Son of Stan
Encyclopedia
"Son of Stan" is the second episode of the sixth season of American Dad!
. It first aired on October 10, 2010 on Fox
. The episode plot mainly revolves around Francine
and Stan
having a clash over how to raise Steve; Francine wishes to be more attentive, but Stan is still firm that they need to be firm with him. Meanwhile, Roger
tracks down the AWOL bride and groom in Thailand in order to steal the money that Stan gave Jeff by means of making an annoying noise in the presence of Hayley
and Jeff
.
This episode was written by Erik Sommers and directed by Chris Bennett. This episode generally received positive reviews. Rowan Kaiser from The A.V. Club
rated this episode a Grade C.
have a clash over how to raise Steve
now that Hayley
has run off with Jeff. Francine wishes to be more lenient, but Stan is convinced that they need to be firm with him. They decide to have a BMX
race to determine how to raise Steve. Stan falls down and severely injures himself at the start of the race, making Francine the winner. However, Stan creates a clone
of Steve (after being inspired by Duper's clone after the real Duper died in a bus crash in the previous episode), setting up a new contest with Francine to determine who has better parenting skills.
Francine raises the original Steve very passively, but Stan raises Steve's clone, Steve-a-rino, in a very strict fashion. Francine's parenting ends up turning Steve into a spoiled brat, while Stan's parenting makes Steve-a-rino incredibly athletically adept and successful at school. However, things soon go wrong when Steve-a-rino — whom Stan's parenting has turned into a psychopath — kidnaps Steve to pose as him and enjoy the original's lifestyle. However, once exposed, Steve-a-rino decides to kill Steve, with Stan and Francine chasing him to his lair, where he keeps stray cats to torture and kill. This leads to a confrontation and a fight between Steve-a-rino and Stan. Francine releases the cats from their cages and the cats attack Steve-a-rino, causing him to fall out a window and is presumably killed by the fall. Stan and Francine decide to raise Steve together again as they take their leave. Steve-a-rino survives, however, and finds himself at the mercy of one of the tortured cats after it obtained a gun; he defiantly tells the cat "I'll see you in hell" as it shoots him.
Meanwhile, Roger uses marijuana and pills so he can think like a stoned loser to track down Hayley and Jeff in Thailand
in order to steal the money that Stan gave Jeff. When refused the money, Roger resorts to making an annoying noise in the presence of Hayley and Jeff, which eventually drives them crazy as they attempt to escape him. At the end, Roger gets the money at the Great Wall of China
, but discovers that Hayley and Jeff spent all the money trying to escape from him. Shrugging it off, Roger then moves on to his next adventure to India
, though he falls off the Great Wall from going through the Taj Mahal
backdrop he erected.
rated this episode a Grade C, saying: So it seems that the “Part 1 of 2” last week was not completely a bait-and-switch. Still, although this claims to be the second part of a two, it's really not terribly related to the premiere. Hayley and Jeff are still married, yes, but they're consigned to a B-plot involving Roger tracking them down and getting the $50,000. This certainly wasn't as funny as last week's episode, but it didn't have a whole lot to recommend it either. Grade: C.
American Dad!
American Dad! is an American animated television series created by Seth MacFarlane and owned by Underdog Productions and Fuzzy Door Productions. It is produced in association with 20th Century Fox Television...
. It first aired on October 10, 2010 on Fox
Fox
Fox is a common name for many species of omnivorous mammals belonging to the Canidae family. Foxes are small to medium-sized canids , characterized by possessing a long narrow snout, and a bushy tail .Members of about 37 species are referred to as foxes, of which only 12 species actually belong to...
. The episode plot mainly revolves around Francine
Francine Smith
Francine Smith is a fictional character on the animated television series American Dad!. She is the wife of Stan Smith and the mother of Steve and Hayley. Francine is voiced by Wendy Schaal.-Fictional character biography:...
and Stan
Stan Smith
Stanley Roger "Stan" Smith is a former American tennis player and two time Grand Slam singles champion who also, with his partner Bob Lutz, formed one of the most successful doubles teams of all time. Together, they won many major titles all over the world...
having a clash over how to raise Steve; Francine wishes to be more attentive, but Stan is still firm that they need to be firm with him. Meanwhile, Roger
Roger Smith
Roger Smith may refer to:* Roger Smith , American television and film actor and screenwriter* Roger Smith , English soccer player* Roger Smith , Bahamian tour tennis player...
tracks down the AWOL bride and groom in Thailand in order to steal the money that Stan gave Jeff by means of making an annoying noise in the presence of Hayley
Hayley Smith
Hayley Smith is the name of two fictional characters:*Hayley Smith , on Australian soap, Home and Away*Hayley Smith , in satirical cartoon comedy, American Dad!...
and Jeff
Jeff Fisher
Jeffrey Michael "Jeff" Fisher is the former head coach of the Tennessee Titans of the NFL. He has a 146-120 career record as an NFL head coach.-Early life:...
.
This episode was written by Erik Sommers and directed by Chris Bennett. This episode generally received positive reviews. Rowan Kaiser from The A.V. Club
The A.V. Club
The A.V. Club is an entertainment newspaper and website published by The Onion. Its features include reviews of new films, music, television, books, games and DVDs, as well as interviews and other regular offerings examining both new and classic media and other elements of pop culture. Unlike its...
rated this episode a Grade C.
Plot
This episode is the second half of the two-part, Season 6 premiere. During a memorial service for the 97 people killed in the bus crash, Francine and StanStan Smith (American Dad!)
Stan Smith is a character from the animated television series American Dad!. Stan is a Central Intelligence Agency officer. Although once a case officer, he is now a weapons expert. Stan is voiced by the series' creator and executive producer, Seth MacFarlane.-Summary:Stan Smith born 12 February,...
have a clash over how to raise Steve
Steve Smith (American Dad!)
Steven Anita “Steve” Smith is a character from the animated television series American Dad!. He is Stan and Francine Smith's only son and Hayley's younger brother as well as the youngest of the series' 6 main characters. Steve is voiced by Scott Grimes.According to TVTDB.com, Steve's original...
now that Hayley
Hayley Smith (American Dad!)
Hayley Dreamsmasher Smith Fischer is a character from the animated television series American Dad!. She is voiced by Rachael MacFarlane, the younger sister of one of the series co-creators, Seth MacFarlane....
has run off with Jeff. Francine wishes to be more lenient, but Stan is convinced that they need to be firm with him. They decide to have a BMX
BMX
Bicycle motocross or BMX refers to the sport in which the main goal is extreme racing on bicycles in motocross style on tracks with inline start and expressive obstacles, and it is also the term that refers to the bicycle itself that is designed for dirt and motocross cycling.- History :BMX started...
race to determine how to raise Steve. Stan falls down and severely injures himself at the start of the race, making Francine the winner. However, Stan creates a clone
Human cloning
Human cloning is the creation of a genetically identical copy of a human. It does not usually refer to monozygotic multiple births nor the reproduction of human cells or tissue. The ethics of cloning is an extremely controversial issue...
of Steve (after being inspired by Duper's clone after the real Duper died in a bus crash in the previous episode), setting up a new contest with Francine to determine who has better parenting skills.
Francine raises the original Steve very passively, but Stan raises Steve's clone, Steve-a-rino, in a very strict fashion. Francine's parenting ends up turning Steve into a spoiled brat, while Stan's parenting makes Steve-a-rino incredibly athletically adept and successful at school. However, things soon go wrong when Steve-a-rino — whom Stan's parenting has turned into a psychopath — kidnaps Steve to pose as him and enjoy the original's lifestyle. However, once exposed, Steve-a-rino decides to kill Steve, with Stan and Francine chasing him to his lair, where he keeps stray cats to torture and kill. This leads to a confrontation and a fight between Steve-a-rino and Stan. Francine releases the cats from their cages and the cats attack Steve-a-rino, causing him to fall out a window and is presumably killed by the fall. Stan and Francine decide to raise Steve together again as they take their leave. Steve-a-rino survives, however, and finds himself at the mercy of one of the tortured cats after it obtained a gun; he defiantly tells the cat "I'll see you in hell" as it shoots him.
Meanwhile, Roger uses marijuana and pills so he can think like a stoned loser to track down Hayley and Jeff in Thailand
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
in order to steal the money that Stan gave Jeff. When refused the money, Roger resorts to making an annoying noise in the presence of Hayley and Jeff, which eventually drives them crazy as they attempt to escape him. At the end, Roger gets the money at the Great Wall of China
Great Wall of China
The Great Wall of China is a series of stone and earthen fortifications in northern China, built originally to protect the northern borders of the Chinese Empire against intrusions by various nomadic groups...
, but discovers that Hayley and Jeff spent all the money trying to escape from him. Shrugging it off, Roger then moves on to his next adventure to India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, though he falls off the Great Wall from going through the Taj Mahal
Taj Mahal
The Taj Mahal is a white Marble mausoleum located in Agra, India. It was built by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his third wife, Mumtaz Mahal...
backdrop he erected.
Cultural references
- The song that played during Roger's skateboard scene was "Electric FeelElectric Feel-Quotations:"Electric Feel is a shunting single that cobbles together the instrumental roving of Gary Numan, the high pitch vocal provocation of Scissor Sisters and tops it off with a Timo Maas vibe that varies in impact. Worldly, boundary crossing expressionism is the end result...
" from MGMT. - John Farnham's "Thunder In Your Heart" song from Rad was used during the BMX races.
- The song played during the 'Steve vs. Steve-a-rino montage was "He's Frank (Slight Return)" by The BPA, featuring Iggy Pop. This song is a cover of an older version that was first written/sung by The Monochrome Set.
- Steve-Arino is not shown being shot, making it possible that he is still alive and will come back as an antagonist in future episodes.
- Stan forbids Steve-arino to eat a Gardenburger
- The title is a likely reference to the Son of Sam serial killer.
Reception
Rowan Kaiser from The A.V. ClubThe A.V. Club
The A.V. Club is an entertainment newspaper and website published by The Onion. Its features include reviews of new films, music, television, books, games and DVDs, as well as interviews and other regular offerings examining both new and classic media and other elements of pop culture. Unlike its...
rated this episode a Grade C, saying: So it seems that the “Part 1 of 2” last week was not completely a bait-and-switch. Still, although this claims to be the second part of a two, it's really not terribly related to the premiere. Hayley and Jeff are still married, yes, but they're consigned to a B-plot involving Roger tracking them down and getting the $50,000. This certainly wasn't as funny as last week's episode, but it didn't have a whole lot to recommend it either. Grade: C.