20 Best Episodes of "American Dad"

Best of American Dad

When American Dad aired its pilot in 2006, few would have guessed that the series would someday soar past 300 episodes. At the time, Family Guy was at the height of its popularity and American Dad had the feel of a humdrum spinoff. However, the show quickly proved to be a genuine original.

The American Dad family mostly consists of familiar stereotypes: loudmouth husband (Stan), long-suffering wife (Francine), dorky son (Steve), and stoner daughter (Hayley). There’s also Hayley's husband, Jeff, and Klaus, a man trapped in the body of a goldfish. Then there’s the show’s most iconic character, Roger the Alien, who’s lived with the family since being rescued by Stan from Area 51.

Juvenile Depravity and Killer Wit

At its best, American Dad is a delightful blend of juvenile depravity and killer wit, carried by a set of characters that are entirely absurd yet endlessly multi-dimensional. American Dad episodes are all over the map, and so are fan opinions on which ones stand out.

Many believe the show had a golden age that ended years ago, while others have more appreciation for recent seasons. Some fans favor episodes heavy on the banter or ones that feature Roger behaving extremely badly. Others think the show is at its best when it’s weird and experimental.

In a top 20 list, there’s room for a bit of everything. These picks are based on comedic brilliance, memorable moments, and artistic value. Here are the 20 greatest episodes of American Dad, counting down from 20 to 1.

20. "Spring Breakup" (Season 3)

S/E: Season 3, Episode 16

Air Date: May 18, 2008

Plot: Roger (Scotch Bingeington, the King of Spring Break) throws an MTV-style spring break at the Smith house, Stan falls for a spring breaker, and Steve almost loses his virginity to Carmen Electra.

Why It’s a Classic: "Spring Breakup" is an early example of Roger as a chaotic, hedonistic ringleader. The episode successfully spoofs the ridiculousness of MTV's spring break culture, which Stan becomes helplessly immersed in. Meanwhile, Steve, despite his desperate nerd status, refuses to sleep with a supermodel until he’s seen her complete medical history.

19. "The Life Aquatic with Steve Smith" (Season 11)

S/E: Season 11, Episode 2

Air Date: February 1, 2016

Plot: Steve joins the high school water polo team. Klaus helps “steer” Steve’s body from within his bathing suit. Metallica’s James Hetfield guest stars as the coach. Meanwhile, Stan and Roger become “boat guys.”

Why It’s a Classic: The episode’s best bit is Steve confessing to the water polo crowd that he has a “little guy in his swimsuit” as Francine heads for the exit, her brief run as a jock mom coming to an end. Both the A and B plots deliver plenty of chuckles, including Roger’s blue-collar boating persona, complete with orange overalls and a trucker hat.

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18. "G-String Circus" (Season 5)

S/E: Season 5, Episode 8

Air Date: November 29, 2009

Plot: Hayley wants to raise money for charity, so Stan recommends she start a dry cleaning business. Disappointed that she doesn’t take his advice, Stan opens his own dry cleaning business with a stripper named Tanqueray. He then pivots to working as a stripper himself. Steve and his friends go to space camp.

Why It’s a Classic: Steve and his pals picking the worst possible week to go to space camp (cool space stuff was last week and next week, this week features an eight-hour panel with NASA’s administrative support staff) is wickedly funny.

Meanwhile, several characters have classic moments interacting with the strippers. That includes Stan’s boss, Bullock (voiced by Patrick Stewart) requesting a series of physical abuses, Stan desperately avoiding seeing Tanqueray naked, and Roger snidely commenting “Oh, we’re wearing the same outfit. Take a good look, sweetie, this is how you wear that.”

17. "In Country... Club" (Season 5)

S/E: Season 5, Episode 1

Air Date: September 27, 2009

Plot: Steve participates in a Vietnam War reenactment at a country club. Roger tries to get the cable passcode from Stan so he can order a pay-per-view of Barbara Streisand singing Celine Dion songs.

Why It’s a Classic: Steve and some familiar side characters reenacting the Vietnam War on a golf course is hilarious. The best moments come when Steve loses himself in the experience and develops PTSD. "In Country... Club" is a deserving fan favorite that perfectly executes a brilliant plot.

16. "Meter Made" (Season 3)

S/E: Season 3, Episode 2

Air Date: October 7, 2007

Plot: After receiving a parking ticket, Stan is sentenced to community service as a “meter maid.” Writing parking tickets leads to surprising wealth and power, which Francine relishes. Hayley poses nude for a painting class that Roger attends.

Why It’s a Classic: Like many great American Dad episodes, "Meter Made" is a spoof. The episode parodies the 1990 mobster classic Goodfellas.

Stan “has it made” when he gains mafia-style local influence through his power to write parking tickets. The mobster plot is smart, funny, and delivers the debut guest appearance of Forest Whitaker as Detective Turlington.

15. "Next of Pin" (Season 11)

S/E: Season 11, Episode 21

Air Date: June 20, 2016

Plot: Steve bonds with Stan while becoming a bowling phenomenon. Then, worried that Steve will turn pro and leave him behind, Stan dons a disguise and stabs Steve. Back at the house, Roger and Hayley watch a documentary on bicycles to see who has a longer attention span.

Why It’s a Classic: When "Next of Pin" aired in 2016, American Dad’s prime had already arguably ended several years prior. However, this episode proved that the series could still deliver a gem with start-to-finish laughs, inventive A and B plots, and involvement from the entire family. Memorable bits include a bowling montage set to Limp Bizkit’s "Rollin’" and Klaus’ genuine appreciation for a devastatingly boring film.

Greg: The excitement is palpable here, the stands absolutely packed with what I like to call "gutter people."

Memphis Stormfront: Delightful bowling pun there, Greg.

Greg: Bowling pun?

14. "Dope and Faith" (Season 3)

S/E: Season 3, Episode 3

Air Date: October 14, 2007

Plot: Stan’s new friend Brett is an atheist, so Stan tries to convert him. Roger tricks Steve into working in a crack house that he thinks is Hogwarts.

Why It’s a Classic: "Dope and Faith" encapsulates American Dad’s early conception of Stan Smith: conservative, Christian, morally inflexible, and willing to go to ridiculous extremes to get what he wants. He’s also capable of just enough remorse to create a perfect story arc.

This episode’s B plot provides its most memorable moments, as Steve somehow can’t tell a crack house from a fictional school for wizards. After he’s told, in Spanish, to wash his hands ("lavate las manos") before touching the product, Steve thinks he’s learned his first spell.

13. "The Two Hundred" (Season 11)

S/E: Season 11, Episode 10

Air Date: March 28, 2016

Plot: American Dad’s 200th episode takes place in post-apocalyptic Langley Falls. Stan searches for his family while regretting times he took them for granted. Roger’s cloned personas form an angry horde.

Why It’s a Classic: "The Two Hundred" is a celebration of American Dad’s epic run, featuring an army of 200 crazed Roger personas. While this type of episode could have easily felt gimmicky, it’s instead a perfect example of everything that makes the show great: clever dialogue, creative stories, and wild appearances by beloved side characters (e.g. Principal Lewis embracing cannabalism).

12. "Shark?!" (Season 14)

S/E: Season 14, Episode 7

Air Date: May 20, 2019

Plot: Roger, as a shark, bites Steve’s arm off. Steve’s brush with death gives him reckless self-confidence. Klaus dates Hayley’s friend, Danuta.