Rapture's Delight
Encyclopedia
"Rapture's Delight" is the ninth episode of the fifth season of American Dad!
. It aired on December 13, 2009 on Fox
. This episode centers around Stan and Francine's life after the vast majority of the church, including Hayley
and Steve
, are raptured. When Stan begins to blame Francine for not getting into heaven, Francine ends their relationship and befriends a man whom she later finds out to be Jesus
. Francine becomes his bride, leaving Stan behind to participate in the armageddon
.
This episode was written by Chris and Matt McKenna and directed by Joe Daniello
. It is the third Christmas episode out of five produced by American Dad, the others being The Best Christmas Story Never Told, The Most Adequate Christmas Ever, For Whom the Sleigh Bell Tolls
and Seasons Beatings
. It received critical acclaim upon its airing from television critics, with many going on to call it "one of the best episodes of the series". This episode was watched by 6.2 million homes during its initial airing, and it acquired a 3.1 rating in the 18-49 demographic. It featured guest appearances from Paget Brewster
, Will Forte
, Andy Samberg
, and Tom Kenny
, as well as several recurring voice actors and actresses of the series.
is upset when he cannot find his family a good seat for a standing-room only Christmas Day church service. To allieviate this, Francine takes him to have sex with her in the closet. When they come out, everybody in the church has gone, with their clothes left behind. Upon exiting the church, Stan discovers that he, Roger, and Francine are among those left on Earth during the Rapture
, while Hayley and Steve have ascended. Francine becomes upset when Stan cares more about ascending into Heaven than being with her and leaves him; she soon meets Jesus Christ in his second coming
and becomes his girlfriend.
Seven years pass and the war between Jesus and the Anti-Christ reduces the world to a post-apocalyptic wasteland. Jesus travels by motorcycle to the war-torn city of Denver, Colorado
and meets in a local bar with Stan, who has lost an eye and replaced one hand with a hook. Jesus convinces him to help rescue Francine, who has recently been captured by the Anti-Christ. Stan agrees to do so on the grounds that Jesus send him to Heaven afterwards. On their mission, they meet up with Roger, who for the past seven years has been trying to repair his spaceship in order to return to his home planet and escape the war. They get to the United Nations Building, where they find Francine bound in a manger.
Stan and Jesus meet with the Anti-Christ, an effeminate villain who claims to be the opposite of Jesus. When he tries to trap them, the container breaks apart; being the opposite of Jesus, he is a bad carpenter. After a drawn-out battle, Jesus jumps onto Anti's back and breaks his neck. Anti survives and attempts to shoot Jesus but Stan takes the bullet for him, giving Jesus enough time to throw a cross-shaped shuriken
into the Anti-Christ's head, killing him. When Francine tears Stan's shirt away to look at the wound, she sees that he has always kept their wedding rings, and he admits that he had in fact come to save Francine. He activates a bomb to destroy the lair and end the war once and for all. Francine tries to rescue him but Stan asks her to leave lest the explosion kill her too. Stan dies in the blast and is sent to heaven. When Michelle guides him to his own "personalized heaven", Stan enters his home just the way it was at the beginning of the episode, the only difference being Klaus' dead fish body being mounted on a plaque hanging on the wall.
, in his first episode of the season. This would be the first episode that he would direct since the season four
episode "Delorean Story-an". It was written by series regulars Chris and Matt McKenna, their first script for the show since the previous season's "Bar Mitzvah Hustle
". 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
, and Kenny Schwartz. Diana Retchey was the animation producer for the episode, in her ninth episode of the season. Amanda Bell served as the production manager, and this episode would be Bell's seventh episode of the season where she served as the production manager.
In addition to the regular cast, actress Paget Brewster
, voice actor Will Forte
, actor/comedian Andy Samberg
, voice actor Tom Kenny
, and actor Martin Mull
guest starred in this episode. Recurring voice actors Mike Barker, Murray Miller, Matt McKenna, Alec Sulkin
, and John Viener made minor appearances. Brewster reprised her role as Michelle, an angel and Stan's heavenly lawyer. She last reprised her role in the season three episode "The Most Adequate Christmas Ever". Martin Mull
reprised his role as Father Donavon, having last reprised his role in the episode "Roy Rogers McFreely".
, and its sister shows The Cleveland Show
and Family Guy
. It was watched by 6.2 million homes during its initial airing, according to the Nielson ratings, despite airing simultaneously with Sunday Night Football on NBC
, Extreme Makeover: Home Edition
on ABC
, and Cold Case on CBS
. The episode garnered a 3.1 rating in the 18-49 demographic, slightly edging out over The Cleveland Show, but having a slight lower rating that The Simpsons and lower than Family Guy by a considerable margin. The episode's total viewership and ratings decreased slightly from the previous episode, "G-String Circus
", which was watched by 6.4 million homes during its original airing and received a 3.3 rating in the 18-49 demographic.
"Rapture's Delight" was met with critical acclaim from many television critics upon its initial airing. Todd VanDerWerff of The A.V. Club
gave it a very positive review. He opined: "And then after I was pretty well convinced that nothing could top The Simpsons, this came along and was one of the best American Dad episodes I've ever seen. It's entirely possible this is just because the show hit my sweet spot [...] but the way the show started out as a fairly standard American Dad episode and then just gradually went more and more batshit insane was definitely worth it." He went on to give the episode an "A" grade, the highest grade of the night, beating out The Simpsons episode "O Brother, Where Bart Thou?
", The Cleveland Show episode "A Cleveland Brown Christmas", and Family Guy episode "Business Guy
". Jason Hughes of TV Squad gave the episode a very positive review, and went on to write, "American Dad was always the one that stayed with the characters and avoided trips into fantasy. Wacky asides and over-the-top shenanigans are a staple of Family Guy and have proven a smaller, but still important, part of The Cleveland Show. So I was left with my jaw hanging open when the rapture
kicked in and people started flying off to heaven. Admittedly, I've not seen every episode of American Dad, so maybe this isn't as surprising an episode as I thought it was. It was, however, a simply fantastic episode." He also went on to comment on the controversy surrounding the episode, saying "I'd imagine this episode will be met with plenty of controversy, for their portrayal of Francine and Jesus having a relationship among many other things, but I still found myself laughing at Roger's hysteria over Christianity
. Looking at it from his very outside perspective [...] the whole thing must seem as equally ridiculous as any of our science fiction and fantasy premises."
The Parents Television Council
, a media watchdog
group and a frequent critic of Seth MacFarlane
-produced television programs including American Dad!, Family Guy
and The Cleveland Show
, named "Rapture's Delight" its "Worst TV Show of the Week" for the week ending December 18, 2009. The review cited the violent plot and the reduction of Jesus Christ (the central figure in Christianity) "to a pun-uttering, B-movie action hero who violently kills demons with deadly-sharp crucifixes," along with the sequence where Stan and Francine retreat to a closet to have sex after arriving at church and are unable to find a seat. "When it comes to the true meaning of Christmas, Seth MacFarlane would be the last person to call. But it’s one thing to secularize the holiday; it’s another matter entirely to deliberately offend the people that celebrate it and demean their religious beliefs, which is exactly what the episode did," the review stated.
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 aired on December 13, 2009 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...
. This episode centers around Stan and Francine's life after the vast majority of the church, including Hayley
Hayley Smith (American Dad!)
Hayley Dreamsmasher Smith Fischer is a character from the animated television series American Dad!. She is voiced by Rachael MacFarlane, the younger sister of one of the series co-creators, Seth MacFarlane....
and 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...
, are raptured. When Stan begins to blame Francine for not getting into heaven, Francine ends their relationship and befriends a man whom she later finds out to be Jesus
Jesus
Jesus of Nazareth , commonly referred to as Jesus Christ or simply as Jesus or Christ, is the central figure of Christianity...
. Francine becomes his bride, leaving Stan behind to participate in the armageddon
Armageddon
Armageddon is, according to the Bible, the site of a battle during the end times, variously interpreted as either a literal or symbolic location...
.
This episode was written by Chris and Matt McKenna and directed by Joe Daniello
Joe Daniello
Joseph "Joe" Daniello is an American animation director. Daniello is most notably known for directing several episodes of the television series American Dad. Daniello has also worked as a storyboard artist for multiple animated television shows, including Invader Zim, The Fairly OddParents,...
. It is the third Christmas episode out of five produced by American Dad, the others being The Best Christmas Story Never Told, The Most Adequate Christmas Ever, 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...
and Seasons Beatings
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 received critical acclaim upon its airing from television critics, with many going on to call it "one of the best episodes of the series". This episode was watched by 6.2 million homes during its initial airing, and it acquired a 3.1 rating in the 18-49 demographic. It featured guest appearances from Paget Brewster
Paget Brewster
Paget Valerie Brewster is an American actress. She is currently known for playing Special Agent Emily Prentiss on the CBS crime drama Criminal Minds. In June 2010, it was said that her role on Criminal Minds would be reduced in the sixth season. In March 2011, Brewster's character left the series...
, Will Forte
Will Forte
Orville Willis Forte IV, better known as Will Forte , is an American actor, voice actor, comedian and writer best known as a cast member on Saturday Night Live from 2002–2010 and for starring in the SNL spin-off film MacGruber.-Early life:Forte was born in Alameda County, California, the son of...
, Andy Samberg
Andy Samberg
David Andrew "Andy" Samberg is an American actor, comedian, rapper and writer best known as a member of the comedy group The Lonely Island and as a cast member on Saturday Night Live...
, and Tom Kenny
Tom Kenny
Thomas James "Tom" Kenny is an American actor, voice actor and comedian. He is especially known for his long-running-role as SpongeBob SquarePants in the television series of the same name, as well as the live-action character Patchy the Pirate, Gary the Snail and the French narrator based on...
, as well as several recurring voice actors and actresses of the series.
Plot
StanStan Smith (American Dad!)
Stan Smith is a character from the animated television series American Dad!. Stan is a Central Intelligence Agency officer. Although once a case officer, he is now a weapons expert. Stan is voiced by the series' creator and executive producer, Seth MacFarlane.-Summary:Stan Smith born 12 February,...
is upset when he cannot find his family a good seat for a standing-room only Christmas Day church service. To allieviate this, Francine takes him to have sex with her in the closet. When they come out, everybody in the church has gone, with their clothes left behind. Upon exiting the church, Stan discovers that he, Roger, and Francine are among those left on Earth during the Rapture
Rapture
The rapture is a reference to the "being caught up" referred to in 1 Thessalonians 4:17, when the "dead in Christ" and "we who are alive and remain" will be caught up in the clouds to meet "the Lord"....
, while Hayley and Steve have ascended. Francine becomes upset when Stan cares more about ascending into Heaven than being with her and leaves him; she soon meets Jesus Christ in his second coming
Second Coming
In Christian doctrine, the Second Coming of Christ, the Second Advent, or the Parousia, is the anticipated return of Jesus Christ from Heaven, where he sits at the Right Hand of God, to Earth. This prophecy is found in the canonical gospels and in most Christian and Islamic eschatologies...
and becomes his girlfriend.
Seven years pass and the war between Jesus and the Anti-Christ reduces the world to a post-apocalyptic wasteland. Jesus travels by motorcycle to the war-torn city of Denver, Colorado
Denver, Colorado
The City and County of Denver is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Denver is a consolidated city-county, located in the South Platte River Valley on the western edge of the High Plains just east of the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains...
and meets in a local bar with Stan, who has lost an eye and replaced one hand with a hook. Jesus convinces him to help rescue Francine, who has recently been captured by the Anti-Christ. Stan agrees to do so on the grounds that Jesus send him to Heaven afterwards. On their mission, they meet up with Roger, who for the past seven years has been trying to repair his spaceship in order to return to his home planet and escape the war. They get to the United Nations Building, where they find Francine bound in a manger.
Stan and Jesus meet with the Anti-Christ, an effeminate villain who claims to be the opposite of Jesus. When he tries to trap them, the container breaks apart; being the opposite of Jesus, he is a bad carpenter. After a drawn-out battle, Jesus jumps onto Anti's back and breaks his neck. Anti survives and attempts to shoot Jesus but Stan takes the bullet for him, giving Jesus enough time to throw a cross-shaped shuriken
Shuriken
A shuriken is a traditional Japanese concealed weapon that was generally used for throwing, and sometimes stabbing or slashing...
into the Anti-Christ's head, killing him. When Francine tears Stan's shirt away to look at the wound, she sees that he has always kept their wedding rings, and he admits that he had in fact come to save Francine. He activates a bomb to destroy the lair and end the war once and for all. Francine tries to rescue him but Stan asks her to leave lest the explosion kill her too. Stan dies in the blast and is sent to heaven. When Michelle guides him to his own "personalized heaven", Stan enters his home just the way it was at the beginning of the episode, the only difference being Klaus' dead fish body being mounted on a plaque hanging on the wall.
Production
"Rapture's Delight" was directed by series regular Joe DanielloJoe Daniello
Joseph "Joe" Daniello is an American animation director. Daniello is most notably known for directing several episodes of the television series American Dad. Daniello has also worked as a storyboard artist for multiple animated television shows, including Invader Zim, The Fairly OddParents,...
, in his first episode of the season. This would be the first episode that he would direct since the season four
American Dad! (season 4)
American Dad!s fourth season originally aired on the Fox network from September 28, 2008 to May 27, 2009. The season consisted of twenty episodes and was released as two DVD box sets and in syndication...
episode "Delorean Story-an". It was written by series regulars Chris and Matt McKenna, their first script for the show since the previous season's "Bar Mitzvah Hustle
Bar Mitzvah Hustle
"Bar Mitzvah Hustle" is the fourteenth episode of the fourth season of the animated series American Dad!.-Plot:After Debbie becomes fed up with Steve's immaturity, she meets Etan Cohen , Snot's bar mitzvah study buddy. To Steve's dismay, Debbie agrees to be Etan's date for his upcoming bar mitzvah...
". 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 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...
, and Kenny Schwartz. Diana Retchey was the animation producer for the episode, in her ninth episode of the season. Amanda Bell served as the production manager, and this episode would be Bell's seventh episode of the season where she served as the production manager.
In addition to the regular cast, actress Paget Brewster
Paget Brewster
Paget Valerie Brewster is an American actress. She is currently known for playing Special Agent Emily Prentiss on the CBS crime drama Criminal Minds. In June 2010, it was said that her role on Criminal Minds would be reduced in the sixth season. In March 2011, Brewster's character left the series...
, voice actor Will Forte
Will Forte
Orville Willis Forte IV, better known as Will Forte , is an American actor, voice actor, comedian and writer best known as a cast member on Saturday Night Live from 2002–2010 and for starring in the SNL spin-off film MacGruber.-Early life:Forte was born in Alameda County, California, the son of...
, actor/comedian Andy Samberg
Andy Samberg
David Andrew "Andy" Samberg is an American actor, comedian, rapper and writer best known as a member of the comedy group The Lonely Island and as a cast member on Saturday Night Live...
, voice actor Tom Kenny
Tom Kenny
Thomas James "Tom" Kenny is an American actor, voice actor and comedian. He is especially known for his long-running-role as SpongeBob SquarePants in the television series of the same name, as well as the live-action character Patchy the Pirate, Gary the Snail and the French narrator based on...
, and actor Martin Mull
Martin Mull
Martin Mull is an American actor who has starred in his own television sitcom and acted in prominent films. He is also a comedian, painter, and recording artist...
guest starred in this episode. Recurring voice actors Mike Barker, Murray Miller, Matt McKenna, Alec Sulkin
Alec Sulkin
Alec Sulkin is an American television writer. Most notable for writing and producing several episodes of the animated series Family Guy, he has also contributed to The Cleveland Show, another series by Family Guy creator Seth MacFarlane....
, and John Viener made minor appearances. Brewster reprised her role as Michelle, an angel and Stan's heavenly lawyer. She last reprised her role in the season three episode "The Most Adequate Christmas Ever". Martin Mull
Martin Mull
Martin Mull is an American actor who has starred in his own television sitcom and acted in prominent films. He is also a comedian, painter, and recording artist...
reprised his role as Father Donavon, having last reprised his role in the episode "Roy Rogers McFreely".
Reception
"Rapture's Delight" was broadcast on December 13, 2009 as part of the animated television block on Fox. It was preceded by The SimpsonsThe 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...
, and its sister shows 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...
and 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...
. It was watched by 6.2 million homes during its initial airing, according to the Nielson ratings, despite airing simultaneously with Sunday Night Football 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...
, Extreme Makeover: Home Edition
Extreme Makeover: Home Edition
Extreme Makeover: Home Edition is a reality television series providing home renovations for less fortunate families and community schools etc...
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...
, and Cold Case 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...
. The episode garnered a 3.1 rating in the 18-49 demographic, slightly edging out over The Cleveland Show, but having a slight lower rating that The Simpsons and lower than Family Guy by a considerable margin. The episode's total viewership and ratings decreased slightly from the previous episode, "G-String Circus
G-String Circus
"G-String Circus" is the eighth episode of the fifth season of American Dad!. It aired on November 29, 2009, on Fox. This episode mainly center around Stan, who is saddened by the fact that Hayley refuses to take any advice from him. Stan goes to a strip club with his CIA co-workers, where he meets...
", which was watched by 6.4 million homes during its original airing and received a 3.3 rating in the 18-49 demographic.
"Rapture's Delight" was met with critical acclaim from many television critics upon its initial airing. Todd VanDerWerff 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 it a very positive review. He opined: "And then after I was pretty well convinced that nothing could top The Simpsons, this came along and was one of the best American Dad episodes I've ever seen. It's entirely possible this is just because the show hit my sweet spot [...] but the way the show started out as a fairly standard American Dad episode and then just gradually went more and more batshit insane was definitely worth it." He went on to give the episode an "A" grade, the highest grade of the night, beating out The Simpsons episode "O Brother, Where Bart Thou?
O Brother, Where Bart Thou?
"O Brother, Where Bart Thou?" is the eighth episode of The Simpsons 21st season. It first aired on December 13, 2009. In this episode, Bart goes on a quest to get a baby brother out of jealousy of the sisterly bond Lisa has with Maggie....
", The Cleveland Show episode "A Cleveland Brown Christmas", and Family Guy episode "Business Guy
Business Guy
"Business Guy" is the ninth episode of the eighth season of the animated television series Family Guy. It originally aired on Fox in the United States on December 13, 2009. The episode centers on Peter as he assumes temporary control of his father-in-law Carter Pewterschmidt's...
". Jason Hughes of TV Squad gave the episode a very positive review, and went on to write, "American Dad was always the one that stayed with the characters and avoided trips into fantasy. Wacky asides and over-the-top shenanigans are a staple of Family Guy and have proven a smaller, but still important, part of The Cleveland Show. So I was left with my jaw hanging open when the rapture
Rapture
The rapture is a reference to the "being caught up" referred to in 1 Thessalonians 4:17, when the "dead in Christ" and "we who are alive and remain" will be caught up in the clouds to meet "the Lord"....
kicked in and people started flying off to heaven. Admittedly, I've not seen every episode of American Dad, so maybe this isn't as surprising an episode as I thought it was. It was, however, a simply fantastic episode." He also went on to comment on the controversy surrounding the episode, saying "I'd imagine this episode will be met with plenty of controversy, for their portrayal of Francine and Jesus having a relationship among many other things, but I still found myself laughing at Roger's hysteria over Christianity
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
. Looking at it from his very outside perspective [...] the whole thing must seem as equally ridiculous as any of our science fiction and fantasy premises."
The Parents Television Council
Parents Television Council
The Parents Television Council is a U.S. based advocacy group founded by conservative activist L. Brent Bozell III in 1995 using the National Legion of Decency as a model...
, a media watchdog
Watchdog journalism
Watchdog journalism aims to hold accountable public personalities and institutions, whose functions impact social and political life. The term "lapdog journalism", for journalism biased in favour of personalities and institutions, is sometimes used as a conceptual opposite to watchdog...
group and a frequent critic of 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,...
-produced television programs including American Dad!, 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...
, named "Rapture's Delight" its "Worst TV Show of the Week" for the week ending December 18, 2009. The review cited the violent plot and the reduction of Jesus Christ (the central figure in Christianity) "to a pun-uttering, B-movie action hero who violently kills demons with deadly-sharp crucifixes," along with the sequence where Stan and Francine retreat to a closet to have sex after arriving at church and are unable to find a seat. "When it comes to the true meaning of Christmas, Seth MacFarlane would be the last person to call. But it’s one thing to secularize the holiday; it’s another matter entirely to deliberately offend the people that celebrate it and demean their religious beliefs, which is exactly what the episode did," the review stated.