Plot
When Steve brings home a permission slip to take sex ed at school, Stan flips out and demands to teach it himself. Stan proceeds to give an unrealistic explanation that demonizes sex and masturbation. Shortly after, he gets into an accident that damages his crotch and, due to a misunderstanding, masturbates for the first time while applying lotion to the injured area. Stan becomes secretly hooked on masturbation, but Steve, who was responsible for his dad’s accident, interprets his father’s sudden exclusiveness as anger and disappointment in him.
When Steve learns the truth about what his father is doing, Stan tries to get out of it by blaming television. Together, Stan and Steve are granted permission by the Senate to take over a TV network and use it to broadcast Stan’s anti-sex class, until Francine finally has enough of it and tells them that sexual feelings and arousal is natural just good enough to put a stop to their enterprise. So Stan, knowing Francine is right, tells Steve the truth about sex… on live TV.
Meanwhile, Roger becomes a bartender in hopes of making something of himself.
This episode falls into the same trap as many from season 1: while the plot and character development are solid, the humor tends to be lackluster and predictable. The episode is sprinkled with attempts at humor that feel like standard sitcom fare—functional, yet lacking the spark to lift the episode beyond a level of mere adequacy. Despite not finding myself laughing, it wasn’t without its enjoyable moments, nor does it render the episode unworthy of viewing. However, considering “American Dad” is primarily a comedy, it’s somewhat disappointing to wade through the initial season’s sea of generic but passable content.
The narrative strength of the episode aligns with the early “American Dad” formula, challenging Stan’s rigid conservative values, this time through his confrontation with sexual desire and his ensuing struggle with masturbation. Despite the crude humor that naturally emerges from this premise, the episode offers a realistic and insightful exploration of Stan’s character. Presenting the main character’s ideology being tested by personal failings provides a solid foundation for storytelling, and ‘A Smith in the Hand’ successfully delivers pointed commentary and satire on the conservative, Christian reactions to sexuality, especially when Stan decides to take on the television industry.
In these initial episodes, Steve’s character is often depicted as naive and impressionable, eagerly adopting his father’s beliefs in a quest for approval and admiration. This dynamic between Stan and Steve is endearing, making episodes focused on their relationship particularly appealing. Though the episode diverges unexpectedly in its third act, and Stan’s issues with masturbation are left unresolved, the effective satire and examination of Stan’s psyche are sufficient for me to overlook these narrative imperfections.