American Dad! - 10 Most Uncomfortable Episodes

2. My Purity Ball And Chain

Camp American
Fox

The most unnerving thing about this episode is that, somewhere out there, this probably really happens. God help those poor misguided people...

A girl named Shannon gives a performance at Steve's school about abstinence, and although Steve doesn't buy into it, the two bond after the show, leading to Steve attending her abstinence class in an attempt to get closer to her.

Once there, he discovers that all the girls are accompanied by their fathers, who are dedicated to safeguarding them from all kinds of sexual interaction. As the episode itself puts it, it's essentially like they are "dating their dads".

Stan is persuaded to join the order (by being given a sword) and thereafter tries to prevent Steve and Shannon from growing close. Ultimately, this leads to Steve being sent to a Sex Aversion Therapy camp, rendering him virtually asexual.

The way these fathers are portrayed - mild-mannered, old-fashioned, and prudish to the extreme - is definitely unsettling, and with the whole "dating their dads" premise being left deliberately vague, you can't help but conjure up some pretty nasty images in your head. Perhaps some questions are best left unanswered.

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Graduate composer, on-and-off session musician, aspiring novelist, professional nerd. Where procrastination and cynicism intertwine, Lee Clarke can be found.