--- title: "Legion: the reviews" canonical: "https://film.one/tv/legion/reviews" title_page: "https://film.one/tv/legion" critics_score: 87 critics_reviews: 10 licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # Legion (2017): what the critics said Critics' score 87 from 10 reviews: 10 positive, 0 mixed, 0 negative. The reviews are unanimous in their approval. Most critics credit Noah Hawley with taking a known comic-book concept and making something they have not seen before, and the praise clusters on his direction: fractured camerawork, non-linear editing and a surreal, psychedelic look meant to put the viewer inside David’s unreliable mind. The handling of mental illness alongside mutant powers is repeatedly singled out as the show’s real subject. Dan Stevens’ performance and the wider cast draw steady approval, with several critics noting a humane core beneath the flash. There is little dissent. The spread is narrow, from the Guardian and Telegraph at the lower end to Collider awarding full marks, and even the coolest notices call it ambitious and fascinatingly unconventional. The one caution worth noting is that most of these reviews judge the pilot and early episodes, so the consensus rests on the show’s opening rather than a full run. ## IndieWire — Ben Travers Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 6 February 2017. Noah Hawley has expertly adapted another known property and turned it into a story we've never seen before, crafting the most intricate and intimate superhero story to date. [Read the review](https://www.indiewire.com/criticism/shows/legion-review-noah-hawley-x-men-tv-show-1201778227/) ## The Hollywood Reporter — Tim Goodman Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 26 January 2017. The critic praises Hawley's innovative, visually trippy approach to the story of mental illness and mutant powers, calling it a visual masterpiece that reimagines the X-Men concept in a riveting way. They single out the bold, disorienting narrative style from the protagonist's mental perspective for praise. [Read the review](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-reviews/legion-review-968837/) ## Vulture — Matt Zoller Seitz Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 7 February 2017. Legion is a decadently inventive aesthetic dream with a superb pilot; it packs a season’s worth of cinematic technique into the early episodes and feels purposeful and exact. [Read the review](https://www.vulture.com/2017/02/fx-legion-tv-review.html) ## Variety — Maureen Ryan Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 1 February 2017. The review highlights the show's bold, jittery, surreal style and visual flair, noting it as an exhilarating trip that embraces weirdness and misfits. The critic praises Dan Stevens' performance and the humane core amid the flashy elements. [Read the review](https://variety.com/2017/tv/reviews/legion-fx-dan-stevens-review-noah-hawley-1201974474/) ## The Guardian Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 8 February 2017. The critic finds Legion a fascinatingly unconventional and ambitious drama even for those with superhero fatigue. Hawley's approach to portraying David's fragmented mind through fractured camerawork, editing and non-linear storytelling is singled out for praise. [Read the review](https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2017/feb/08/legion-review-marvel-mental-health-superhero) ## The Telegraph Rating 4/5. 9 February 2017. The critic praises Legion as a stylish, psychedelic X-Men spin-off that sets a new standard for comic-book TV thanks to Hawley's distinctive vision. The visually arresting direction and inventive storytelling are highlighted as strengths. [Read the review](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/tv/2017/02/09/legion-x-men-spin-off-sets-new-standard-comic-book-tv-review/) ## Collider — Allison Keene Rating ★★★★★. 2 February 2017. The critic calls it one of the most visually stunning series ever, praising its unique, genre-defying approach to portraying a powerful mutant's mind through the lens of mental illness and unreliable perception. [Read the review](https://collider.com/legion-review/) ## Consequence Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 7 February 2017. The critic hails it as the X-Men adaptation fans deserve for flipping superhero tropes with profound, Lynchian visuals and emotional depth, spotlighting strong performances and Hawley's assured, patient storytelling. [Read the review](https://consequence.net/2017/02/fxs-legion-is-the-x-men-adaptation-fans-deserve/) ## Paste — Katherine Siegel Rating 8.8/10. 8 February 2017. The review lauds the pilot for boldly subverting expectations with its arresting visual style and complex handling of mental illness alongside mutant powers, highlighting the stellar cast and clear, ambitious voice. [Read the review](https://www.pastemagazine.com/tv/legion/legion-review-noah-hawleys-new-series-is-here-to-s) ## Den of Geek — Nick Harley Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 7 February 2017. Legion is aggressively peculiar yet extremely powerful and refreshingly unique, using different chemicals to switch up the superhero formula with inventive direction and top-notch performances. [Read the review](https://www.denofgeek.com/tv/legion-spoiler-free-review/) --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Our review: https://film.one/tv/legion.md