Review: American Dad “The Three Fs”

Overview:

Francine finds herself in an echo chamber of loneliness when her efforts to connect with her family fall increasingly flat. Francine becomes desperate over ways to curry favor with her family, which invites an unhealthy obsession with the only thing that has shown her some love: a frog named Jumpers and his dozens of frog friends. Francine’s frog fascination begins to alienate her from her actual family and pushes her down a dangerous path as she wonders where she best belongs and is most appreciated. 

Our Take:

In any other series, a storyline where a character gets manipulated by an evil frog named Jumpers would be a clear sign that they’ve run out of ideas. It’s an idea that’s so beyond shark-jumping that it reeks of later season storytelling and it’s not the episode that gets turned out during a show’s golden years. By now, audiences should know better than to doubt American Dad. What’s so special about this series is its continued capacity to spin nonsense into brilliance. So yeah, there’s an evil frog named Jumpers who’s voiced by character actor Jason Isaacs in “The Three Fs,” but somehow this results in thematically rich storytelling that celebrates American Dad’s true secret weapon: Francine Smith.

Many of Francines’ storylines are fueled by either the satisfaction or lack thereof that she receives from her family. “All By Myself” becomes Francine’s running internal monologue throughout “The Three Fs” until she finds a stronger mantra to stand behind: Frogs. Family. Francine. It might seem strange to describe an American Dad episode where Francine becomes the leader of an army of frogs (which is the technical term for a frog mob, poignantly enough) as a simple, focused story, but there’s a directness to this introspective installment. Greg’s corresponding struggles become a prominent subplot early on in “The Three Fs,” but even those morph into the impetus for the greater schism that separates the Smiths. 

There are several moments during “The Three Fs” where it’s not exactly clear where this Jumper conspiracy is headed, which does give the episode an exciting drive through its middle portion. It’s safe to say that the revelation that Francine has befriended Brazilian Cuckoo Frogs that are preying upon her loneliness and vulnerability isn’t a development that the audience is going to predict during the episode’s first act. This species of amphibian is ludicrous and meant to be comical, but it’s an effective way to simultaneously rid Francine of her new pets while also reuniting her and her family together in one swift motion. The foam-filled fever dream that the final act briefly turns into also leads to some unique visuals that bring forward some slick sci-fi vibes. 

This episode is very much Francine’s time to shine. However, there are also some beautiful, effortless character moments throughout the episode that give every scene an extra impact, like Stan’s habit of cleaning ketchup off his toes on the lawn. The same is true for the repeated problem that Klaus faces whenever he attempts to make a graceful exit off the kitchen table. Even Jeff’s disdain for Klaus, which is an easy joke, gives his character plenty of laughs. These satisfying character beats are offset with some really playful sight gags. There’s a moment of misdirection in the cold open that plays with editing in such a smart way. Everything at Frog Ross’ Restaurant is also a home run.

“The Three Fs” likely isn’t destined to be an all-time Francine episode of American Dad and some of the weirder turns that it takes aren’t as successful as bolder experiments, like in last week’s “Gold Top Nuts.” However, the episode cultivates a unique energy by putting Francine in the type of stubborn, alienating scenario that’s primarily used for Stan storylines. American Dad is usually pretty good about reflecting Francine’s importance and why she’s an important part of the Smith family, but “The Three Fs” is a helpful reminder that she can be just as big of an agent of chaos as Stan or Roger. Not everything in “The Three Fs” is a success, but it’s an episode that often works despite itself and uses Francine’s endless love for her family as the glue that holds it together.