Legion is premier television.
As far as Marvel TV properties go — this one’s a shining example of how to stand out from the crowd.
Legion doesn’t just break the mould: it smashes the thing into smithereens.
A series based on a lesser-known Marvel character should not (and some would say: could not) succeed in such a splendiferous fashion as FX’s psychedelic trip of a show, Legion, did. The series’ narrative is a quixotic and intrepid journey through time and space that’s enumerated through the lens of the perpetually manic, and psychotically obstreperous main character, David Haller.
And somehow, miraculously, it sticks the landing!
Who is David?
David is a man in his late-twenties who’s been misdiagnosed as having a debilitating psychological disorder; when in actuality, his hallucinations and outbursts of anger are a side-effect of overwhelmingly powerful Mutant abilities. Unbeknownst to him, David Haller is an Omega-level Mutant – making him one of – if not the most, powerful entities on the planet. As the show progresses there is no ceiling to his powers: he’s shown to be able to alter matter with a mere snap of his fingers, astral project, read minds (via telepathy), manipulate or fully erase memories, and even segue into other planes of existence. The implied explanation for his godlike attributes: he is the son of Charles Xavier, another (slightly famous) Omega level mutant. But beyond that, the reasoning is that he just happens to have been born the pinnacle of mutant-kind; an omnipotent deity – in man form.
Indeed, The Shadow King Amahl Farouk is one of the only other mutants to rival David’s power, but he’s existed for 1000s of years, growing and learning – whereas a comparatively young, and mostly mortal David, was institutionalized at an early age and told his manifestations were apparitions of his mind; simply figments of the imagination. If “The Shadow King” and David were ever to meet, the resulting energy could equal in magnitude that of a star going supernova. A climactic clash of psionic titans – the likes of which – would be felt the world over. The tangential connection to the X-men franchise is similar to that of the Netflix Marvel series’ intricate threading that ties the shows Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, Iron-fist, and The Defenders to the greater Marvel Cinematic Universe. Infrequent nods to Fox Studios’ X-men films are present in Legion; and very fun for fans; but extensive knowledge of the source material isn’t required to enjoy the show – quite the opposite – in fact!
The spectacular visuals in FX-original ‘Legion’ are distinctly out-of-this-world, incorporating dynamic musical/dance sequences, a colour palette that oozes vibrance, impressive stunt work, action sequences: physics-defying special effects, deliciously absurd set pieces, truly bizarre and oft avante-garde costuming & wardrobe, lavishly inventive makeups; and filmed primarily on a Arri Alexa cameras (Alexa XT, Alexa Mini) and utilizing large variety of lenses to achieve a truly masterful and unique visual presentation; namely Bausch and Lomb Super Baltar, Canon K35, S16 lenses, among others. The end result creates an overly polished look – an aesthetic that I sometimes dislike in other media – but in Noah Hawley’s ‘Legion’: this slick presentation works; because it eloquently construes the main character’s tendency for self-denial. A visual style with a more gritty feel and look, wouldn’t have communicated the concept of the synthetic way in which the protagonist views the world. Eliciting the emotional state of your character(s) through poignant cinematography and striking visuals is a key part of engaging the viewer.
David Haller has an overly-inflated view of everything: an almost infantile perception of reality. In essence, David’s rose-tinted glasses are an effort to normalize; as his self-denial goes hand-in-hand with a supercilious view of the world around him. David sees the world in the most superficial of ways, something that the show’s clever subtext conveys convincingly over its three season run. His immediate attachment to Sydney Barret is indicative of this – what he mistakes as “love at first sight” is really obsessive behaviour wrapped in an aggrandized perception of her. Although his heart is in the right place: his ungrounded thinking and poor character (possibly from a lack of healthy childhood role models) creates an overarching narrative that takes the form of a Greek tragedy of sorts.
David’s downfall comes about by his own machinations; his hubris in thinking he can be the hero, even while steadfastly becoming the villain.
Who are the stars of FX’s Legion?
Dan Stevens as David Haller/Legion
(The “hero” of the story and the eponymous character Legion: a splintered mind with limitless powers. David Haller is originally misdiagnosed with schizophrenia but later re-diagnosed with DID (Disassociative Identity Disorder as ) as a byproduct of his mutant abilities.
Rachel Keller as Sydney Barret
(The love interest and third season contagonist. Syd gains her own autonomy by the final season and is elevated to a stoic anti-heroine.)
Aubrey Plaza as Lenny Busker / and The Shadow King’s first form
(a friend of Davd’s from Clockwork Psychiatric Facility, later a vessel for Amahl Farouk.)
Jeremie Harris as Ptonomy Wallace
(A mutant at Summerland that has the ability of manipulating another’s memory; acts as a mentor to new recruits.)
Jean Smart as Melanie Byrd
(The co-founder of “Summerland” a clandestine complex that continues where “Xavier’s School for the Gifted” leftoff. In recent years, Summerland has shifted its focus to fostering guerilla strikes against “Division Three” to combat the government’s persecution of Mutant-kind. It’s not only an educational institution – but a paramilitary operation as well.)
Hamish Linklater as Clark DeBussy
(A member of Division Three and the first season antagonist. The series opens with an intense, nail-biting interrogation of David Haller administered by him.
Bill Irwin as Carey Loudermilk
Amber Midthunder as Kerry Loudermilk
(Two mutants that inhabit the same body, one is the brawns – and the other the brains.)
Jemaine Clement as Oliver Byrd
(Melanie Byrd’s husband, a co-founder of Summerland – an eminently powerful psychic in his own right, Oliver trapped himself in the astral plane leaving his wife to mourn him for decades.)
Navid Nagahban as Amahl Farouk
(Shadow King AKA The Demon with the Yellow Eyes AKA He Who Ends the World)
and a special appearance by Harry Lloyd as Professor X
(In the two-parter series finale we are treated to a young Charles Xavier, around the time that he vanquished Shadow King and freed an entire nation from Farouk’s malignant grasp. This backstory is alluded to in easter eggs throughout the first two seasons, and the showdown in the final episodes: the crème de la crèam of plot payoff. Satisfactory conclusions are not always a dime a dozen in screenwriting nowadays, and trust me, this one does not disappoint.)
As a final note: the acting in ‘Legion’ is beyond ambitious, at times it’s Ed Wood levels of kitsch, yet it pendulums with the tonal shifts into pitch-perfect melodramatic hyperbole, and even enters into the area of serious dramatic enterprise; delivering a fusion of acting styles and characterization that certainly defy explanation. The show is really a collage of experimentation and theatricality – and in this – it creates a creatively ambitious chimera that stuns while breaking every rule in the filmmaking book.
Bravo!
If you’re an Aubrey Plaza superfan (there are legions of them) make sure not to sleep on this show!
You’re doing yourself a huge disservice if so – as it’s one of the actress’ most heightened, unbridled, clearly sociopathic, disturbingly erotic, insanely intense, scene-stealing characters… ever.
‘Simply uncanny.
(X-Men)
Rating 8.5/10
