Diving into American Dad!
Photo: TBS
Since 2005, American Dad! has been following the madcap escapades of all-American CIA agent Stan Smith, his wife, two children, an alien with a penchant for disguises, and a talking goldfish that was once an East German Olympic ski-jumper. Created by Family Guy’s Seth MacFarlane, the surreal animated sitcom has persevered over the years, overcoming obstacles that include a network jump from Fox to TBS in 2014.
Photo: TBS
In almost 20 years on the air, this unconventional satire has been nominated for several awards, including a few Primetime Emmys. The show has maintained a loyal following of fans who applaud the comedy for its dark sense of humor and sharp but measured criticism of American politics. In December 2020, the show hit a milestone by celebrating its 300th episode, a massive achievement reached by very few shows.
Before the latest season of the animated comedy kicks off, Ranker Insights is taking a deep dive into the American Dad! audience to see what makes them tick. From their favorite movies to the brands they are loyal to, here’s what we know about the audience that has kept the long-running toon on the air for so long.
In January 2020, TBS renewed the series for its 18th and 19th seasons. The 18th season is set to premiere on April 19, 2021.
WHAT AMERICAN AUDIENCES THINK
Photo: Ranker
American audiences are split down the middle when it comes to their approval of American Dad! In the South, the Mountain West areas, and on the West Coast, approval for the animated show sits at 52%. In the Midwest, about 54% of the audience approves of the parody, while 53% of audiences vote up the show in the Northeast.
WHAT AMERICAN DAD! FANS WATCH (AND DON'T WATCH) ON TV
Photo: Ranker
American Dad! fans tend to watch black comedies, as well as shows outside the comic genre with a darker tone that make a statement about society. For example, fans of the Smith family are almost 9X more likely than the average Ranker voter to watch Netflix's The End of the F***ing World and Shudder's Creepshow, both of which offer a good deal of dark comedy and a horror twist. They’re also 9X more likely to enjoy cerebral comedies like Atlanta.
Fans of American Dad! also enjoy shows that feature similarly offbeat premises, as well as the occasional narrative twist or turn. Considering the surreal nature of the animated half-hour offering, finding out that fans enjoy other shows that deal with the bizarre makes perfect sense. This includes such shows as Netflix's Locke & Key and AMC's Dispatches from Elsewhere, which American Dad! fans are 8X more likely to check out.
And of course, fans of the toon tend to like other toons, especially those fashioned by American Dad! creator Seth MacFarlane. Fans of American Dad! are 10X more likely to check out MacFarlane’s first big hit, Family Guy, and 9X more likely to count themselves as fans of The Cleveland Show. They also gravitate to other animated offerings for adults. For example, they're 9X more likely to watch Futurama and Bob's Burgers, as well as 8X more likely to love the Comedy Central classic South Park.
On the other side of the coin, fans of American Dad! don't seem to enjoy shows that skew for small children or are considered older and/or classic. This includes such shows as ITV's ‘80s program Danger Mouse, the classic Speed Racer, or Jonny Quest.
Photo: TBS
AMERICAN DAD! FANS AT THE MOVIES
When it comes to the cinema, American Dad! fans are unsurprisingly drawn to two main genres: cartoons and comedies.
Fans of the MacFarlane-led show tend to enjoy other animated farces that skew more toward adults. For example, they are 4X more likely to have enjoyed The Simpsons Movie that premiered in 2007, and 3X more likely to watch South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut.
Audiences are also fans of feature films that are perfect for the whole family, such as Universal Pictures’ hit kids’ movie Despicable Me, as well as Hotel Transylvania.
Other shows atop this audience’s lists are dark, irreverent comedies that offer a dark twist on established genres. Fans are 4X more likely to check out dark comedies like Zombieland, and 3X more likely to love Anchorman, Spaceballs, and the Tarantino classic Pulp Fiction.
Fans of American Dad! also enjoy features that have something to say about social issues. This includes heavy dramas that are light on laughs, but heavy on social commentary. Fans of the animated show are 4X more likely to watch the shoot-em-up Scarface, and they’re 3X more likely to vote up Fight Club, The Departed, and Full Metal Jacket.
AMERICAN DAD! FANS AND THEIR MUSIC
Photo: TBS
It’s no surprise that fans of this TBS toon are big into music. MacFarlane’s love of musicals and whimsical show tunes is apparent, as the episodes often feature a musical number or two.
According to Ranker Insights, introspective artists like Lana Del Rey, Mos Def, and Eminem are near the top of many loyal American Dad! fans’ playlists. This should come as no surprise, given that many of the songs on the show are cerebral parodies that offer insights into the national political climate. It makes sense that fans of the show would gravitate toward artists who use their music to make a statement.
AMERICAN DAD! ON RANKER
Photo: TBS
American Dad! ranks high on Ranker’s list of The Best Adult Cartoon Shows In TV History, coming in at #7 out of 93 shows. It also comes in at #16 on The Best TV Sitcoms Airing Now and #16 on The Funniest Shows On TV Right Now. Fans of nontraditional humor that skews towards the darker side also rate American Dad! at #13 on The Best Dark Comedy TV Shows, as well as #11 on The Best Satire TV Shows.
American Dad! also came in at #8 on The Best Current Animated Series Airing Now and #11 on The Best Adult Swim TV Shows.
FINAL FINDINGS
Photo: TBS
