TV lovers are beginning to get saturated in superhero-themed shows vying for their attention, so it was going to take something special to make one stand out from the crowd.
Thankfully, Legion is exactly that: something special. While the likes of Daredevil, Gotham, The Flash, Supergirl, Marvel’s Agents Of SHIELD and Luke Cage (to name but a few) are duking it out amongst themselves, the new arrival is set to blow them all away.
Coming from the genius mind of Noah Hawley – the guy behind the hugely acclaimed Fargo TV series – it tells the story of David Haller (Downton Abbey’s Dan Stevens), a man who has spent his entire life in mental institutions, having been diagnosed with schizophrenia from a young age. However, a run in with Lenny (Parks & Recreation’s Aubrey Plaza) and Syd (Fargo’s Rachel Keller) show that the visions he suffers with due to his affliction may be more than just hallucinations…
Clip via Marvel Entertainment
While it is technically a spin-off of the X-Men universe (although it’s not clear yet how or even if it folds into the movies we’ve already seen), clearly it’s going off on a completely different tonal tangent, and that is something that critics who caught early screeners of the show have been attesting to:
“There is an abundance of quality in Legion at every level, making it a show you can’t stop watching and, oh yeah, the best show of the new year.” – The San Francisco Chronicle
“It’s a comic book show likely to be as appealing to people who have no interest in comic books […] and it’s easily the most exciting new series this young year in TV has offered so far.” – Uproxx
“Legion presents a superhero drama as psychic journey, distinguishing itself in an overcrowded genre by setting its most compelling drama in its protagonist’s mind. It’s no ordinary comic-book show: it’s a head trip, and it’s spectacular.” – The New York Times
“The writer has taken key elements of his source material and applied them to a canvas of his own design. What’s here may feel familiar in singular moments, but it’s a breathtakingly original work when looked upon as a whole.” – Indiewire
“Legion is a dazzling and unusual show–full of extraordinary beings and events–but at its core are the same recognizable, human qualities that Hawley’s previously stretched to the limits.” – The A.V. Club
So if that sounds as good to you as it sounds to us, you’ll be happy to know that Legion premieres tonight on Fox at 9pm. Set your DVR players accordingly.
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