Meter Made

Infobox American Dad! episode
Title = Meter Made
Series =American Dad!


Caption =Stan as a Meter Made with Turlington (Forest Whitaker) from Parking Internal Affairs
Season =3
Episode =2
Airdate =October 7, 2007
Production =3AJN01
Writer =Dan Vebber
Director =Bob Bowen
Guests = Forest Whitaker, Mike Rowe
newspaper_headline = Paper Mill To Town: "You smell weird."
Episode list =List of American Dad! episodes
Season list = Infobox_American_Dad!_Season_3
Prev =TBA
Next =TBA__NOTOC__"Meter Made" is a third season episode of the animated series "American Dad!".

Plot

The episode opens with a depressed Stan narrating while driving on a road in an unknown forest in Latin America, as he recounts the time that he was once a "somebody." As the Langley Falls "Parade of Homes" gets underway, Francine becomes depressed that the Smith home is not only not included but is rather designated "Dogs Poop Here." At the same time, Stan becomes depressed that even though he works for the CIA, he's still a nobody to the public. Things come to a head when Stan attacks a haughty meter maid who had just ticketed him. Forced to make amends by becoming a meter maid himself for two weeks, Stan realizes that he can use the threat of parking violations to extort favors from others. After learning this, he is able to get the house into the Parade of Homes. However, Stan tries this tactic on a famous Jamaican artist in an effort to get him to paint the Smith home so that it would be more presentable, but he fails because the artist is also a diplomat.

However, Stan decides that he can afford to pay the artist nonetheless, and gain even more power, by embezzling the coins that he is supposed to collect from parking meters. Stan and Francine are showing off their redecorated home, now included in the Parade, to the neighbors just as Turlington from Parking Internal Affairs ominously arrives. In a panic, Stan and Francine try to throw away or destroy everything they bought with the ill-gotten money (to the shock of their guests) but it turns out that Turlington only wanted to give Stan his certificate of completion of his two week service obligation. Additionally, Turlington did suspect Stan was involved, but let his suspicions go after learning he is in the CIA and thus could be trusted (even if he knew Stan was involved, he would never hear from Internal Affairs again). They are both relieved, though the guests are still dumbfounded by what had just occurred. The episode ends as it returns to the depressed Stan executing a regime change and finding a parking ticket on his car. Ironically, as he narrates how his life is depressing and dull now that he is a "nobody" again (being a CIA agent), Marxist Revolutionaries wage a violent battle nearby as a direct result of his assignment.

In a subplot, Hayley becomes a nude model for a local art class, proclaiming to be completely at ease with her body. However, she is mortified when she sees a disguised Roger at the back of the class. Roger has painted Hayley's body nude, but has not painted her face. She attempts to get Roger to give her his painting, only to find out that Roger had loaned it to an unknowing Steve. In the meantime, Steve has masturbated to the painting. Roger plays Hayley, Klaus (who claims to be proxy bidding for an anonymous collecter in Zürich) and Steve against each other at an auction for the painting, only to be outbid by Francine, using the stolen parking meter money. Just as the truth of the painting is finally revealed to Steve (but not Francine), Francine rips it up as part of her evidence-destroying efforts. As punishment for violating her body, Hayley punches Roger.

Trivia

* Members of Ladybugs can be seen in this episode.
* When Stan smashes the ticket book at the meter maid, humorous lines can be seen on it: "Check this box if the car is a piece of crap" and "Vehicle smells funny" are listed as offense causes.

Cultural references

* Certain parts of story seem to be based on that of "Goodfellas". One of Francine's monologues is strikingly similar to one spoken by Karen Hill, Henry Hill's moll and wife in the movie, also Stans final lines are similar to Henry Hill, lamenting he has to go back to being a "regular schnook".
* The scene where Stan and Francine are destroying the furniture, brought by the stolen quarters is played to Ain't That A Kick In The Head by Dean Martin this music also featured in "Goodfellas".
* Roger was holding a Pumpkin-Amaretto-Cream flavored "Coffee Pal". It was a reference to the coffee creamer, Coffee-Mate.
* The title is a play on meter maid.
* Turlington, voiced by Forest Whitaker, references Whitaker's performances as Jon Kavanaugh from "The Shield".
* The Maître d' at the French restaurant is a parody of the Chez Quis Maître d' in Ferris Bueller's Day Off played by Jonathan Schmock.
* Stan Smith speaks to his estranged brother on the telephone in this episode and says, "Well, I don't care how they say it in New Glarus, Wisconsin where you live on a lake and have nothing in common with me." New Glarus is a small village with a population of 2,111 and is not located on or near a lake. It is thoughtFact|date=March 2008 the line referencing New Glarus came from Dan Vebber, who writes for the animated television show and also once wrote for The Onion; a parody newspaper originally based in Madison, Wisconsin, which is near New Glarus, Wisconsin.
* A Wilhelm scream is heard at the very end of the episode.
* Roger says James Doohan of "Star Trek" fame watched Steve masturbate with the nude Hayley portrait from heaven. Steve is ashamed that he let "Scotty" see the whole thing. Doohan died of Alzheimer's disease two years before this episode aired.
* When Roger is punched in the stomach by Hayley, he says "This is how Houdini died!", this is a reference to a line said by John Candy when he was also punched in the stomach by Steve Martin in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles.