Surro-Gate
Encyclopedia
"Surro-Gate" is the seventeenth episode of the third season of American Dad!
. It originally aired on December 2, 2007. This episode mainly centers around Stan
, who hears the news that Greg and Terry are having plans of starting a family through in vitro fertilization. Stan is at first takes this as a joke, and tries to convince them to remain without children. When Greg and Terry have trouble finding a donor
, Francine
offers to be the surrogate for the couple's child. Stan is enraged when he finds out that his wife is the surrogate for Greg and Terry's baby, and he later vows to take the infant to Nebraska
to put her up for adoption. Meanwhile, Roger and Steve
play a trick on Klaus
, only for him to seek revenge on the two.
This episode was written by Erik Durbin and directed by Tim Parsons. It featured guest appearances from Jane Lynch
, Leisha Hailey
, and Mary Jo Catlett
, as well as several recurring guest voice actors and actresses for the series.
is happy for them, but Stan recently come to some level of acceptance of their homosexuality is against the idea of bringing children into a non-traditional family, believing it will make them dysfunctional (among other things, such as a nonsensical theory that it could lead to horses eating each other). The pair soon come into a problem, however, as they cannot find a surrogate mother they can agree on (Greg does not approve of anybody that Terry suggests). Francine volunteers to help them, and secretly becomes pregnant with their child without telling Stan out of fear of his reaction (filled with the thought of Stan attacking her with a broken glass, changing to a chainsaw
, changing it again to a jaguar
, finally changing it to a jaguar armed with a chainsaw). She does not tell Stan, even though she promised the unborn she would eventually. Stan soon thinks that Greg and Terry have returned to normal life and Francine had become fat.
Stan eventually finds out (six months into the pregnancy), and while he is at first furious, Hayley
, taking advantage of his pro-life
values, reminds him that the baby is there and all he can do is do what is best for the baby instead of thinking of himself. Stan realizes she is right, and soon becomes enthusiastic about preparing for the baby's birth. With Greg and Terry, they take parenting classes, the former being more adept. Soon Francine goes into labor, and she, Stan, Greg and Terry rush to the hospital, where she delivers a baby girl. Stan, however, soon kidnaps
the baby, and goes on a cross-country drive to Nebraska
, where gay couples do not have parental rights, so that the baby (whom he names "Liberty Bell
e") can have a normal family (i.e., at an orphanage
).
Greg and Terry call on the "Rainbow Truckers" union for aid, and Stan and Liberty soon find themselves fleeing from gay-rights activists trying to stop them from reaching the state border, only finding support in the local bystanders he comes across. They are rescued by a woman on an ATV named Lily (played by Leisha Hailey
), who takes them to her home. Stan is impressed by Lily's two polite, well-behaved children (Jason and Mary), until he meets Lily's spouse (played by Jane Lynch
) Al—short for "Allison." The pair explain they are a lesbian couple who decided to bring him to their home to show him that a gay family can be stable and hopefully convince him to return Liberty to her parents. Stan, however, simply abducts their two children and steals their truck. As Stan drives all three kids to the state border, the newest abductees argue with Stan that their family is great. The two then start fighting with each other, and Stan instinctively yells at them by calling them "Steve" and "Hayley" and then he realizes that the two do not seem any more dysfunctional than his own kids (and that the horses are not eating each other), and so he returns the children to their respective families, just as he stopped the truck he stole, an inch from the state border. Greg and Terry put a restraining order
on him as punishment for kidnapping the children, while allowing Francine, Steve, Roger, and Hayley to play with the baby in the park, though they let Stan come (on the condition that he stay far enough away, of course); his methods of cooing her from afar are obviously ineffective.
Meanwhile, Steve
and Roger
play a joke on Klaus
by throwing him in his bowl down a water slide, and Klaus swears horrible, excruciatingly painful revenge on them. As a result, they grow paranoid and live in the attic for the nine months in which the episode takes place, starving, wearing diapers and not letting any can of food out of their sight for a second. The two eventually go insane and try to kill each other until they realize that the only way to regain their sanity is to confront Klaus. Klaus, however, says he had forgotten about his threat, though now that they have reminded him, his vengeance is renewed. The two then put a stack of books on top of his bowl, trapping him, and wonder why they did not think of that before.
. It was preceded by reruns of The Simpsons
, King of The Hill
, and its sister show Family Guy
. It was viewed by 6.48 million homes during its initial airing, according to the Nielson ratings, despite airing simultaneously with Cold Case on CBS
and The Oprah Winfrey Show
on ABC
. It received a 3.2 rating in the 18-43 demographic.
"Surro-Gate" was met with mixed response from television critics. Genevieve Koski of The A.V. Club
gave it a mixed review, calling it "predictable". He went on to write, "American Dad was obviously conceived as a more satire-oriented version of its big brother, Family Guy. Where Family Guy specializes in pop-culture gags and non sequitur after non sequitur after oh-my-god-another-freakin' non sequitur, American Dad likes to pick a single (often politically volatile) target and bludgeon it to death, sometimes with humorous results. However—and this may just be jaded ol' me grinding an axe here—I prefer the show much more when it avoids the standard hot-button issues (religion, gay marriage) and wanders into more absurd territory (Stan's stint as a meter maid, the Vacation Goo)". He went on to criticize the subplot: "I would have much preferred to see an all-out war between the two factions, rather than Roger and Steve wearing diapers and slowly growing even more pathetic". He gave the episode a C-, the lowest grade of the night.
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 originally aired on December 2, 2007. This episode mainly centers around 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...
, who hears the news that Greg and Terry are having plans of starting a family through in vitro fertilization. Stan is at first takes this as a joke, and tries to convince them to remain without children. When Greg and Terry have trouble finding a donor
Egg donor
Egg donation is the process by which a woman provides one or several eggs for purposes of assisted reproduction or biomedical research. For assisted reproduction purposes, egg donation involves the process of in vitro fertilization as the eggs are fertilized in the laboratory. After the eggs...
, 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:...
offers to be the surrogate for the couple's child. Stan is enraged when he finds out that his wife is the surrogate for Greg and Terry's baby, and he later vows to take the infant to Nebraska
Nebraska
Nebraska is a state on the Great Plains of the Midwestern United States. The state's capital is Lincoln and its largest city is Omaha, on the Missouri River....
to put her up for adoption. Meanwhile, Roger and 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...
play a trick on Klaus
Klaus (American Dad!)
Klaus Heissler is a fictional character on the television series American Dad!. He is voiced by Dee Bradley Baker. Despite possessing the brain of a German man and living in the body of a goldfish, the Smith family keeps him under the guise that he is their pet goldfish.-Production history:Dee...
, only for him to seek revenge on the two.
This episode was written by Erik Durbin and directed by Tim Parsons. It featured guest appearances from Jane Lynch
Jane Lynch
Jane Marie Lynch is an American comedian, actress and singer. She gained fame in Christopher Guest's improv mockumentary pictures such as Best in Show and is currently best known for playing the role of Sue Sylvester in the television series Glee...
, Leisha Hailey
Leisha Hailey
Leisha Hailey is an American actress and musician most widely known for playing Alice Pieszecki in the Showtime Networks production The L Word...
, and Mary Jo Catlett
Mary Jo Catlett
-Life & career:Catlett was born in Denver, Colorado, the daughter of Cornelia M. and Robert J. Catlett. She is best-known for her role as housekeeper Pearl Gallagher on Diff'rent Strokes....
, as well as several recurring guest voice actors and actresses for the series.
Plot
Greg and Terry, the Smith family's gay neighbors, tell them they are planning to have a baby through in vitro fertilization. FrancineFrancine 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:...
is happy for them, but Stan recently come to some level of acceptance of their homosexuality is against the idea of bringing children into a non-traditional family, believing it will make them dysfunctional (among other things, such as a nonsensical theory that it could lead to horses eating each other). The pair soon come into a problem, however, as they cannot find a surrogate mother they can agree on (Greg does not approve of anybody that Terry suggests). Francine volunteers to help them, and secretly becomes pregnant with their child without telling Stan out of fear of his reaction (filled with the thought of Stan attacking her with a broken glass, changing to a chainsaw
Chainsaw
A chainsaw is a portable mechanical saw, powered by electricity, compressed air, hydraulic power, or most commonly a two-stroke engine...
, changing it again to a jaguar
Jaguar
The jaguar is a big cat, a feline in the Panthera genus, and is the only Panthera species found in the Americas. The jaguar is the third-largest feline after the tiger and the lion, and the largest in the Western Hemisphere. The jaguar's present range extends from Southern United States and Mexico...
, finally changing it to a jaguar armed with a chainsaw). She does not tell Stan, even though she promised the unborn she would eventually. Stan soon thinks that Greg and Terry have returned to normal life and Francine had become fat.
Stan eventually finds out (six months into the pregnancy), and while he is at first furious, 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....
, taking advantage of his pro-life
Pro-life
Opposition to the legalization of abortion is centered around the pro-life, or anti-abortion, movement, a social and political movement opposing elective abortion on moral grounds and supporting its legal prohibition or restriction...
values, reminds him that the baby is there and all he can do is do what is best for the baby instead of thinking of himself. Stan realizes she is right, and soon becomes enthusiastic about preparing for the baby's birth. With Greg and Terry, they take parenting classes, the former being more adept. Soon Francine goes into labor, and she, Stan, Greg and Terry rush to the hospital, where she delivers a baby girl. Stan, however, soon kidnaps
Kidnapping
In criminal law, kidnapping is the taking away or transportation of a person against that person's will, usually to hold the person in false imprisonment, a confinement without legal authority...
the baby, and goes on a cross-country drive to Nebraska
Nebraska
Nebraska is a state on the Great Plains of the Midwestern United States. The state's capital is Lincoln and its largest city is Omaha, on the Missouri River....
, where gay couples do not have parental rights, so that the baby (whom he names "Liberty Bell
Liberty Bell
The Liberty Bell is an iconic symbol of American Independence, located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Formerly placed in the steeple of the Pennsylvania State House , the bell was commissioned from the London firm of Lester and Pack in 1752, and was cast with the lettering "Proclaim LIBERTY...
e") can have a normal family (i.e., at an orphanage
Orphanage
An orphanage is a residential institution devoted to the care of orphans – children whose parents are deceased or otherwise unable or unwilling to care for them...
).
Greg and Terry call on the "Rainbow Truckers" union for aid, and Stan and Liberty soon find themselves fleeing from gay-rights activists trying to stop them from reaching the state border, only finding support in the local bystanders he comes across. They are rescued by a woman on an ATV named Lily (played by Leisha Hailey
Leisha Hailey
Leisha Hailey is an American actress and musician most widely known for playing Alice Pieszecki in the Showtime Networks production The L Word...
), who takes them to her home. Stan is impressed by Lily's two polite, well-behaved children (Jason and Mary), until he meets Lily's spouse (played by Jane Lynch
Jane Lynch
Jane Marie Lynch is an American comedian, actress and singer. She gained fame in Christopher Guest's improv mockumentary pictures such as Best in Show and is currently best known for playing the role of Sue Sylvester in the television series Glee...
) Al—short for "Allison." The pair explain they are a lesbian couple who decided to bring him to their home to show him that a gay family can be stable and hopefully convince him to return Liberty to her parents. Stan, however, simply abducts their two children and steals their truck. As Stan drives all three kids to the state border, the newest abductees argue with Stan that their family is great. The two then start fighting with each other, and Stan instinctively yells at them by calling them "Steve" and "Hayley" and then he realizes that the two do not seem any more dysfunctional than his own kids (and that the horses are not eating each other), and so he returns the children to their respective families, just as he stopped the truck he stole, an inch from the state border. Greg and Terry put a restraining order
Injunction
An injunction is an equitable remedy in the form of a court order that requires a party to do or refrain from doing certain acts. A party that fails to comply with an injunction faces criminal or civil penalties and may have to pay damages or accept sanctions...
on him as punishment for kidnapping the children, while allowing Francine, Steve, Roger, and Hayley to play with the baby in the park, though they let Stan come (on the condition that he stay far enough away, of course); his methods of cooing her from afar are obviously ineffective.
Meanwhile, 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...
and Roger
Roger the Alien
Roger Smith, is a character from the animated television series American Dad!. He is a space alien, reminiscent of the Roswell greys, but with the body that resembles E.T., and lives with the Smith family. Roger is sarcastic, amoral, self-centered, and hedonistic...
play a joke on Klaus
Klaus (American Dad!)
Klaus Heissler is a fictional character on the television series American Dad!. He is voiced by Dee Bradley Baker. Despite possessing the brain of a German man and living in the body of a goldfish, the Smith family keeps him under the guise that he is their pet goldfish.-Production history:Dee...
by throwing him in his bowl down a water slide, and Klaus swears horrible, excruciatingly painful revenge on them. As a result, they grow paranoid and live in the attic for the nine months in which the episode takes place, starving, wearing diapers and not letting any can of food out of their sight for a second. The two eventually go insane and try to kill each other until they realize that the only way to regain their sanity is to confront Klaus. Klaus, however, says he had forgotten about his threat, though now that they have reminded him, his vengeance is renewed. The two then put a stack of books on top of his bowl, trapping him, and wonder why they did not think of that before.
Reception
"Surro-Gate" was broadcast on December 2, 2007 as part of the animated television line-up on FoxFox
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...
. It was preceded by reruns of The Simpsons
The Simpsons
The Simpsons is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series is a satirical parody of a middle class American lifestyle epitomized by its family of the same name, which consists of Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie...
, King of The Hill
King of the Hill
King of the Hill is an American animated dramedy series created by Mike Judge and Greg Daniels, that ran from January 12, 1997, to May 6, 2010, on Fox network. It centers on the Hills, a working-class Methodist family in the fictional small town of Arlen, Texas...
, and its sister show Family Guy
Family Guy
Family Guy is an American animated television series created by Seth MacFarlane for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series centers on the Griffins, a dysfunctional family consisting of parents Peter and Lois; their children Meg, Chris, and Stewie; and their anthropomorphic pet dog Brian...
. It was viewed by 6.48 million homes during its initial airing, according to the Nielson ratings, despite airing simultaneously with Cold Case on CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
and The Oprah Winfrey Show
The Oprah Winfrey Show
The Oprah Winfrey Show is an American syndicated talk show hosted and produced by its namesake Oprah Winfrey. It ran nationally for 25 seasons beginning in 1986, before concluding in 2011. It is the highest-rated talk show in American television history....
on ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
. It received a 3.2 rating in the 18-43 demographic.
"Surro-Gate" was met with mixed response from television critics. Genevieve Koski of 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...
gave it a mixed review, calling it "predictable". He went on to write, "American Dad was obviously conceived as a more satire-oriented version of its big brother, Family Guy. Where Family Guy specializes in pop-culture gags and non sequitur after non sequitur after oh-my-god-another-freakin' non sequitur, American Dad likes to pick a single (often politically volatile) target and bludgeon it to death, sometimes with humorous results. However—and this may just be jaded ol' me grinding an axe here—I prefer the show much more when it avoids the standard hot-button issues (religion, gay marriage) and wanders into more absurd territory (Stan's stint as a meter maid, the Vacation Goo)". He went on to criticize the subplot: "I would have much preferred to see an all-out war between the two factions, rather than Roger and Steve wearing diapers and slowly growing even more pathetic". He gave the episode a C-, the lowest grade of the night.