Editing American Dad! (section)

===Origins and comparison with ''Family Guy'' and ''All in the Family''===
[[Seth MacFarlane]] was inspired by the 2000 [[2000 United States presidential election|election]] for the show, noting: "me and co-creator Matt Weitzman were so frustrated with the [[Presidency of George W. Bush|Bush administration]] that we would just spend days bitching and complaining, and we figured we should channel this into something creative and hopefully profitable."<ref name="doorly1">{{Cite web |last=Sean Doorly |title=Seth MacFarlane Interview |url=http://www.doorly.com/writing/seth-macfarlane.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130524025552/http://www.doorly.com/writing/seth-macfarlane.htm |archive-date=May 24, 2013 |access-date=May 13, 2013 |publisher=Doorly.com}}</ref><ref name="autogenerated8">{{Cite web |date=September 13, 2013 |title=Seth MacFarlane's TV History |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2013/09/13/seth-macfarlanes-tv-history?page=2 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130927083819/http://www.ign.com/articles/2013/09/13/seth-macfarlanes-tv-history?page=2 |archive-date=September 27, 2013 |access-date=September 25, 2013 |publisher=IGN}}</ref> In early February 2005, Barker stated, "About a year and a half ago, Seth called and asked if Matt and I would be interested in working on a show about a right-wing CIA agent and his liberal daughter. It was right up our alley, and everything just fell into place."<ref name="autogenerated3a">{{Cite web |last=AWN |date=February 4, 2005 |title='American Dad' Touchdown |url=https://www.awn.com/animationworld/american-dad-touchdown |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130929163154/http://www.awn.com/articles/people/iamerican-dadi-touchdown/page/3%2C1 |archive-date=September 29, 2013 |access-date=December 9, 2021 |website=Animation World Network}}</ref><ref name="autogenerated8" /><ref name="autogenerated3b" /> On September 14, 2003, ''[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]'' reported that Fox Broadcasting had ordered a pilot presentation of the then tentatively titled ''American Dad!'' and "If greenlit, ''American Dad!'' could launch as early as fall 2004." At the time, Fox was aiming to develop a new lineup of adult animated sitcoms.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Dore |first=Shalini |date=September 14, 2003 |title=Fox hankering for a homer with 'Dad' |url=https://variety.com/2003/scene/news/fox-hankering-for-a-homer-with-dad-1117892445/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130928233332/http://variety.com/2003/scene/news/fox-hankering-for-a-homer-with-dad-1117892445/ |archive-date=September 28, 2013 |access-date=June 8, 2013 |work=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]}}</ref>
[[File:Mike Barker by Gage Skidmore 2.jpg|160px|left|thumb|[[Mike Barker (producer)|Mike Barker]]: co-creator and co-showrunner from seasons 1 through 10]]
''American Dad!'' had a [[Mid-season replacement|mid-season]] debut. Its first episode, titled "[[Pilot (American Dad!)|Pilot]]", was originally shown directly following [[Super Bowl XXXIX]] on February 6, 2005. The rest of the [[American Dad! (season 1)|first season]], however, would not launch until May 1, 2005, as part of the debut of Fox's Animation Domination lineup.<ref name="autogenerated1">{{Cite web |title=''American Dad'': Series Overview |url=http://tv.msn.com/tv/series/american-dad/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071214121130/http://tv.msn.com/tv/series/American-Dad |archive-date=December 14, 2007 |access-date=December 22, 2007 |website=MSN |publisher=Microsoft}}</ref><ref name="avclub4" /><ref>{{Cite news |last=Goodman |first=Tim |date=February 4, 2005 |title=Fox isn't sly. 'American Dad' is a wannabe. |url=https://www.sfgate.com/news/article/Fox-isn-t-sly-American-Dad-is-a-wannabe-2733584.php |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121105060926/http://www.sfgate.com/news/article/Fox-isn-t-sly-American-Dad-is-a-wannabe-2733584.php |archive-date=November 5, 2012 |access-date=December 22, 2007 |work=San Francisco Chronicle}}</ref> Initially, it was a replacement for the originally failed series ''[[Family Guy]]'' (1999–2002). ''American Dad!'' was originally intended to be [[Fox Broadcasting Company|Fox]]'s answer to the hordes of fans left behind from the original failure of MacFarlane's previous [[animation|animated]] venture.<ref name="autogenerated2006">{{Cite web |date=April 24, 2006 |title=Interview: The Creators of American Dad |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2006/04/24/interview-the-creators-of-american-dad |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130927083811/http://www.ign.com/articles/2006/04/24/interview-the-creators-of-american-dad |archive-date=September 27, 2013 |access-date=May 4, 2013 |publisher=IGN}}</ref> Just three short months after ''American Dad!''{{'}}s debut however, ''Family Guy'' was revived, leaving ''American Dad!'' with a formidable expectation: whether the series could distinguish itself from its counterpart and succeed on its own merits.<ref name="autogenerated2006" /> Instead of taking over [[creative director|creative direction]] of the series, MacFarlane left the job largely in the hands of Barker and Weitzman so as to distinguish ''American Dad!''<ref name="doorly1" />

In its early going, ''American Dad!'' brought in strong ratings but fought an uphill battle in gaining widespread acceptance and approval from viewers and critics alike.<ref name="autogenerated8" /> The popularity of MacFarlane and his involvement with ''Family Guy'' had led to foregone conclusions and [[prejudice]]s against ''American Dad!'' as a [[ripoff#Overview|rip-off]] of the predecessor<ref name="autogenerated8" /> and some critics had already written off ''American Dad!'' prior to its birth as nothing more than a pale imitation of ''Family Guy'' and MacFarlane's attempts to get his old show back on the air.<ref name="avclub4" /> One example, prior to the ''American Dad!'' series debut, a writer of ''[[The Washington Post]]'' published a piece that reads "But those same executives have also given MacFarlane a whole new animated half-hour to play with in the disappointing ''American Dad!'' The new series officially premieres in May but has a sneak preview tomorrow night in the coveted post-Super Bowl time period&nbsp;... The look and pace of ''American Dad!'' is the same as ''Family Guy''."<ref name="washingtonpost2">{{Cite news |last=Maynard |first=John |date=February 5, 2005 |title='American Dad': Dysfunctional Comedy |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/2005/02/05/american-dad-dysfunctional-comedy/726ccf53-aac7-4092-9909-198a41a44f2c/ |access-date=December 9, 2021 |work=washingtonpost.com}}</ref> [[File:Matt Weitzman by Gage Skidmore 2.jpg|160px|right|thumb|Co-creator and sole showrunner [[Matt Weitzman]]]]

In actuality, however, the program's beginnings take cues from the TV series ''[[All in the Family]],'' almost a farcical animated version of the [[live action]] sitcom.<ref name="autogenerated4" /><ref>{{Cite web |last=Mushy |date=April 24, 2006 |title=EXCLUSIVE: Mike Barker and Matt Weitzman Talk American Dad |url=http://www.movieweb.com/news/exclusive-mike-barker-and-matt-weitzman-talk-american-dad |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130930171531/http://www.movieweb.com/news/exclusive-mike-barker-and-matt-weitzman-talk-american-dad |archive-date=September 30, 2013 |access-date=May 4, 2013 |publisher=MovieWeb.com}}</ref> Both shows make use of political satire, [[bigotry]], ludicrous expressions of conservatism from their paternal main character (Stan likened to [[Archie Bunker]]), and equally ludicrous expressions of liberalism from their daughter character (Hayley likened to [[Gloria Stivic]]). Moreover, the daughter in both series each have a liberal hippie boyfriend turned husband (Jeff likened to [[Michael Stivic]]) to whom the daughter's conservative father is antagonistic. Also in both, the daughter lives in her parents' home with her boyfriend turned husband as a housemate. ''American Dad!'' in its original form was even said to have been inspired by ''All in the Family''.<ref name="autogenerated4" /><ref>{{Cite news |last=Rose |first=Lacey |date=October 3, 2012 |title=Showrunners 2012: 'American Dad's' Seth MacFarlane & Matt Weitzman, 'Family Guy's' Mark Hentemann & Steve Callaghan, 'Cleveland Show's' Rich Appel |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/showrunners-2012-seth-macfarlane-family-guy%3Damerican-dad-cleveland-show-375974 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130428165101/http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/showrunners-2012-seth-macfarlane-family-guy%3Damerican-dad-cleveland-show-375974 |archive-date=April 28, 2013 |access-date=May 4, 2013 |work=The Hollywood Reporter}}</ref>