Review: American Dad “Ghost Dad”

 

Overview (Spoilers Below):

American Dad jumps into the circle of life and that nobody lives forever with its deep episode, “Ghost Dad.” The untimely and tragic death of Stan’s father, Jack, throws the Smith family into a tailspin as Stan refuses to deal with his complicated emotions. Stan’s family tries to help force some closure between Stan and his dad, but the situation gets wildly out of control after Stan’s father returns from the dead. With Jack back in the picture, Stan and his family must handle the heap of problems that are connected to this ghost, as well as hopefully reach an emotional breakthrough along the way.

Outside of all of the death and rebirth, Hayley and Jeff celebrate their wedding anniversary with what’s supposed to be a leisurely canoe trip. Very quickly the two of them learn that this recreational activity could be the greatest challenge that their marriage has ever faced.

Our Take:

American Dad has been able to build an extensive and valuable supporting cast of characters over the course of 15 years and nearly 300 episodes. One of the more complex characters to turn up is Jack Smith, Stan’s father. The parental figure has appeared in over a dozen episodes, all of which have Stan confront difficult realities not only about his father, but about himself and the person that he may become. American Dad has been careful to not overuse Jack and each of his episodes add a new layer to his tumultuous relationship with his son. “Ghost Dad” feels like the coda to these storylines and while it may not be the definitive Stan and Jack episode, it leaves their evolving relationship in a comfortable place.

“Ghost Dad” covers a large amount of territory, but it doesn’t waste any time when it comes to getting into its story. The opening minutes of the episode detail Jack Smith’s very violent and aggressive death. Jack’s execution is rather morbid, but the episode doesn’t try to sensationalize this death. In fact, Steve suffers from a terrifying nightmare that’s a direct result of the massacre that he witnessed. Everyone is understandably worried over how Stan will process this event and prepare for the worst, but they’re more unnerved by the fact that he hides his pain through random distractions. Stan continually avoids the topic of his father’s death because he can’t come to terms with the fractured bond between them that was never allowed to heal.

Stan’s pain is the core of this episode, but “Ghost Dad” does some impressive work with how it approaches Steve during this time of loss. Steve seems to be genuinely traumatized by witnessing his grandfather’s death, but Stan is unable to talk to him and comfort his son because he’s too lost in his own trauma. It’s all handled in a very silly manner, but it’s actually quite the mature storyline that has Steve and Stan confront death in a way that the series has largely avoided up until this point.

Stan claims to be fine during this grieving period, but his pain comes out in unexpected ways, like how he creates drama with his new garage band, Fetus. Stan doesn’t even make it to his father’s funeral due to how much he distracts himself from what’s really going on in his life. Francine is worried that Stan’s behavior will only get worse because he never properly had a chance to forgive his father and make peace with that relationship. The pain may be real, but “Ghost Dad” then takes a leap into the supernatural as Roger unveils a new psychic medium persona that can help Stan communicate with his father from beyond the grave.

Ever the charlatan, Roger’s whole medium routine isn’t meant to actually make contact with the afterlife, but merely fool Stan into thinking he’s received closure. With Stan in such an emotionally fragile place there’s much room for error here and that Stan could regress even further, but Roger’s never one to worry about consequences, especially when they involve someone else’s well-being. Despite the intended ruse, “Ghost Dad” heads into a more exciting direction when the spirit of Stan’s father makes contact with the Smiths.

The second act of “Ghost Dad” heads into full ‘80s sitcom territory after Jack’s spirit is bound to the Smith house and they’re stuck living with a ghost. You better bet that hilarity ensues. Jack is a constant nuisance and he doesn’t just harp on Stan’s inadequacies, but he stresses out the entire household. American Dad flips from psychic mediums to spooky exorcisms when they decide that they need to turn to supernatural means to solve this problem. “Ghost Dad” effectively develops this complication and they actually share a good deal of information and history on ghosts. Turning to Hayley’s various Wiccan hobbies as a means for answers is also clever plotting from the show, even if it’s not a major help to them. .

Jack, who is just as eager to be exorcised as the Smith family is to be rid of him, offers up a possible solution that charts back all the way to the mysterious streets of Sacramento. “Ghost Dad” then takes another massive pivot and although the Smiths are technically able to exorcise Jack, his ritual causes him to possess Steve’s body for an elaborate heist because his tiny body fulfills the specifications of Jack’s mission. It’s very entertaining to watch Jack try to do his best impression of Steve, whether it’s with the rest of his family or with Steve’s friends. This leads to some very funny material, but “Ghost Dad” doesn’t abuse the humorous premise of “Jack-Steve.”

The final stretch of the episode requires Stan to thwart Jack’s mission, but “Ghost Dad” curiously abandons the idea of Stan’s need to forgive his father. Instead, the conclusion focuses on what Stan considers to be a more important issue, which is that he’s a good father to his son and that he doesn’t create a scenario where Steve eventually needs to forgive him. Stan’s reluctance to become his father and improve from his own flawed parenting methods acts as a much more powerful closure than anything else. It’s also appreciated that “Ghost Dad” doesn’t force a reconciliation between Stan and his father if it’s not necessarily earned. Not every relationship deserves forgiveness and American Dad carefully broaches that as it tries to avoid an unearned cliché resolution. After everything that happens it’s the power of love that ends this craziness rather than some prolonged supernatural procedure. It may be glib, but it works.

The Smith family have their hands very full with all of these possession and exorcism shenanigans. However, Hayley and Jeff are immune to the supernatural madness due to a getaway that celebrates their wedding anniversary. The immeasurably low stakes of this canoe trip make for the perfect counterpoint to the ghost storyline, yet what’s supposed to be a relaxing adventure becomes just as trying to the couple. “Ghost Dad” playfully introduces an urban legend-like warning that as strong as love is, it’s no match for the rigors of canoeing. Hayley and Jeff are strongly urged to get two separate canoes and to not tempt fate by sharing one. The couple doesn’t heed this warning and they soon learn that a canoe can be quite the pressure cooker for bad relationships.

Part of the reason that this storyline succeeds and doesn’t sink is because it’s just standard canoe minutiae that tests Hayley and Jeff’s patience, rather than something out of the ordinary. It’s very basic problems that vex the two of them and they find that their post-canoe lives have retained that tension and pushed them to confront bigger questions about their relationship. None of this is too deep, but it’s pleasant enough and a good idea to have some of the Smiths separated through all of this. There’s also some added value to how while all of this canoe nonsense is happening there’s also a funeral going on that’s just been hidden from Hayley and Jeff because it’s easier.

“Ghost Dad” is an episode that handles some big ideas, but there are plenty of smaller moments that really stand out. Jeff’s recipe for “making milk” by adding a wealth of creamers to a glass of water is fantastic, as are the assortment of oddities at the sports memorabilia museum. Francine’s moments are fewer and far between in “Ghost Dad,” but the episode also demonstrates how this grief manifests in her and makes her act in unusual ways. Francine’s “struggles” through this depressing period are the exaggerated and comical salve that’s needed to balance out the more morose material that affects Stan.

Another nice touch is that Stan is adorned in a goth and grunge-heavy aesthetic through the bulk of the episode. It’s a small detail, but having Stan in this silly outfit while he confronts his demons makes this much sillier than if he were in his standard clothes. At a point the ridiculous attire even starts to blend into the moody atmosphere that’s created through the séance. On the topic of Jack’s séance, it’s also appreciated that “Ghost Dad” actually leaves Jack dead at the end of the episode and is willing to make some changes to the series. The real question now is whether the spirit of Krampus moves onto someone else. It’s also just fantastic that American Dad addresses this odd piece of continuity as a fun Easter egg for the fans.

“Ghost Dad” is not an episode of American Dad that’s unfunny, but it’s definitely an entry that’s more cathartic than it is hilarious. This isn’t the worst priority, especially when the episode handles such sensitive material. A little restraint is actually appreciated (even though the episode does swing to some wild extremes, like with Jack’s death), but it still means that it’s one of the milder episodes of the season when it comes to laughs. The second half that dives into Steve’s possession is considerably broader, but it leads to a story that’s continually surprising and impossible to predict. “Ghost Dad” is still an entertaining episode of American Dad that does actually push the characters forward in some big ways and highlights new depth to Stan.

That’s also two episodes in a row with shout-outs to Mark Ruffalo’s Buffalo Wild Wings Grill and Bar. They must be paying bank for product placement this season. Y’know, if they were actually a real company…