Renegade Review: FX's Legion
Welcome Renegade Nation it’s me Naughty Nicole and it’s time for another Renegade Review. And th...
Renegade Talk Radio · Renegade Talk Radio
February 18, 201712m 57sExplicit
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Show Notes
Welcome Renegade Nation it’s me Naughty Nicole and it’s time for another Renegade Review. And this go round, we’re focusing on the odd and visually stunning offering from FX entitled Legion. I’ll admit, my fan-girling, Marvel-worshiping heart was all aflutter when I heard about this show making its way to the small screen, and as a devoted reader of the comic books and watcher of movies, I couldn’t wait to see how Fargo’s Noah Hawley approached this rich subject. So let’s jump right in…
How do you show the inside of a person’s mind? And what if that mind isn’t typical? What if that mind has supernatural powers? Each of these questions adds another layer to Legion’s portrayal of David Haller portrayed by the gifted Dan Stevens, and cements it as one of the most visually stunning television series perhaps ever on the air. Based on the Marvel Comic series and developed for FX by Fargo’s Noah Hawley, Legion explores the extraordinarily powerful mind of a less famous mutant (as in the X-Men, yes). But though we’ve seen plenty of Marvel and DC superheroes dominate the big and small screens in recent years, none have been as unique and genre-defying as Legion. Like David, it stands apart.
Legion follows a man named David Haller, who has lived in a mental institution for most of his adult life after suffering from visual and auditory hallucinations. Diagnosed as a paranoid schizophrenic, Haller is abandoned by his family — save for a sister — and he resigns himself to the belief that he’s “crazy,” taking the diagnosis and his current living arrangement in stride.
In the comics, David is the son of Professor Xavier, something the TV show is not ready to address for a while (and it will unlikely be directly connected to any X-Men cinematic universe). But that shadow of a connection means that Legion doesn’t have to spend time world-building, and instead, can focus completely on David’s journey — one that will appeal to superhero enthusiasts and non-enthusiasts alike. Well, if you like weird stuff.
How do you show the inside of a person’s mind? And what if that mind isn’t typical? What if that mind has supernatural powers? Each of these questions adds another layer to Legion’s portrayal of David Haller portrayed by the gifted Dan Stevens, and cements it as one of the most visually stunning television series perhaps ever on the air. Based on the Marvel Comic series and developed for FX by Fargo’s Noah Hawley, Legion explores the extraordinarily powerful mind of a less famous mutant (as in the X-Men, yes). But though we’ve seen plenty of Marvel and DC superheroes dominate the big and small screens in recent years, none have been as unique and genre-defying as Legion. Like David, it stands apart.
Legion follows a man named David Haller, who has lived in a mental institution for most of his adult life after suffering from visual and auditory hallucinations. Diagnosed as a paranoid schizophrenic, Haller is abandoned by his family — save for a sister — and he resigns himself to the belief that he’s “crazy,” taking the diagnosis and his current living arrangement in stride.
In the comics, David is the son of Professor Xavier, something the TV show is not ready to address for a while (and it will unlikely be directly connected to any X-Men cinematic universe). But that shadow of a connection means that Legion doesn’t have to spend time world-building, and instead, can focus completely on David’s journey — one that will appeal to superhero enthusiasts and non-enthusiasts alike. Well, if you like weird stuff.
Topics
fxnetworktelevisionlegionx-mencomicsdanstevens