Trippy seems to be the most prevalent description of FX's new X-Men TV drama, Legion. But it's used in a positive sense as critics agree that showrunner Noah Hawley has crafted a finely-tuned alternative take on superheroes that will generate noteworthy buzz this season.
The eight-episode first season of Legion premieres Wednesday, February 8 at 10/9c on FX. Check out an in-depth featurette on the upcoming drama by
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The Hollywood Reporter
"It might seem weird to have a Marvel show on FX, or to have it star that upper-crust Brit from Downton Abbey, filtered through the creator of Fargo, but somehow it all works. Three episodes of Legion — in all their cracked visual glory — were enough to want the rest of the season immediately.
Collider
"Legion plays a lot with themes of identity and memory and emotion, and if the key to visual storytelling is to show and not tell, well, Legion grasps onto that wholeheartedly. But above all, it’s a deeply considered portrait of mental illness. Even if David’s schizophrenia is actually part of a mutant power, it’s also still literally angry voices in his head fighting to control him and his actions. Whatever you want to call it, it’s a problem for his daily life, and something he has struggled with since he was a young boy. The X-Men have always been a stand-in for outsiders, for people who feel persecuted or just different from the rest of the world. David’s journey is Legion is his own, but we’re connected to it, too."
Variety
“Legion,” a Marvel-inspired drama from “Fargo” creator Noah Hawley, is not timid. It offers a jittery take on many of the genre’s familiar themes, and it hurls them together with such boldness that the entire concoction ends up carrying quite a kick. Like I said, it won’t be for everyone, but those who are pulled into the surreal, jagged orbit of this distinctive drama are likely to stay there for the full eight-episode run. It is, literally and figuratively, a trip — and it’s often an exhilarating one."
UPROXXX
"It’s a delight, existing so far outside the mold of recent superhero adaptations in the 2010s that it couldn’t see the mold even with telescopic vision. It’s a comic book show likely to be as appealing to people who have no interest in comic books as to those who can name David’s famous relative without Googling, if not more, and it’s easily the most exciting new series this young year in TV has offered so far."
TV Line
"Comic-book fans might be eager for Legion to hurry up and get to “the good stuff,” connecting David to the X-Men universe they know and love. But I’m not in any hurry. Speaking as someone with next-to-zero knowledge of comic books, this is the first superhero show I’ll be adding to my DVR’s season-pass list. Legion has created a compelling world that firmly stands on its own… and I look forward to Hawley and the cast dazzling me even more in the weeks to come."
Nerdist
"Legion plays fast and loose with narrative convention, and it can be tough to keep up if you’re not giving it your full attention. Luckily that won’t be difficult, because the show’s cinematography is completely and utterly engrossing. Imagine if Charlie Kaufman, Wes Anderson, and the Coen Brothers all swapped brains and started collaborating on a show that’s maybe set in the ’70s (except not really), and you have a rough idea of what to expect. Or, if you’ve seen showrunner Noah Hawley’s work on Fargo, it’s like that, but with an added dose of cerebral, horror-fueled psychedelia. Also some vaguely Bollywood-style dancing. No, seriously."
ABOUT LEGION
Legion, based on the Marvel Comics, follows the story of David Haller – a troubled young man who may be more than human. Diagnosed as schizophrenic, David has been in and out of psychiatric wards for years. But after a strange encounter with a fellow patient, he’s confronted with the possibility that he is a mutant with inexplicable powers. Produced by FX Productions and Marvel Television.