The father (Stan Smith), a CIA agent, his housewife wife (Francine), their teenage daughter (Haley), their high school-aged son (Steve), and their everyday experiences make up this middle-class family.
Stan tries to create some fun in a refugee camp, and then loses his confidence in his abilities after being outmaneuvered by a car salesman, before becoming a street car racer himself.
In season 3, the adventures of the Smith family continue, as they go on vacation and get into trouble. The relationship between Stan and Francine develops, and Stan meets an old Soviet rival of his. Stan's attempt to persuade Hayley to marry results in dire consequences.
The adventures of the CIA agent Stan resume, as he juggles his work duties and his family's needs. He and his wife Francine are upset about their son Steve reaching puberty, before the entire family becomes obsessed with the electronic game Simon.
In season 5, Stan takes Steve to a Vietnam War reenactment show, but the experience changes Steve in an unexpected way, and Stan gets Roger to play the dictator of a Caribbean island so he can get a helicopter.
Stan offers a reward to find Hayley, who decided to elope with Jeff, and Roger soon travels to Thailand to search for them, before Stan's plan to outwit his neighbor backfires when a group of criminals who were being held captive are released.
Stan Smith, a CIA agent, seeks to both keep America safe and take care of his family. He gets into trouble because of a hot tub he placed in his backyard, while he must deal with the damage he sustained after a hurricane struck the town, forcing him to stay at home.
In season 8, Stan's CIA men's club attracts Francine's attention, while a theatrical performance reveals sad memories for the family, and events ensue.
CIA agent Stan Smith continues his efforts to maintain the security of the United States and have a quiet family life, but things take a different path. His son Steve tries to clone himself, and then decides to go on a hunting trip, while Stan feels that he has lost his status during Thanksgiving.
Hayley seeks attention when she talks about charities by dyeing her hair, while Stan and Steve search for a new home, before the family takes in Francine's troublesome sister, Gwen, who reveals an old secret to everyone.
Stan, a family man and CIA agent, opposes the construction of a new football stadium because a tree will be cut down, while Steve receives advice on increasing his growth.
CIA agent Stan begins erasing his family's memories, forcing them to celebrate Father's Day properly, before he and Steve join professional sushi chefs, and Stan returns to enjoying old '90s music again.
In season 13, Francine becomes a conspiracy theorist, and Stan and Hayley compete to collect a large amount of information for the census.
In season 14, Steve tries to play baseball in order to connect with Stan, and Roger tries to create real-life drama for Francine after her favorite soap opera is taken off the air.