Family Guy vs American Dad
Ava Bailey For this installment of versus, we’ll be looking at Seth MacFarlane’s two most popular animated sitcoms to determine which is his crowning achievement.
Round 1: Characters
The Griffins put a twisted spin on traditional family archetypes with a talking dog, a diabolical baby, and a cynical edge. In addition to the now iconic Griffins, Quahog is populated by no shortage of scene-stealing residents like Quagmire, Joe, and Cleveland, the latter of whom had a short-lived spinoff. Throughout the years, however, the characters have grown more one-note. Peter turned into an idiotic jerk while Meg became a human doormat. The one character who continues to demonstrate significant growth is Stewie. Despite perennially being a toddler, Stewie has the layers of a Shakespearean villain, revealing genuine vulnerability between his dry wit and calculating nature.
On the surface, the Smith family may seem like carbon copies of the Griffins, complete with a politically incorrect patriarch, a supportive yet spontaneous matriarch, and a talking pet. Familiarity aside, the Smiths do eventually distinguish themselves as individuals and as a unit. Everybody has great chemistry and there isn’t a weak link in the main cast. Of course, the MVP is Roger, whose array of disguises makes way for plenty of fun personas. While Langley Falls doesn’t have as many memorable supporting players as Quahog, there are several standouts like Steve’s trio of loser friends, Stan’s boss Avery Bullock, and the outrageous Principal Lewis.
Although “American Dad!” is the stronger ensemble piece in some respects, the Smiths do owe a lot to the Griffins. Even the family’s most outlandish member, Roger, borrows a fair deal from Stewie, seeing how both are violent sociopaths. Even if character development has taken a backseat in recent seasons of “Family Guy,” those early years remind us why the Griffins became cartoon all-stars and Stewie remains MacFarlane’s answer to Mickey Mouse. Throw in a better supporting cast and “Family Guy” narrowly takes this round.
WINNER: Family Guy 1 / American Dad 0
Round 2: Storylines
“Family Guy” isn’t the most story-driven show, although there have been some ambitious outings. “And Then There Were Fewer” is an ingenious murder mystery satire and the “Road to…” episodes are usually anchored by a strong emotional core. For the most part, however, cutaway gags overshadow the plot, which is acceptable when those jokes hit bullseyes. As of late, though, “Family Guy” has been striking out more often than not. Since episodes are so reliant on randomness, it feels especially uneven whenever a message is shoehorned in. It’s hard to get a point across when so much of the story is dedicated to pointless filler.
While “American Dad!” is no stranger to nonsensical humor, the jokes usually tie into a flowing narrative and rarely bring the plot to a distracting halt. Episodes typically take a traditional sitcom setup - like Stan’s mother visiting - and give it a demented twist. The show has delivered several well-crafted satires, such as the 007 send-up “Tearjerker” and “National Treasure”-Esque “Black Mystery Month.” Christmas episodes are always a source of creative writing with the post-apocalyptic “Rapture’s Delight” perhaps being the show’s finest half-hour. There have even been some involving story arcs, like Jeff being lost in space and the golden turd saga.
When it comes to most “Family Guy” episodes, we remember certain jokes, but often forget what the general story was even about. “American Dad!,” on the other hand, continues to innovate in the storytelling department, making it this round’s clear winner.
WINNER: Family Guy 1 / American Dad 1
Round 3: Consistency
If “Family Guy” had remained canceled following Season 3, it would be remembered as one of the most consistently hilarious shows ever produced. Sometime after its revival, though, what was once a nonstop laugh riot grew increasingly hit and miss. Fans debate precisely when the show started to dip in quality, although the “death” of Brian in Season 12 is frequently cited as the shark-jumping moment. Granted, Brian was resurrected two episodes later, but that just made the storyline feel more gimmicky and manipulative. While modern seasons aren’t without their gems, dedicated viewers have to wade through a lot of lazy episodes to get to them.
“American Dad!” started off slow as the writers attempted to figure out who the characters are and how they should work off each other. As such, many initially wrote the series off as a lesser “Family Guy” knockoff. By its third season, however, “American Dad!” found its groove and has shown few signs of slowing down ever since. That’s not to say every episode is a home run. Season 12’s “American Fung” is widely considered a series low point, but flat-out duds like this are thankfully few and far between. Even at its worst, at least “American Dad” is constantly trying.
“Family Guy” and “American Dad!” have both seen their fair share of highs and lows, which is inevitable for any show that’s exceeded 200 episodes. Yet, where “Family Guy” frequently phones it in, you never get the sense that “American Dad!” is on autopilot. That’s another point for the Smith family.
WINNER: Family Guy 1 / American Dad 2
Round 4: Legacy
When people think of shows that set a gold standard for adult animation in primetime, “Family Guy” is typically the second cartoon that comes to mind. Being second to “The Simpsons” ain’t half bad, though. Besides, “Family Guy” did something that “The Simpsons” never could: get nominated for Outstanding Comedy Series at the Primetime Emmys. While “Family Guy” has ironically never won an Outstanding Animated Program Emmy, there’s no denying that it’s had a huge impact on the way we view animation and comedy. Above all else, “Family Guy” proved that if a beloved show is canceled, a loyal fanbase can make all the difference in bringing it back.
Whichever you prefer, it’s safe to assume that “American Dad!” wouldn’t exist without “Family Guy.” MacFarlane’s earlier show laid the foundation for his follow-up series to build upon, but “American Dad!” would evolve into a unique entity over time. Since both shows are about suburban families and lean heavily towards controversial humor though, we can see why “American Dad!” has struggled to get out of its predecessor’s shadow. While arguably smarter and more experimental than “Family Guy,” “American Dad!” didn’t exactly change anything. This has been reflected at the Emmys where “American Dad!” has only been nominated twice for Outstanding Animated Program.
Even if the newer seasons have put a damper on its legacy, adult animation was never the same after “Family Guy” hit the airwaves. While “American Dad!” is a worthy addition to the adult animation library, it just wasn’t a game-changer like “Family Guy,” which takes this round.
WINNER: Family Guy 2 / American Dad 2
Round 5: Humor
It’s no secret that newer “Family Guy” episodes rely far too heavily on gross-out and shock humor. During its prime, however, “Family Guy” was quite possibly the funniest show on television. Sure, the jokes weren’t always character or story-based, but viewers were laughing too hard to care. Whenever we need a good laugh, a classic “Family Guy” cutaway will always get the job done. If you were to ask any fan what their favorite episode was, chances are they’d say “Road to the Multiverse” because it plays to the show’s greatest strength: telling a continuous string of jokes without ever stopping to take a breath.
“American Dad!” is a show that not only makes you laugh, but also makes you think. Stan’s profession has a CIA agent naturally makes leeway for strong social satire, but “American Dad!” doesn’t restrict itself to political jokes. The show is at its best whenever it tackles the farce genre, placing the Smith family in an everyday situation that spirals out of control. As sharp as “American Dad!” is, we’d be lying if we said that it’s produced more laugh out loud moments than “Family Guy” over the years. Its wit and inventiveness consistently leave us smiling, but that doesn’t always amount to belly laughs.
This is a case that really demonstrates why humor is subjective. If you want a show that’s one laugh after another, you’ll likely prefer “Family Guy” (at least at its peak). If you want a show that’s clever, but doesn’t always leave you rolling on the ground laughing, “American Dad!” will be more your cup of tea. Since we’re measuring based on LOL moments, though, “Family Guy’s” best jokes have more staying power. With a final score of 3 to 2, victory is Stewie’s!
WINNER: Family Guy 3 / American Dad 2
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