Warning! The following contains spoilers for the American Dad episode "Yule. Tide. Repeat." Read at your own risk!
American Dad has a history of some pretty off-the-wall Christmas episodes, and there are definitely some that are truly over-the-top. While this year's offering may not have featured the Santa Claus murdering shenanigans of the past, it certainly didn't disappoint with Stan saving his family and Christmas in the most warped way possible.
Tragedy struck the Smith family when Stan's quest for a "Norman Rockwell Christmas" led to a tree-lighting ceremony at an outdoor mall. Unfortunately, the tree is too dry, and because of the size of the tree, it burns down the mall and kills Stan's entire family in the process. A month later Stan is feeling lost, right up until opening a fortune cookie transports him right back to five minutes before the tree-lighting disaster.
Stan is caught in a time-loop and realizes he has a chance to save his family. Unfortunately, none of his strategies work. Even when he manages to turn off the main circuit breaker to stop all power in the mall, a snapped taut wire cuts through the entire crowd a la that gross opening scene in Ghost Ship. Eventually, a wise janitor with time loop experience tells Stan his loops are almost up, and he'd be better off trying to mend the bridge with his disgruntled family being forced to enjoy Christmas tradition rather than doing what they want.
Stan gets a piercing with Francine and plays basketball with Hayley, but it isn't until he gets to Steve that Christmas is saved. Steve was seen frequently in the episode getting really mouthy with an employee at a tech store, and the end of this American Dad Christmas episode revealed why. The employee was extorting Steve for money, and because Stan showed up, the employee uploaded a video of Steve masturbating on the mall's screens.
Steve's humiliating moment, which was broadcast for the entire mall to see, was so upsetting that the tree-lighting ceremony was canceled entirely. People were disgusted, Christmas was "ruined," but the act broke the time loop and the Smith family was alive and well. Christmas may have been ruined for many (mostly Steve), but for Stan, it was the best possible outcome for the scenario. Once again, American Dad came through with the unconventional ending to a Christmas episode, and one that families with young children won't be watching together ever.
What were your thoughts on the American Dad Christmas episode? How did it measure up to the ones of the past? Share all thoughts in the comments below, and continue to watch American Dad on TBS. As always CinemaBlend will be right here with all the latest news happening in the world of television and movies.
