Review: Family Guy – Season 1, Episode 1: Death Has a Shadow

Introduction

Premiering on January 31, 1999, after Super Bowl XXXIII, Family Guy made an immediate impact with its irreverent humor, fast-paced storytelling, and reliance on cutaway gags. Created by Seth MacFarlane, the show was often compared to The Simpsons but quickly developed its own identity through sharper satire, darker comedy, and absurdist humor.

The first episode, Death Has a Shadow, introduces audiences to the Griffin family and establishes the show’s core comedic elements. While the pilot is rough around the edges in terms of animation and pacing, it effectively sets the tone for what Family Guy would become—an edgy, self-aware, and culturally satirical animated sitcom.

評論：《Family Guy》– 第一季第1集：《Death Has a Shadow》

導言

於 1999年1月31日 在第33屆超級盃（Super Bowl XXXIII）後首播，Family Guy（《蓋酷家庭》）憑藉其無所顧忌的幽默風格、快節奏敘事方式，以及大量插入式笑點（cutaway gags），迅速引起觀眾關注。該劇由 Seth MacFarlane（賽斯·麥克法蘭） 創作，經常被拿來與 The Simpsons（《辛普森家庭》）比較，但憑藉更尖銳的諷刺、黑色幽默和荒誕搞笑風格，Family Guy 很快發展出了自己的獨特風格。

首集《Death Has a Shadow》（《死亡的陰影》）向觀眾介紹了 格里芬一家（Griffin family），並確立了本劇的核心喜劇元素。雖然這部試播集在動畫品質和敘事節奏上略顯粗糙，但它成功地奠定了本劇的基調——一部無懼冒犯、極具自嘲精神，並以現代文化諷刺為核心的動畫情境喜劇。

Plot Summary

The episode follows Peter Griffin, an overweight, dim-witted but well-meaning father, who loses his job at the Happy-Go-Lucky Toy Factory after getting drunk at a bachelor party. Unemployed and desperate to support his family, Peter files for welfare but accidentally receives $150,000 per week due to a clerical error.

Rather than correcting the mistake, Peter indulges in a life of luxury and excess, much to the dismay of his wife, Lois. Eventually, his reckless spending draws the attention of the government, leading to a dramatic courtroom scene where Peter must face the consequences of his actions.

Meanwhile, the episode also introduces secondary characters such as:

• Brian, the family’s talking, intellectual dog, who serves as Peter’s voice of reason.
• Stewie, the Griffin’s infant son, who, despite his young age, is a megalomaniac with plans for world domination.
• Chris and Meg, Peter’s children, who have yet to be fully developed as characters in this pilot episode.

The climax sees Peter sentenced to prison, but Brian helps him escape, leading to a humorous and over-the-top conclusion where Peter delivers an impassioned speech about family values, ultimately convincing the court to let him go free.

劇情概述

本集的主線劇情圍繞 彼得·格里芬（Peter Griffin） 展開——他是一位肥胖、愚笨但善良的父親，因為在單身派對上喝得爛醉，導致他在Happy-Go-Lucky玩具工廠（Happy-Go-Lucky Toy Factory）上班時睡著，最終被開除。

失業後，為了養家餬口，彼得申請政府福利，但由於系統出錯，他意外每週獲得 15萬美元 的補助金。

彼得沒有上報這個錯誤，反而開始過上奢華揮霍的生活，這讓他的妻子 洛伊絲（Lois） 極為不滿。隨著彼得的揮霍行徑越來越誇張，他最終引起政府關注，導致一場鬧劇般的法庭審判，彼得必須面對自己行為的後果。

本集中也介紹了一些關鍵配角，包括：

• 布萊恩（Brian） – 一隻會說話且充滿智慧的狗，經常擔任彼得的理性顧問。
• 史都伊（Stewie） – 格里芬家的嬰兒，雖然年幼，卻是個妄想征服世界的邪惡天才。
• 克里斯（Chris） 和 梅格（Meg） – 彼得的兒女，然而在這集裡的角色發展仍較為有限。

故事高潮部分，彼得在法庭上被判入獄，然而在布萊恩的幫助下逃跑，最終上演了一場滑稽荒誕的法庭戲碼，彼得透過一段充滿家庭價值的感人演講，成功說服法官讓他獲釋。

Humor and Satire

As expected from Family Guy, the humor in this episode is fast, absurd, and often politically incorrect. The cutaway gags, a signature of the series, are already present here, though not yet as polished as in later seasons. Some of the most memorable comedic moments include:

• Peter getting fired after falling asleep at work due to a hangover, showcasing his irresponsibility.
• The welfare money montage, where Peter gleefully spends taxpayer dollars on outrageous luxuries, satirizing government inefficiency.
• Stewie’s attempts to destroy "broccoli", which gives a glimpse into his diabolical, over-the-top villain persona.
• The courtroom scene, where Peter’s speech is played for both satire and emotional effect, parodying TV sitcom morality lessons.

The show also wastes no time mocking American institutions, including corporate greed, government incompetence, and the legal system. While the jokes don’t always land, and some feel dated by today’s standards, the episode makes it clear that Family Guy will be a no-holds-barred satire on modern society.

幽默與諷刺

正如預期，Family Guy 的幽默風格是 快速、荒誕，且充滿政治不正確的元素。本集已經開始使用插入式笑點（cutaway gags），雖然這些笑點在後續季數會更加精煉，但它們在此已展現了該劇的獨特風格。

以下是一些本集中最值得一提的搞笑時刻：

• 彼得因宿醉而在工作中打瞌睡被開除，完美展現他的不負責任性格。
• 彼得狂花政府福利金，諷刺官僚體系的無能與濫用。
• 史都伊試圖摧毀「西蘭花」，這個場景為他的邪惡天才角色奠定基礎。
• 法庭審判場景，彼得的演講幽默地模仿了電視劇常見的道德說教橋段。

此外，本集還對美國社會制度進行諷刺，包括 企業貪婪、政府低效以及法律制度的荒謬。雖然部分笑話放到今天可能稍顯過時，但這集明確展現了 Family Guy 將成為一部大膽揭露社會問題的諷刺動畫。

Animation and Style

The animation in Death Has a Shadow is noticeably rougher and more simplistic than in later seasons, with character designs that feel slightly off-model compared to what audiences are used to today. However, the bold colors and exaggerated expressions help enhance the comedy, and the show’s flat yet expressive animation style makes the jokes pop visually.

One notable aspect is how the cutaway gags are integrated—unlike later seasons where they dominate the runtime, here they are used more sparingly, allowing the main story to breathe.

Despite its roughness, the animation serves its purpose, delivering a mix of cartoonish slapstick and satirical visual humor that would become a staple of the series.

動畫與風格

在本集中，Family Guy 的動畫風格仍顯得 粗糙與簡單，角色設計也與後期相比稍有不同。但 鮮明的色彩與誇張的表情 增強了喜劇效果，使得該劇的扁平式動畫風格能夠有效呈現幽默元素。

值得注意的是，雖然插入式笑點 已經出現在本集，但其數量與使用方式仍然較為克制，與後續季數相比，這集的劇情發展相對較為連貫。

儘管動畫品質尚未達到最佳水準，但它已經成功營造出這部動畫應有的視覺特色，讓該劇的獨特幽默風格得以完整發揮。

Strengths and Weaknesses

Strengths:

Strong character introductions – Peter, Stewie, and Brian in particular make an immediate impact.
Sharp satire – The episode effectively mocks government inefficiency and welfare fraud.
Cutaway gags – While not as polished as later seasons, they add to the show’s unique humor.
Memorable moments – Peter’s welfare spree and Stewie’s evil genius tendencies stand out.

Weaknesses:

Uneven pacing – Some scenes drag while others feel rushed.
Underdeveloped side characters – Meg and Chris don’t get much focus.
Rough animation – The visuals are noticeably less refined than in later seasons.

優勢與劣勢

優勢：

角色介紹出色 – 彼得、史都伊和布萊恩的性格鮮明且令人印象深刻。
犀利的社會諷刺 – 有效嘲諷政府低效與福利制度的漏洞。
插入式笑點 – 雖未完全成熟，但已經展現出該劇的獨特風格。
經典搞笑時刻 – 彼得花掉巨額福利金、史都伊的邪惡計畫等場景皆十分逗趣。

劣勢：

節奏不太均衡 – 某些橋段略顯拖沓，而部分劇情則進展過快。
配角發展不足 – 梅格與克里斯在本集中的角色塑造仍較為單薄。
動畫品質較低 – 相較於後續季數，這集的視覺效果仍顯粗糙。

Final Verdict

As a pilot episode, Death Has a Shadow successfully lays the groundwork for Family Guy, introducing its core cast, humor style, and satirical themes. While the animation and pacing feel rough compared to later seasons, the show’s signature fast-paced comedy, irreverent satire, and absurd cutaway gags are already on display.

Despite a few weaknesses, the episode is an entertaining and promising start to a series that would go on to become one of the most controversial and influential adult animated shows of all time.

Score: 8/10

A solid, funny, and ambitious pilot that showcases Family Guy’s comedic potential, even if it hasn’t yet reached its peak.

最終評價

作為試播集，Death Has a Shadow 成功奠定了 Family Guy 的核心風格，並介紹了一個充滿荒誕幽默與社會諷刺的世界觀。雖然本集在動畫品質與節奏上仍有進步空間，但該劇獨特的快節奏喜劇風格、無所顧忌的諷刺內容，以及幽默十足的插入式笑點，都已初具雛形。

儘管存在一些小缺點，本集仍是一部 娛樂性十足且充滿潛力的試播集，為 Family Guy 的成功開啟了大門，並奠定了其成為最具爭議與影響力的成人動畫之一的基礎。

評分：8/10

一部穩健、有趣且富有野心的試播集，展現出 Family Guy 在喜劇方面的無限潛力！