# American Dad **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 7, 2005, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-dad/288744 "2005-02-07T02:50:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Nightime](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/e9c0ed/32.png) [@Nightime](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nightime)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2005, 5:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-dad/288744/21 "2005-02-07T05:07:47Z")
Extremely unoriginal and the opposite of funny. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2005, 5:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-dad/288744/22 "2005-02-07T05:08:23Z")
> [@mobo85](#): > > That’s not a surprising thought, as one of the show’s creator-producers also created _Family Guy_. I know that, but I was thinking of the style of humor, pacing, and writing. That was as obvious as the animation similarity, to me. I didn’t think it was bad in comparison to _Family Guy_, which I’m not into anymore- I just didn’t think it was good. ---
**Author:** ![drm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a88e57/32.png) [@drm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drm)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2005, 5:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-dad/288744/23 "2005-02-07T05:09:26Z")
I thought it was downright horrible. I literally didn’t even crack a smile. ---
**Author:** ![Walloon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/fbc32d/32.png) [@Walloon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walloon)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2005, 5:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-dad/288744/24 "2005-02-07T05:14:51Z")
Awful. I changed the channel. “Bearclaw up my ass” followed immediately by “pencil up Osama Bin Laden’s pooper.” Hooh, what laughs. Did a 12-year-old write this? ---
**Author:** ![Snooooopy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee7513/32.png) [@Snooooopy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snooooopy)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2005, 5:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-dad/288744/25 "2005-02-07T05:15:23Z")
> [@Otto](#): > > I only like the alien because he talked like Paul Lynde, and henceforth I shall refer to him as the gaylien and encourage you to do the same. You dare express an opinion contrary to mine? You must pay! We duel at dawn with pistols at 20 paces. ---
**Author:** ![Menocchio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de053/32.png) [@Menocchio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Menocchio)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2005, 5:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-dad/288744/26 "2005-02-07T05:18:32Z")
> [@Cheese Monster](#): > > It was terrible. > > And I say that not due to some comparison with Family Guy - aside from animation style and some of the voices, I didn’t see all that much similarity. I say that because it wasn’t funny. It was one joke - one lame joke - already done to death in a million places, and the satire is just _too_ painfully obvious to be effective. I agree. It looks like someone else saw Family Guy, and, although less talented, decided to make a rip-off. I ---
**Author:** ![shy\_guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a6a055/32.png) [@shy\_guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shy_guy)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2005, 5:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-dad/288744/27 "2005-02-07T05:25:23Z")
Yeesh… that was really bad. I remember liking the premire of Family Guy a lot more than this. I’ll still watch it for at least a few episodes when it actually starts airing. The whole show just felt like it was trying too hard, to me. Alien houseguest _and_ talking goldfish? Meh. ---
**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2005, 5:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-dad/288744/28 "2005-02-07T05:38:24Z")
The “nerdy young Smith hits on cheerleader, hunky boyfriend intervenes, cheerleader decks young Smith” gag would have been funnier if it hadn’t been done better in a beer ad last year. I gave up after 15 minutes. Mrs. Nott turned off the TV after I left. ---
**Author:** ![Ranchoth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranchoth/32/1066_2.png) [@Ranchoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranchoth)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2005, 5:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-dad/288744/29 "2005-02-07T05:42:23Z")
Does anyone remember an episode of South Park a couple of years ago, which had “Whoopi Goldberg” hosting the Nobel Prize awards, and giving an opening monologue which consisted entirely of: “I hate Republicans. [Pause] Republicans are so stupid. [Pause] I hate Republicans.” Yeah. Tonight’s _American Dad_ brought that one right back. That said, sure, maybe it’ll hit it’s stride in a couple more episodes. Or maybe Seth McFarlane was just obligated to create a second series for Fox so they’d ressurect Family Guy, and he just didn’t bother to put any effort into it. Though it’s probably a bad omen if the teaser for the next episode after the medicore pilot actually calls the show a “half baked idea.” :eek: In any case, hopefully, the restored _Family Guy_ will be at it’s usual best. ::crosses fingers:: ---
**Author:** ![Slacker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6bbea6/32.png) [@Slacker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slacker)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2005, 6:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-dad/288744/30 "2005-02-07T06:04:07Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > (And if you hate _Family Guy_, I suspect you’ll _really_ hate this show.) Good call. I can’t stand _Family Guy_, and this was somehow even worse. I feel like I’ve been hit on the head with the satire shovel. I tried to give it a fair shake and made it through about 20 minutes, but gave up and switched toe PDN (the Paint Drying Network). What a big bag of ass. ---
**Author:** ![Jeff\_Lodoen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b3f665/32.png) [@Jeff\_Lodoen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jeff_Lodoen)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2005, 6:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-dad/288744/31 "2005-02-07T06:18:20Z")
> [@Menocchio](#): > > I agree. It looks like someone else saw Family Guy, and, although less talented, decided to make a rip-off. I Can someone rip themself off? Shades of Fantasy Record v. John Fogerty! ---
**Author:** ![recurriman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8dc957/32.png) [@recurriman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/recurriman)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2005, 6:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-dad/288744/32 "2005-02-07T06:20:30Z")
Family guy is my favorite tv show. I don’t know what ya’ll are smoking but American Dad didn’t disappoint me. It’s going to be an awesome show. Sure, it’s extremely similar to family guy but I don’t mind that in the slightest. ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2005, 6:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-dad/288744/33 "2005-02-07T06:32:24Z")
> [@Wearia](#): > > The problem is how similar it is to Family Guy. I mean its basically all the same characters with slightly different quirks. I seem to recall that folks said the same thing about _Futurama_ in relation to _The Simpsons_ when it debuted. (Actually, I seem to recall that _I_ said the same thing about _Futurama_ in relation to the _The Simpsons_ when it debuted.) ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2005, 6:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-dad/288744/34 "2005-02-07T06:38:52Z")
I don’t watch Family Guy, so let me switch comparisons. Tonight’s SuperBowl Simpsons was one of the lamest episodes they’ve ever done, and it was pure comedy gold by comparison. The alien wasn’t bad and the goldfish with a German brain wasn’t bad, but by having both they cancel out each other’s effect. The whole show’s like that. Too many individual pieces they hope we’ll find weird so we won’t notice they’re not paying any attention to personality, character development, plot, or meaning. Saying it might get better is our only hope, because if it gets worse television itself may be in danger. ---
**Author:** ![Emperor\_Penguin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/c2a13f/32.png) [@Emperor\_Penguin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Emperor_Penguin)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2005, 6:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-dad/288744/35 "2005-02-07T06:40:59Z")
All I could think is that the jokes would have worked on the Family Guy. I could see Stewie or Brian repeating those and having it work. This show? Not so much. I just didn’t care about the characters. They seemed even less than one dimensional. The alien and the goldfish? What the hell? They’re permanent characters? They would barely work as a one time joke. At least there is a reason to have Stewie and Brian on Family Guy. Those other two just seem like they were thrown in at the last second. You know “Here’s an alien and a goldfish that talks! Like a German! Isn’t it weird and funny??lol?!!11!11!” If they got rid of them, and just focused on the family, it could be better. That’s actually my beef with the whole show. All of the characters seem like characters who would show up on the Family Guy or The Simpsons as a quick joke, then you would never see them again. They were less than one dimensional. Republican Dad, Bimbo Mom, Leftist Daughter and Creepy Son. That’s all there was to them. I realize it was a half hour pilot, and a cartoon show at that, but still, a little depth would have been nice, rather than having the justification for their actions be that “It’s In The Script” (All hail Jabootu). It seemed like they had a bunch of mediocre jokes that didn’t make the cut for Family Guy and wrote a show around them. I think I’m just ticked because I had such high hopes. I will give it a second chance, provided they get rid of the goldfish. I have never instantly disliked a character so much. I mean, wow. Hate the damn thing. ---
**Author:** ![Jeff\_Lodoen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b3f665/32.png) [@Jeff\_Lodoen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jeff_Lodoen)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2005, 6:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-dad/288744/36 "2005-02-07T06:42:17Z")
> [@Larry Mudd](#): > > I seem to recall that folks said the same thing about _Futurama_ in relation to _The Simpsons_ when it debuted. > > (Actually, I seem to recall that _I_ said the same thing about _Futurama_ in relation to the _The Simpsons_ when it debuted.) The Futurama pilot scared me. I thought it was gonna be an intergalactic-run-from-the-employment-chippers show. Don’t judge too quickly, pilots can leave false impressions. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2005, 7:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-dad/288744/37 "2005-02-07T07:23:16Z")
> [@Jeff Lodoen](#): > > The Futurama pilot scared me. I thought it was gonna be an intergalactic-run-from-the-employment-chippers show. > > Don’t judge too quickly, pilots can leave false impressions. But they resolved that storyline at the end of the first episode. ---
**Author:** ![Nightime](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/e9c0ed/32.png) [@Nightime](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nightime)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2005, 7:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-dad/288744/38 "2005-02-07T07:32:56Z")
I can think of one thing that might help: What if this first episode was a sort of “what-if” episode like the Y2K Family Guy episode, and the dad really isn’t a CIA agent, and there really isn’t an alien or goldfish? ---
**Author:** ![Jeff\_Lodoen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b3f665/32.png) [@Jeff\_Lodoen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jeff_Lodoen)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2005, 8:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-dad/288744/39 "2005-02-07T08:15:24Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > But they resolved that storyline at the end of the first episode. But I didn’t stick around for it. I’m as guilty as anybody in the pre-judging department. ---
**Author:** ![HoldenCaulfield](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/22d042/32.png) [@HoldenCaulfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HoldenCaulfield)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2005, 8:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-dad/288744/40 "2005-02-07T08:17:00Z")
I guess I’m in the minority here. As I was watching it, I was surprised at how different from Family Guy it was. Family Guy is basically a bunch of unrelated fantasy and flashback jokes loosely tied to a storyline. This was really far from that. I thought it was similar to the Family Guy pilot, though. Instead of establishing the characters in three dimensions, you get rough outlines and more time for jokes. Though I suppose if you weren’t laughing much, then it was all for naught. I thought it was hilarious, and I look forward to the season in May. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-dad/288744.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-dad/288744.md?page=3)