Each Christmas Episode Of American Dad, Ranked

Because it first got here out in 2005, “American Dad!” has steadily held it down as some of the underrated animated sitcoms round. Whereas comparisons to “Household Man,” one other present created by Seth MacFarlane, have been inevitable, it is progressively branched out in absurdity in one of the best ways. It started as a commentary on George W. Bush-era politics, with Stan Smith being a prototypical 2000s Republican, however now, one’s extra more likely to discover eldritch horrors in an “American Dad!” storyline than overt social satire. 

That extends to the present’s Christmas specials, which have a number of the most unhinged plots in your complete collection. It is not like “Bob’s Burgers” Christmas episodes the place you will undoubtedly really feel all heat and fuzzy inside. You might even have deep, unsettling questions on what you simply watched, however these episodes aren’t completely devoid of real coronary heart. That is the magic of “American Dad!” From a long-time fan, listed here are all the “American Dad!” Christmas episodes ranked from worst to finest, considering total hilarity and the way properly it pulls off a uniquely “American Dad!” Christmas story. 

“American Dad!” turning Roger right into a Grinch-like parody referred to as the Grounch seems like a slam dunk of an thought. It is odd it took so lengthy for the present to do it, however the finish outcomes are lower than stellar. 

Many of the episode facilities on Roger coping with the truth that Snot, Steve’s finest pal, thinks he is unattractive. Feeling dejected, he provides up intercourse and will get married, however when his new spouse betrays him, he morphs right into a furry, inexperienced creature he dubs the Grounch, who steals the intercourse toys at a giant Christmas orgy. 

The Grinch parts, significantly Klaus singing a parody of “You are a Imply One, Mr. Grinch,” work actually actual, however it takes till the very finish to get there. The remaining feels disjointed, with a facet story of Stan working a males’s journal, now that he feels overly assured about his seems (to juxtapose Roger feeling ugly). Nothing actually comes collectively cohesively, and if something, it will simply make you need to discover out the place you may watch the surprisingly sexy “Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas” this vacation season to get your fill of inexperienced monsters. 

“Reward Me Liberty” ranks so low as a result of it barely even seems like a Christmas episode more often than not. To be honest, it begins on the CIA with Stan’s workplace enjoying Secret Santa, just for his boss, Bullock, to appreciate somebody forgot a present. He duties Stan with discovering the offender, however Stan was the one who forgot. The episode principally facilities on Stan getting goaded by Roger to keep up the lie and pin the fake pas on another person, just for him to appreciate that telling the reality is in the end for one of the best. 

With a B-plot involving Steve posing as varied ladies’ protected boyfriend in order that their dad and mom do not suspect they are going out with unhealthy boys, none of it feels significantly Christmasy exterior of the inciting incident, which loops again round on the finish. An episode about Stan studying about how unhealthy mendacity is feels prefer it may’ve been finished at any time. Using a Christmas episode with one thing so lackluster, particularly after Santa begins his vendetta towards the Smiths, means it is by no means on the highest of the watchlist when the vacation season rolls round. 

Roger represents the unhinged id of “American Dad!” If he desires to transform to Judaism as a result of nobody within the Smith household is listening to him round Christmas, he’ll do it. After which he’ll placed on Santa’s swimsuit and change into a Jewish Santa named Schmanta, as a result of something is feasible on this chaotic world. 

The episode’s primarily an train in Jewish jokes, that are commonplace in any animated Seth MacFarlane present. More often than not they really feel inoffensive, however some jokes do come off as ignorant, like Francine asking if “Jewish” is a language. Judaism is not some off-the-beaten-path faith, however for some motive, everybody exterior of Snot treats it as such.

However the true crime of “Santa, Schmanta” is that it is a forgettable installment within the unending warfare between Santa and the Smiths. Santa, having died, will get resurrected in order that he can defeat Roger and get his swimsuit again, however the epic combat between them feels decidedly much less epic from what we have seen earlier than. Exterior of Roger, the Smiths do not even have that a lot of a job to play, making it really feel much more inessential. 

From right here on out, there are not any inherently unhealthy “American Dad!” Christmas episodes. All of them have a modicum of attraction and humor, with “Dreaming of a White Porsche Christmas” being saved by a humorous twist.

The set-up is pretty easy: Stan needs he may very well be a bachelor once more like Principal Lewis, and when that comes true, he realizes being single is not all it is cracked as much as be. It is the form of revelation you recognize Stan’s going to have from the beginning, however simply once you assume you know the way the story will spherical out, Stan winds up with a totally totally different household. A guardian angel (a la “It is a Great Life”) informs Stan that this new household is his “actual” household, as he had beforehand been in a distinct “Great Life” state of affairs caught with an terrible household consisting of Francine, Hayley, and Steve. 

It is a good way of driving Stan’s revelation house much more. He does not like being a bachelor as a result of he misses his household, however he additionally does not get pleasure from his “good” household as a result of he is come to like how imperfect everyone seems to be. The finale is definitely fairly in step with the ending of “It is a Great Life,” by coming to phrases that life is not about being good; it is about being with people who find themselves good for you. 

“Ninety North, Zero West” is a incredible fruits of all earlier “American Dad!” Christmas episodes up till this level. The Smiths lastly resolve to enter cryostasis to keep away from one other battle with Santa Claus, a lot to the dismay of Steve. He nonetheless desires to have some form of Christmas custom and winds up kidnapped to the North Pole, the place Santa plots to accumulate Gilgamesh’s radiances (or auras) and change into an omnipotent villain. To get there, they’re going to have to staff up with Stan’s father, Jack, who’s now Krampus (all of those returning plot threads will likely be defined later down the record). 

It is a terrific showcase for a ton of supporting characters, together with the abomination that’s Puddin — an outcast, elongated elf with minimize ears. Simply, one of the best recurring little bit of the episode is how educated Francine is concerning the fable of Gilgamesh. Sometimes dumb characters abruptly appearing good won’t ever get previous. Amid all the wackiness, there’s an emotional core of the Smiths realizing they need not cover from Santa. Combating him can change into their Christmas custom, which is a perverse lesson solely “American Dad!” may pull off. 

The very first “American Dad!” Christmas particular encapsulates the whole lot the present was about in these early seasons. Stan’s upset that folks have seemingly forgotten the rationale for the season and will get irrationally offended when individuals say “Joyful Holidays” as an alternative of “Merry Christmas.” When given the prospect to return in time from the Ghost of Christmas Previous, voiced by “Pals” star Lisa Kudrow, he decides to kill Jane Fonda, whom he blames for contemporary liberalism. 

Nevertheless, he inadvertently will get Martin Scorsese off medicine whereas prior to now, that means he by no means made “Taxi Driver,” which implies John Hinckley Jr. by no means obsessed over Jodie Foster, which implies he by no means tried to assassinate Ronald Reagan. That leads to a brand new current timeline the place the Soviet Union has overtaken america. As a film buff, it is a fairly humorous butterfly impact, and watching Stan return once more to make “Taxi Driver,” clearly missing Martin Scorsese’s distinct visible fashion, with John Wayne as Travis Bickle as an alternative of Robert de Niro, is hilarious. Lengthy earlier than the Smiths have been waging warfare towards Santa, it is a prime Christmas installment that forces Stan to reckon together with his political ideology.

Practically twenty years into the present’s run, “American Dad!” continues discovering methods to discover Stan’s insecurities across the holidays. In “Into the Jingleverse,” he is scared that Steve will overtake him as one of the best present-giver, so he works alongside his enemy Santa to get some cool digital actuality goggles. This backfires, as Santa plans to maintain the Smiths on this digital world as his human beta-testers. 

It feels bizarre to name an episode with this premise grounded, however it’s nearly good to take a step again from an enormous battle involving Santa. He is nonetheless a villain, however he is pursuing a much more nuanced plan to mess with the Smith household, making the most of Stan’s insecurities to trick him into pondering he is prepared to place the previous behind him. The 3D-animated sequences are fairly neat and a great way to maintain these vacation episodes feeling recent. 

“Into the Jingleverse” additionally represents an evolution inside Stan. Earlier installments would discover him ashamed of his household or eager to get away from them. Right here, his inner-turmoil comes from eager to be too variety towards them. It is a delicate however welcome character arc for a person who as soon as actively wished to be single simply to get away from them for just a little bit. 

That is the second “American Dad!” Christmas episode involving the Antichrist, and truthfully, the repetition most likely will not cross your thoughts since it is so good. Stan will get excommunicated from Christianity after beating up Roger dressed as Jesus Christ, however he can re-enter the church if he kills the Antichrist, who was simply adopted by Hayley and Jeff. 

The sequences of the Antichrist, Nemo (Omen spelled backward), manipulating actuality and possessing Steve to do his bidding are concurrently humorous and surprisingly chilling. This episode may work alongside any of the finest Christmas horror films on the market with how scary it will get, with each Father Donovan and Jeff assembly their demises, though Jeff reveals again up on the very finish completely alive, which is nice. 

It is nice that Hayley, regularly ignored on Christmas specials, will get extra time to shine right here. We see a distinct facet of her that is really maternal towards Nemo and saves him in the long run. It is a high-concept vacation episode merging parts of faith, horror, and jokes on the expense of Dealer Joe’s, and we would not have it another method. 

Time loop films like “Palm Springs” outlined 2020, so it is solely acceptable that “Xmas. Tide. Repeat.” got here out on December 21 of that 12 months. Stan will get caught in a time loop after a Christmas tree show goes horribly improper, killing a bunch of mall-goers, together with his household. Stan retains attempting to determine methods to cease the Christmas tree from getting lit to no avail, together with one particularly horrific sequence the place the lights do not illuminate, however a wire runs free and slices everybody within the crowd in half. 

Stan’s arc is fairly typical. He desires a healthful Regular Rockwell-esque Christmas, however nobody else within the household is into that. The one method Stan manages to interrupt the loop is by doing what his household desires to do, even when it isn’t inherently Christmasy. Stan must study to simply accept his household for who they’re as an alternative of who he desires them to be. After all, it isn’t all sentimentality, as Stan dies in more and more weird methods attempting to avoid wasting everybody, which calls to thoughts “Fringe of Tomorrow,” making this one significantly purple Christmas outing. 

A typical plot for “American Dad!” Christmas episodes is to get Stan tremendous obsessive about the vacation to the purpose he neglects his household. For this outing, he dies and will get despatched to limbo to find out whether or not he ought to go to Hell or heaven. Because the proof reveals, Stan is simply too worked-up about all the time being proper and doing issues his method, however his case is not helped by his incompetent angel lawyer, Michelle, voiced by “Legal Minds” staple and “Group” visitor star Paget Brewster.

Because the second ever “American Dad!” Christmas particular, it borrows some beats from the primary. Stan will get a feminine guardian angel of types, and he is reluctant to simply accept different individuals’s views on the vacation. Whereas the gags of how egocentric Stan will be are actually humorous, this episode actually soars by taking Stan to process together with his obsessive nature, actually attempting to pressure God to do his bidding. The perfect line of the episode comes from the Huge Man himself: “Stan, you are holding a gun to God’s head. I imply, I am unable to even consider a metaphor that is higher than this.”

“The Greatest Christmas Story By no means Advised” will get just a little wrapped up in its time journey plot to really feel like a real Christmas extravaganza. Right here, we see Stan actually grapple with the truth that above the rest, he simply desires to be together with his household. It is about exploring Stan’s ethical compass over exterior political commentary, making it a terrific early Christmas episode. 

Steve’s a bit out of character as a complete brat in “Minstrel Krampus,” however it’s all in service of bringing one other Christmas unhealthy man into the combination — Krampus, voiced by Danny Glover, with Charles Taylor offering the singing. Different “American Dad!” Christmas episodes have musical numbers, however none of them maintain a candle to those featured right here, together with a stellar boy band-like quantity with Steve within the lead. For the musical numbers alone, this one deserves a spot within the high three. 

After Krampus kidnaps Steve, Stan groups up together with his still-enemy Santa to avoid wasting him. Stan’s father, Jack, who initially trapped Krampus earlier than Stan launched him, additionally will get some redemption on this episode. Whereas Jack desires to run away at first, he ultimately does the appropriate factor by assembly up with Stan at Krampus’ citadel (in a perverse tackle “Magnificence and the Beast,” full with anthropomorphic furnishings). Jack even sacrifices himself to guard Stan, giving him a surprisingly well-rounded character arc earlier than he magically turns into the brand new Krampus. With equal elements coronary heart and bloodshed, what extra may an “American Dad!” fan need?

“Rapture’s Delight” is such an incredible episode of “American Dad!” It begins with an fascinating interaction of how each Stan and Francine view Religion, with him in the end blaming her for him not being raptured and ascending to heaven. Then midway by means of the episode, we fast-forward to Jesus Christ recruiting Stan to assist him rescue Francine, as they journey throughout an apocalyptic panorama, slaughtering demons like they’re in “DOOM.” 

The whole lot with the holy warfare between Jesus and the Antichrist is top-tier darkish comedy, together with the last word reveal of the Antichrist himself being the literal reverse of Jesus. It is incredible, and truthfully, some actually good creature designs are on show right here. However the factor that basically brings all of it collectively is the connection between Stan and Francine. Stan’s as soon as once more an conceited jerk, and he has to undergo literal Hell on Earth to let her understand how necessary she all the time was to him. 

Plus, all the bizarre motion film one-liners from Jesus and Stan are simply nice. Stan inflicting some sensible males figures to fall from the ceiling to take out some demons and saying, “It is raining sensible males … Hallelujah,” is one thing that might solely come from “American Dad!”

If you wish to name “Rapture’s Delight” one of the best “American Dad!” Christmas episode, nobody would blame you. However for me, the last word Christmas episode comes with “For Whom the Sleigh Bell Tolls.” Steve unintentionally shoots the true Santa Claus, who goes to warfare with your complete Smith household after they attempt to bury him within the woods. The episode transitions seamlessly from humorous romp to horror-tinged thriller within the vein of “I Know What You Did Final Summer season” earlier than changing into a full-on epic battle between the Smiths (and Bob Todd) towards Santa’s military of elves and reindeer. 

There can be many battles towards Santa within the years to comply with, however nothing comes near the sheer scale and emotional resonance as this one. The whole lot is tied along with Stan being reluctant to simply accept Hayley’s husband, Jeff Fischer, into the household’s vacation traditions. Stan hating Jeff is nothing new, however there’s further weight to it now. Jeff’s in the end resolution and entry into the battle within the finale stays some of the satisfying issues the present has ever finished, Christmas episode or not. 

“For Whom the Sleigh Bell Tolls” is the whole lot a terrific “American Dad!” episode ought to be. There are a ton of nice jokes, with Roger’s moonshining B-plot providing loads of laughs. However there is a darker sensibility to separate “American Dad!” from different cartoons in addition to real coronary heart. Stan might have continued getting aggravated at Jeff after this, however you actually really feel like a breakthrough has been made between them. It seems like the whole lot Christmas episode to comply with this has been chasing the identical excessive, so it is earned its spot on the high of the record.