TAGGED AS: FX, Marvel, Superheroes
Since those first teaser trailers of Aubrey Plaza and Dan Stevens waxing poetic on a mental hospital co-patient’s drool, Legion has been one of this season’s most hotly anticipated new series — and with good reason!
Sitting pretty at 94% on the Tomatometer at its premiere Wednesday night, the small-screen adaptation of the cult-favorite X-Men comic book series comes from Fargo showrunner Noah Hawley, so you know you’re in good hands. Add to the mix gorgeous cinematography from Dana Gonzales, a killer British-invasion soundtrack, and standout performances from British leading man Stevens as David Haller and Rachel Keller as his psych-ward love interest Syd Barrett, and we’ve got a superhero series that lives up to its hype.
https://twitter.com/SoCalRamen/status/829545440165064704
Warning: Stop reading if you have not watched the episode — spoilers ahead!
Legion is not a series, however, for the easily distracted. Particularly in its first 90-minute pilot episode, David — who’s prone to violence, hears voices in his head, and has involuntary telekinetic habits to boot — is struggling to determine what’s real and what’s not real. Hawley brilliantly executed his internal dilemma by pretty much subjecting audiences to it, too. We don’t know whether or not what we’re watching is real, and several sequences throughout play like fever dreams and schizophrenic memories.
https://twitter.com/WilliamShatner/status/829576323194507264
The approach reeled some in from the start, but others were left scratching their heads, even after David breaks away from his captors with Syd and connects with Melanie Byrd (Jean Smart), who is intent on helping him and other mutants.
Get a taste of what viewers were saying below.
It took most viewers a few minutes to really dive in and digest the series in front of them. Some longer than others.
https://twitter.com/GocLiveTweets/status/829538384053944320
https://twitter.com/ShadowDogProd/status/829532716513316864
https://twitter.com/avengingheroes/status/829535280604540928
https://twitter.com/ComicBookCast/status/829532746414485504
https://twitter.com/JaylenShanePear/status/829531848443383811
https://twitter.com/liiizardd/status/829577806086623232
https://twitter.com/SinEater_Danyi/status/829577364417998848
https://twitter.com/910nikkimo/status/829531868471164928
Others got it by knowing that they weren’t supposed to get it…got it?
https://twitter.com/BlerdsOnline/status/829529715870400512
https://twitter.com/jananamirah/status/829547025561710592
But keeping audiences on their toes made the emotional payoff that much more worth it!
https://twitter.com/Christorican/status/829548494738358273
https://twitter.com/alyeska01/status/829530427073449985
https://twitter.com/OH_itsjustGia/status/829529960155070467
https://twitter.com/mikebornstein/status/829547853651517440
https://twitter.com/FOX19Nathan/status/829547251429163009
https://twitter.com/kriscarnevale/status/829544202753150985
https://twitter.com/unicainah/status/829581215833288704
https://twitter.com/Filming_Grim/status/829582271862697984
And how about that final fight and escape sequence? Done in one single shot! Talk about a payoff.
https://twitter.com/OmnipoTony/status/829546528570212352
https://twitter.com/lostthenumbers/status/829546280602988545
https://twitter.com/Wynee21/status/829548163195351040
https://twitter.com/jonnyjonman/status/829546748783816709
Despite the series inherent darkness, there’s a sweetest by way of Syd and David for us to hang onto and hope for.
https://twitter.com/BlkNrdProblems/status/829528657437814784
It’s too bad they can’t touch…
https://twitter.com/csoy13/status/829530989261180928
…Unless they want this to happen.
https://twitter.com/Reightard/status/829540792381353985
https://twitter.com/LegionFX/status/829534672476479488
And um…. What the hell is that thumb-like devil with the yellow eyes?
https://twitter.com/Mndspeak88/status/829529303935234050
While we’re at it, what the hell was that dance sequence? We don’t know either, but did we love it? Yes!
https://twitter.com/Gangerworld/status/829543477146947585
https://twitter.com/jonnyjonman/status/829543016859856896
https://twitter.com/huvids/status/829543111672094720
https://twitter.com/johnnatired/status/829543367914684416
Is this actually the last of Plaza’s Lenny, David’s psych ward pal who died in the crossfire of his powers?
https://twitter.com/sorryimfreddie/status/829542556287455232
https://twitter.com/offbeatcorncob/status/829537022830374916
https://twitter.com/noitsrebecca/status/829537251633795074
And don’t worry, keen viewers are already drawing comparisons to their other favorite mind-teasing series, Mr. Robot and Stranger Things. Everyone loves waffles, but especially people with telekinetic powers.
https://twitter.com/GrizzlyKobear/status/829544069856710660
https://twitter.com/NerdNation21/status/829541137979437058
https://twitter.com/RavePrincess141/status/829540910098690048
https://twitter.com/MomofSC/status/829542584297078784
https://twitter.com/AlexisSaintpaul/status/829554728006717440
https://twitter.com/mattpkn/status/829536982976045056
https://twitter.com/phenomenaIflash/status/829530113251409924
Legion airs Wednesday nights at 10 p.m. on FX
