FOX has ordered up a new batch of American Dad episodes for the 2008-09 season, according to a statement released by FOX today.
I'm happy to see the series return, though I'm not surprised it did. It has been getting great ratings in all the right demographics, and I think its quality has improved considerably throughout this last season. When it began, it seemed a bit too much like Family Guy (both series were created by Seth MacFarlane), but over time I think American Dad has slowly developed a voice all its own, with more emphasis on plot rather than the "anything goes" cartoon style of Family Guy. It's easy to compare the two shows because the character designs are similar, but I think that's where the similarities end.
Some have complained that the idea of a conservative father dealing with a not-so-conservative family has been done before, which is true, but I've seen enough of McFarlane's work to know his main interest is getting laughs, not changing the TV landscape as we know it. Also, at least two characters, Stan's son Steve and his alien housemate Roger, are characters who don't always meet the expectations of the audience, and I find that eccentricity refreshing. American Dad isn't a perfect show, but it's a nice part of my Sunday night animation fix.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
6-21-2007 @ 1:28PM
Andy said...
does this mean there is no american dad in the 2007-2008 season....
or is this not a third season order but an order beyond for the fourth season on top of 2007-2008.
any clarification would be great, i can't imagine there being a year gap for any reason though. unless they have an unsurmountable barrage of family guy they're going to offload this coming season.
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6-21-2007 @ 1:53PM
David said...
That's a good point, Do you mean the 2007-2008 season otherwise there will be a year wait. Unless Fox ordered like 40 episodes for "season 2" whice does happen.
I can't stand the show, it's not very good at all. I watched about the first 10 episodes and most were bad. I did like the one where Carle Rove was pure evil, that was great.
The show is still much better than what Family Guy has become.
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6-21-2007 @ 1:59PM
P said...
the renewal was for the fourth production cycle meaning this is actually season 4. Season 3 is schedule to air from Fall 2007-2008.
This season that has just been picked up will air 2008-2009 and will be season 4
http://www.thefutoncritic.com/news.aspx?id=20070621fox01
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6-21-2007 @ 2:12PM
Adam from TV Squad said...
It's the fourth season. My mistake.
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6-21-2007 @ 3:56PM
KMF said...
This show grew on me. At first I thought it was lame, until I saw Roger. He's so Paul Lind that I just can't help lovin' him.
I was worried about the show as Fox kept sidelining it for shows like The Loop and The Winner. So I'm glad it survived. It's coming into its own and I think it is better than what Family Guy is becoming.
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6-21-2007 @ 5:51PM
Spencer said...
I absolutely love this show. It has been better than family guy *ever* was since it premiered. The characters are as deep as cartoons can be and go through actual changes and arcs (e.g. Stan has relaxed his views on gays, gun control, and women's rights) The writing is fantastic, the jokes are all plot driven or character driven, with few silly cut-aways or sight gags like Family Guy. It really reminds me of the Simpsons back when It was great, pre 12thish season.
My favorite is the golden turd scenes. Out of nowhere the whole mood of the show shifts to some dark hitchcockian twilight zone and goes on for a few minutes in letterbox with different animation style and lighting, absolutely brilliant.
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6-21-2007 @ 10:20PM
BStu said...
I agree with Spenser. American Dad has definitely gotten better than Family Guy has ever been. Family Guy is funny, but its gag driven. The characters have never been as fully realized as those on The Simpsons, for instance. American Dad, though, gets it right. At its best, its definitely as good as The Simpsons in its early seasons. It has some miscues at the end of the season when it relied too much on "Stan is an idiot" stories, but in general the show has a unique voice and fully realized characters which are things Family Guy, as good as it can be, has just never quite gotten down.
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6-21-2007 @ 11:35PM
Mel said...
Good to hear it! I enjoy this show a lot, and agree about how it's more plot driven than Family Guy is, and I think it really works with this show. Not that they don't have bizarre gags, but it's always part of the plot somehow. Like in one episode the entire C-plot was the movie What's Eating Gilbert Grape? acted out with squirrels. There's offbeat stuff, but it flows well.
And, for the record, I still really enjoy Family Guy as well. Especially the season finale, which, interestingly, was more emotional than most episodes.
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