Recap: American Dad! Comic-Con@Home 2021 Panel

 

Adapting to a life of quarantine during Covid-19 has been an adjustment for everyone, our favourite shows and events included. San Diego Comic-Con has decided to continue the big show in a virtual event for the second year in a row.  

Comic-Con@Home has been a different way to get fans connected to their favourite content and creators. Although many of the panels have had to be creative with keeping the fans excited and entertained. Some have been more successful than others. But the American Dad panel may have been one of the most exciting and interesting events.

Considering the development of this and other animated shows has been done online all year, American Dad saw an opportunity to share some behind-the-scenes production. In fact, the panel spoils an entire upcoming episode from season 18.

Showrunner and co-creator Matt Weitzman introduces this special Comic-Con@Home panel. The episode titled “Sinister Fate” is shown in three parts, in different places of production.  

The first act is shown as a table read. Much of the cast is collected in a Zoom meeting, as has been the practice over the last year and a half. It is a great chance to see the hilarity that ensues during these behind-the-scenes events. 

The biggest reveal from this stage is that Seth MacFarlane does not partake in the table reads. Sure, he is a busy guy, but, surprisingly, he does not want to be included in such a crucial step.

The second act is showcased in animatics. With vocals recorded, animatics are the general layout of the episode before getting fully animated and coloured. Again, this is an exciting look at how things come along during each step of producing an episode of American Dad.

The final act is presented in a near-final form with full colour and animation. The only thing missing from this end product is music, which won’t be shown until the official episodes airing.

The episode itself, “Sinister Fate”, will be the season finale set to be released on August 9th 2021. The premise has Haley meet a new friend at community college, Aunis. Unfortunately, meeting the elderly lady has led to Haley learning that she will become her mother, Francine, as she gets older. However, after Haley cuts all ties to everyone but her new friend, Aunis’s true intentions begin to take form.

Finally, Matt Weitzman did manage to answer some of the usual questions that get brought up at events such as these. For one, there are no plans for a Family Guy crossover to happen at anytime soon. Maybe more unfortunate, there are no plans for any further Golden Turd episodes, and they feel like this story has been wrapped up.

With season 18 wrapped up in a few short weeks, there was not much to reveal American Dad’s future. However, the way this panel was handled was interesting enough to give fans a reason to tune in. That is the most you can ask during these strange times, that these shows be resourceful in connecting their fans.

You can watch the full American Dad panel on the official Comic-Con@Home website.