Welcome back again Dadders. Tonight are two unique episodes of American Dad! First up is the series 400th episode, a feat only achieved by 2 other Adult Animated Programs (The Simpsons and Family Guy). And compared to both The Simpsons and Family Guy, American Dad! has not suffered the drop in quality that those two have suffered. It’s remained consistently funny by never resting on the status quo, willing to evolve and always going for the joke.

The second episode tonight is a first for American Dad!; the first anthology episode. Comparing it to Simpsons and Family Guy again, The Simpsons aired its first anthology in the second season (Treehouse of Horror) while Family Guy aired its first in season 3 (Viewer Mail #1). American Dad! has been willing to stretch itself, airing non-canonical episodes (West to Mexico, Such Great Advancements) but an anthology is new for them.

Episode 12 In which Stan’s got some clones of his own…

Stan is the American Dad! so it’s fitting that a milestone episode focuses on Stan the Man and we get a lot of him here. On his 400th Mission, Stan is thought to be killed. After a trek back, he discovers that a fake Stan has replaced him and on a trip back to the CIA old Stan and new Stan discover the CIA clone program. Stan of course decides to use all of the clones in a Multiplicity way. However, in a delightful American Dad way, this is not about Stan learning about family time. Rather, it evolves into a wonderful and weird story about weird clones and taking over the world. Stan is shipped to an island with imperfect Stans where he and the imperfect Stans battle the evil Stans in a battle of the 400 Stans (don’t be that guy Steve)

Stray Observations

• “And he has an erection” “That makes two of us” thank the gods for Patrick Stewart and Bullock.
• Dr. Penguin mention and a Reggie appearance (although different voice)

Episode 12 Final Thoughts: I really liked this one.

Episode 13 In which they do an anthology, like I already said, keep up

Story One, Soul to Save- Roger is a Martian priest of a one person congregation, and that one person recently passed. He spends his days doing things around the church until one day he spots a wanderer (Lewis). Roger is happy that Lewis has been sent as a soul to save but an evil mirror Roger convinces him to kill Lewis for his sack. It’s then revealed this is not Roger’s first kill. Decent twist

Story Two, Anywhere But Here- Klaus is a robot slave driver on a mining colony (Earth Fragment 151822) with Billy, Jeff, Tuttle and Dick as workers (Billy is soon literally kicked off the asteroid). Jeff discovers a gun and he fantasizes about escaping. He and Tuttle use the gun to try to escape, killing Klaus but Jeff floats off after firing the gun.

Story Three, El Bodeguero- in the final anthology episode, the Smiths are on a space ship, but they’re all overly formal with each other (and they have a lot of corn). In a literal upstairs/downstairs story, the family is lower class, separating corn and talking about their jobs. The Smiths need a repair from the upstairs and when Stan goes up he discovers everyone has killed themselves because it was so monotonous. Stan lies to the family and they live in ignorance.

The wraparound- these were stories some guy was reading out of a magazine and he ends the show calling about a massage device

Stray Observations

• “My only regret is not whipping you more constantly” (shades of the “Boneitis” joke)
• Third story Bullock is reminiscent of

Episode 13 Final Thoughts: A solid episode though I liked this less than the 400th. If they go to this well again they have room to improve.

Overall Thoughts: I am just so happy that this show has lasted this long and remained so damn consistent. Despite the weird Fox scheduling, whatever we get from here is gravy.