Legion

[Macheath]

Started watching this this weekend... will finish all 8 episodes before I go back to work Wednesday, I promise. Just in time for season two to start.

Legion! The one with Dan Stevens, not the one with Paul Bettany.

There are two things I want to tell you about this show:

1. It's about an Omega-level mutant (i.e. one of the really powerful ones, like a 12 on the Richter Scale) who also happens to be deeply schizophrenic
2. Aubrey Plaza plays a role that was originally written for a middle-aged man, and they did not rewrite it after casting her

It doesn't have the distinctive MCU flavor, it's not in the mediocre Netflix camp. I don't know how to classify it, or what other Marvel media to group it with. It's in the X-Men universe, but unlike anything else I've seen so far. It's creatively directed, beautifully shot, and well acted. I'm totally riveted.

[nynnja]

I watched episode one and I am confused.

[Macheath]

You're doing it right, keep going!

I didn't personally like season 2 as much, and I haven't even watched season 3.

But season 1, standing alone, was amazing. The showrunners had a lot they wanted to say, and I think they kinda shot their wad on the first season. Worth watching.

[nynnja]

Ok, I'll keep trying. I find it mentally taxing to watch because it's so frenetic.

[nynnja]

Season 2, episode 5 ... I'm just bored. It's like each episode is yet another interpretive dance performance of "this is how mental illness manifests in a different way. Wow, look how crazy everything is, there's a plot somewhere buried in there but we're more interested in making up new ways to show crazy than tell a story so LOOK HOW CRAZY IT IS NOW!!!!!!! LOOK DEEP INTO THE INSANITY!!!"

Maybe if I just watch a little more there will be a nugget of story ... nope, just more crazy bullshit.

[Macheath]

I didn't personally like season 2 as much, and I haven't even watched season 3.

But season 1, standing alone, was amazing.

¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Fits with my expectation. I hope you at least enjoyed the first season. I loved it. I feel it stands alone just fine. I'm happy to consider that "Legion," and subsequent seasons "bloated, unwatchable Legion fan-fiction."

Wow, look how crazy everything is, there's a plot somewhere buried in there but we're more interested in making up new ways to show crazy than tell a story so LOOK HOW CRAZY IT IS NOW!!!!!!! LOOK DEEP INTO THE INSANITY!!!

I agree with this in particular. They knew they had done a good job with "crazy" in season one, and they pushed the envelope in season two and came off as trying way too hard.

[nynnja]

showing crazy:Legion::lens flare:JJ Abrams

Looked it up on Rotten Tomatoes and found audience scores...
Season 1: 87%
Season 2: 77%
Season 3: 90%

So it either gets better in season three or only people that liked it could make it through season two.