Just recently, the hilariousAmerican Dad! was renewed for its 20th and 21st seasons, extending its legacy as one of the longest-running shows in television history.Over this time, certain episodes stand out as being particularly exceptional; they are the ones that most perfectly wed belly-laughs with powerful character development, drawing Stan, Francine, Roger, and the other characters into situations simultaneously absurd and poignant.

And of course, fans have taken to IMDb to weigh in on their favorite episodes of the prolific series.

10/10 "Rapture's Delight," 8.9

Two men talking in American Dad!

In this wild, gleefully blasphemous sendup of Christianity, Stan and Francine find themselves left behind after the Rapture occurs on Christmas Day. None too pleased with the situation, Stan runs away in an attempt to be accepted into Heaven. However, when Francine is kidnapped, Stan must use all his strength - and the assistance of Jesus - to save her and defeat the Antichrist. This episode ofAmerican Dad! is so good thanks to its ridiculous storyline, irreverent humor, and epic feel, including its climactic fight between the Son of God and his unholy opposite. There are also hilarious parodies of such classic films asThe Ten Commandments,Monty Python and the Holy Grail, andThe Road Warriorspread throughout.

9/10 "Rabbit Ears," 8.8

A hand coming out of the tv drags Stan in American Dad

After acquiring an old television set, Stan becomes dangerously obsessed with a strange program from the 1960s that pulls him into its disturbing universe. Meanwhile, Roger turns into an infant, and the family is forced to care for him. Heavily inspired by bothThe Twilight Zoneand Hugh Hefner'sPlayboy After Dark, this episode stands out for its creepy atmosphere, mysterious plot, and surreal upending of the family unit. It also includes memorable guest appearances by Ed Asner, Chris Pine, and Fred Savage, as well as striking animation that evokes the eerie black-and-white worlds of the shows it pays homage to.

8/10 "The Two Hundred," 8.7

The post-apocalyptic Smiths on American Dad!

The 200th episode ofAmerican Dad!is an epic post-apocalyptic adventure that follows Stan, Greg, and Roger as they embark on a quest to find the missing Smiths. To do so, they must traverse a Langley Falls that has become a rotting wasteland at the hands of an unknown entity dubbed "The Two Hundred," and ward off a citizenry that has been reduced to barbarism.

The episode, which parodies the television seriesThe 100and the video gameFallout 4, is beloved due to its rich world-building and character development.  It also includes the added delight of seeing Principal Lewis turn into the savage leader of a group of cannibals.

7/10 "For Whom the Sleigh Bell Tolls," 8.6

The characters from American Dad fighting a group of elves

Parodying bothA Christmas Storyand the bloody fantasy movie300, this holiday episode chronicles the chaotic chain of events that occurs after Stan ignores Francine's advice and gives Steve an assault rifle for Christmas. Things immediately go awry when Steve accidentally shoots a mall Santa; when it turns out the victim was actually the real Santa, the future of Christmas is thrown into jeopardy. While certainly crude, the episode's mix of gory action and absurdist comedy is fairly irresistible. Particularly exciting is a climactic battle replete with flying reindeer, armed elves, and a humongous snowman all deployed by one seriously vengeful Santa Claus.

6/10 "Lost in Space," 8.5

A character watching three screens in American Dad

Having been forced onto a slave spaceship by Roger in a previous episode, Jeff Fischer finds himself desperately trying to escape his confinement. In order to do this, he sets out to prove to the aliens the power of love, using his relationship with his wife Hayley Smith as an example.

Although the episode mostly sidelines the rest of the major characters, it has a refreshing uniqueness for how it promotes Jeff to being the main focus throughout. Also delightful is the detailed animation, including unique areas aboard the spaceship that lend further intrigue to the science-fiction story and environment.

5/10 "Tearjerker," 8.5

Stan and Roger spoofing James Bond on American Dad!

A parody of James Bond films, this episode stars Stan as a 007-like secret agent who must stop the titular madman, played by Roger, from taking over the world. The supervillain's plan? To abduct celebrities, replace them with robots, and shoot movies so sad that everyone will cry themselves to death. A major pleasure of the episode is identifying the parallels between the main characters and their Bond counterparts; for example, Francine as the archetypal Bond girl and Hayley as a version of Miss Moneypenny. Far from a lazy parody, the episode is special for being an original and sometimes subversive engagement with the conventions of 007.

4/10 "Persona Assistant," 8.2

Stan steals a pie from an angry woman in American Dad

Roger firmly believes his many different personae are critical to the health of Langley Falls. Stan disagrees, claiming that they're getting in the way of important family time. The two find out who's right when Stan is forced to fill in for Roger and his personae while the alien is recovering from emergency surgery. This 250th episode ofAmerican Dad!is lauded for both its humor and its poignant family drama, with Stan and Roger coming to a deeper understanding of each other through their connected hardships. There's also the equally satisfying subplot, in which Steve goes to hilarious lengths at the behest of Principal Lewis to win a competition with his school choir.

3/10 "The Unincludeds," 8.2

Two characters talking to a server in American Dad

Unwilling to let their nerdiness define their lives, Steve and Snot decide to throw a big party for all the other uncool students at their school. Unfortunately, the event is so aberrant that it rips into the space-time continuum, altering the futures of both Steve and Snot. As the boys work to correct the course of their lives, Roger becomes obsessed over something far less consequential: that a waitress failed to compliment his order after praising Hayley's. This episode is remarkable not only for its time-bending science-fiction premise, but for how it humorously contrasts such a cosmic scenario with the relatively minor incident of the subplot. There's also a funny sequence set to the hit Sia song "Chandelier" that will have viewers trying to belt out the tune through their side-splitting laughter.

2/10 "Great Space Roaster," 8.2

Characters from American Dad listening to the alien

On his birthday, Roger is hungry for some roasting, and not of the food variety. However, when he ends up taking the vicious jokes of his roast too personally, he is driven into a rage and decides to kill the Smith family. Filled with clever references and spoofs, the episode sends up everything fromThe Dean Martin Show and Martin's later celebrity roast show to the classic science-fiction horror filmAlien. Additionally, there's an undeniable thrill in seeing the already unhinged Roger go completely off the deep end, before he's redeemed in a wry and touching fashion. References toThe Wire,Grey's Anatomy,Hannah Montana, andBeverly Hills, 90210further contribute to the episode's appealingly eclectic tone.

1/10 "In Country... Club," 8.2

Stan talking to a child in American Dad

To be a true American patriot, Stan believes, is to love the national anthem and have experienced war. In order to get Steve to understand this, Stan takes him to a Vietnam War reenactment where he'll be able to sing the anthem to a group of veterans. Things don't go as planned, however, when Steve has an unexpected war flashback and is committed to a psychiatric hospital. The episode is impactful for its surprisingly emotional, nuanced exploration of post-traumatic stress disorder, and for its funny references to a host of Vietnam War films, includingThe Deer Hunter,Apocalypse Now,Platoon, andFull Metal Jacket. The subplot, in which Roger acquires a pet bird and tries to get the house cable code so he can watch Barbara Streisand's TV special, provides a welcome dose of levity.

Next: 10 Best Shows Like American Dad