B-story left me wanting. The writers are still trying to figure out the new dynamic of having Hayley married and Jeff living in the house with the Smiths. The whole thing has been barely addressed, and this week we got a fairly weak exploration of them having fairly standard marital problems." Dyana Maria of Daemon's TV praised the episode, writing, "Even though the father-son rivalry is not a new situation for comedy, I think American Dad was successful in putting it’s own spin on the scenario and making it feel fresh. After a couple weeks away, it was nice to have a new episode of American Dad back on the Animation Domination lineup and I think tonight’s episode was a particularly funny return."