Review: The Gifted – Season 1, Episode 1: eXposed

Introduction

Premiering on October 2, 2017, The Gifted is a superhero drama set in the X-Men universe. Created by Matt Nix and produced in collaboration with Marvel Television, the series explores a world where mutants are feared and persecuted. Unlike traditional X-Men films, The Gifted shifts its focus from well-known heroes like Wolverine and Professor X to a group of lesser-known mutants struggling to survive in a society that sees them as dangerous.

The pilot episode, eXposed, sets the stage for an action-packed, emotionally charged journey as a seemingly ordinary family is thrust into the mutant underground. Combining themes of family, persecution, and survival, the episode establishes The Gifted as a compelling addition to the X-Men franchise.

評論：The Gifted – 第一季，第1集：eXposed

介紹

《The Gifted》於2017年10月2日首播，是一部設置在《X戰警》宇宙中的超級英雄劇集。由馬特·尼克斯（Matt Nix）創作，並與漫威電視聯手製作，該劇探討了一個變種人受到恐懼和迫害的世界。與傳統的《X戰警》電影不同，《The Gifted》將焦點從像金鋼狼（Wolverine）和教授X（Professor X）等知名英雄轉向一群鮮為人知的變種人，他們在一個視他們為危險的社會中掙扎求生。

首集《eXposed》為這個充滿動作與情感的故事旅程奠定了基礎，講述了一個看似普通的家庭如何被迫進入變種人地下組織。結合家庭、迫害和生存的主題，這一集成功將《The Gifted》塑造成一部引人入勝的作品，成為《X戰警》系列的有力補充。

Plot Summary

The episode begins by introducing the Strucker family: Reed (Stephen Moyer), a district attorney who prosecutes mutants; Caitlin (Amy Acker), a loving but unsuspecting mother; and their children, Lauren (Natalie Alyn Lind) and Andy (Percy Hynes White). Their seemingly normal suburban life is upended when Andy's latent mutant powers manifest during a school bullying incident. In a fit of uncontrollable rage, he unleashes a destructive force that causes the entire gym to collapse.

Lauren, who has secretly known about her own abilities for years, helps her brother escape. However, their mutant status makes them immediate targets of the Sentinel Services, a government agency dedicated to capturing and detaining mutants. Desperate to protect his children, Reed reaches out to the Mutant Underground, a hidden network of fugitive mutants fighting against the oppressive system.

Meanwhile, the episode also introduces key members of the Mutant Underground:

Marcos Diaz / Eclipse (Sean Teale): A mutant who can manipulate light and energy, serving as one of the group's leaders.

Lorna Dane / Polaris (Emma Dumont): A powerful mutant with magnetism-based abilities, currently imprisoned by Sentinel Services.

John Proudstar / Thunderbird (Blair Redford): A mutant with enhanced strength and tracking abilities, leading the underground resistance.

Clarice Fong / Blink (Jamie Chung): A teleporter who joins the underground after being rescued.

As Reed tries to broker a deal with the Mutant Underground, he realizes the extent of the government’s hostility toward mutants. The episode ends with an intense escape sequence, as the family attempts to flee but finds themselves in grave danger when Sentinel Services closes in on them.

劇情概述

本集開場介紹了斯特魯克（Strucker）家庭：里德（Stephen Moyer飾），一位檢察官，專門起訴變種人；凱特琳（Amy Acker飾），一位充滿愛心但並不察覺事情真相的母親；以及他們的孩子，勞倫（Natalie Alyn Lind飾）和安迪（Percy Hynes White飾）。他們看似普通的郊區生活在安迪的變種能力覺醒後被顛覆。安迪在一次校園霸凌事件中無法抑制的憤怒下，釋放出一股毀滅性的力量，導致整個體育館坍塌。

勞倫，早已暗中知道自己擁有變種能力，幫助哥哥逃脫。然而，他們的變種身份使他們立即成為了「哨兵服務部」（Sentinel Services）的目標，這是一個致力於捕捉和拘禁變種人的政府機構。里德為了保護自己的孩子，求助於變種人地下組織（Mutant Underground），這是由一群逃亡變種人組成的隱秘網絡，專門對抗這個壓迫的制度。

同時，本集也介紹了變種人地下組織的關鍵成員：

馬可斯·迪亞茲 / 日蝕（Eclipse）（Sean Teale飾）：一位能夠操控光與能量的變種人，擔任該小組的領袖之一。

洛娜·丹恩 / 北極光（Polaris）（Emma Dumont飾）：一位擁有磁力能力的強大變種人，當前被哨兵服務部囚禁。

約翰·普勞德斯塔 / 雷鳥（Thunderbird）（Blair Redford飾）：一位擁有增強力量與追蹤能力的變種人，負責領導地下抵抗組織。

克拉麗絲·方 / 閃爍（Blink）（Jamie Chung飾）：一位能夠瞬間移動的變種人，後來在被救出後加入地下組織。

當里德試圖與變種人地下組織達成協議時，他逐漸意識到政府對變種人的敵意有多深。劇情以一場緊張的逃脫戲結尾，斯特魯克一家試圖逃離，但在哨兵服務部的追捕下，他們發現自己處於極度危險的境地。

Themes and Analysis

Family and Sacrifice

At its core, The Gifted is a story about family and the lengths parents will go to protect their children. Reed, who once prosecuted mutants, is forced to rethink his beliefs when his own children become the hunted. The Struckers' journey from privileged ignorance to fugitives mirrors real-world struggles faced by marginalized groups.

Prejudice and Persecution

The series continues the X-Men franchise’s tradition of using mutants as an allegory for oppressed minorities. Sentinel Services represents government overreach, while the Mutant Underground symbolizes resistance and survival against systemic discrimination. The show effectively explores themes of fear, intolerance, and the fight for equality.

Power and Responsibility

Andy’s destructive outburst highlights the classic X-Men theme of struggling to control one’s powers. His journey parallels that of many young mutants in the franchise—learning whether to embrace or fear their abilities. Meanwhile, Lauren’s experience as a long-time secret mutant showcases a different perspective: living in constant fear of being discovered.

The Mutant Underground vs. Government Oppression

The Mutant Underground is portrayed as a desperate but resilient community, akin to real-world underground movements that fight against oppression. Their struggle is contrasted with the government’s relentless pursuit of mutants, raising ethical questions about freedom, security, and human rights.

主題與分析

家庭與犧牲

《The Gifted》的核心是一個關於家庭的故事，探討父母為了保護孩子所願意付出的代價。里德曾經是起訴變種人的檢察官，當自己的孩子成為被追捕的目標時，他不得不重新思考自己的信念。斯特魯克一家從特權的無知到成為逃亡者的過程，反映了現實世界中邊緣群體所面臨的掙扎。

偏見與迫害

本劇延續了《X-Men》系列的傳統，將變種人作為受壓迫少數群體的隱喻。哨兵服務部代表了政府的過度干預，而變種人地下組織象徵著對抗體系性歧視的反抗和生存。該劇有效地探索了恐懼、不寬容以及爭取平等的鬥爭等主題。

力量與責任

安迪的破壞性爆發突顯了《X-Men》系列中經典的主題——如何控制自身的力量。他的旅程與許多年輕變種人的經歷相似——學會是否擁抱或恐懼自己的能力。同時，勞倫作為一位長期隱藏自己變種身份的角色，展示了不同的視角：總是生活在被發現的恐懼中。

變種人地下組織 vs. 政府壓迫

變種人地下組織被描繪成一個絕望但堅韌的社群，類似於現實世界中對抗壓迫的地下運動。他們的鬥爭與政府對變種人的無情追捕形成對比，並提出了關於自由、安全與人權的倫理問題。

Performances and Production

The cast delivers strong performances, particularly Stephen Moyer as Reed Strucker. His transformation from a government prosecutor to a father willing to break the law is compelling. Amy Acker brings emotional depth to Caitlin, portraying a mother who must quickly adapt to a dangerous new reality.

Natalie Alyn Lind and Percy Hynes White effectively depict the struggles of young mutants, with Andy’s character arc being particularly interesting—his fear, anger, and exhilaration at discovering his powers make him a standout character. Sean Teale, Emma Dumont, Blair Redford, and Jamie Chung all bring charisma and intensity to their roles, making the underground mutants instantly likable and engaging.

Visually, the episode impresses with cinematic-quality action sequences and special effects. Blink’s teleportation portals and Eclipse’s light manipulation powers are particularly well-executed. The darker, grounded tone of the series is complemented by dynamic cinematography, highlighting the urgency and desperation of the mutants’ situation.

The soundtrack reinforces the tension, particularly during chase sequences. The score effectively enhances the emotional weight of key moments, ensuring the audience remains invested in both the action and the characters.

表現與製作

演員陣容展現了強烈的表現，尤其是Stephen Moyer飾演的里德·斯特拉克（Reed Strucker）。他從政府檢察官轉變為願意違法的父親，這一轉變非常引人入勝。Amy Acker則為凱特琳（Caitlin）增添了情感深度，飾演一位必須迅速適應危險新現實的母親。

Natalie Alyn Lind與Percy Hynes White成功地呈現了年輕變種人的掙扎，尤其是Andy的角色弧線十分引人入勝——他對發現自己擁有力量的恐懼、憤怒與興奮，讓他成為一個非常突出的角色。Sean Teale、Emma Dumont、Blair Redford與Jamie Chung則各自為其角色帶來了個人魅力與強烈的戲劇張力，使地下變種人迅速成為觀眾喜愛且引人投入的角色。

在視覺方面，本集的動作序列和特效令人印象深刻。Blink的瞬間傳送門和Eclipse的光能操控能力特效表現尤為出色。該劇較為陰暗、貼近現實的基調與動態鏡頭語言相得益彰，突顯了變種人們處境的緊迫與絕望。

音樂配樂也加強了劇情中的緊張氛圍，特別是在追逐場景中。劇中的音樂有效地增強了關鍵時刻的情感重量，確保觀眾能夠持續投入到劇情與角色之中。

Strengths of the Episode

Strong Introduction to the World – The episode successfully immerses viewers in the X-Men universe, presenting a fresh perspective on mutant persecution.

Compelling Character Dynamics – The Strucker family's transformation from bystanders to fugitives is engaging, while the Mutant Underground adds an intriguing layer to the story.

High-Stakes Action – The episode is packed with thrilling chase scenes and super-powered confrontations, making it a gripping watch.

Social Relevance – The show’s exploration of discrimination and government control feels timely and thought-provoking.

Well-Executed Visual Effects – The mutant powers are brought to life with impressive CGI, particularly Blink’s teleportation sequences.

本集優點

強而有力的世界觀介紹 – 本集成功將觀眾帶入X-Men的宇宙，提供了一個關於變種人迫害的新視角。

引人入勝的角色動態 – 斯特拉克一家從旁觀者轉變為逃亡者的過程充滿吸引力，而變種人地下組織為故事增添了引人注目的層次。

高風險的動作場面 – 本集充滿刺激的追逐場面和超能力對決，讓人緊張不已。

社會相關性 – 劇中對歧視與政府控制的探討既及時又引人深思。

精良的視覺特效 – 變種人的超能力以令人印象深刻的CGI效果呈現，特別是Blink的瞬間傳送場景。

Weaknesses of the Episode

Familiar Themes – While the themes of persecution and oppression are well-executed, they are standard fare for X-Men stories and might feel somewhat predictable.

Fast-Paced Storytelling – The episode moves quickly, introducing many characters and conflicts in a short span. Some relationships and motivations could have been explored in more depth.

Reed Strucker’s Rapid Change of Heart – While his transformation is crucial to the story, his shift from prosecuting mutants to working with them happens rather quickly. A slower progression might have felt more natural.

本集缺點

熟悉的主題 – 雖然對於迫害與壓迫的探討執行得相當出色，但這些主題是X-Men故事中常見的元素，可能讓觀眾覺得有些預測性。

快節奏的敘事 – 本集節奏較快，短時間內介紹了許多角色和衝突。某些人物關係與動機本可以進一步深入探討。

Reed Strucker的快速心態轉變 – 雖然他的轉變對故事至關重要，但他從起初追捕變種人到與他們合作的轉折發生得相當迅速。若能有較為緩慢的過程，會顯得更為自然。

Final Thoughts

eXposed is an exciting and well-executed pilot that successfully sets the stage for The Gifted. It blends superhero action, family drama, and social commentary, making it a strong addition to the X-Men universe. The episode introduces an engaging cast of characters, compelling stakes, and visually impressive action sequences that keep viewers hooked.

While some elements may feel familiar to long-time X-Men fans, the show’s focus on an ordinary family navigating a world of mutant oppression brings a fresh perspective. With its strong performances, relevant themes, and high-energy storytelling, The Gifted establishes itself as a must-watch for superhero and sci-fi enthusiasts.

Final Rating: 8.5/10

A thrilling and thought-provoking start to a promising superhero drama.

最終評價

《eXposed》是一部令人興奮且執行得相當出色的首集，成功為《The Gifted》鋪陳了基礎。它將超級英雄動作、家庭劇情和社會評論結合在一起，成為X-Men宇宙中的一個強大補充。本集介紹了一群引人入勝的角色、扣人心弦的危機以及視覺上令人印象深刻的動作場面，讓觀眾無法自拔。

雖然對於長期的X-Men粉絲來說，某些元素可能顯得有些熟悉，但該劇聚焦於一個普通家庭如何在變種人迫害的世界中生存，帶來了全新的視角。憑藉強有力的演出、相關的主題和充滿活力的敘事風格，《The Gifted》確立了自己作為超級英雄和科幻愛好者必看之作的地位。

最終評分：8.5/10

一個充滿刺激與深思的開始，為這部有潛力的超級英雄劇集奠定了基礎。