Review: American Dad “Ninety North, Zero West”

The episode starts out with the Smith family discussing their plan to skip Christmas, since bad things always happen, and how Santa is a psychopath. The Smiths have made decoys of themselves that they plan to jettison into the ocean if Santa shows up, and the family mentions of all the former insanity of previous seasons’ Christmas episodes– the epic elf massacre, and how Stan’s father is now Krampus.

Steve sneaks off, disappears, and is abducted aboard a Christmas train. The Smiths go to find Stan’s father (Krampus) who now drives a bus in Baltimore, and the whole family sets out toward the North Pole. Turns out, Santa has more terrible plans. Santa thinks he can bring a Sumerian monster back to life– and he does. However, things go astray,  and the outcome isn’t exactly what Santa intended.

This wasn’t my favorite American Dad! Christmas episode, and I don’t even feel like it was one of the better episodes this season. It was just okay. There were some really funny spots in the beginning, but feel like the middle dragged a little bit. However, the end redeemed the episode– some really funny quips by Steve and Roger.

Just when you think maybe Steve’s youthful enjoyment of Christmas is over because he’s growing up, he regains his Christmas spirit. I think the wisdom in this episode can apply to our lives in general. You have to enjoy everything in your life as much as you can. The world is a crazy place,  but as long as you’re surrounded by those you love, you don’t need to shy away from Christmas and the holidays. You just endure them together.