Review: American Dad “Businessly Brunette”

Overview (Spoilers Below):

Tired of living a life of inauthentic shame, Hayley swallows her pride and finally attempts to grab that brass ring as she makes a go at the business sector. Hayley’s indoctrination to cutthroat inter-office politics doesn’t come naturally, but Francine’s presence as a constant obstacle only makes her daughter’s journey more difficult. A rivalry ensues between the ladies of the Smith family and any promise that Hayley’s shown at her new career may get lost to her vendetta against Francine.

Meanwhile, Stan and the rest of the Smiths pool their efforts to throw together the best party that Cherry Street has ever seen. However, once the planning goes into motion it looks like Stan and company may be the only ones in town who don’t get to experience the ultimate rager.

And attention all Rogu fanatics: Our former-tumor boy is back!

Our Take:

American Dad’s cast is full of well-defined stereotypes, but it’s been impressive to see how the series has gradually given them all depth in unexpected ways. One of the richest relationships within the series is the dynamic that’s shared between Francine and Hayley. The two aren’t frequently paired together (although the previous episode did exactly that), but when they are there’s a lot of unspoken respect, regret, and disdain that exists between these two more than any other characters in the show. Hayley and Francine have proven themselves to be very different over the course of these 300 episodes, but there are also moments of clarity where it’s obvious that they’re deeply alike in a way that likely terrifies the both of them. This energy is not often the focus on American Dad, but “Businessly Brunette” makes a meal out of it and it’s a powerful atmosphere to drive this story forward.

An overdone and lazy cliché in long-running TV shows is when a pivotal detail from a character’s past is suddenly revealed, when it likely should have come up years ago, if it even makes sense in the first place. It’s often a way to create added drama between characters and provide some sort of tension towards characters who previously thought they knew everything about each other. In that sense, the start of “Businessly Brunette” is a little rough. Hayley reveals that she’s apparently always had aspirations to be a businesswoman, but it’s been Francine’s derision that’s suppressed her passion and made her become the lethargic pothead that she is today. Despite the clunky way that this information comes to light and how it kind of goes against much of what the show has previously established with Hayley, there’s still a good story in here that unpacks some important material between Hayley and Francine.

“Businessly Brunette,” which might be a Legally Blonde pun, initially appears like it will be Hayley’s equivalent to the classic Francine episode, “Fartbreak Hotel.” There are absolutely similarities between the two entries, which both involve the women of the Smith family abandoning the individuals that they’ve become in favor of an escape from their lives. However, “Fartbreak Hotel” explores how accomplished Francine can be when she’s focused and away from distractions, whereas “Businessly Brunette” speaks to how Hayley can have good ideas, but she thrives more in a group setting where everything doesn’t squarely fall on her.

“Businessly Brunette” is an episode that’s most concerned about character, but there are still a few opportunities where the installment indulges in its more surreal impulses. Stan’s first mention of a party results in a bizarre and graphic gag where his family explodes like piñatas. There’s another moment where some simple mailroom hijinks lead to a slit throat and an unexpected fatality. Jeff’s highly ornate and cryptic ice sculpture is also a delight. These stranger touches are consistent with the wilder tone of this season in general, yet they’re never too much that they actively distract from the story. If anything they’re a helpful balance to the episode’s more mundane scenes.

“Businessly Brunette” is another satisfying American Dad that’s confident enough in its characters and their relationships with each other that it doesn’t need to go too overboard in other areas. It’s appreciated to see a continued focus on Hayley as the show tries to push her in some interesting ways and see if it can inspire any lasting change as the character matures. This transformation is only a temporary one for Hayley, but it still speaks to some of the bigger ideas that this season has been more interested in, many of which have focused on Hayley’s everyday routine and if she’s actually happy with the life that she’s settled into. “Businessly Brunette” finds the right balance between emotional catharsis and frantic lunacy. It’s not the best episode of the season, but it’s a standout entry for both Hayley and Francine, plus it continues this season’s competent stride towards the finish line.

Now seriously, can the world get working on meat-ghetti and spag-balls?