Review: American Dad ‘Lost in Space’

720sc365A

Spoilers Below

Jeff’s in space and Hayley really misses him whilst he is traveling through space on a space ship. We learn that the space ship is actually a part slave ship and part mall so at least Jeff has friends, right?? Jeff eventually gets a job at a Schwarma Hut with Sinbad and if the Emperor has his way he ain’t leaving. Jeff finds out there is a test that if he can prove he loves Hayley enough, the ship will turn around and bring him back home to Earth. BUT, if he DOESN’T PASS??? He loses his dick! This test features a monster called the Majestic that is somehow able to show off how much Jeff really loves his wife.  Unfortunately, his visions only give off Jeff treating Hayley like a joke and as such he fails the test and is sentenced to have his dick removed.

Jeff thinks the test is flawed, so he decides to go see the Majestic to get some answers. Turns out, Jeff’s suspicions are true as we soon learn from Majestic that the Emperor forces the big monster not to show good memories as a way to destroy love after having his heart broken.  At the sentencing, Jeff thwarts the dick removal and is able to show off all of his good memories as well as a few from some of the other inhabitants that call the ship home. With Sinbad’s help, Jeff gets away and we learn that the Emperor’s lover was Roger and that he was cheated on. The crowd goes nuts and starts destroying the ship. Sinbad and Jeff fight off the other aliens, but Sinbad gets left behind. Jeff gets in the escape pod and heads for Earth, but which one??

American Dad….it took 150 episodes. But, they did it. Yep. The writers, producers, and everyone in between. They did it. What??? Well, years ago when American Dad premiered after the Super Bowl most people reviewed it as a Family Guy rip-off which seems to also be a common misnomer that is being used almost too-often when other new shows premier. That said, if there was any doubt, American Dad has officially stepped out of the shadows of the other more popular Seth MacFarlane series and has become its own show. For those whom were pissed about the Futurama cancellation I can’t call this show a permanent replacement, but there are a lot of things here that may help appease the sci-fi fan boy in you. From talking fish and koala bears to an alien living in an American residence this show has always had SOME of the scientific DNA that certainly is derived from Seth and then nurtured by Mike Barker to what it is now…a success.

After 150 episodes, Mike Barker and the writers over at American Dad and finally give us a glimpse into Roger’s world with a setting that left me in wonder and awe. If you were to give me a list of people I could see playing Roger had it not been for Seth MacFarlane, Sean Hayes would be on that list, and with him playing Foster it definitely shows, as the Emmy award winning actor gives us voice chops are just as good as her former Will & Grace star Megan Mullally’s was maybe even a tad better as his brash attitude and scheming ways certainly play into what Roger is famously known for. Michael McKean as the Emperor was also a solid choice and that twist ending had me dropping by jaw over and over again as it came out of left field and was completely unexpected. Finally…the great Sinbad. A lot of people might not remember, but Sinbad is a funny son of a bitch and having watched his stand up I knew he would be funny, but better yet he played the buddy role opposite Jeff with such convincing fashion, I think they should green light an animated series for him right now, cuz I’d watch it. Oh yea, and before this episode I had never heard of Wax Fang, and even now I probably won’t buy anything from them, but to pick them to contribute songs worked probably as well as Daft Punk for Tron: Legacy.

And lastly,  we come to Jeff. Jeff Fischer hasn’t been presented as the strongest character to lean an episode on, but this week he shines. Voice actor Jeff Fischer didn’t let the fact that big huge guest stars were surrounding him in an episode all about him, and delivered a career-defining performance that proves otherwise.

10 out of 10