8. American Dad! For Whom the Sleigh Bell Tolls (2010)
With such a diverse cast of characters it's no wonder that American Dad! is able to sustain quality where its predecessor has started lacking. The show has proven itself to be consistently funny and I find myself excited to see what they'll do for Christmas this year. Until then I'll tide myself over with the undeniably brilliant 'For Whom the Sleigh Bell Tolls'. After Steve accidentally shoots what he initially believes to be a mall Santa, the family decide to bury the body in the woods. After receiving threatening notes it is made clear that it was in fact the real Santa and he's out for revenge. Fortuitously, Roger knows a cabin in the mountains where they can go, having been visiting the moonshiner who lives there. What ensues is a fantastic sequence of the Smith family coming together to battle Santa and his elves in scenes reminiscent of Zack Snyder's 300. It's violent, crude and a lot of fun. The soundtrack to these events is also fantastic; 'Carol of the Bells' performed by metalcore group August Burns Red keeps it exciting yet still darkly festive. The heart of this episode comes from Stan's troubled relationship with Jeff Fischer. He refuses to let Jeff participate in family traditions and looks down on him until he steps up in the battle and actually saves Stan's life. While the two still disagree, their love for Hailey brings them together and ends with Stan accepting Jeff as part of the family. After they defeat Santa and his minions, St. Nick swears he'll return next year to kill the Smiths. Instead of being shaken by this the family all agree that they've found a new Christmas tradition. It's an exciting, heart-warming holiday special which hits all the right notes.