Legion Premiere Review: 6 Ups & 2 Downs From 'Chapter 1'

5. It Serves As A Great Introduction, And Makes You Want More

Pilot episodes are never easy, given the fact that they have to sell the show to as wide an audience as possible, start building the world and characters in a satisfactory manner (while still withholding information), and ensuring they're strong enough to make you want to come back for more.

As a pilot, then, Legion absolutely does its job and then some, and yet does so almost without a care for adhering to the more typical pilot rules. It's weird, it's unconventional, and yet it completely leaves you wanting more.

The opening, which features a tableau of images moving through David's life(and soundtracked to The Who's Happy Jack), means we immediately get an understanding of who this person is, as we see him go from happy kid to frustrated, worn-down adult. From there, we take a deep dive into his psyche, getting to see the world through his eyes, hear it through his ears, understand it through his brain.

At the same time, it does a solid job of building the wider aspects of the narrative too. When we step outside into the one part of the episode that is assuredly real - when the Interrogator leaves the room, and discusses "mutants" with his boss - it hints at something larger at play with these powered beings. The actions of Syd and Melanie Bird (Jean Smart) suggest they know this too. It's going to take its time unspooling the bigger story, but it makes sure you want to follow it anyway.