![]() This episode could have explored the same idea in the totally opposite manner by delivering an entry that focused just on Jeff and Barry’s time together while ditching the rest of the cast. It continues to make this event-which is barely a plot-into something greater and more exaggerated. It’s a smart move on the episode’s part to also have everyone going along with what Steve’s planning rather than mocking his grand scheme. He’s acting like the Xenomorph from Alien is going to fight the Terminator. In spite of this being a very simple storyline, it gains a lot of power by the deep importance that Steve bestows on the event. After all, somebody’s got to clap for the grips, right? Once Steve zeroes in on how well Jeff and Barry would get along, he becomes relentless in trying to make some meeting between these two people in his life take place. Steve is well aware that some of his friends-namely Snot-can be an acquired taste. The rest of “Julia Rogerts” is interested in the current obsession of Steve, which happens to involve two of his friends. It’s a plan so perfect that it can even make something like grass-ketball seem natural. This sort of thing would actually work in real life if you had the wherewithal to create such a ruse. Speaking of ruses, that “decoy” of Stan that Roger puts together at the Smith household is pretty damn brilliant. That’s nothing for the fresh team of Stan and Roger though. Then, just for good measure, the episode throws one final curveball into the mix by letting the melodrama take a backseat to the absurdism of Crow Gods. Surprisingly this ends up morphing into one of the better examples of an episode that explores Stan and Roger’s bond, of which there are already plenty of strong contenders. “Julia Rogerts” might tug at the audience’s emotions a little bit and make it truly seem like Stan is indifferent to Roger, but thankfully it’s revealed that his behavior is all part of a ruse. It’s the sort of trajectory that happens all the time in the films that this episode is poking fun at, like Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore. Stan and Jesse continue to be juxtaposed against each other as Roger tries to figure out what’s best for him. This reunion between Roger and Stan involves a lot of showboating and hiding of emotions while all that Roger is really looking for is for Stan to admit that he actually wants Roger to come home. Stan comes to Townsville looking to steamroll everything that Roger has built in the process. Just as Roger is finding peace as Julia, his past decides to messily intersect with his new life. If Roger plays his cards right, he might even find himself with a dance to the harvest festival (which does not have a dance, just to be clear). Jesse allows Roger to finally be able to move past the trauma that he went through with Stan and get on with his life. Roger’s new life leads to him finding happiness and love within Jesse. ![]() It’s even easy to picture Julia Roberts going through some version of this narrative up on the silver screen. ![]() The whole thing is terribly melodramatic, but that’s it’s goal. In spite of Roger being a glowing social butterfly in his new Erin Brokavich-esque lifestyle, he continues to hold onto the grapevine that started this mess, almost as a haunting reminder of where he began. The members of the community whisper over how mysterious and deep Julia’s history must be and she’s seen as the fascinating enigma that Roger has always considered himself to be. The introductory montage for “Julia’s” new life in Townsville is essentially the life that Roger’s always wanted. There’s a degree of preparation and specificity, but the results can be deeply satisfying like fine French wine. It’s a strategy that requires intense precision, much like how American Dad crafts its humor. This includes acquiring the grapes and soil from France that were used to make the wine and then driving to an area that has comparable weather conditions to when the original batch’s crop was grown. A desperate Stan turns to Roger’s ludicrous plan to actually make the wine that they need to replace. This leads to Stan and Roger flailing into recovery mode. Before the credits even roll Stan has already hurt Francine in several significant ways, in spite of this episode not even being dominated as a Stan entry. Stan’s up to some truly reprehensible behavior (with Roger doing some prime enabling) that does a good job at encapsulating how he can take Francine for granted. This week’s episode of American Dad swiftly begins with Stan circling the drain of desperation. ![]()
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