10 Most Controversial American Dad Episodes (So Far)

2. 42 Year Old Virgin €“ S3E06

In this episode, it is revealed that Stan has never actually killed anyone in his entire CIA career. In a spoof of The 40 Year Old Virgin, Stan cracks under repeated questioning from friends at a poker game and admits his lies, to the horror of all his friends and family. So in an effort to help him out, his friends parade people who they deem 'killable' in front of him at a bar, because they believe they have nothing left to live for. Hmmm. But the really controversial aspect of this episode comes later when a convicted paedophile is doing his civic duty and informing all his neighbours that he has moved into their vicinity. The audience are expected to laugh at the way the sex-offender metaphorically salivates over glimpses of Steve in his underwear in the Smith's living room while Stan remains completely oblivious to the potential threat. The episode takes a slightly too sinister turn when the paedophile kidnaps Steve and all his friends and takes them to his private lair at a water park, where there is just a dirty mattress on the floor and they are all in their bathing suits. Stan races to the rescue but refuses to pay the admission until he gets discount, at which point he actually says the words 'I hope my son is still about to be molested'. He manages to arrive just in time and holds Randy the paedophile at gunpoint, ready to make him his first kill. Randy's unapologetic attitude towards his 'offensive sex' tendencies is used as the cornerstone of the episode's morality. Stan looks at Randy's attitude and sees a positive acceptance of a controversial lifestyle and so uses it as a life lesson of how he should accept that he is a killing virgin. This all makes for some pretty uncomfortable viewing. Are we meant to admire Randy and the way he is at peace with the fact that he's a paedophile? It feels like we're directed that way. Oh! Now the episode's point is made clear. It's a jab at the US legal system's leniency on sex offenders. Randy brags that he'll be out of prison sooner than we might think because his mom's rich and he has a good lawyer. Well it feels a little too late and doesn't erase the fact that Stan learned this episode's lesson (he'll learn many on this list) from a paedophile. A little too close to the bone American Dad writers. Should we really be directed to laugh at one of the most serious offences a person can commit? I think not.