Your next X-Men obsession: Legion
6 Months Ago
6 Months Ago
6 Months Ago
FX
Rachel Keller and Dan Stevens in Legion.
Don’t bother reading up on the story of Legion in Marvel comics or catching up on the X-Men films. This new FX series is set in a "parallel universe" to those stories, according to FX CEO John Landgraf. Dan Stevens, above right, plays the titular character in Legion, a.k.a. David Haller, a 30-something troubled man with severe mental illness. He’s been in and out of mental hospitals most of his life, but it isn’t until now that he realizes his diagnosed schizophrenia may be more than a disorder. Comic fans will know Legion is the son of Professor Xavier and Gabrielle Haller, and that he’s an Omega-level mutant with extreme telepathic powers and multiple personalities. But FX could care less if its Legion is tied to the X-Men universe. And that’s a good thing. The first episode is beautifully filmed, exploring David’s terrifying visions in surreal scenes and time jumps. David’s mundane life is marked by a steady routine of sleep, pills, food and being almost comatose while listening to his friend/fellow patient Lenny (Aubrey Plaza) talk about music and Twizzlers. That’s until beautiful stranger Syd (Rachel Keller), shows up as a new patient. She may or may not be a mutant, and she may or may not be here to rescue David in one of the most mind-boggling escapes I’ve ever seen on TV. Legion is raw and stunning, and should be at the top of everyone’s watchlist. 10 p.m. Wednesday, FX
The zombie show we need: Santa Clarita Diet
Netflix hooked us with Drew Barrymore, suburban Los Angeles and cannibalism. In Santa Clarita Diet, Barrymore stars as Sheila, a real estate agent, wife and mom who goes through a dramatic overnight change that leaves her craving her meat extra rare. That dramatic change in the first episode is, in fact, death. The other half of her real estate team, husband Joel (Timothy Olyphant), along with daughter Abby (Liv Hewson) must quickly learn to satiate Sheila’s primal hungers. Sure this show is bonkers and bloody, but it’s also hilarious and touching. True love is when your husband helps you dismember and bury a body in the California desert with nothing but an exasperated sigh and a hug. With 13 half-hour episodes, you’ll easily finish this horror-comedy series this weekend. If you love the gory absurdity of Evil Dead and Zombieland, Santa Clarita Diet should be next on your list. 3 a.m. Friday, Netflix
Review: Santa Clarita Diet is the zombie show we need right now
Remembering: Mary Tyler Moore
When Mary Tyler Moore died at 80 last week, fans and co-stars quickly shared their love and respect for a pioneer who changed the television landscape. Naturally, fans want to know where they can binge some of Moore’s hit shows. Hulu comes to the rescue with the first three seasons of The Mary Tyler Moore Show and 158 episodes of The Dick Van Dyke Show, where Moore broke out as Laura Petrie, as well as Lou Grant, Rhoda and WKRP in Cincinnati.
GAME TIME: The Superbowl
The New England Patriots face off against the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday at NRG Stadium in Houston . Luke Bryan, a two-time Academy of Country Music and CMA Entertainer of the Year, is scheduled to sing the national anthem before kickoff. Last year’s anthem singer Lady Gaga performs during halftime. Fingers crossed Gaga will belt out tracks from her new album Joanne like John Wayne, or maybe sneak in Born This Way. 6:30 p.m. Sunday, Fox
Fox
Corey Hawkins in Fox’s 24: Legacy.
A worthy successor: 24: Legacy
Original 24 fans will squeal when they hear the ticking clock and the first utterance of "events occur in real time." In Jack Bauer’s (Kiefer Sutherland) absence, 24: Legacy spotlights Eric Carter (Corey Hawkins), a former U.S. Army Ranger who suspects that members of his team are being targeted after a mission to assassinate a terrorist leader. Carter asks CTU to help save his life, his team and also stop a large-scale terror attack. Though the events take place three years after the events in 24: Live Another Day, Legacy isn’t just a bucket of nods to the original. It has both the strengths and weaknesses of the original. 10 p.m. (or whenever the Super Bowl ends) Sunday, Fox
Upcoming streaming releases
Tuesday: Michael Bolton’s Big Sexy Valentine’s Day Special (Netflix)
Saturday: Superbad (Netflix)
Feb. 7: Gender Revolution: A Journey with Katie Couric (Hulu)
Feb. 10: The Collection (Amazon), Abstract: The Art of Design (Netflix
Feb. 13: Golden Girls, the complete series (Hulu), Girlfriends Day (Netflix)
Feb. 18: The Boondocks, the complete series (Hulu)
Contact Chelsea Tatham at ctatham@tampabay.com. Follow @chelseatatham.
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