Failure is not a Factory-Installed Option

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Failure is not a Factory-Installed Option
American Dad! episode
Episode no. Season 2
Episode 3
Guest stars Patrick Stewart, Beau Bridges and Swoosie Kurtz
Written by Etan Cohen
Directed by Rodney Clouden
Production no. 2AJN07
Original airdate September 24, 2006
Newspaper Headline "Despondent Pluto drowns two of its moons"
Season 2 episodes
American Dad - Season 2
September 10, 2006May 20, 2007
  1. Camp Refoogee
  2. The American Dad After School Special
  3. Failure is not a Factory-Installed Option
  4. Lincoln Lover
  5. Dungeons and Wagons
  6. Iced, Iced Babies
  7. Of Ice and Men
  8. Irregarding Steve
  9. The Best Christmas Story Never
  10. Bush Comes to Dinner
  11. American Dream Factory
  12. A.T. The Abusive Terrestrial
  13. Black Mystery Month
  14. An Apocalypse to Remember
  15. Four Little Words
  16. When a Stan Loves a Woman
  17. I Can't Stan You
  18. The Magnificent Steven
  19. Joint Custody

Season 1 Season 3
List of American Dad! episodes


"Failure is not a Factory-Installed Option" is the third episode of the second season of the animated series American Dad!, with 8.39 million viewers tuning in. In aired in the U.L on September 29 , 2007 to a healthy 3.6 million viewers.

[edit] Plot

Stan was formerly the CIA's best interrogator, until he lost his confidence and his job when a car salesman gets the best of him in a negotiation. To get even, Stan comes up with an elaborate scam that temporarily costs his family their integrity. He pretends to go crazy, leading to Hayley having to sell herself for money, an event which traumatizes her. When Stan finally gets a better deal on the car, he reveals that he actually scammed the car salesman. After learning he pretended to go crazy just for a better car deal, the family is... shocked to say the least.

Meanwhile, Roger and Steve set up a makeshift drive-in to try to get to first base with popular schoolgirls.

This episode continues the saga of Roger's solid gold, jewel-laden turd, which began in the episode Homeland Insecurity. The scene begins with the screen turning to a 16:9 aspect ratio, and we see a drunk man who agonizes over the fact he killed his best friend for just a golden turd, then found out that his wife was cheating on him. He drives his car onto the railroad tracks and gets hit by a train.

A cop (voiced by Beau Bridges) and his partner come to investigate, and when one of them sees the golden turd, he hides it from his partner and takes it home to his wife (Swoosie Kurtz). They begin to speak of how it will pay for a great retirement and a house in Boca Raton, but the cop regrets his decision and wants to take it back and face the consequences. He's a week from retirement and afraid that he might get fired if found out. The wife apparently accepts his decision, but when she starts making tea, she adds rat poison to his cup, followed by a "To Be Continued" slate.

[edit] Cultural References

  • When Francine and Hayley are cleaners, the lady acts in the same manner as Deborah from Spanglish, treating them as immigrants with no knowledge of English. She even goes as far as threatening them with the INS.
  • After finding out that his afternoon is clear, Deputy Director Bullock sings "When I'm cleaning windows"(Lyrics) by George Formby.
  • Roger makes a reference to Flowers for Algernon, calling Steve Algernon after he yells an idea out loud.
  • Steve claims Jenny has the body of Lara Croft, the pouty good looks of Resident Evil's Jill Valentine and the frank eroticism of Rosie O'Donnell
  • They show the reading of the letter at the end of The Breakfast Club at the drive-in movie at the home scene.

[edit] Notes

  • At the end of the episode, although Stan tosses Francine the keys to her new Femwagon, they are all seen driving home together in Stan's car.


Preceded by
The American Dad After School Special
American Dad! episodes Followed by
Lincoln Lover