About “American Dad!” in a few words:

American Dad! is a popular adult animated sitcom that premiered in 2005 and is currently in its 18th season. The series follows the eccentric Smith family, headed by CIA agent Stan Smith, and their alien boarder Roger, as they navigate their daily lives in the fictional town of Langley Falls, Virginia. The show is known for its unique blend of political satire, pop culture references, and absurd humor, and has garnered a dedicated fan base over the years.

Meet the characters from American Dad!

Stan Smith

Stan is peak over-the-top patriot energy — CIA muscle wrapped in a suit and an unnervingly confident smile. He’s all about order, flags, guns and the subtle art of solving problems by brute force (and a spreadsheet, sometimes), but also the kind of guy who will throw a pie for his kid if it makes sense in the moment. Loud, rigid, and secretly sentimental in a way he’d never admit (unless there’s a trophy involved), he’s somehow both terrifying and dad-bear. Also, he claims he hates surprises but throws surprise parties like a maniac and that is absolutely canon, right?

Francine Smith

Francine is chaos with pearls — the perfect suburban mom who used to be absolutely wild, and she still is in little dangerous, delightful bursts. She can bake a pie that solves family disputes, seduce a safety inspector, and dye her hair twelve different colors in an afternoon; also she hoards wigs for reasons that are 50% practicality and 50% joy. Protective and cunning, she balances Stan’s ridiculousness with a wink and a plan, but also adores ridiculous shopping sprees that ruin the budget (and then lies about it, lovingly). Oh and she’ll smile and then plot gentle revenge, which is honestly the best kind.

Steve Smith

Steve is the lovable, awkward teen who layers nerdy enthusiasm over a fragile, dramatic heart — he’s into magic, D&D, video games and wildly impractical fashion choices. He tries so hard to be cool and sometimes actually gets there, usually by accident, and then tells everyone he meant to do it; adorable. Sweet, theatrical, and forever optimistic, he can swing from nerdy panic to surprising bravery in one episode, which never stops being hilarious. Also he’s either allergic to normal social cues or just memorably oblivious — probably both.

Hayley Smith

Hayley is the eternally angry but fiercely compassionate activist with a cigarette behind her ear and a heart that actually melts for puppies and bad people sometimes. She shouts about injustice, bikes to protests, and then somehow ends up smuggling endangered succulents in her backpack — ethical ambiguity? maybe, but passionate! She’s principled and stubborn and also weirdly sentimental (she cries at adverts and can’t resist a good thrift-store find). Sometimes she’s hypocritical in a charming way — buys artisan soap online while railing against capitalism — but that contradiction is basically her vibe.

Klaus

Klaus is a goldfish with the brain of an old East German skier and more passive-aggressive feelings than should be allowed in a pet. He’s sardonic, romantic (in a weird fishy way), and will emotionally blackmail you with Olympic anecdotes at 3am while bobbing silently — but also deeply petty, like he keeps grudges about cafeteria meat. Small, salty, and oddly dramatic, he somehow manages to be both the family’s conscience and its lowest blow. Also he swears he once had a hot German love interest — who knows if that was a dream or a soap opera rerun.

Jeff Fischer

Jeff is the sweet, perpetually mellow stoner who floats through life with a grin and a surprising capacity for loyalty and odd wisdom. He speaks slowly, loves music, collects very questionable lava lamps (or was it snow globes?), and is deeply in love with Hayley, which makes him simultaneously adorable and pathetic in the best way. He’s flaky in a soft, charming manner but can also be unexpectedly brave when put in front of a literal or metaphoric snack bar. Also he may forget your name but will remember your preferred playlist and birthday cake preference — priorities!

Snot Lonstein

Snot is the kid who sounds rough around the edges but is secretly into romance novels and tender moments, which makes him infinitely lovable and confusing at the same time. He’s Steve’s loyal buddy, quick with a weird one-liner and a bizarre hobby (tattoo designs? slam poetry? both?), and he punches above his weight socially with a stubborn charm. Tough but insecure, he’s the friend who will drag you to awkward parties and then defend you like a tiny knight. Also he has this cadence when he talks that makes every complaint sound like a deep revelation — I swear it’s a thing.

Avery Bullock

Avery Bullock is the spiky, bald CIA bureaucrat who runs on protocol, intimidation, and the occasional maniacal outburst that is somehow office-appropriate. He’s terrifyingly competent, emotionally blunt, and also enjoys bizarre distractions like spontaneous musicals or yelling into a fax machine for stress relief (that might be a rumor, but it feels right). Deadpan but theatrical, he is the capital-B Boss who will file your paperwork and then vanish into a cloud of regret and aerosol disinfectant. Also he has these weird moments of soft nostalgia where he remembers being small and terrifying — it’s complicated.

Barry Robinson

Barry is the slightly off-kilter, weirdly friendly neighborhood guy who oscillates between innocent enthusiasm and low-key creepiness in a way that’s almost artful. He smiles too much, has a bafflingly specific hobby collection (toy parachutes? novelty spoons?), and tends to pop up at the worst times with snacks and an awkward pep talk. He can be surprisingly wholesome one minute and disturbingly intense the next — like a man who learned confidence from an infomercial. Also he insists he’s “working on himself” which is simultaneously heartwarming and terrifying.

Principal Lewis

Principal Lewis is the weary, sardonic school principal who’s seen it all and uses dry humor like a defensive weapon. He’s cynical but fair, occasionally lazy in a charming way, and definitely has a secret stash of motivational posters that he rotates like a bored curator. Sharp-eyed and occasionally exasperated, he manages chaos with minimal effort and maximum side-eye, and secretly cares too much about the kids (don’t tell anyone, he’ll deny it). Also he collects ties with tiny animals on them and will absolutely wear them to fool you into thinking he’s cheerful.

Toshi Yoshida

Toshi is the stoic, inscrutable kid who speaks Japanese on the show and somehow conveys a thousand emotions with one deadpan look and a perfectly timed nod. He’s calm, mysterious, and badass (ninja energy? probably), and there’s always the sense he’s plotting something cool and disturbingly efficient while everyone else flails. Quiet but intense, he’s the type to rescue a cat and then vanish into the night with a sushi snack, which is adorable and alarming. Also sometimes he’s inexplicably dramatic in a way that makes you laugh and then feel guilty about laughing — complicated feelings!