# What's with the gold turd storyline in American Dad? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 31, 2007, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-the-gold-turd-storyline-in-american-dad/413853 "2007-07-31T19:01:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Moriarty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/moriarty/32/49_2.png) [@Moriarty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moriarty)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2007, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-the-gold-turd-storyline-in-american-dad/413853/1 "2007-07-31T19:01:55Z")
I realize that they’ve just been showing reruns lately, but I recently saw one of the “golden turd” detours in an American Dad episode. This plot line began when Roger (my favorite character on the show) shat a jewel encrusted golden turd. Everyone who discovers it gets really greedy and violent, often killing their friends or loved ones. Is this a reference to anything? The characters involved in this subplot aren’t even remotely related to the regular show, and this storyline doesn’t even try and be funny. It takes the form of a serious, sinister drama. Any ideas on why it’s there? Any ideas on how, or if, it will come to a resolution? Every time I see it, I just scratch my head in confusion. ---
**Author:** ![Moriarty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/moriarty/32/49_2.png) [@Moriarty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moriarty)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2007, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-the-gold-turd-storyline-in-american-dad/413853/2 "2007-07-31T20:28:54Z")
what’s a matter…too high brow for everyone? ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2007, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-the-gold-turd-storyline-in-american-dad/413853/3 "2007-07-31T20:32:57Z")
I’ve never seen it but from your descriptiion the first thing that came to mind was the goose laying the golden egg where, again, violence and greed end what was once a good thing. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2007, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-the-gold-turd-storyline-in-american-dad/413853/4 "2007-07-31T20:34:13Z")
Perhaps the jealousy produced refers to the One True Ring (I say, never having seen AD.) ---
**Author:** ![El\_Cid\_Viscoso](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/41988e/32.png) [@El\_Cid\_Viscoso](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Cid_Viscoso)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2007, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-the-gold-turd-storyline-in-american-dad/413853/5 "2007-07-31T20:36:35Z")
Golden Turd = Heavy Metal I like those side-trips very much. ---
**Author:** ![CJJ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ecc23a/32.png) [@CJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CJJ)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2007, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-the-gold-turd-storyline-in-american-dad/413853/6 "2007-07-31T21:25:54Z")
The storyline is a satire on the cliches of [Hollywood melodrama](GPS software will acquire false message sync and decode), the kind of stuff that made Douglas Sirk (semi-)famous. ---
**Author:** ![I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/i_love_me_vol.i/32/521_2.png) [@I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_Love_Me_Vol.I)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2007, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-the-gold-turd-storyline-in-american-dad/413853/7 "2007-07-31T21:29:25Z")
Maybe it’s about [this.](http://www.nnanime.com/events/0110japanpics/0396-TokyoTour.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Bailey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justin_bailey/32/8792_2.png) [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2007, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-the-gold-turd-storyline-in-american-dad/413853/8 "2007-07-31T21:43:36Z")
I haven’t been watching American Dad regularly this season, so I can’t say whether or not the golden turd gets resolved, but I think it’s one of the funniest things about the show. The way it’s played so straight is fantastic. I never thought I’d say it, but American Dad is currently the best out of the four as far as Fox’s Sunday night animation block is concerned.