American Dad toes a very thin line in most episodes, as the writers constantly attempt to balance the absurd nature of the show with the more reality based storylines and relationships it tells. While most episodes fall short of finding that perfect blend, when it works, American Dad is capable of telling sweet and artistic storylines you can't find anywhere else on television.
That's not to say "Enter Stanman" is a perfect episode, by any means. It starts with a mostly cliche premise, as Stan is insecure after Francine dreams of having sex with Jeff. There's a fun montage set to "Mr. Sandman" where Stan does everything possible to just stop Francine from dreaming altogether, which ends up with the two in counseling. There's a great scene where they just talk out their issues and need absolutely no help, and bonus points as their therapist is not Dr. Penguin(who was killed off) but is actually his twin brother(by marriage). Of course, Stan isn't giving up that easily as Roger suddenly has the very convenient power to enter dreams, and Stan finds out some part of how his wife views him. The animation throughout these dreams sequences is fabulous, with particular highlights being an octopus version of Steve and a Stan literally missing a face, which is enchanting and horrifying in equal measure. Stan's incessant spying eventually leads to him being caught by Francine, which leads to what Stan was so worried over all along, as Francine leaves him, not to go to another man but instead off into the ether. This cataclysmic event also sets loose a creature named Stanveratu, who is the physical embodiment of Stan's insecurities. Despite all the fantastical ideas this episode presents, it's a smart decision to ground the story by having Stan learn from Stanveratu just how annoying and overly attached he can be.
The final act of this storyline is a little too quick for my liking, as Roger and Stan enter Steve's dreams, Stan admits his faults and is immediately forgiven. It felt like the pacing here was a little off, as perhaps more time could've been spent with Stan learning his lesson and vowing to change rather than fooling around trying to arrange silly music numbers. Stan is confronted by Stanveratu, and tries to get Francine to have sex with Jeff to weaken his insecurity, but she refuses. Stan ploughs Jeff instead, which is a tremendous leap in logic but a very effective distraction, as Francine summons a dream sword and saves the day. If we're being honest, the relationship between Stan and Francine is extremely played out by this point in the show's run. We've seen them going through just about everything, and it takes a lot to get a long-term viewer to care about their martial strife. What makes this episode work is a dedication to a simplistic story, one rooted in the character's traits and past. Ultimately, this episode doesn't attempt to do anything ground-breaking or completely life changing for Stan and Francine. It's a mostly small and insignificant problem that has an easy solution, allowing the animators to get creative and really go for it. This is easily one of the most entertaining storylines American Dad has presented in years, and I loved the heck out of it.
"Enter Stanman" has no real B-plot, which was a big help in fleshing out the main story. Dr. Buttblast(Roger) spends time attempting to come up with the perfect name and logo for his new hot sauce, assisted by Klaus. The bulk of the plot is entirely comic relief, allowing Roger to just go wild and come up with the most f***ed up name possible. A solid diversion.
9/10
Pacing issues aside, this was a damn good episode of American Dad, one that got me laughing more than I have in a long time. Now if you could pass me the Dr. Donkey Dick Anal Holocaust hot sauce, I think I'll take a nap.
That's not to say "Enter Stanman" is a perfect episode, by any means. It starts with a mostly cliche premise, as Stan is insecure after Francine dreams of having sex with Jeff. There's a fun montage set to "Mr. Sandman" where Stan does everything possible to just stop Francine from dreaming altogether, which ends up with the two in counseling. There's a great scene where they just talk out their issues and need absolutely no help, and bonus points as their therapist is not Dr. Penguin(who was killed off) but is actually his twin brother(by marriage). Of course, Stan isn't giving up that easily as Roger suddenly has the very convenient power to enter dreams, and Stan finds out some part of how his wife views him. The animation throughout these dreams sequences is fabulous, with particular highlights being an octopus version of Steve and a Stan literally missing a face, which is enchanting and horrifying in equal measure. Stan's incessant spying eventually leads to him being caught by Francine, which leads to what Stan was so worried over all along, as Francine leaves him, not to go to another man but instead off into the ether. This cataclysmic event also sets loose a creature named Stanveratu, who is the physical embodiment of Stan's insecurities. Despite all the fantastical ideas this episode presents, it's a smart decision to ground the story by having Stan learn from Stanveratu just how annoying and overly attached he can be.
The final act of this storyline is a little too quick for my liking, as Roger and Stan enter Steve's dreams, Stan admits his faults and is immediately forgiven. It felt like the pacing here was a little off, as perhaps more time could've been spent with Stan learning his lesson and vowing to change rather than fooling around trying to arrange silly music numbers. Stan is confronted by Stanveratu, and tries to get Francine to have sex with Jeff to weaken his insecurity, but she refuses. Stan ploughs Jeff instead, which is a tremendous leap in logic but a very effective distraction, as Francine summons a dream sword and saves the day. If we're being honest, the relationship between Stan and Francine is extremely played out by this point in the show's run. We've seen them going through just about everything, and it takes a lot to get a long-term viewer to care about their martial strife. What makes this episode work is a dedication to a simplistic story, one rooted in the character's traits and past. Ultimately, this episode doesn't attempt to do anything ground-breaking or completely life changing for Stan and Francine. It's a mostly small and insignificant problem that has an easy solution, allowing the animators to get creative and really go for it. This is easily one of the most entertaining storylines American Dad has presented in years, and I loved the heck out of it.
"Enter Stanman" has no real B-plot, which was a big help in fleshing out the main story. Dr. Buttblast(Roger) spends time attempting to come up with the perfect name and logo for his new hot sauce, assisted by Klaus. The bulk of the plot is entirely comic relief, allowing Roger to just go wild and come up with the most f***ed up name possible. A solid diversion.
9/10
Pacing issues aside, this was a damn good episode of American Dad, one that got me laughing more than I have in a long time. Now if you could pass me the Dr. Donkey Dick Anal Holocaust hot sauce, I think I'll take a nap.
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