This show will not appeal to everyone, however, if you go into it with an open mind and let go of your expectations, you may just enjoy it. A lot. Personally I had a hard time getting into it for the first 2 episodes and almost ditched it. I'm glad I didn't. What a wild ride it is. Imagine "Alice in Wonderland" crossed with "X-Men" crossed with a brilliant writer's acid-induced trip. It's wild and crazy but strangely enough it makes a lot of sense and it's not hard to follow. Brilliant, one of a kind show I will not forget anytime soon. May have to watch it again soon.
590 Reviews
A cinematic television series
anselmdaniel30 December 2022
Warning: Spoilers
This review contains spoilers.
Legion is a television series that is created for FX by Noah Hawley. The show features the mutant David Haller/Legion and is loosely connected with the X-Men. The series stars Dan Stevens and Rachel Keller as David Haller and Sydney Barrett. The series is an exploration of David Haller's mind and powers. As the series continues, the audience sees the effects of David Haller's powers.
Legion is a great show. This television series plays up the strange powers that the mutants in the Marvel comic books have well. It shows how strange and anomalous the world becomes when a mutant such as David Haller comes to his potential. The world and mind become a mutable playground. The series plays this up incredibly well in its visual style. This makes for excellent and memorable scenes in the television series.
Each of the seasons of Legion is incredibly focused and short. The first and third season clock in at eight episodes while the second season clocks in at eleven episodes. I would consider the second season the weakest and the first season the strongest. The first season introduces David Haller and all of the supporting characters incredibly well. The second season develops each of the characters from the first season however it increases the weirdness found in the first season without as much of an effect. The second season is still good but it does not have the freshness of the first. In addition the second season seeks to tell a more convoluted story that does not always get its point across clearly. The third season returns to a more straightforward story and acts as more of a conclusion to all of the characters.
I highly recommend Legion. The series is absolutely creative in its story and style.
Grade: A.
Legion is a television series that is created for FX by Noah Hawley. The show features the mutant David Haller/Legion and is loosely connected with the X-Men. The series stars Dan Stevens and Rachel Keller as David Haller and Sydney Barrett. The series is an exploration of David Haller's mind and powers. As the series continues, the audience sees the effects of David Haller's powers.
Legion is a great show. This television series plays up the strange powers that the mutants in the Marvel comic books have well. It shows how strange and anomalous the world becomes when a mutant such as David Haller comes to his potential. The world and mind become a mutable playground. The series plays this up incredibly well in its visual style. This makes for excellent and memorable scenes in the television series.
Each of the seasons of Legion is incredibly focused and short. The first and third season clock in at eight episodes while the second season clocks in at eleven episodes. I would consider the second season the weakest and the first season the strongest. The first season introduces David Haller and all of the supporting characters incredibly well. The second season develops each of the characters from the first season however it increases the weirdness found in the first season without as much of an effect. The second season is still good but it does not have the freshness of the first. In addition the second season seeks to tell a more convoluted story that does not always get its point across clearly. The third season returns to a more straightforward story and acts as more of a conclusion to all of the characters.
I highly recommend Legion. The series is absolutely creative in its story and style.
Grade: A.
Unique and ambitious
FeastMode18 August 2019
Season 1: 9 stars (3 viewings, 7/10/2024)
The differentest Marvel thing I've seen. So weird and awesome. Artsy but not fartsy. Visually mesmerizing. So many great shots. I also love that you have to figure stuff out on your own. You are rarely spoon-fed any info. Intelligent and unique. So many times I thought, "I've never seen anything like that."
Season 2: 5 stars (3 viewings, 7/22/2024)
A lot slower with a bit of a filler-y feel at times.
The first season was pretty scary, at times it felt like a horror movie, and I loved that aspect. This season, it's not so prevalent. The first season has lots of stuff that's not explained or difficult to understand, but I always felt like I had a grasp on what was really happening. This season I regularly felt like I didn't fully know what was going on. The first season WAS SO WEIRD AND DIFFERENT in a way I love, and I always felt like it's based in the real world, with the exception of some aspects like mutant abilities. This season seems to try to be weird for the sake of being weird, and I feel like the show now takes place in a fantasy world (submarine-looking doughnut vehicle, mustache ladies with auto-tune voices).
Having said all that, I still thought the season was pretty awesome and so stylish once again. The finale was good, and I look forward to seeing where season 3 goes.
EDIT: Rewatching the series, it was extremely difficult to get through this season. It's one of the worst examples of filler I have seen. Plot progression is minimal. There is a 3 episode run where we are in nearly the exact same place story-wise. Entire episodes of background or flash-sideways like the later seasons of Lost.
It makes it difficult to recommend this show when you have to stick it out through this season. It's unfortunate because you can feel the return to awesomeness IMMEDIATELY in season 3.
Season 3: 7 stars (2 viewings, 7/23/2024)
Really awesome, continues to be different and unique. Exciting and crazy. There are a few parts that are super creepy and freaky. But the finale was a let-down.
The differentest Marvel thing I've seen. So weird and awesome. Artsy but not fartsy. Visually mesmerizing. So many great shots. I also love that you have to figure stuff out on your own. You are rarely spoon-fed any info. Intelligent and unique. So many times I thought, "I've never seen anything like that."
Season 2: 5 stars (3 viewings, 7/22/2024)
A lot slower with a bit of a filler-y feel at times.
The first season was pretty scary, at times it felt like a horror movie, and I loved that aspect. This season, it's not so prevalent. The first season has lots of stuff that's not explained or difficult to understand, but I always felt like I had a grasp on what was really happening. This season I regularly felt like I didn't fully know what was going on. The first season WAS SO WEIRD AND DIFFERENT in a way I love, and I always felt like it's based in the real world, with the exception of some aspects like mutant abilities. This season seems to try to be weird for the sake of being weird, and I feel like the show now takes place in a fantasy world (submarine-looking doughnut vehicle, mustache ladies with auto-tune voices).
Having said all that, I still thought the season was pretty awesome and so stylish once again. The finale was good, and I look forward to seeing where season 3 goes.
EDIT: Rewatching the series, it was extremely difficult to get through this season. It's one of the worst examples of filler I have seen. Plot progression is minimal. There is a 3 episode run where we are in nearly the exact same place story-wise. Entire episodes of background or flash-sideways like the later seasons of Lost.
It makes it difficult to recommend this show when you have to stick it out through this season. It's unfortunate because you can feel the return to awesomeness IMMEDIATELY in season 3.
Season 3: 7 stars (2 viewings, 7/23/2024)
Really awesome, continues to be different and unique. Exciting and crazy. There are a few parts that are super creepy and freaky. But the finale was a let-down.
The world is not ready
mabcam7916 July 2019
This is one of the most creative, intelligent, visually unique works of art in entertainment. Shows like this should last years with the amazing story telling it imagines. Hope the same team worx up another original. We need it in this word of reboots and retellings of the same old stories.
Not your average superhero
gogoschka-112 February 2017
*** some mild spoilers ahead ***
"What is your name?" Jesus asked.
"My name is Legion," he replied, "for we are many." (Mark 5:9)
I hope you'll forgive me for starting this review by citing this (rather obvious) excerpt from the bible, but I just couldn't resist. Apart from these opening lines, I'll try to avoid any spoilers for the show, so you won't read anything specific about the storyline here. As with all my reviews, this is supposed to give you an overall impression of the show without giving away any details regarding the plot.
For those among you who, like me, love some of the slightly weirder superheroes out there (especially of the mutant kind and preferably in the X-Men universe) but feel most of those guys' screen outings so far were either constricted by the 2-hour format or held back by the need to appeal to mainstream audiences, I'm happy to report there is finally a full length TV-show that dares to fully embrace the craziness of its source material without taking any prisoners. The show's name is 'Legion' (and I'm already pretty sure its fans will be many), and compared to its central character David Haller, even Deadpool looks almost sane.
Following the storyline may seem a little difficult (at least at the beginning) for 'Legion' plunges us head first into the confused mind of its hero, and the narrative is - deliberately - often just as fractured as David Haller's personality. Right from the start this show makes it very clear how committed it is to convey its protagonist's unstable state of mind - and boy does it succeed: through David's eyes we experience an often terrifying (albeit colorful) world where we can never be sure what's real and what's imagined; nor can we get a grasp on where we are, when we are, or even WHO we are.
But this trip down the rabbit hole is well worth taking (even if it does turn into a horror trip at times) for it's a psychedelic ride that has been designed by very talented people. Creator Noah Hawley, who has already given us the excellent show 'Fargo', obviously knows what he's doing, and watching the show feels like listening to a perfectly composed concept album from a seventies rock band (btw, watch out for a cool Pink Floyd reference). The cast is terrific (especially Dan Stevens as David Haller); the visuals and the production design are a wonderfully weird mix of retro and modern elements which fits David's distorted perception of time and reality like a glove, and the mystery surrounding David as he desperately tries to cut through the haze and figure out what's going on will keep you glued to the screen throughout.
Insanity is a tricky subject to tackle, and the possible pitfalls are many; present it with too much levity and you risk the accusation that you're making fun of people with a terrible illness - yet if you portray it as tragic and bleak as it often is (I am saying that as someone who has a family member who suffers from schizophrenia) you will lose your audience. So to find the right tone here was not an easy thing to do, but I believe the show - just as Marvel did in the comic books - does an outstanding job at never coming across disrespectful while still offering fantastic entertainment.
So to sum up my first impression: 'Legion' represents a refreshingly different side of Marvel (compared to the films and shows based on Marvel Comics' more "grounded" creations that we've seen so far) and by fully embracing the source material's "weirdness" the show is a testament to just how insanely (in the true sense of the word) inventive and versatile Stan Lee and his band of brothers were/are. This show is wilder, more surreal and generally much, much crazier than your average superhero story and there are moments where you feel reminded of the works of David Fincher, Charlie Kaufman or even David Lynch. I'd highly recommend it especially to adult comic book fans and those among you who don't demand everything be explained within the first episode. Personally, I feel this is Marvel at its best and most complex: 9 stars out of 10.
Favorite TV-Shows reviewed: imdb.com/list/ls075552387/
Favorite films: IMDb.com/list/mkjOKvqlSBs/
Lesser-Known Masterpieces: imdb.com/list/ls070242495/
Favorite Low-Budget and B-Movies: imdb.com/list/ls054808375/
"What is your name?" Jesus asked.
"My name is Legion," he replied, "for we are many." (Mark 5:9)
I hope you'll forgive me for starting this review by citing this (rather obvious) excerpt from the bible, but I just couldn't resist. Apart from these opening lines, I'll try to avoid any spoilers for the show, so you won't read anything specific about the storyline here. As with all my reviews, this is supposed to give you an overall impression of the show without giving away any details regarding the plot.
For those among you who, like me, love some of the slightly weirder superheroes out there (especially of the mutant kind and preferably in the X-Men universe) but feel most of those guys' screen outings so far were either constricted by the 2-hour format or held back by the need to appeal to mainstream audiences, I'm happy to report there is finally a full length TV-show that dares to fully embrace the craziness of its source material without taking any prisoners. The show's name is 'Legion' (and I'm already pretty sure its fans will be many), and compared to its central character David Haller, even Deadpool looks almost sane.
Following the storyline may seem a little difficult (at least at the beginning) for 'Legion' plunges us head first into the confused mind of its hero, and the narrative is - deliberately - often just as fractured as David Haller's personality. Right from the start this show makes it very clear how committed it is to convey its protagonist's unstable state of mind - and boy does it succeed: through David's eyes we experience an often terrifying (albeit colorful) world where we can never be sure what's real and what's imagined; nor can we get a grasp on where we are, when we are, or even WHO we are.
But this trip down the rabbit hole is well worth taking (even if it does turn into a horror trip at times) for it's a psychedelic ride that has been designed by very talented people. Creator Noah Hawley, who has already given us the excellent show 'Fargo', obviously knows what he's doing, and watching the show feels like listening to a perfectly composed concept album from a seventies rock band (btw, watch out for a cool Pink Floyd reference). The cast is terrific (especially Dan Stevens as David Haller); the visuals and the production design are a wonderfully weird mix of retro and modern elements which fits David's distorted perception of time and reality like a glove, and the mystery surrounding David as he desperately tries to cut through the haze and figure out what's going on will keep you glued to the screen throughout.
Insanity is a tricky subject to tackle, and the possible pitfalls are many; present it with too much levity and you risk the accusation that you're making fun of people with a terrible illness - yet if you portray it as tragic and bleak as it often is (I am saying that as someone who has a family member who suffers from schizophrenia) you will lose your audience. So to find the right tone here was not an easy thing to do, but I believe the show - just as Marvel did in the comic books - does an outstanding job at never coming across disrespectful while still offering fantastic entertainment.
So to sum up my first impression: 'Legion' represents a refreshingly different side of Marvel (compared to the films and shows based on Marvel Comics' more "grounded" creations that we've seen so far) and by fully embracing the source material's "weirdness" the show is a testament to just how insanely (in the true sense of the word) inventive and versatile Stan Lee and his band of brothers were/are. This show is wilder, more surreal and generally much, much crazier than your average superhero story and there are moments where you feel reminded of the works of David Fincher, Charlie Kaufman or even David Lynch. I'd highly recommend it especially to adult comic book fans and those among you who don't demand everything be explained within the first episode. Personally, I feel this is Marvel at its best and most complex: 9 stars out of 10.
Favorite TV-Shows reviewed: imdb.com/list/ls075552387/
Favorite films: IMDb.com/list/mkjOKvqlSBs/
Lesser-Known Masterpieces: imdb.com/list/ls070242495/
Favorite Low-Budget and B-Movies: imdb.com/list/ls054808375/
You cannot binge watch Legion
viaurenaudmathieu27 July 2019
Legion is art, it is not a Sitcom, neither a show that you binge watch on Netflix, Legion is a like an exhibition in a museum, you cannot binge watch art. Every episode is unique and visually magnificient. It is LSD and psychedelic without any drugs. Actually you should not be stoned and watch Legion, your brain would explode.
Cerebral
DrProfessor30 April 2022
The show has been so well planned with ideas, plots, and themes, spread over such a wide breadth of time, it's taken me several re-watches to fully grasp the masterpiece it is. Adding to that is how brilliant it is, with deep insight. It's a show for creators of shows: a shows' show. Of the hundreds of series I've watched, this is one of my top 3.
I RARELY EVER give higher than a 9. 10's should be extremely rare.
zachary-1085716 July 2019
Warning: Spoilers
And this show deserves the rare award of a 10 from me. I mean, this show is everything I want in a show. Forget that its Marvel or superhero based. It feels nothing like a regular super hero show we know. It throws that formula out of the water. Off a bridge. Hell it is so different than any show for that matter.
Where do I start with the compliments?
The visuals, cinematography - 10/10 - Some of the most impressive visuals in any tv show ever. Real eye candy.
Sound- 10/10 - Sound you mean soundtrack right? No, and yes, the soundtrack is outstanding. But literally the sound itself is meant to be trippy and just like the visuals, it is outstanding. For anyone lucky enough to have surround sound, this is a show you want it for. Especially in season 3.
Story - 10/10 - The take on madness, and just the wierd originality of this show is completely unique and stands alone.
Acting - 8.5/10 - I didnt give this a 10, not because anyone is bad, but just because there is no stellar oscar worthy acting, not enough to give it a 10. Like i said 10's are rare for me. But David and Farouk are excellent. So is Aubrey Plaza actually.
Just pure joy and entertainment, and you never know what to expect. Last episode he was fighting demons that ate time itself. Before he turned into shiva, before a guy pulled a scimitar out of his throat, before a android woman with a moustache talked like a robot. I mean what? This show is a trip. 10/10/
Where do I start with the compliments?
The visuals, cinematography - 10/10 - Some of the most impressive visuals in any tv show ever. Real eye candy.
Sound- 10/10 - Sound you mean soundtrack right? No, and yes, the soundtrack is outstanding. But literally the sound itself is meant to be trippy and just like the visuals, it is outstanding. For anyone lucky enough to have surround sound, this is a show you want it for. Especially in season 3.
Story - 10/10 - The take on madness, and just the wierd originality of this show is completely unique and stands alone.
Acting - 8.5/10 - I didnt give this a 10, not because anyone is bad, but just because there is no stellar oscar worthy acting, not enough to give it a 10. Like i said 10's are rare for me. But David and Farouk are excellent. So is Aubrey Plaza actually.
Just pure joy and entertainment, and you never know what to expect. Last episode he was fighting demons that ate time itself. Before he turned into shiva, before a guy pulled a scimitar out of his throat, before a android woman with a moustache talked like a robot. I mean what? This show is a trip. 10/10/
This is what great TV programming is!
glormmartin2 March 2017
This is a very different show. It's unique, well acted and the pacing is great. The writing and story development is intelligent and sophisticated. You're not spoon fed, but required to think about what plays out and motivated to discover the depths of the characters. A fun ride and worth the watch! Wish there was more quality programming like this.
One of the best series ever made
sublimeintentions17 July 2019
Pretensions are running high in Season 2.
toxicpilgrim1 May 2018
I enjoyed the first season of Legion. The first season had a tension to its style. There was this uncertainty to reality that kept me fascinated. Every silly, strange surreal moment was like a relief to that tension. By season 2 it feels like the rug has been pulled out from under the show's plot, and they're left dancing in midair with nothing to hold them up but a fun style, dance numbers, and psychedelic rambling.
I'm going to keep watching in hopes that it gets back on track. But if I'm going to just be watching a new song and dance routine in every episode, or another psychedelic gag because "wahaa-wehee-why-not?" then I'm gonna tune out.
I'm going to keep watching in hopes that it gets back on track. But if I'm going to just be watching a new song and dance routine in every episode, or another psychedelic gag because "wahaa-wehee-why-not?" then I'm gonna tune out.
I'm now beginning to question my own sanity!
itschris-4846216 March 2017
This show is absolute brilliance, the creators should be proud.
It's fresh, fun and so on the edge of "what the heck is going on?" yet I don't get completely lost, a feat not easy to pull off in film i'm sure.
The layers, the sets, the music, the acting, the craziness, brilliant! Please don't let this show stop Well done all involved
It's fresh, fun and so on the edge of "what the heck is going on?" yet I don't get completely lost, a feat not easy to pull off in film i'm sure.
The layers, the sets, the music, the acting, the craziness, brilliant! Please don't let this show stop Well done all involved
First Season Was Great, Second Season A Super Drag
womanburger7 June 2018
The same curse that plagued the X-Files has now happened to my poor Legion. Once Season 1 wrapped and FX moved production from Vancouver to L.A., the heart and soul of the Show seemed to disappear; I found I had to almost force myself to watch new episodes because I just lost interest.
Season 1 was very original and has style in the way the stories were told. The writing, pacing, acting, and especially the production design were all top notch and really made the show stand out. At the end of the season I was super hyped about what Season 2 was going to offer.
Right from the get go, Season 2 seemed to fall flat. The story arc of Farouk was drawn out way too long and could have been presented so much better. For a character that has this much importance to the Legion storyline, the writers and production team sure succeeded in phoning it in. Even the "look-at-my-fancy-artsy-fartsy-reverse-camera-framing-because-it's-art" shots that are obligatory in Noah Hawley productions somehow seemed contrived and slapped together with no real purpose.
Yawn. So much potential, wasted.
Season 1 - 10/10 Season 2 - 5/10
Season 1 was very original and has style in the way the stories were told. The writing, pacing, acting, and especially the production design were all top notch and really made the show stand out. At the end of the season I was super hyped about what Season 2 was going to offer.
Right from the get go, Season 2 seemed to fall flat. The story arc of Farouk was drawn out way too long and could have been presented so much better. For a character that has this much importance to the Legion storyline, the writers and production team sure succeeded in phoning it in. Even the "look-at-my-fancy-artsy-fartsy-reverse-camera-framing-because-it's-art" shots that are obligatory in Noah Hawley productions somehow seemed contrived and slapped together with no real purpose.
Yawn. So much potential, wasted.
Season 1 - 10/10 Season 2 - 5/10
Season 2 is PAINFUL to watch
aleasheldon10 February 2019
Warning: Spoilers
I committed to each and every episode of season two because I trusted the writing from the first season and thought maybe there's just one bad episode but the story can only get better, right? Wrong. Any time I tried to watch, I fell asleep. Every episode is a convoluted mess and the majority of them don't even contribute to the story.
Also some of the characters we grew to love in season one are practically nonexistent in the second season. And the computer lady men?! Why did the second season have to be so damn pretentious? I love a good thought provoking series but this does NOT qualify.
Also some of the characters we grew to love in season one are practically nonexistent in the second season. And the computer lady men?! Why did the second season have to be so damn pretentious? I love a good thought provoking series but this does NOT qualify.
A grand adventure
pele24 March 2017
I'm giving this show ten out of ten because i'm genuinely thrilled every time i see a new episode. You *never* know whats gonna happen and the show keeps f*cking with your mind just enough to keep everything interesting but giving you exactly what you need to keep on waiting for more. Also, it's a freaking beautiful. I could watch it just because it's so perfectly shot. I get that everyone is not gonna like this, but for me this is pure bliss. Every time.
Marvel versus David Lynch. The best Marvel show.
etmachina11 June 2018
While part of the Marvel Universe, Legion is an odd-man-out, neither part of the big budget Disney cinematic universe or the Netflix version of the Marvel universe. It also has the best acting, writing and direction of any of them and a more mature approach. It's a cerebral, surreal sci-fi mutant show. If you are a comics fan, the fact of Chris Claremont & Bill Sienkiewicz involvement in this tells you almost all you need to know -- it successfully carries both of their styles onto a TV screen. Claremont wrote many of the most legendary story arcs for the X-Men. Sienkiwicz is a brilliant comic artist, emphasis on artist -- he often works with paint and mixed media to create comics that look like fine art. The writing and direction is complicated, non-linear, and accomplished, verging on avant garde. There is immense attention to detail and editing, artistically-framed scenes. The acting is a cut above other Marvel shows (although Cage gets an honorable mention) and they've gathered a cast that works great together. The psychological, Lynch-ian freaky edginess that Sienkiewicz infused in all his work is present. It's not perfect, it takes some risks that don't work (like season 2 ep.5 -- tedious and anti-climactic), but it is freaky & cool.
Just finished this show and I hate Syd.
klakshan21 September 2022
Warning: Spoilers
Agreed they're all bad but why is David the only one held accountable for his sins. The entire theme of the final season was the characters accepting his right to exist.
Syd's actions and the weird narrative of last season just puts this show in my "good" category when it could've been great with so many different and new things that it did. Shame. How does David become evil incarnate in everybodys eyes with one mistake. And don't say they were being tricked there are legit people saying syd trying to kill David is fine, but when David does one thing then "it's treason" . Yikes.
I'm not talking about them being tricked. I'm talking about people defending the rest of the cast while they are equally bad or worse than David in actions and in how they treat him while bashing David and his actions which ultimately DID work. I'm talking about the feminist bias people are talking about. You're missing my point. I'm saying IMO, David made mistakes but syd is worse, I hate syd but I hate people who defend her more. (Not hate them but you know for the sake of being dramatic, I dislike that viewpoint) I'm aware Farouk tricked everyone, including David probably at the end.
Syd's actions and the weird narrative of last season just puts this show in my "good" category when it could've been great with so many different and new things that it did. Shame. How does David become evil incarnate in everybodys eyes with one mistake. And don't say they were being tricked there are legit people saying syd trying to kill David is fine, but when David does one thing then "it's treason" . Yikes.
I'm not talking about them being tricked. I'm talking about people defending the rest of the cast while they are equally bad or worse than David in actions and in how they treat him while bashing David and his actions which ultimately DID work. I'm talking about the feminist bias people are talking about. You're missing my point. I'm saying IMO, David made mistakes but syd is worse, I hate syd but I hate people who defend her more. (Not hate them but you know for the sake of being dramatic, I dislike that viewpoint) I'm aware Farouk tricked everyone, including David probably at the end.
Tip of The Iceberg
graham022723 March 2017
No spoilers. No plot points. You do not need them in a review of this show. Watch it and feel the performances.
Dan Stevens is a force of nature, in this story he literally is & his screen presence is a growing maelstrom. I first knowingly crossed his path in The Guest & have not looked back since (comparable with Matthew McConaughey in Killer Joe). The story is vague & intriguing from the beginning with growing enchantment as the episodes stack-up.
Sure. I'm a comic book geek from the 1980's, but Noah Hawley seems like he has more than his ducks in a row for this project. As SONY/Fox has often mis-stepped with the X- Men and its creative use of characters and story lines, LEGION seems to be avoiding the potholes, while creating a new amalgam of story from the past to forging ahead with a cohesive story.
Aubrey Plaza's performance is delightfully off-beat and maniacal.
I could list the positives for every actor and their character, literally the casting (and execution) seems perfect at this point (through episode seven).
Love it!
Dan Stevens is a force of nature, in this story he literally is & his screen presence is a growing maelstrom. I first knowingly crossed his path in The Guest & have not looked back since (comparable with Matthew McConaughey in Killer Joe). The story is vague & intriguing from the beginning with growing enchantment as the episodes stack-up.
Sure. I'm a comic book geek from the 1980's, but Noah Hawley seems like he has more than his ducks in a row for this project. As SONY/Fox has often mis-stepped with the X- Men and its creative use of characters and story lines, LEGION seems to be avoiding the potholes, while creating a new amalgam of story from the past to forging ahead with a cohesive story.
Aubrey Plaza's performance is delightfully off-beat and maniacal.
I could list the positives for every actor and their character, literally the casting (and execution) seems perfect at this point (through episode seven).
Love it!
Finally something out of the ordinary for Marvel - but not for everyone
mcampuzano8821 February 2018
I am not a big fan of Agents of shield and agent carter so if you love those you might hate this one...
That being said, this is the first Marvel produced series that goes in deep with character development, not to undermine Netflix's efforts but they always use the same formula for their defenders series.
This show has amazing performances, unbelievable depth and above all: it talks about a very unknown superhero son of a very known superhero.
If you happen to like psychological thrillers and throw a bit of Marvel universe into it, please go binge the hell out of this show, you will not regret it
That being said, this is the first Marvel produced series that goes in deep with character development, not to undermine Netflix's efforts but they always use the same formula for their defenders series.
This show has amazing performances, unbelievable depth and above all: it talks about a very unknown superhero son of a very known superhero.
If you happen to like psychological thrillers and throw a bit of Marvel universe into it, please go binge the hell out of this show, you will not regret it
Beautiful!!!
nhoven9 March 2017
If you are wondering whether or not to start watching, DO! Don't listen
to these rands who reviewed this terribly because of substance,
Carnivàleness (wha?) and plot. They don't understand what is happening,
and they don't like it so they are venting their frustrations. Watch
the first episode, and if you love not knowing what is happening, and
what will happen next, you are in for the best TV series out right now!
A Marvel arts project.
vrave-973 April 2024
A bet this was a pet project with a limited budget but with the full production crew behind it.
The best way to describe it is: What The Prisoner would be like if it was made now.
You have to be comfortable surrendering to the production crew and just letting them take you on a journey through their imagination.
Wow. One of those we're not worthy experiences. What do I mean?
Well, it is amazing that there are people who are so creative and they have been gathered together in one place and then just let loose to do their thing, trusted that what they do will be magnificent.
Another series that should grab you in the first 5 mins if it's your cup of tea.
Loved it.
The best way to describe it is: What The Prisoner would be like if it was made now.
You have to be comfortable surrendering to the production crew and just letting them take you on a journey through their imagination.
Wow. One of those we're not worthy experiences. What do I mean?
Well, it is amazing that there are people who are so creative and they have been gathered together in one place and then just let loose to do their thing, trusted that what they do will be magnificent.
Another series that should grab you in the first 5 mins if it's your cup of tea.
Loved it.
Season 2 is such a disappointment
iambipolarman10 June 2018
I loved season 1. It was new, different, and had a great storyline. Each week I would wait impatiently for the next episode. Each episode was a new adventure worth the wait. The characters are quirky, but it works. It is what you would expect in such an environment.
Then came season 2. I don't know what happened after season 1, but it became completely derailed. Tangent doesn't describe how far askew the 2 seasons are. It's like the writers completely forgot there was a first season and said "Let's start again and make it really weird".
I can only hope that the third season will be more like the first.
Then came season 2. I don't know what happened after season 1, but it became completely derailed. Tangent doesn't describe how far askew the 2 seasons are. It's like the writers completely forgot there was a first season and said "Let's start again and make it really weird".
I can only hope that the third season will be more like the first.
Truly original take on Marvel mayhem!
nooshie-3314216 July 2019
Warning: Spoilers
There is nothing quite like Legion. It's the strangest, barmiest concoction on TV. I absolutely love it! Taking a Marvel X Men antihero and turning him into the craziest "super" ever, is no mean feat and David Haller aka "Legion" is brilliantly brought to life by Brit actor, Dan Stevens. This show takes the X Men idea and blows it out of the water. Fantastic, trippy visuals, music and dance, comedy, violence and much, much more to feast the eyes and brain on. First season was terrific and the writing a real cut above for Marvel fare. All the actors are fantastic, especially Stevens and Aubrey Plaza. The second season was even stranger than the first and took me places I'd never been to in any TV show. It was really weird in a good way. The third season is building to be the best of the lot with a more linear storyline, Legion's origin story as the son of Charles Xavier himself and more stunning visuals and mind bending imaginary scenarios. This show is truly great and will be remembered long into the future as one of the best series ever. Totally weird, totally different and a reminder of what writers can do when they think outside the box!
Artistically Appealing, Storeyline Disappointing.
aaronrobertmartin14 July 2022
Warning: Spoilers
I watched the first season of Legion a few years back and loved it, so I decided to continue with the other two seasons and pick up where I left off.
Here are my main thoughts with the show after the last season:-
1. After Farouk gets his body back, he decided he's the hero and David is the villain, which seemed two dimensional for the way Farouk thought about morality. He was the main antagonist and killed lots of people when he was in David and Oliver, as soon as he gets his body back, he doesn't do much, there's no greater scheme which made the whole build up of Farouk getting his body back very disappointing, he was more threatening without it. Then in season three he's helping Division 3 for some reason and becomes a background character. He has no greater plan to use Division 3 and get David on his side, he's a changed man. That's boring. His fight scene with David at the end of season two didn't last long enough.
2. Season 3 was Messi, with David becoming a cult leader, then deciding to change his past. I think David is very unlikeable in this season and at the end his actions the entire season weren't challenged, he never had a change of heart and realised he was doing bad things, he just blamed his past and got what he wanted with reversing time. The central theme of the show has been whether David is a bad person or someone who is mentally ill and it doesn't do enough to carry that theme. The whole "a bad idea hatches like an egg" didn't really go anywhere in season two either. There's no cartharis with season three, it's the equivalent of it was all a dream ending. Farouk has a change of heart and poses no threat anymore too, also no cartharis. I've watched three seasons of the shadow king doing deadly things to become an ally. They tried to curb this with the time demons but they were inconsistent and got called off in the end.
3. Abstract ideas done in a creative way are fantastic but season two and three is like watching a show while dreaming, there's nothing to cling on to, only random events/ideas/behaviours and it's hard to follow
4. I really thought it was going to turn out that everyone on the show were created in David's mind, that would have been so cool and unexpected, but David's psychosis is in the form of multiple versions of him that aren't unique enough to be interesting
5. Character deaths, like Lenny, was anticlimatic, and felt unresolved. It was deep in the sense that she'd rather kill herself than feel trapped and manipulated by another telepath, and David had become like Farouk but it didn't lean into that enough. There were too many character angles for that to be effective. Either focus on David and Farouk switching places as protagonist vs antagonist or focus on Syd trying to escape her abusive, dangerous ex vs David not realising he's a bad person and has hurt the person he loves who grounds him in reality.
6. the wolf episode with Oliver was strange, and random, I'm still trying to figure that one out.
Overall I have gripes with what the show had become but I loved it at the start. I still really like the acting, but wanted more from it.
Here are my main thoughts with the show after the last season:-
1. After Farouk gets his body back, he decided he's the hero and David is the villain, which seemed two dimensional for the way Farouk thought about morality. He was the main antagonist and killed lots of people when he was in David and Oliver, as soon as he gets his body back, he doesn't do much, there's no greater scheme which made the whole build up of Farouk getting his body back very disappointing, he was more threatening without it. Then in season three he's helping Division 3 for some reason and becomes a background character. He has no greater plan to use Division 3 and get David on his side, he's a changed man. That's boring. His fight scene with David at the end of season two didn't last long enough.
2. Season 3 was Messi, with David becoming a cult leader, then deciding to change his past. I think David is very unlikeable in this season and at the end his actions the entire season weren't challenged, he never had a change of heart and realised he was doing bad things, he just blamed his past and got what he wanted with reversing time. The central theme of the show has been whether David is a bad person or someone who is mentally ill and it doesn't do enough to carry that theme. The whole "a bad idea hatches like an egg" didn't really go anywhere in season two either. There's no cartharis with season three, it's the equivalent of it was all a dream ending. Farouk has a change of heart and poses no threat anymore too, also no cartharis. I've watched three seasons of the shadow king doing deadly things to become an ally. They tried to curb this with the time demons but they were inconsistent and got called off in the end.
3. Abstract ideas done in a creative way are fantastic but season two and three is like watching a show while dreaming, there's nothing to cling on to, only random events/ideas/behaviours and it's hard to follow
4. I really thought it was going to turn out that everyone on the show were created in David's mind, that would have been so cool and unexpected, but David's psychosis is in the form of multiple versions of him that aren't unique enough to be interesting
5. Character deaths, like Lenny, was anticlimatic, and felt unresolved. It was deep in the sense that she'd rather kill herself than feel trapped and manipulated by another telepath, and David had become like Farouk but it didn't lean into that enough. There were too many character angles for that to be effective. Either focus on David and Farouk switching places as protagonist vs antagonist or focus on Syd trying to escape her abusive, dangerous ex vs David not realising he's a bad person and has hurt the person he loves who grounds him in reality.
6. the wolf episode with Oliver was strange, and random, I'm still trying to figure that one out.
Overall I have gripes with what the show had become but I loved it at the start. I still really like the acting, but wanted more from it.
Great season 1, terrible season 2
nikola-berovic-295-4140742 September 2018
The first season was great, I'd give it 9/10, really great show. But the 2nd season....oh boy....do you remember Heroes? Well this is about the same case...everything went down south with everything further....at least Heroes had a decent season 2, and then terrible 3 and 4, which is better than I can say for this. It just keeps repeating lines and sentences for idiots, terrible story, half of nearly every episode is either really stupid or without any meaning...if you watched season no. 1. leave it at that...have a good memory of this show....cause after season 2 you ceritanly wont have one....
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