Big Trouble in Little Langley
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| “Big Trouble in Little Langley” | |
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| American Dad! episode | |
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| Episode no. | Season 3 Episode 4 |
| Written by | |
| Production no. | 3AJN03 |
| Original airdate | November 4, 2007 |
| Newspaper Headline | Car Radio Turned Up as Girls Approach |
| Season 3 episodes | |
| American Dad - Season 3 September 30, 2007 – May 18, 2008 |
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| ← Season 2 | |
| List of American Dad! episodes | |
"Big Trouble in Little Langley" is a season three episode of the animated series American Dad!.
[edit] Plot summary
During dinner, Francine's Chinese parents, the Lings, make a surprise visit. Stan is frustrated by this (as they do not respect his "man of the house" rules) and their other habits, such as putting many Chinese decorations in the living room, making him take off his shoes in his own house, pointlessly hanging paper towels and tampons to dry and wearing his swimming trunks and farting in them. Vowing to find Francine's real parents, he goes to Adoption Services, where he discovers they are a wealthy, seemingly perfect white couple from South Carolina. However, Francine refuses to learn who they are. Stan then reveals that the Lings have cut her out of their will. Francine's real parents, the Dawsons, come while she is getting her hair done, where they reveal why they had to give her away: while boarding a plane, they learned that they could not bring the infant Francine in first class and simply left her with the check-in attendant. Nonetheless, Stan wants to believe they are good people. At this point, a firecracker (lit by Steve at the beginning of the episode) finally goes off, setting the entire house on fire. Stan is simply abandoned by the Dawsons and is saved by Mr. Ling, who luckily had come back for their stuff. Mr. Ling reveals that they are leaving everything to their real daughter (Gwen) because she is stupid and needs the help; they never have to worry about Francine because she is the smart one. Touched by this, Stan tells Francine that the Lings are her "real parents" because they care for her.
Meanwhile, Steve tries to use firecrackers to impress Lindsay Coolidge. Roger discovers he is fireproof (after being lit on fire while at the adoption agency by Stan) and agrees to be blown up by Steve. However, Steve accidentally blows his thumb off, by using a short fuse firecracker. Roger takes him back home to find the house is on fire and leaves him with the paramedics, who reattach the thumb. Lindsay lets Steve touch her breasts; however, his hand is still numb from anesthesia and she is insulted when Steve says "he can't feel anything".
[edit] Cultural References
- The title is a parody of the film Big Trouble in Little China.
- Stan asks Roger if he ever saw Man on Fire, shortly before setting Roger on fire.
- When Steve's thumb is blown off, Roger says, "Okay, golden opportunity! Say, 'Charlie, they took my thumb!'" When Steve continues to lay sobbing on the ground, he says, "Eric Roberts? Pope of Greenwich Village? No? You're a lot of fun."
- One of the firecrackers is named after The English Patient.
- Stan sings a song about Francine's birth parents entitled "Nick and Cass" a parody of "Dance: Ten; Looks: Three" from the Broadway Musical A Chorus Line.
- Another of the Firecrackers is a referance to the Vietnamese prostitute in Full Metal Jacket.
- Francine talks about watching T. J. Hooker with her parents growing up.
| Preceded by “Dope & Faith” |
American Dad! episodes | Followed by “Haylias” |
