Review: American Dad! – Season 1, Episode 1: Pilot

Introduction

Premiering on February 6, 2005, American Dad! was created by Seth MacFarlane, Mike Barker, and Matt Weitzman as a satirical take on American politics, family life, and national security paranoia. With Family Guy already a massive success, many wondered if American Dad! would simply be a rehash or if it could carve out its own identity. The pilot episode, aptly titled "Pilot," introduces the Smith family and their bizarre yet hilarious dynamics, setting the stage for the show’s signature blend of political satire, absurd comedy, and sharp social commentary.

評論：《American Dad!》— 第 1 季，第 1 集：〈Pilot〉

導言

於 2005 年 2 月 6 日首播的《American Dad!》由 Seth MacFarlane、Mike Barker 和 Matt Weitzman 共同創作，這部動畫以 美國政治、家庭生活與國家安全偏執 為主題，運用誇張與諷刺的手法來解構美國社會。

在《Family Guy》已經大獲成功的情況下，許多人懷疑《American Dad!》是否只是另一部風格相似的作品，還是能夠創造自己的獨特性。試播集〈Pilot〉 成功介紹了 史密斯一家 (The Smiths) 的荒謬又搞笑的家庭互動，為本劇奠定了政治諷刺、荒誕喜劇與機智社會評論 的風格基調。

Plot Summary

The episode follows Stan Smith, a patriotic yet paranoid CIA agent who goes to extreme lengths to protect his country—and his family. His wife, Francine, is a loving but sometimes overlooked housewife, while their children, Hayley (a liberal college student) and Steve (an awkward, nerdy teenager), constantly challenge his authority.

The main storyline revolves around Stan’s obsession with national security, which leads him to believe terrorists are everywhere—even infiltrating his own son’s high school. Meanwhile, Steve tries to impress a girl, Debbie, but struggles due to his lack of confidence. Stan, in an attempt to help, rigs the school elections, leading to hilarious chaos.

In addition to the Smith family, we’re introduced to two of the show’s most iconic non-human characters:

• Roger, the alcoholic and sarcastic alien saved by Stan from Area 51, who now secretly lives in the family’s attic.
• Klaus, a talking goldfish with the mind of a German Olympic skier, whose presence adds another layer of absurdity to the household.

劇情概要

本集的故事圍繞 史丹·史密斯 (Stan Smith) 展開，他是一名 極端愛國但過度偏執的 CIA 探員，為了保護國家和家人，他經常採取極端手段。他的妻子 法蘭辛 (Francine) 是一位 溫柔但常被忽視的家庭主婦，而他們的孩子 海莉 (Hayley) 和 史帝夫 (Steve) 總是挑戰他的權威。

• 海莉 是一名 思想自由、政治立場偏向自由派的大學生，經常與父親在各種議題上針鋒相對。
• 史帝夫 則是一個 害羞、書呆子氣質濃厚的青少年，渴望受到女生青睞，但因缺乏自信而屢屢失敗。

本集的主要劇情圍繞 史丹對國家安全的偏執 展開。他堅信 恐怖分子無處不在，甚至滲透進了自己兒子的高中。與此同時，史帝夫試圖討好心儀的女孩 Debbie，但由於缺乏自信而苦無進展。為了幫助兒子，史丹利用 CIA 技術暗中操縱校內選舉，讓史帝夫成功當選班級主席，然而這卻導致了一連串的荒唐混亂，並帶來了爆笑的結果。

除了史密斯一家，本集還介紹了兩位標誌性的非人類角色，他們成為了本劇最具特色的笑點來源之一：

• 羅傑 (Roger) —— 一隻 酗酒、毒舌的外星人，曾被史丹從 51 區 (Area 51) 救出，如今被迫躲藏在史密斯家的閣樓裡。儘管他的行為古怪，但他機智幽默，並在之後的劇集中成為不可或缺的角色。
• 克勞斯 (Klaus) —— 一隻 擁有德國奧運滑雪選手大腦的會說話金魚，他的存在為這個家庭增添了更多荒誕與喜劇效果。

整集透過史丹的偏執行為、史帝夫的青少年煩惱，以及羅傑和克勞斯的荒謬互動，成功打造了一場充滿政治諷刺、黑色幽默與誇張喜劇的動畫首播集。

Characters and Performances

The pilot episode does an excellent job of establishing the show’s distinctive characters and comedic dynamics:

• Stan Smith (voiced by Seth MacFarlane): A hyper-patriotic, gun-loving, conservative CIA agent whose paranoia and outdated views often lead to absurd situations. He’s essentially an exaggerated version of the stereotypical American father, making him both frustrating and hilarious.
• Francine Smith (voiced by Wendy Schaal): A devoted wife who, unlike Family Guy’s Lois, is far more passive in the pilot but shows potential for depth as the series progresses.
• Hayley Smith (voiced by Rachael MacFarlane): A strong-willed, liberal activist who frequently clashes with her father’s conservative beliefs, setting up a key source of conflict and humor.
• Steve Smith (voiced by Scott Grimes): An insecure, nerdy teenager whose main goal is to be popular and get a girlfriend. His relationship with his overbearing father provides some of the episode’s best comedic moments.
• Roger (voiced by Seth MacFarlane): Introduced as a mysterious alien with a taste for junk food and sarcasm, Roger steals every scene he’s in. His love for disguises and human culture is hinted at early on, which later becomes one of the show’s best running gags.
• Klaus (voiced by Dee Bradley Baker): A talking goldfish with a German accent, Klaus has limited screen time in the pilot but adds to the overall absurdity of the show.

角色與表現

試播集成功塑造了角色的個性，並奠定了他們之間的喜劇互動：

• 史丹·史密斯 (Stan Smith，配音：Seth MacFarlane) —— 一名極端愛國、崇尚武力、偏執的 CIA 探員，他的過時價值觀和偏執狂經常導致荒謬的局面。他幾乎是 美式傳統父親形象的誇張版，讓人又愛又恨。
• 法蘭辛·史密斯 (Francine Smith，配音：Wendy Schaal) —— 一名溫順的家庭主婦，相較於《Family Guy》的 蘿伊絲 (Lois Griffin)，她在試播集中較為被動，但後續劇情逐漸展現更多性格深度。
• 海莉·史密斯 (Hayley Smith，配音：Rachael MacFarlane) —— 個性強硬的自由派大學生，經常與史丹的保守觀念發生衝突，這種 父女對立 成為節目的關鍵笑點之一。
• 史帝夫·史密斯 (Steve Smith，配音：Scott Grimes) —— 自卑、笨拙的青少年，最大的夢想就是受歡迎並交到女朋友。他和父親之間的互動產生許多尷尬但有趣的喜劇效果。
• 羅傑 (Roger，配音：Seth MacFarlane) —— 古怪又毒舌的外星人，儘管剛登場時的戲份不多，但他的機智幽默已經顯露無遺。他對地球文化的興趣，以及未來喜愛變裝的習性，都已經開始鋪陳。
• 克勞斯 (Klaus，配音：Dee Bradley Baker) —— 一隻擁有人類意識的金魚，雖然在本集戲份不多，但他的奇特存在為家庭增添了一層荒謬感。

Political Satire and Social Commentary

Unlike Family Guy, which relies heavily on cutaway gags, American Dad! opts for more structured storytelling with a focus on political humor. The pilot leans into post-9/11 paranoia, mocking the idea that threats lurk around every corner. Stan’s over-the-top security measures, such as rigging a toaster to fire bullets at potential burglars, are exaggerated reflections of real-world fears at the time.

The show also satirizes government surveillance, conservative values, and teenage rebellion, with Stan embodying extreme nationalism while his daughter Hayley represents the opposing liberal ideology. Their father-daughter clashes provide a sharp comedic contrast that remains a staple of the series.

政治諷刺與社會評論

與 《蓋酷家庭》(Family Guy) 依賴大量的 無關劇情的快速插播笑話 (cutaway gags) 不同，《美國老爹！》(American Dad!) 採用了 更具結構性的敘事方式，並且更專注於 政治幽默。本集試播特別針對 911 事件後的恐懼氛圍 進行諷刺，嘲弄了「威脅無所不在」的偏執觀點。例如，史丹 (Stan) 為了防範潛在入侵者，竟然設計了一台 能發射子彈的烤麵包機，這種誇張的安全措施正是對當時社會恐慌情緒的荒誕映射。

此外，本集還針對政府監控、保守價值觀及青少年叛逆等議題進行批判，透過角色來呈現政治光譜的兩端：

• 史丹代表極端的民族主義，他堅信政府應該擁有 絕對權力 來監視和保護公民，並且時刻保持警惕，防範「看不見的敵人」。
• 他的女兒海莉 (Hayley) 則代表自由派的反抗精神，強烈反對政府監視、公權力濫用，並時常與父親展開政治爭論。

這種 父女間的政治對立與世代衝突，成為本集乃至整部劇的 核心笑點之一，為故事增添了更深層次的社會諷刺與喜劇效果，使《美國老爹！》在動畫喜劇中獨樹一幟。

Humor and Absurdity

The humor in American Dad! is a mix of:

• Political satire – Mocking everything from national security measures to government overreach.
• Absurdity – Roger, an alien living in a suburban attic, is already a ridiculous concept, but his deadpan sarcasm and human-like behavior make it even funnier.
• Physical comedy – Stan’s CIA gadgets and violent paranoia result in some hilarious action sequences.
• Family dynamics – The Smith family’s dysfunctionality feels both exaggerated and strangely relatable.

One of the standout comedic moments in the episode is when Stan rewards Steve for winning the school election (after rigging it) by giving him a dog—only for the dog to immediately get shot by the toaster trap he set earlier. This kind of dark, unexpected humor sets American Dad! apart from typical animated sitcoms.

幽默與荒誕

《美國老爹！》的幽默風格融合了多種元素，包括：

• 政治諷刺 —— 戲謔 國家安全措施、政府濫權 等政治議題，透過誇張的方式來揭露當時社會的恐懼與矛盾。
• 荒誕喜劇 —— 羅傑 (Roger) 這個住在郊區閣樓裡的外星人，本身就是個極其荒謬的設定，但他的毒舌、陰險性格及近乎人類的行為舉止，讓這個角色更加搞笑。
• 肢體喜劇 —— 史丹 (Stan) 的 CIA 高科技裝備 和他極端的安全防範措施，經常導致充滿動作戲碼的荒謬場面，讓人捧腹大笑。
• 家庭互動 —— 史密斯一家雖然功能失調，但又令人覺得親切可笑，這種既誇張又讓人產生共鳴的家庭關係，成為本劇的一大特色。

本集中最具代表性的搞笑橋段之一，就是 史丹為了「獎勵」史帝夫 (Steve) 贏得學生會選舉（儘管這是他作弊操縱的結果），送給他一隻狗，但狗剛進門就被史丹早先設下的烤麵包機機關射殺。這種黑色幽默與意想不到的反轉，讓《美國老爹！》在眾多動畫情境喜劇中顯得與眾不同，展現出獨特的風格與魅力。

Animation and Style

Visually, the animation is clean, colorful, and slightly more refined than early Family Guy episodes. The character designs are distinctive, with Stan’s massive square jaw and Roger’s wide-eyed, grey alien appearance giving them an instantly recognizable look. The backgrounds are simple but effective, making the Smith household feel like a grounded yet exaggerated setting for the show’s wild antics.

動畫與風格

從視覺上來看，《美國老爹！》的動畫風格 乾淨、色彩鮮明，並且相較於早期的《蓋酷家庭》(Family Guy)，畫面更加精緻細膩。

• 角色設計方面，每位角色的外型都極具辨識度。例如，史丹 (Stan) 擁有誇張的巨大方形下巴，展現出他陽剛、強硬的性格，而羅傑 (Roger) 則是典型的灰色外星人造型，圓滾滾的雙眼讓他看起來既詭異又搞笑，這些獨特設計讓角色在視覺上極具識別度。
• 背景設計雖然簡單，但效果極佳，史密斯家 (Smith household) 的場景既能展現出 現實家庭的日常感，又帶有 誇張幽默的動畫風格，使其成為這部劇瘋狂故事情節的完美舞台。

整體而言，動畫風格在保持流暢度的同時，也突出了角色的誇張表情與動作，為節目帶來了更多的喜劇效果，使其在成人動畫類別中佔有一席之地。

Final Verdict

As a pilot, "Pilot" effectively establishes American Dad! as a show with its own unique identity, separate from Family Guy. While some of the humor feels similar to MacFarlane’s other work, the structured storytelling, strong character dynamics, and sharp political satire give it a distinct feel.

The biggest strengths of the episode are its:
Strong introduction to the Smith family and their unique dynamics
Clever satire of post-9/11 American paranoia
Well-executed absurd comedy and dark humor
Memorable introduction of Roger, one of the show’s most beloved characters

However, the episode does have some weaknesses:
Some jokes feel predictable or recycled from Family Guy
Francine’s character is underdeveloped in the pilot compared to later episodes

Despite these minor flaws, American Dad! starts strong and shows great potential for future episodes. Over time, the series would evolve into something even funnier and smarter, with characters like Roger and Steve becoming the true comedic highlights.

Score: 8.5/10 – A strong, funny, and promising pilot that sets the stage for one of the most unique animated sitcoms on television.

最終評價

作為試播集，《Pilot》成功地確立了《美國老爹！》(American Dad!) 獨特的身份，將其與 《蓋酷家庭》(Family Guy) 區分開來。雖然部分幽默風格與 賽斯·麥克法蘭 (Seth MacFarlane) 其他作品相似，但本劇更偏向結構化敘事、強烈的角色互動以及犀利的政治諷刺，使其在成人動畫類別中形成了獨特風格。

本集的最大亮點包括：

• 成功塑造史密斯一家 (Smith Family) 及其獨特的家庭動態，為後續劇情奠定基礎。
• 對 911 事件後美國社會恐慌情緒的機智諷刺，透過誇張的方式批判當時的政治氛圍。
• 荒誕幽默與黑色喜劇的精彩結合，創造出許多令人捧腹的場景。
• 羅傑 (Roger) 的初次登場，作為本劇最受歡迎的角色之一，他的毒舌、酒鬼個性和外星身份使他極具魅力。

然而，本集仍存在一些缺點：

• 部分笑話略顯可預測，甚至有些與《蓋酷家庭》的笑點過於相似，導致新鮮感稍有欠缺。
• 法蘭辛 (Francine) 在本集中角色塑造較為薄弱，相較於後續劇情，她在試播集的表現較為單薄，未能展現出完整的個性。

儘管有這些小缺陷，《美國老爹！》的開局依然十分 穩健且充滿潛力。隨著劇集的發展，它會變得更加幽默、更具智慧，而角色如羅傑和史帝夫 (Steve) 也將成為真正的喜劇亮點。

評分：8.5/10

一部幽默風趣、潛力十足的試播集，成功為未來發展奠定基礎，並為觀眾帶來了一部最具特色的動畫情境喜劇之一。