The essential episodes of American Dad!
Watch these 15 in order and you've got American Dad! — each pick states its reason.
- 01
Proud father Stan Smith uses his CIA skills to help 13-year-old son Steve win class president and the heart of the hottest girl in class, Lisa Silver. But when being class president makes Steve mad with power, Stan must jump in to save the day. Meanwhile, Roger, the alien Stan saved from Area 51, helps 18-year-old Haley with her school paper. In return, she hooks him up with boatloads of junk food to curb his sweet tooth. Unfortunately, some Chocodiles send him over the edge and a sugar crash prohibits him from finishing one of her papers, forcing Haley to pick up the pieces. And Klaus, the goldfish with the brain of a German guy, pines after mother Francine. Unfortunately for Klaus, the closest he'll ever get to a date with her is the spin cycle with her sports bra.
- 02
When Stan forgets his wedding anniversary - again - he arranges to have 19 hours of Francine's memory erased, but the CIA temp on duty accidentally erases 19 years. Francine, having reverted to her wild-child days, moves into her old apartment with Haley as a roommate, and ends up going to a festival with Haley's boyfriend. Meanwhile, Steve asks a good-looking girl out, but needs his wingman, Roger, to jump on a grenade for him and date her ugly cousin.
- 03
The American Dad After School Special
When Steve announces that he finally has a girlfriend, Stan could not be a prouder father. But when Stan realizes that she is not the petite cheerleader he was expecting, his obsession with physical appearance spirals out of control and he develops anorexia. Steve comes to recognize that his overweight girlfriend is the root of his father's problems and he has to make a hard choice in an effort to save his father's life.
- 04
When Francine decides to be a surrogate for her gay neighbors Terry and Greg, Stan's Republican blood boils. Although he pretends to be happy, when the baby is born, Stan kidnaps her and heads to the Nebraska boarder, where gay couples have no rights. Meanwhile Steve and Roger pull a Howard Hughes and become reclusive after they think Klaus is out to get them.
- 05
When Stan forgets to pick up grenadine at the grocery store, Roger goes ballistic and vows to get him back by taking over a project close to Stan's heart - the Homeowner's Association. When Roy Rogers McFreely is appointed chairman of the association and starts to abuse his power, Stan, Hayley and Steve lead the opposition to preserve the small town's "American" values and take the community back from "the man" .
- 06
It's Roger's birthday, and he begs to be roasted, but when he ends up devastated by the jokes, he vows to pull his life together. Things take a turn for the worse when Roger takes it one step too far, causing the Smith family to go on the run.
- 07
When a storm hits Langley Falls, the Smiths decide to stay home, they must fight tooth and nail to survive.
- 08
Roger opens a crooner's bar in the Smith family's attic and recruits Hayley as his main entertainer. Soon, all of Langley Falls becomes enthralled by her singing voice - including Roger, who takes his crush on Hayley a bit too far. Meanwhile, Stan tries to prove his manhood by negotiating a good deal on a new car.
- 09
Steve and Snot's Test-Tubular Adventure
Thwarted in their efforts to secure dates for the upcoming high school prom, Steve and Snot turn to the CIA's cloning machine to churn out two willing ladies. But, when the device produces two uber-fast-growing newborn babies, the boys must break out their fathering skills to ready them in time for prom night. Meanwhile, Stan takes home the CIA's cloned pet, Daren the Dodo, with disastrous consequences.
- 10
Stan is horrified when he sees a couple die in a car crash and goes to see a shrink. Meanwhile, Roger and Klaus study for a wine tasting.
- 11
When Stan discovers a salt mine in the backyard, the Morton Salt Company wants to buy it. It turns out Steve is the rightful owner of the land and he faces pressure from the family.
- 12
Stan becomes infatuated with a doll that the CIA wants to use to spy on the Russians.
- 13
Suspicious about Hayley's mysterious, newfound wealth, Francine decides to get to the bottom of it. Roger sets out to make Stan an internet celebrity.
- 14
The Mystery of the Missing Bazooka Shark Babe
After Danuta goes missing, Hayley joins forces with Wheels and The Legman detective to investigate the Bazooka Shark Babes' involvement in her friend's mysterious disappearance.
- 15
Stan thinks he has what it takes to thrive on reality TV; Klaus gets himself a Klaus.
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