The FOX Broadcasting Newtork as ordered a fourth season of Seth McFarlane’s hit animated primetime series American Dad, according to Daily Variety. A total of 22 new episodes will be produced by 20th Century Fox TV for the 2008-09 season. The order will bring the show’s episode total to 84, allowing Twentieth Television to put it into syndication.

American Dad revolves around Stan Smith (voiced by MacFarlane), a CIA agent and proud family man based in Langley Falls, Virginia. In addition to his slightly dysfunctional family, Smith shares his household with Roger, a sarcastic space alien rescued from Area 51, and Klaus, a German-speaking goldfish born of a botched CIA experiment. The show is co-created and exec produced by Mike Barker and Matt Weitzman, with Rick Wiener and Kenny Schwartz also serving as exec producers.

Coupled with McFarlane’s Family Guy, American Dad has been a solid performer with adults 18-49 since its post-Super Bowl bow in 2005, and continued to expand its audience when it was moved up to the slot immediately following The Simpsons. American Dad will begin its third season this fall in the 9:30 timeslot, but will move to 7:30 p.m. for the second half of the 2007-2008 season in order to make room for the Terminator TV spin-off, The Sarah Connor Chronicles, which will air at 9 p.m. on Sundays.