Review: American Dad “The Professor and the Coach”

Overview:

Hayley’s new-found passion for the written word puts her in a unique situation once her enthusiasm might be the cure for Roger’s long-gestating novel. A complex exploration of what it means to be a writer pushes both Hayley and Roger to surprising places, all while Stan struggles to find purpose following the news that Langley’s Bazooka Sharks are ready to swim free.

Our Take:

 It’s a lot of work to be creative. The characters in American Dad pride themselves in their wild whims that fuel the show’s storytelling. These earnest endeavors work best when there are actual stakes and reputations at risk. There’s an inherent degree of stasis involved in American Dad, but “The Professor and the Coach” tells strong stories that really dig deep to the core of several characters. On its surface, “The Professor and the Coach” looks like any other example of Roger ridiculousness, but as Professor Longbottom would say, “Don’t judge a book by its cover.”

A character’s decision to write a book is a popular trope for sitcoms to turn to since they’re natural explorations of ego. In American Dad, there’s without a doubt the most potential in Roger being the one to put pen to paper and there are a hundred different directions such a story could take. This gives “The Professor and the Coach” an incredibly strong foundation to build upon, all of which becomes even sturdier when it’s Hayley who opts to help Roger through his writer’s block. It’d be so easy to make Roger’s partner through this affair Klaus, Steve, or even Francine, but the clever use of Hayley here helps this idea–and Roger’s hypothetical novel–prosper the most.

American Dad has been around for so long that it’s seemingly subverted every take and twist on a Roger persona that’s imaginable. Steve even calls out the fact that there are good odds that Roger is Hayley’s creative writing teacher because American Dad understands that its audience is just as savvy. It’s funnier to defuse the reveal than to actually reveal it. Accordingly, it’s always so exciting when the series proves that it still has more creative spins on this worn-down idea. American Dad is also no stranger to cyclical absurdity, but it’s so much fun to make Roger both Hayley’s muse and protégé here. 

On a basic level of logic–something that Roger has no need for–Roger should be more than capable of writing a book if his Professor Longbottom persona is the one who’s creatively inspired Hayley to help him in the first place. It’s such a testament to American Dad’s mastery over Roger’s character that he can be so immersed into each of his different identities that he doesn’t retain knowledge across personas. It’s a brilliant approach to the narrative that allows it to feature a ton of Roger, but in contrasting extremes, as well as a version of Hayley who’s excited and flabbergasted over what she gets involved in.

“The Professor and the Coach” benefits from two very strong storylines that naturally compliment each other, but there is also no shortage of smart non-sequitur gags that add something special to this installment. Groff Community College’s balloon employees make for a great, weird gag. American Dad once again subverts its opening credit sequence, which has become increasingly common during the past two seasons and a good reason why viewers should never opt to skip credits. This is done in a manner that’s funny, but also expands upon the “lore” of the series and actively feeds into the story at hand. 

American Dad often pokes fun at how rarely Stan shows up at work and how CIA shenanigans can feel more like a chore to the series than inspiration. “The Professor and the Coach” is another episode where Stan tries on a radical lifestyle fantasy instead of his standard responsibilities. At least in this case, the episode explains that Stan never makes it to work and Roger’s distraction is partially responsible for sending him down this different path. All of this development comes out of the simple decision to cut the opening credits short for an easy laugh.

American Dad is two for two this season when it comes to classic episodes, only “The Professor and the Coach” lacks the grandiose scope of “Fellow Traveler.” This is just a well-written episode that makes the best use of its ideas and doesn’t let a single minute go to waste. American Dad delivers big laughs, but there’s a real sincerity to Roger’s story about how we can become our own biggest obstacles and learning how to get out of your own way, which is really the perfect lesson for Roger to internalize. It’s the perfect character-driven follow-up to a premiere about an alien invasion.