Pilot (American Dad!)

Season 1, Episode 1, Aired

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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 Hayley 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 Hayley 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.moreless
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Fan Episode Reviews (25)

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  • An OK start for American Dad

    6.0
    "Fair"
    By fsaenz0125, Dec 16, 2011
    American Dad has a fair start (while Family Guy was superb). I don't hate this episode. It was just alright and I thought most of the parts were boring. On the bright side, this episode wasn't mediocre. Although I think AD is a superb show, season 1 was kinda between good and great because it started out slow (like a few other shows does) and then it got a little better. The only parts that I laughed were Klaus obsessing over Francine, periods known as Steve, the E.T. refernece, Stan shooting the toaster, and a couple more.Overall this pilot of American Dad was just okay and it could have been better. 6/10moreless

  • Why do people hate this?

    9.5
    "Superb"
    By jmbsonic555, Oct 13, 2011
    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 Hayley 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 Hayley 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.

    Overall, I liked it alot, i wonder why people hate the Pilot so much

    9.5/10moreless

  • A really horrible start to an awesome show.

    2.7
    "Terrible"
    By johnofempires34, Oct 11, 2011
    Weak. This, the pilot episode of American Dad is the worst of the entire series to date. It basically is a re-hash of Family Guy. Steve is an annoying jerk, Francine, Klaus, and Hayley are utterly wasted and Stan produces no sympathy. Roger's small part in the show is the best part, as it usually is even in good episodes. Thank goodness the show got better, and is now among my favorites. My only question is why did it have to start off on this horribly mangled foot? Now I'm just trying to get over the 100 word minimum. Ding!moreless

  • mediocre

    5.5
    "Mediocre"
    By futuramarama, Jun 12, 2011
    Stan helps Steve win Class President, but he soon goes mad with power when the girl he likes does not share his feelings, and in fact finds him repulsive. Meanwhile, Roger the alien helps Haley write a school paper.

    Good-ish episode. Not one of the best openers ever, but it had some good parts, like everyone replacing the word 'period' with Steve, and Roger's idea to get Haley an extension on her paper, and Francine with the bullhorn, but the rest of the episode was kind of low on laughs and bored me a little. Still alright though, my final grade would be a C- or somoreless

  • Will American Dad! live up to the hype that has been circulating, and more importantly, will the show be given a chance by the network to generate a large enough audience to keep it on the air?moreless

    7.0
    "Good"
    By TVTome_Shadow, Jun 07, 2011
    At first glance, American Dad! seems like a rip-off of the popular TV show, Family Guy. Which, incidentally, is also from the same creator, Seth MacFarlane. With all the similarities between both shows, American Dad! is often referred to as Family Guy's counter-part. With that being said, will American Dad! live up to the hype that has been circulating, and more importantly, will the show be given a chance by the network to generate a large enough audience to keep it on the air?

    After viewing the Pilot episode, most people will be quick to judge and compare every aspect of the show to its counter-part, Family Guy. For the most part, American Dad! did have its funny moments, but they were quickly overshadowed by the constant attempt at generating more humor. But overall, I enjoyed all the humor that the show was trying to get across.

    Now, as for the disadvantage, it would definately have to be the strong similarities between the characters for both shows. They're just too similar to Family Guy, but that's to be expected since they're both from Seth MacFarlane. The Pilot episode can't really be compared to all 3 seasons of Family Guy, as most people seem to do quite often. But when compared to just the Pilot of FG, American Dad! truly does stand out, and in my opinion, even surpasses FG's Pilot.

    Based on the Pilot, it's very difficult see which direction the show and characters will take throughout the series. Hopefully, the characters will stand out more as the series goes on. More specifically, Francine and Klaus. As they seem to serve no real purpose in the Pilot episode.

    In conclusion, I'd rate the Pilot episode a 7/10. Overall, the episode was pretty good considering it was only the Pilot. I truly believe American Dad! has a lot of good potential to become a great series, if taken in the right direction.moreless
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  • TRIVIA (9)

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    • The shirt Steve wears is called his Shazam shirt. However, considering Steve is supposed to be a geek, he would know that the word Shazam only applies to the title of the comic book, not the character; the character is named Captain Marvel.

    • When Roger enters the basement to find the Jack-in-the-box Man tied up, they are both startled and shout. However, the Jack-in-the-box Man emits Roger's voice and Roger emits the Jack-in-the-box Man's voice.

    • Goof: When Steve is having dinner with Hilary Duff, the door is to his right, but when Hilary runs off, Steve's then facing the door.

    • During the scene where Klaus chides Stan for having his body switched with that of a goldfish, there is a flashback to the Olympic skier who received the fish's brain. The sign at the top of the ski jump reads "1986 Winter Games." There were no Winter Games in 1986! The writer or animators made this mistake because up until 1992, the Summer and Winter Games were held in the same year and not 2 years apart from each other as was done later. Thus, the writer/animators intended for this to most likely be the 1984 Winter Olympics but forgot NOT to adjust for the 2 year's difference. In addition, Stan said that the brain switching was done to prevent East Germany from winning the gold medal. But, East Germany DID win a gold medal in Ski Jumping - Normal Hill in 1984; they did not win gold in Large Hill, but did get silver. So, Large Hill might have been the event animated for the scene. (If they meant 1988 instead, East Germany didn't win the gold, but did win a medal in Nordic Skiing - Men's.)

    • When Stan is driving home from the mall after a failed attempt to impress girls on Steve's behalf, there is glass imbedded in Stan's face from where he jumped through the mall window. However, if he was wearing a black ski mask that fully covered his head when he jumped, how he could remove the mask, which is absent from his head in the car, AND still have the glass imbedded in his skin?

    • When Stan tells Francine to be careful when going shopping, he raises the terror alert wheel on the fridge from yellow to orange. However, when he sits down to talk to Steve about his love life, it is back to yellow.

    • When it shows the scene of George Bush, there's a Rubik's Cube on his desk. However, two of the center pieces on it are the same color, which is impossible. The center pieces on Rubik's Cubes can never change positions, only the outer pieces can.

    • When Steve is made President, while standing at his locker, Lisa asks him out. The boys bathroom is on the right of his locker at that point, when the 'Power Stream' guys come out of the bathroom, it's on the left.

    • In the scene where the family is burying the dog, you can see Roger standing outside on the lawn. It was stated that Roger can't leave the house, therefore, he shouldn't be outside.

  • QUOTES (21)

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    • Klaus: I used to have a dog. And legs. And arms. I was an Olympic skier before the CIA switched mein brain with ein goldfish. Stan: What were we supposed to do? Let East Germany win gold? Not on my watch.

    • Stan: Do you know how many votes George Bush actually received on the first election? 7.

    • Stan: (To Roger) If my superiors at the C.I.A. found out you were living here, we'd have our memories erased. Did you see Memento? It's not as good the second time.

    • Stan: You like shaving your armpits, Hayley? Huh? 'Cause if the terrorists take over this country, that's the first thing to go!

    • (Steve is dragging his dog on the sidewalk, and a car comes by) Girl in Car: Hey, dumbass, your dog's half-dead!

    • Steve: So, Hilary, school elections are coming up, and I have been personally wedgied by both contestants.

    • Stan: God, please watch over the soul of this dead dog and carry him up to heaven... because he sure as hell can't walk... he's dead. Amen.

    • Stan: Hilary, look out for the mines! (Explosion) What did I just say? You heard me. What did I just say? Steve: You said, "Look out for the mines." Stan: I said, "Look out for the mines."

    • Steve: Bobby, get over here, I want my Shazzam shirt dry cleaned and pressed by third period. Oh, and another thing, all periods will now be called Steves. (Shift to a classroom scene) Boy #1: (To another boy) Hey, I'm thinking of cutting third Steve, you in? Boy #2: Yeah, as long as I'm back by fourth Steve. Teacher: (To class) So, if it's a statement, it should always be followed by a Steve. Girl: Mr. Phillips, may I be excused? I'm having my Steve.

    • Steve: This is it. I have absolute power. (Over intercom) Doris, could you please send in our high school mascot? (Man dressed in a buffalo costume comes in) Welcome, buffalo. As you must've heard, I have been elected student body President. As such, I can do anything I want... and I want to ride the buffalo! (Steve jumps on mascot's back) Woo hoo hoo!! Buffalo: MOOOO!!!! (Destroys everything in the office) Steve: Yes, yes! I'm riding the buffalo! (Buffalo falls, Steve gets off, Doris comes in) Now, send in the lunch lady.

    • Principal Lewis: Smith! What's the meaning of this?! Steve: Principal Lewis, I am taking your office. Pursuant to Pearl Bailey High Statuete 39-F, quote, "The Student Body President can acquisition any room on school premesis for the purpose of conducting school business." Principal Lewis: You can read! The school system works! (Dejectedly) I'll be back for my stuff.

    • Roger: By the way, Hayley, oh my God, these Chocodiles, these Chocodiles Hayley, oh my God, these Chocodiles, oh my God!

    • Hayley: (To Stan) You know, Steve's dog would still be alive if you right-wing lunatics would agree to gun control. Stan: You know what I have to say to that? (Pause) Ah, I thought I was gonna fart.

    • Hayley: Oh my God. Dad, why is Hilary Duff in our house? Stan: Hilary is here of her own free will because she wants to have dinner with Steve. Steve: Hilary, could you pass the salt? Stan: (Holding gun to her head) Pass him the salt.

    • Stan: (Picks up telephone) This is Stan Smith. Principal Lewis: Mr. Smith, I'm afraid there's a problem with your son. Stan: Oh, God, he's gay. This is it. This is the gay call. I've been ready for this for years. (Starts chugging down pills) Principal Lewis: Uhh, no. It's just that he's gone mad with power. He evacuated the entire school and barricaded himself in my office. Stan: I see. (Foam starts coming out of his mouth) Henry, antidote!

    • Stan: (With gun, searching the house) Osama, is that you? (Hears noise, fires gun) Roger: Geez, Stan, what gives? Holy Toledo, you killed your son's dog! And don't ask me to bring him back with that E.T. finger thing because that's a giant load of crap.

    • (The dog lifts its leg) Stan: Oh, damn it! He's gonna pee! No, no, no! (Instead of peeing, dust comes out) Nope, just dust.

    • Girl: Hey, I love your dog. Guy: Hey, want to come back to my apartment and pet my schnauzer? Girl: Okay. Guy: And then we can play with this dog.

    • (Roger breaks the chair he's sitting on) Roger: Oh, don't everybody help at once. Francine: My goodness, Roger! When was the last time you weighed yourself? Roger: Oh, oh, ow. Ow, Francine. You know, we can't all look like those anorexic aliens on the James Cameron movies. Francine: I'm sorry, Roger, but I'm putting you on a diet. Starting today, no more junk food. (Takes Roger's donut) Roger: What?! No, not my Frankenberries! Oh, Francine! Please be reasonable! (Gets on table trying to get his donuts, breaks table) Oh, God! I got a bear claw in my ass!

    • (Stan unloads a clip into a toaster) Hayley: It's just toast, Dad. Stan: This time it was toast, Hayley. This time.

    • Stan: Francine, you be very careful out there today, we're at terror alert orange! Which means something might go down somewhere in someway in some point in time, SO LOOK SHARP!

  • NOTES (30)

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  • ALLUSIONS (11)

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