The Most Adequate Christmas Ever
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| “The Most Adequate Christmas Ever” | |
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| American Dad! episode | |
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| Episode no. | Season 3 Episode 8 |
| Written by | |
| Production no. | 3AJN12 |
| Original airdate | December 16, 2007 |
| Newspaper Headline | Bear Market Suggests Investing in Salmon |
| Season 3 episodes | |
| American Dad - Season 3 September 30, 2007 – May 18, 2008 |
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| ← Season 2 | |
| List of American Dad! episodes | |
"The Most Adequate Christmas Ever" is a third season episode of American Dad.
[edit] Plot summary
After Stan comes home from another dangerous mission on Christmas Eve, he discovers that the rest of the Smith family has already spent the day decorating the house, and though they have managed to get everything perfect, Stan insists that none of it is good enough, and berates all their efforts. He then insists that they go out to the forest to find a better tree, and after ridiculing all their suggestions, Francine accuses him of thinking he knows everything. The rest of the family then leave while Stan stays to find the "perfect" tree. After braving the freezing cold, he eventually finds one to his liking, and manages to climb up a mountain to get it, only to have it fall on him and crush him to death when he chops it down.
Stan suddenly finds himself in Limbo (first put as an ice cream shop), where he is told he must await an official assignment to either Heaven or Hell. Stan, however, insists that he should not have died and demands a second chance. As a regulation, he must undergo a trial to determine whether or not he should return to life. He is then taken to the Court of Limbo, where he is assigned to a lawyer named Michelle, who has never won a case, has never earned her wings and apparently has a very bad relationship with her father, the judge. As the trial begins, the prosecutor (a winged baby with an adult-like, egotistic voice) proves that Stan has spent his entire life arrogantly and has refused to ever admit that anyone else was right; for example, insisting on going on a trip to Africa with a very pregnant Francine, against doctors' orders, with the result that Hayley was delivered by a baboon. Michelle attempts to prove that Stan had at least one example of humility in his life---taking advice from Steve to be more compassionate, and as a result giving his kidney to a homeless man. This, however, never actually happened (it was a nightmare, as Stan viewed it), and the judge rules against giving Stan a second chance. Stan then learns a startling piece of information---Stan took his car keys when he separated from his family, and as a result, they are currently stuck in their car freezing to death on Earth and will soon die without aid (with the exception of Roger, who is completely unaffected by the extreme cold).
Worried for his family, Stan attempts to hold the court hostage with his gun, though he is informed that weapons from Earth cannot harm them, so he steals a "Heaven gun" (which can kill anyone, even spiritual creatures) from one of the court's guards and takes Michelle hostage, and declares that he plans to escape to Heaven to talk to God himself. They manage to steal a "chariot" that can fly them to Heaven, while having to evade the Archangels (the Heavenly police) who wield flaming swords of vengeance and pamphlets for parents that tell kids how abstinence can be cool. While flying to Heaven on a stolen chariot, Stan shoots down three Archangels.
At Heaven's gates, Stan has Michelle bluffs his way in through St. Peter as a German man. But when Stan accidentally says "thank you" in English, his guise is seen and Michelle turns on him. When Peter tells him he's in as much trouble as Jim Hensen, Michelle knocks him out, explaining she wants to help him save his family and to drink God's alcohol. As a result Stan, who before had mocked her and felt no sympathy for her problems, feels sorry for her.
The two make their way to God's house, where Jesus is having his annual birthday party; they manage to sneak in (with Michelle finally happy that she is at the party) and Stan tracks down God's office, and demands that he either return him to life or at least save the rest of the Smiths. God, however, insists that He knows everything and has a divine plan that Stan cannot understand, and that He will not alter it for Stan. Stan becomes so enraged that he points his gun at God's head and demands He help the others. God points out how extremely arrogant Stan is, and demands to know if Stan honestly believes he knows better than God Himself. Stan reluctantly has to admit he does not and resigns himself to God's will. God then reveals that his "plan" was actually nothing more than to force Stan to show some humility and says he will restore him to life. God also agrees to Stan's request to give Michelle wings, right before He shoots Stan in the head with the Heaven gun.
Stan suddenly finds himself back at his home, at the very moment he had gotten home that day. He tells the rest of the family how much he loves the decorations they put up, and the family celebrates a happy Christmas while Michelle flies by to look in the window. The episode ends with a drunken Roger mistaking her for some sort of "flying hooker", before passing out.
[edit] Notes
- The Wilhelm scream is heard when Stan shoots the Archangels.
- Roger tries to sing Christmas Carols, but is terrible at them.
- This episode wasn't included in the Volume 3 DVD set, so it'll probably be on Volume 4.
[edit] Cultural References
- Hayley's birth is a parody of The Lion King.
- Roger believes Christmas spirit is like the Quickening from Highlander.
- Hayley rents "all the Charlie Brown Christmas specials, from the original one where he learns the meaning of Christmas to the one from the '80s where he meets the kid with AIDS." The latter description possibly refers to Why, Charlie Brown, Why?, which featured a character with leukemia and did have a sequence set during Christmastime.
- The Angel getting her wings is a reference to Clarence, from It's a Wonderful Life.
- Stan giving the Heaven gun back is a parody of the ending of Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory[citation needed].
- It is revealed that Jim Henson and Kermit the Frog are trapped in the Phantom Zone from Superman.
- Stan getting caught out by St Peter by saying 'thank you' in clear English is similar to a character from The Great Escape getting captured by a German officer after also saying 'thank you' in clear English.
| Preceded by “Surro-Gate” |
American Dad! episodes | Followed by “Frannie 911” |
