11/23/2023 0 Comments Choosy wives choose smith episode![]() Unlike the last two Christmas episodes, ‘Tearjerker’ deserves its reputation as one of AD’s early classics, even if it unjustly overshadows other episodes this season which I personally believe are even better. Little touches like this just elevate episodes above the average and shows they put a significant amount of work into the script. It’s no coincidence that the best episodes all have a noteworthy running gag which actually effects the plot several times, in this case being Tearjerker’s crappy secret base, which is always breaking due to him hiring cheap contractors to build it. It’s not that big a deal though as the material we get is still very strong, and Tearjerker is one of Roger’s more memorable personas, even if this episode isn’t part of the canon. Stan, Francine, Roger and Bullock are all used really well and slot neatly into their new personas (especially Roger, who works really well as a Bond villain), but Steve and Hayley get the shaft and are basically given token cameo roles more out of obligation to have them appear than out of necessity for the story. My only critique is probably how the show’s cast is utilized in their new roles. Even if it’s not as consistently funny as ‘Frannie 911’ the aforementioned positives make up for it, and this episode still has a decent amount of strong gags. Not only is the episode well-structured, its parody and satire of the Bond franchise is witty and on-point. And when American Dad goes in, they usually go all in. Most of AD’s contemporaries occasionally do episodes like these (‘The Serfsons’ ‘I, Carumbus’), but a James Bond riff is far more apropos for a show about a CIA agent. I suppose this is what you’d call a “high-concept” episode. This is another one of AD’s more iconic episodes that even casual adult animation fans have likely seen, but this one is more well-deserved, because it’s so stylish and competent in its execution.
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