‘Legion 1×01’ Review
Stars: Dan Stevens, Rachel Keller, Aubrey Plaza, Jean Smart, Mackenzie Gray, Scott Lawrence, Katie Aselton, Tatyana Forrest, Jeremie Harris, Bill Irwin, Amber Midthunder | Created by Noah Hawley
While it may seem that Marvel, Netflix and The CW are dominating the televisual superhero landscape at the moment, it looks like Fox are about to fight back. Legion is finally here, and based on the comics by Chris Claremont and Bill Sienkiewicz, it is offering something… a little different.
David Haller (Dan Stevens) is a troubled man, stuck in a psychiatric hospital with only his friend Lenny (Aubrey Plaza) for company it seems he may never escape to the real world. That is until he meets Syd (Rachel Keller) who he instantly hits it off with. After an “event” at the hospital occurs, he finds himself in the outside world, with many questions as to where Syd disappeared to and just what the hell happened.
There are certain shows that just hit you straight away as being something a little different, and Legion is one of them. The cinematography, the writing, and most importantly the characters work well and take the world of the superhero into a direction that is different from what is expected from a Marvel show.
One thing that is important is to not let anybody spoil it for you, and that is why my brief synopsis of the plot just mentions an “event” and leaves many elements ambiguous. There are moments in the first episode that feel so refreshing for superhero fans, because it is different, and this is what we need right now. Yes, Daredevil and the other shows are very good, but they do follow a certain well-trodden path.
When it comes to the characters, the important ones so far are David, Lenny, and Syd. While David and Syd may be the important characters for the plot, Aubrey Plaza steals every scene she is in as Lenny and does it in a way that feels so effortless. The chemistry between David and Syd though is what is important, and it works well between Dan Stevens and Rachel Keller, creating an enigma that will keep you hooked to the show.
It is obvious that Legion is building up to something big, and the final scenes are on such a grand scale that the so-called “mutants” have never looked so good. It will be interesting to see if David and the comic book character have similarities, especially with who their parents are, but there is not much of a clue given in the first episode. I will be watching episode two and three soon, and will no doubt be looking for signs (reviews will be coming closer to the time the episodes air).
After this first episode came to an end, my one thought was that Legion could be my new favourite show, and that’s no understatement! If the momentum created in episode one does continue throughout the show, then this will be a superhero series not to be missed.
Beautifully shot, just a little crazy, and never scared to fly its freak flag and in true mutant fashion, Legion is a show that is well worth the wait. Now it is finally here, it looks like we may have another show based on a Marvel comic that is must-see TV.
***** 5/5
Legion’s first episode will debut on February 9th on Fox.
