Review: American Dad “Whole Slotta Love”

“Whole Slotta Love” starts off with a really funny cold open, with some fourth-wall-breaking stuff– and a whole family scene, which is what I feel really makes American Dad! shine as a show.

Then, the episode breaks into its main two stories. Francine has taken to drinking heavily and the scenes with her babbling incoherently at nothing are beyond hilarious (several new, bizarre and stereotypical characters are introduced due to her drinking).

Francine gets upset because Stan is spending a lot of time away from her, with other women (as it turns out, racing slot cars). Stan also appears chubbier for some reason, and he’s taken to wearing a fancy pack everywhere, along with cargo shorts and thick glasses– Francine becomes worried that other women don’t think Stan is attractive anymore, which is something she’s always enjoyed.

Meanwhile, Roger gets a job as a stewardess on Southwest airlines, for the explicit purpose of doing comedy routines. However, his jokes aren’t that funny, and he gets upstaged by another funnier stewardess, which infuriates him. Roger convinces Steve, Hayley, and Jeff to fly along with him to laugh at his jokes. Oh and also, Klaus is huge and ripped from steroids.

At the end of the episode, there are some great conclusions to the storylines. There is a stellar animated sequence with Stan and Francine driving in a slot car, in a surreal landscape. And Roger finally gets the laughs he was looking for.

There are some really funny jokes and spots in “Whole Slotta Love”– many are from hilarious misunderstandings and downright strange situations. I feel like this week’s episode is really a return to form for American Dad!– it needed this. I’m hoping for more gems in the upcoming weeks ahead. American Dad! and its writers still got some of that magic left.