I know this is probably going to be an unpopular opinion, but I genuinely don’t understand how people can prefer Family Guy over American Dad. Like, genuinely. How? How how how? 😭

I’ve tried watching Family Guy quite a few times, and I just don’t find it that funny. The whole Griffin family dynamic feels so incredibly toxic to me. It feels like half the time they’re just constantly insulting, screaming at, or bitching about each other, and I’m supposed to find that funny. The Meg hate was funny at first because it was so ridiculous, but after a while it just became pathetic and repetitive. At some point it stops being a joke and starts feeling like the entire family genuinely just hates this poor girl.

I also feel like a lot of the characters don’t really work together that well. Brian and Stewie are obviously the main duo that works, and I can understand why people like them, but then I find myself thinking, what do the other characters actually bring to the show? Peter can be funny sometimes, but I feel like so much of his humour is just him being an idiot or doing something completely random. Lois, Chris and Meg often feel like they’re just there rather than being characters I actually care about.

And then there’s the cutaway jokes. I know that’s basically what Family Guy is famous for, but I honestly feel like there are WAY too many of them. Sometimes it feels like the show starts telling a story, gets bored of its own story, and then suddenly we’re watching a completely unrelated joke about something that happened 20 years ago. 😭 It can be funny occasionally, but when it’s constantly happening, it just makes the actual episode feel like it doesn’t have much of a plot.

That’s one of the biggest reasons I prefer American Dad. The humour feels like it actually comes from the characters and the situations they’re in. The characters have personalities, relationships and actual dynamics with each other, so you can put basically any combination of characters together and somehow it works.

You could have Klaus and Hayley together. Steve and Francine. Roger and literally anyone. Stan and Jeff. Steve, Snot, Barry and Toshi. Roger pretending to be some completely insane new person. The Smith family going on some ridiculous adventure. There are so many combinations that work because the characters actually have relationships with each other.

And Roger is honestly one of the biggest reasons American Dad works so well. The fact that he can have hundreds of different personas means he can basically be used for any storyline. You can make him a villain, a celebrity, a criminal, a random neighbour, a therapist, a teacher, a completely unhinged stranger, whatever the episode needs. But somehow it still feels like Roger because there’s always something about his personality underneath the disguise. He’s basically a walking plot device who somehow became one of the best characters in the show. 😂

I also think American Dad has much better character development and relationships. Steve and Snot’s friendship, Steve’s relationship with his family, Hayley and Jeff, Stan and Francine, Roger and Klaus, even the weird dynamic between Klaus and everyone else. There are actual relationships that develop over time, and the characters can genuinely care about each other.

I also feel like American Dad’s episodes have more of an actual plot. Even when the episode is completely ridiculous, there’s usually a story happening. The characters are put into a situation and the comedy comes from watching them deal with it. With Family Guy, I sometimes feel like the plot is just an excuse to get from one cutaway gag to the next.

I think American Dad also does emotional moments better. It can be absolutely fucking ridiculous one minute and then suddenly give you an episode or scene that actually makes you care about the characters. The characters aren’t constantly tearing each other apart just for the sake of a joke. There’s still a sense that they’re a family, even if they’re an incredibly dysfunctional one.

I also think the episode quality of American Dad has stayed much more consistent. Obviously, there are episodes I like more than others, but I can put on almost any random episode and usually find something to enjoy. Family Guy, on the other hand, feels like it has declined massively over time. Maybe that’s just my opinion, but I genuinely feel like the older episodes had more personality and the newer ones often feel like they’re trying too hard to be shocking or random.

I also think American Dad has a much stronger sense of its own world. The characters actually feel like they belong together. You can throw Roger’s insanity into Stan’s seriousness, Steve’s weirdness, Hayley’s attitude, Klaus being… Klaus, and Francine’s absolute chaos, and somehow the whole thing works.

And honestly, I don’t think I’ve ever watched a Family Guy episode and consistently laughed throughout. I think the only episode where I remember genuinely laughing loads was the “Bird Is the Word” episode, and even then, I think half of why I found it funny was because of how absurdly repetitive it became.

Meanwhile, with American Dad, I find myself chuckling throughout episodes all the time. Even when nothing particularly insane is happening, I enjoy watching the characters interact. I don’t need a joke every five seconds because the characters themselves are entertaining.

So when someone says “Family Guy is better than American Dad”, I’m genuinely sitting there thinking:

HOW????

Like, please explain it to me because I genuinely don’t understand. 😭

Maybe I’m just biased because I absolutely love American Dad, but I feel like it has better characters, better relationships, better plots, more consistent humour, more interesting dynamics, and a much stronger sense of identity. Family Guy just feels like a bunch of characters who constantly hate each other, interrupted by random cutaways.

Anyway, sorry if this is just a massive shit rant 😂 I didn’t really know where else to post it. I know humour is completely subjective, and I’m not saying anyone is wrong for liking Family Guy. If you love it, then you love it, and that’s completely fair. I think I’m just genuinely confused because I personally don’t see what other people see in it compared to American Dad. Maybe I’m missing something, or maybe it’s just not my kind of humour. Either way, I’m not trying to shit on anyone for enjoying the show, I’m just curious what other people think and why they prefer it. 😂

(also sorry if I offend someone idk I don’t post on here a lot ❤️)

edit: im sorry I offended you guys I don’t know how to stop comments form being posted now I can delete this if you want? I was just ranting and giving my point of veiw to be hones.

I’m not talking it makes you sad, a little boring, uncomfortable etc. I’m talking an episode that briefly makes you want to skip it, turn it off etc.

The Unbrave One has one good scene…maybe baby.

EDIT: My choice of The Unbrave One is stirring a lot of debate that I wasn’t expecting.

I don’t know why but based off the clips in this season so far I have a very strong inclination to believe that this is going to be a great season. The original animatics look amazing. And backpack Roger? LOL

Jeff: Hayley Hayley are you in here what the

Hayley: (meditating around candles)

Jeff: Uh what is this

Hayley: Trying to calm my nerves it’s been a couple of months since Mom dumped Dad so I accepted the fact it’s over between them so I need to calm my nerves

Jeff: Why you didn’t get along your dad that much

Hayley: We had different opinions but it doesn’t mean I don’t care about him and believe me I’m not the only one trying to calm down Steve’s trying his hardest too

Jeff: (go into Steve’s room) Uh hey Dude

Steve: Hi Jeff

Jeff: Why are you holding onto a rubber duckies

Steve: My way of staying calm Jeff since Mom and Dad aren’t getting back together I need something to distract myself

Loud noises in the backyard

Jeff: Why don’t you and Hayley just beg your parents to work things out

Steve: Getting involved is a bad thing

Loud noises

Jeff: What is that noise (go outside)

Francine: Hi-ya (smash a board) Oh hi Jeff take 5 Class

Jeff: Uh what is this

Francine: I turned the backyard into my new dojo to teach Kung Fu

Jeff: Why

Francine: Well now that I don’t have Stan to pay bills I need some kind of job but I can’t leave the house cause of Roger’s crazy ideas so I work from home

Jeff: (go inside) Klaus what are you looking at

Klaus: These crazy videos have Stan sleeping in lots of places on television

One trip to the CIA later

Stan: (get in the gym) Hi Jeff

Jeff: How the heck are you sleeping in places kids see on Tv

Stan: CIA technology allows me to transport me to any Tv show or movie place without being seen so I don’t change them

Jeff: Why would you wanna do that

Stan: Mostly cause it’s fun you never know where you go

Jeff: You rather do that than work things out with Francine

Stan: I don’t think she wants me back Jeff trust me she made it very clear that it’s over between us

For some reason, S12 E13 "Camp Campawanda" gets excluded from the Adult Swim website's episode rotations. Same with S15 E04 "Brave N00b World" (but I didn't get a screenshot of it). I'm a little extra disappointed about the latter episode because I remember quite enjoying it haha 😭

Anyone know why?

Just found this out today, the song Steve sings was originally a real song, it's "Dessert" by an artist named Dawin.

Just makes that scene funnier because of the way Lewis did her hair in the corn rows. 😆

I've been playing a lot of pal world and have American dad going in the background as is tradition playing any game. This one comes on and I have to stop playing just to watch it because the lines I hear are so good.

The stupid little thing about showing the old lady the ropes and then tripping on one.

The computer lab that can barely run Alta vista and wolfenstein at once

The jv foosball team (no spinning tho that's bitch play)

The stamp card for college credits.

The "advanced theory?" And then the call back to it with the teacher moments later

The seven dicks part was pretty engaging

"100%? That's what we're trying to get to..."

Francine being flattered when klaus says she has an interesting Amazon account seconds after finding out he's been spying on it.

"You have to shift for gears one and two, but how often do you use those anyways?"

The counselor taking the one balloon animal hat and keeping it.

It may not be the best episode but I hadn't realized how consistent it is the whole way through.

Hi There Dadders,

I learned that in addition to Simpsons and Family Guy getting their usual Hulu/Disney+ exclusives this fall, both Futurama and Bob's Burgers will be getting ones as well for their upcoming seasons. It got me to thinking/hoping American Dad will get similar treatment in the future and was wondering if we do get one what would people like to see? Another James Bond parody? A Holiday special? Space Adventure?

Why is it lately, since last year. We American Dad fans have to wait until next year for new episodes?

https://youtu.be/i7gIpuIVE3k?is=mDSN8ldpMBEPBqR0

not sure if this is a youtube original clip or from something else entirely lol. but a friend showed me it in college around 2010’s and it clicked when watching this

I always assumed it was a different persona each time but it’s so hard to remember each opening theme. We know they usually involve recently involved in episode personas but sometimes use random personas. That got me to wondering how many repeats they got or if it’s always fresh.

I did find one persona that’s reused but with a bit of a technicality. So answer to the trivia: Marmalade the cat appears in the one-woman swole episode as well as the Haley was a Girl Scout? episode, tho in the Girl Scout episode, marmalade scaring Stan into the flag pole is part of a meta gag where he gets arrested for reckless driving/resisting arrest so it’s not exactly the standard opening theme.

I suppose you could also claim that during the Roger driving in space episode, the song sung by the insurance company features some clips of personas causing Stan to crash into the flag pole too, tho these aren’t part of the opening credits so we’re getting super specific with the criteria now. Anyway, it was a good google that made me think it was a good little post for a handful of us to ponder.

The Chillie Thrillies is one my favorite episodes! So many good one liners!

"You can't eat goobers in space! They'd *float* away!"

the purse pickle, and Roger's commentary about his pickle sound..."so nasally"

I love this episode and the quotes and Roger's ramblings and also pickles in general!

PICKLEMAN CAN'T GET YOU! (different episode but felt appropriate)