American Dad!

***American Dad!*** is an American animated sitcom created by Seth MacFarlane, Mike Barker and Matt Weitzman for the Fox Broadcasting Company. Since 2014, the series has been airing new episodes on TBS. *American Dad!* is the first television series made to premiere on Fox's Animation Domination block. The series premiered on February 6, 2005, following Super Bowl XXXIX, with the rest of the first season airing three months later beginning May 1, 2005. *American Dad!* is a joint production between Underdog Productions, Fuzzy Door Productions and 20th Television Animation and syndicated by 20th Television.

Creative direction of *American Dad!* had largely been guided by Barker (prior to his departure from the show in season 10) and Weitzman as opposed to MacFarlane, resulting in a series that is different from its counterparts. Unlike MacFarlane's other shows, *Family Guy* and, to a lesser extent, *The Cleveland Show*, *American Dad!* does not lean as heavily on the use of cutaway gags, and is less concerned with conventional "setup-punchline" jokes, instead deriving its humor mostly from the quirky characters, the relationships between family members, and the relatively relatable plots. While the core issues and resolutions are relatable in most episodes, the show nonetheless weaves in fantastical elements, pitching the tone of the show somewhere between observational comedy and farce. The plots are often absurd, but grounded by family stories and real-world issues.

*American Dad!* has been nominated for numerous awards, including four Primetime Emmy Awards and two Annie Awards. In June 2013, it was awarded as top television series by the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers. Since its debut, *American Dad!* has broadcast 344 episodes (as of December 19, 2022). The total number of seasons and organization of episodes within those seasons are in dispute due to discrepancies in how official sources report this information. One model suggests the first season of *American Dad!* comprises the first 7 episodes, while another model suggests the first season comprises 23 episodes.

Beginning on October 20, 2014, TBS picked up the series for the 12th season following the final 3 episodes airing on Fox as the 11th season. TBS and Cartoon Network (via their late-night block, Adult Swim, both owned by Warner Bros. Discovery), air reruns of the series.

On January 15, 2020, TBS renewed the series for both 18th and 19th seasons. The 19th season premiered on January 24, 2022. On December 16, 2021, the series was renewed for seasons 20 and 21. The 20th season premiered on March 27, 2023.

On May 12, 2023, it was announced that the showrunners of *American Dad!*, including Seth MacFarlane, would temporarily leave the show as a result of the ongoing Writers Guild of America strike. While this decision will not have an immediate effect on the show, it could impact future episodes if the strike is prolonged.

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Interview: The Creators of American Dad. IGN (April 24, 2006).
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Emily VanDerWerff (September 28, 2012). Comedy Showrunners Week: American Dad's co-creators on the show's weird evolution. The A.V. Club.
3. ↑ New "King of the Hill," "The Simpsons," "Family Guy" and "American Dad" Episodes. Animatedtv.about.com (January 21, 2013).
4. ↑ AWN (February 4, 2005). 'American Dad' Touchdown.
5. ↑ *American Dad*: Series Overview. Microsoft.
6. ↑ Sean Doorly. Seth MacFarlane Interview. Doorly.com.
7. ↑ Seth MacFarlane's TV History. IGN (September 13, 2013).
8. ↑ Otterson, Joe (January 15, 2020). 'American Dad' Renewed for Two More Seasons at TBS. *Variety*.
9. ↑ Andreeva, Nellie (November 3, 2021). TBS Renews 'Miracle Workers' & Picks Up 'Kill The Orange-Faced Bear', TruTV Renews 'Tacoma FD' As Brett Weitz Talks TNets' Scripted Strategy & More.
10. ↑ TBS' "American Dad!" Returns Monday, March 27 at 10:00pm PT/ET.
11. ↑ Patten, Dominic (2023-05-12). Seth MacFarlane & Showrunners Exit ‘Family Guy’ & ‘American Dad’ Until Striking WGA Gets New Contract (en-US).