Review: American Dad “Into the Jingleverse”

Overview:

A time of giving and gratefulness goes horribly awry when Stan’s undisputed title of “King of Presents” gets overthrown by Steve during Christmas. Stan, determined to prove that he’s still the greatest at gift-giving, goes to elaborate lengths to acquire the perfect gift. Stan’s crusade takes him and his family all the way to the North Pole and what’s supposed to be the quintessential Christmas gift winds up with the Smith family imprisoned in virtual purgatory.

Our Take:

Holiday specials are a sitcom staple. American Dad caters towards multiple holidays that have become traditions for the animated series, but Christmas has always been extra special. These Christmas episodes go to surprisingly bold supernatural places that’s almost analogous to The Simpsons’ “Treehouse of Horror” Halloween episodes, only still in canon. These seasonal spectacles have reached apocalyptic heights and it’s resulted in increasingly high expectations whenever the winter season rolls around. Admittedly, American Dad has calmed down a little with its Christmas episodes by necessity, but they still for broke every now and then. “Into the Jingleverse” is a classic Stan versus Steve episode against a seasonal backdrop. However, it still manages to evoke that old-fashioned American Dad Christmas episode magic in what’s one of the season’s most entertaining and unpredictable episodes that’s destined to become a holiday tradition for fans to watch.

American Dad episodes that are fueled by Stan’s embellished ego often have tremendous potential. “Into the Jingleverse” begins from this selfish place, but what’s fascinating about this particular storyline is that it’s egotistical behavior that comes from generosity. It’s selfishness over selflessness. All of this results in a particularly effective Stan-centric installment that presents Steve as an unintentional rival until Santa Claus becomes a proper antagonist. “Into the Jingleverse” presents Stan at his most frantic and insecure, but it all stems for an incredibly loving place. He just wants to give his family the perfect Christmas that they deserve. It becomes a sweet opportunity to have the Smith family band together and work through this problem as a team. It’s an effective angle for a Christmas episode. It’s also just a strong way to underscore American Dad’s greatest asset: the Smith family.

“Into the Jingleverse” isn’t afraid to address the series’ increasingly convoluted Christmas canon. There are several references to American Dad’s past Christmas episodes and the Smith family’s complicated, contentious relationship with the actual Santa Claus. It’s fulfilling for long-time fans, but also effectively handled in a manner that won’t leave newcomers confused. At the same time, American Dad’s use of Santa here as a villain doesn’t just feel reductive of his previous experience. It’s a story that feels true to what American Dad has established, but also slightly more evolved. “Into the Jingleverse” is surprisingly sweet by American Dad standards, which makes a few of the more twisted moments that the episode sneaks in hit even harder. There’s a horrifying gag with a chained up feral elf that’s an odd delight.

A lot of traditionally animated TV comedies will turn to a gag that transforms their world into a 3D CG environment. American Dad is long overdue to turn to this device and it provides its own unique take through its use of blocky, pixelated visuals that are reminiscent of early Nintendo 64 graphics. It’s an ugly way to navigate through a large portion of the episode, but it’s a decision that really works. It’s an effective makeover that services the story and meshes with the episode’s themes rather than a gratuitous shift in aesthetics. “Into the Jingleverse” takes some other creative leaps in this department, like the prettier version of the Metaverse that’s presented and even a live-action segment that correlates to Hayley’s Christmas gift. It’s an American Dad episode that’s daring on a visual level and that deserves respect and accolades. This episode’s third act turn is a real risk on American Dad’s part that most series wouldn’t commit to on this level.

“Into the Jingleverse” is a worthy American Dad Christmas episode that holds its own with past hits. This episode takes some wild swings, but it’s ultimately an installment about the importance of family. That message may be a little pat for a Christmas episode. Nevertheless, it’s true and it works here. There’s a decent balance between sentimental and comical and “Into the Jingleverse” is able to get away with both simultaneously through the clunky Jingleverse VR world that dominates the final act. It’s so lovely that American Dad continues to elevate their Christmas episodes into something greater after two decades. It’s episodes like “Into the Jingleverse” that prove that this series is still full of unique, creative ideas. It’s a rare treat that a Christmas episode gets to double as the season finale, but it’s a coincidence that allows an already-strong season to conclude on a touching, satisfying note.