Flirting with Disaster (American Dad!)
Encyclopedia
"Flirting With Disaster" is the eighteenth episode of the sixth season of American Dad!
. It is now aired on Fox
in the United States on May 15, 2011. This episode mainly centers around Francine
retaliates with a little flirting of her own, war breaks out at work.
in Francine's face and ends up arrested.
Stan tries to apologize for what happened and Francine is upset when she discovers that Stan was a part of her face getting fried. Francine returns to work with her damaged face, much to the office worker's dislike and is upset when Stan forces another worker to talk to her. Stan offers launch codes to a Chinese
spy in order for somebody to flirt with Francine and even he would not do it. Instead, he confesses his identity and tells Stan that everything he does matters much more to Francine than what co-workers do. After he gives his advice, Stan shoots him. Francine is at home upset until Stan comforts her by flirting as we are finally shown how severely the acid damaged her face. Francine makes a full recovery after Stan donates his buttocks
to make Francine's new face.
Meanwhile, Roger discovers Steve's talent of building birdhouses
and plans to drum up business. However, things go awry and Steve finds out that Roger has been cutting corners by supplying shoddy birdhouse materials to make more money. Steve ends the partnership between them. Steve and Roger are not friends anymore and the two are prepared to change their ways - although Roger overdoses 10 seconds later.
rated this episode C+, saying American Dad is probably the MacFarlane shows that does the least amount of hand-holding, and this was evident at the start of tonight's episode. Focused on Stan's work at his C.I.A. Office, it has a shaky-cam and testimonial form that's eventually, but clearly, an Office parody. Nobody ever says “THIS IS AN OFFICE PARODY.” It just takes place in an office and is done in that form. Which is not to say that it's effective or even all that good. Just that it doesn't involve any hand-holding. This episode is remarkably resistant to criticism. In some respects, its reliance on horrific violence and awkward humor make it seem more like Family Guy than American Dad at its best. A conversation between Steve and an apparently-clean Roger that seems like a reference to a movie just outside of my memory exemplifies this – it's awkward, but it's a reference, so it's okay? I'm not sure about this episode of American Dad, but I know what I hate, and I didn't hate that.
American Dad!
American Dad! is an American animated television series created by Seth MacFarlane and owned by Underdog Productions and Fuzzy Door Productions. It is produced in association with 20th Century Fox Television...
. It is now aired on Fox
Fox Broadcasting Company
Fox Broadcasting Company, commonly referred to as Fox Network or simply Fox , is an American commercial broadcasting television network owned by Fox Entertainment Group, part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation. Launched on October 9, 1986, Fox was the highest-rated broadcast network in the...
in the United States on May 15, 2011. This episode mainly centers around Francine
Francine Smith
Francine Smith is a fictional character on the animated television series American Dad!. She is the wife of Stan Smith and the mother of Steve and Hayley. Francine is voiced by Wendy Schaal.-Fictional character biography:...
retaliates with a little flirting of her own, war breaks out at work.
Plot
The episode opens with a different opening sequence, the idea being that this episode is a spoof of the popular TV show, The Office. Bullock talks about an average day at the CIA. Francine is driving Stan to work as his car has gone to the shop. Stan gets into work and flirts with the receptionist Lorraine as it is harmless fun. Stan talks about his nickname in the office - thunderbutt. When Lorraine is promoted to Bullock's assistant, the receptionist position becomes open and Bullock hires Francine. Francine starts her job and flirts with other workers, much to Stan's dislike. Francine's flirting takes attention away from Lorraine and feels that she has become second best. She and Stan make a plan to get Francine fired. Drama strikes the kitchen as the boss's sandwich goes missing. Lorraine, however has a different plan, as she proceeds to throw acidAcid
An acid is a substance which reacts with a base. Commonly, acids can be identified as tasting sour, reacting with metals such as calcium, and bases like sodium carbonate. Aqueous acids have a pH of less than 7, where an acid of lower pH is typically stronger, and turn blue litmus paper red...
in Francine's face and ends up arrested.
Stan tries to apologize for what happened and Francine is upset when she discovers that Stan was a part of her face getting fried. Francine returns to work with her damaged face, much to the office worker's dislike and is upset when Stan forces another worker to talk to her. Stan offers launch codes to a Chinese
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
spy in order for somebody to flirt with Francine and even he would not do it. Instead, he confesses his identity and tells Stan that everything he does matters much more to Francine than what co-workers do. After he gives his advice, Stan shoots him. Francine is at home upset until Stan comforts her by flirting as we are finally shown how severely the acid damaged her face. Francine makes a full recovery after Stan donates his buttocks
Buttocks
The buttocks are two rounded portions of the anatomy, located on the posterior of the pelvic region of apes and humans, and many other bipeds or quadrupeds, and comprise a layer of fat superimposed on the gluteus maximus and gluteus medius muscles. Physiologically, the buttocks enable weight to...
to make Francine's new face.
Meanwhile, Roger discovers Steve's talent of building birdhouses
Nest box
A nest box, also spelled nestbox is a man-made box provided for animals to nest in. Nest boxes are most frequently utilized for wild and domesticated birds, in which case they are also called birdhouses, but some mammalian species may also use them. Birdhouses are the most common types of nest...
and plans to drum up business. However, things go awry and Steve finds out that Roger has been cutting corners by supplying shoddy birdhouse materials to make more money. Steve ends the partnership between them. Steve and Roger are not friends anymore and the two are prepared to change their ways - although Roger overdoses 10 seconds later.
Cultural references
- The first act of the episode parodied the NBC Comedy The OfficeThe OfficeThe Office is a popular mockumentary/situation comedy TV show that was first made in the UK and has now been re-made in many other countries, with overall viewership in the hundreds of millions worldwide. The original version of The Office was created by Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant. It...
, including its intro, the camera angles, and dialogue. David Koechner, who currently voices Dick Reynolds, guest starred in that show as Todd Packer. - Hayley did not appear in this episode.
- Stan's "Thunder Butt" was first seen in "Spring Break-Up".
- Bullock reminds Stan of the time he slept with Hayley in "Bullocks To Stan".
Reception
Rowan Kaiser from The A.V. ClubThe A.V. Club
The A.V. Club is an entertainment newspaper and website published by The Onion. Its features include reviews of new films, music, television, books, games and DVDs, as well as interviews and other regular offerings examining both new and classic media and other elements of pop culture. Unlike its...
rated this episode C+, saying American Dad is probably the MacFarlane shows that does the least amount of hand-holding, and this was evident at the start of tonight's episode. Focused on Stan's work at his C.I.A. Office, it has a shaky-cam and testimonial form that's eventually, but clearly, an Office parody. Nobody ever says “THIS IS AN OFFICE PARODY.” It just takes place in an office and is done in that form. Which is not to say that it's effective or even all that good. Just that it doesn't involve any hand-holding. This episode is remarkably resistant to criticism. In some respects, its reliance on horrific violence and awkward humor make it seem more like Family Guy than American Dad at its best. A conversation between Steve and an apparently-clean Roger that seems like a reference to a movie just outside of my memory exemplifies this – it's awkward, but it's a reference, so it's okay? I'm not sure about this episode of American Dad, but I know what I hate, and I didn't hate that.