Legion: What you need to know about 'mindbending' new series
Downton Abbey's Dan Stevens stars in 'trippy' superhero-subverting tale that could be the 'best show of the year'
Even in a television landscape crowded with superhero shows, Marvel's Legion, which premieres in the UK tonight on Fox, is causing a stir.
What's it about?
Fargo showrunner Noah Hawley's eight-part series follows the story of David Haller, who was diagnosed with schizophrenia at an early age and has been in and out of psychiatric care ever since. But when Haller meets an extraordinary fellow psychiatric patient, he begins to wonder if the voices in his head may actually be real.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
In the Marvel comics, Haller is the son of Charles Xavier, the mutant leader of the X-Men, with a lineage and multiple personality disorder that allow him to manifest potentially infinite sub-personalities with infinite superpowers, hence the name "Legion". The TV adaptation takes place in the X-Men universe but is completely self-contained, suggesting there is unlikely to be a crossover with the film franchise any time soon.
Who’s in it?
Dan Stevens, best known as Matthew Crawley in ITV’s Downton Abbey, plays Haller. Fargo star Rachel Keller is his fellow patient – and the woman of his dreams - Sydney Barrett (a name inspired by Pink Floyd musician Syd Barrett). Haller believes Sydney has the ability to "trade places" with him by using her mind to enter his body.
The series also features another Fargo actress, Jean Smart, as well as Parks and Recreation’s Aubrey Plaza and Jermaine Clement from Flight of the Conchord.
What are the critics saying?
Emily Zemler at The Guardian says even those with superhero fatigue will find something "fascinatingly unconventional" in this "ambitious drama".
If you didn’t know the background, "you’d have no idea this is even a story of a superhero", she says, adding: "It upends your conception of a tights-clad champion armed with extraordinary powers."
Indeed, Legion's strength, Zemler concludes, lies in the way it "grapples with mental health in a way other shows veer away from".
This is a "reality-bending thriller that redefines the superhero genre", says Kwame Opam at The Verge. Instead of painting "a clear portrait of a troubled yet relatable protagonist, the story takes a pickaxe to all expectations, forcing viewers to ask: Is any of this even real?"
This makes Legion a "trippy, ambitious, confounding" show "unlike any cape-and-cowl series before it", he continues. Haller's illness is the focus, rather than the superhero comic source material, and Dan Steven’s performance reveals that "care and research went into the portrayal".
Dominic Patten at Deadline agrees, calling Legion a "rule-breaking series that you must actually see to believe".
He also praises the "mind-bending, creepily paranoia-inducing and sometimes Clockwork Orange homage" for challenging not just the superhero genre, but "the format of TV and reality itself".
In fact, he says, Legion is "already one of the best new shows of 2017".
Legion airs on Fox at 9pm tonight.
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
5 blustery cartoons about the Stormy Daniels testimony
Cartoons Artists take on gag orders, lurid details, and more
By The Week US Published
-
The Idea of You review: 'impossible escapism' starring Anne Hathaway
The Week Recommends Steamy romcom about a 40-year-old who falls for a boy band singer
By The Week UK Published
-
Crossword: May 11, 2024
The Week's daily crossword
By The Week Staff Published
-
Silversea cruise review: a Central and North American adventure
The Week Recommends An incredible journey featuring cultural exploration, cooking classes, comfort and more
By Yasemen Kaner-White Published
-
The Westbury Hotel review: stunning suites in charming Dublin
The Week Recommends This hotel is the perfect spot to while away a weekend in Ireland's capital
By Kaye O'Doherty Published
-
Drama movies 2024: new films out this year
In Depth Latest reviews include The Boys in the Boat, One Life and Tchaikovsky's Wife
By The Week UK Last updated
-
Best new hotels and places to stay in 2024
The Week Recommends Featuring stylish island resorts, historical properties and wilderness retreats
By The Week UK Last updated
-
Albums of the year: best music of 2023
The Week Recommends A look back at the best pop, rap, jazz, dance, classical and rock releases
By The Week UK Published
-
Savoy Grill by Gordon Ramsay review: an institution reinvented
The Week Recommends Traditions are maintained and the tweaks are clever and modern
By Neil Davey Published
-
Tulum: a Mexican beach town of 'two halves'
The Week Recommends With the 'pueblo' and 'Zona Hotelera', Tulum is home to great hotels, restaurants and beach clubs
By William Leigh Published
-
La Zebra review: beach chic, perfect tacos and secret cenotes
The Week Recommends Enjoy a stylish stay in Mexico at this family-friendly beach hotel and restaurant
By William Leigh Published