TV REVIEWS: FTN Reviews The Gifted Season 2 Premiere!

The Gifted seemed like a show doomed to fail. Not because of content, but because of obvious restrictions that Fox and Marvel had to put on it in order to make sure that it was X-Men…without BEING X-Men if that makes sense. And while Season 01 was hardly perfect, it did excel in a dozen episode what seasons of other shows (both DC and Marvel) fail to do in 20+. It was one of my favorite shows of last season, and this season I’m making sure to review it, cause I don’t want to miss talking about a single thing.

It would have been so easy for “eMergence” to go over-the-top and try to make the show even bigger than season 01. Thankfully, they decided to stick to what made them great, personal and believable drama involving family and friends. It has been six months since the division in the Mutant Underground, and things aren’t what they once were.

Marcos, John, Blink, and 3/4’s of the Strucker family are now in new lives due to the events of last season (with all but the Mutants thinking they’re dead). And they’re using that to help out other Mutants still and distribute them to their other pods all over the city. This smaller focus is helpful, and yet it set up reunions over the next few episodes. Since the division, and with Lorna’s impending pregnancy and Andy’s unknown whereabouts, everyone is a bit frazzled. Marcos and Katelyn are especially frazzled, and it led to some mistakes being made.

Marcos being angry about not being with his baby at its birth was incredibly moving. He wanted to do the right thing, but his parental instincts, and love of Lorna, blinded him. Likewise, Katelyn was in full-on denial, thinking that Andy was “kidnapped” by the Cuckoos, when Lauren and Reed had to remind her that he was willing to go with them, and even used his powers to stop them from resisting his decision. Kate coming to terms with Andy’s decision is going to be a big deal this season no doubt.

As for Reed, his powers are manifesting, and while you can’t tell what they are, given his fathers powers, Andy’s powers, and Lauren’s powers, you can expect it to be big and impact. And the team behind the show as saying that it’s NOT a good thing that they’re manifesting.

Meanwhile, on the Hellfire Club side of things. The new antagonist of the season rose in Reeva, and her plans to set Mutants on the right path started with Lorna giving birth to her baby. Rumors behind-the-scenes are that Genosha is coming this season, which is logical given what was said about Reeva’s plans in the opening scene.

A key point here though was that when Lorna was having trouble with the baby’s delivery, Reeva didn’t use psychic brainwashing, or use the Cuckoo’s to control Lorna. Instead, she had them show her a “vision” of the world they’re trying to make. A simple ruse? Or something more? The lines are meant to be blurred here, and The Gifted is doing a good job of that.

Granted, “eMergence” wasn’t the most action-packed episode, but it didn’t need to be. And the show is best when action is in bursts rather than all the time. Still, hopefully with the pieces now set up, and a new “Dawn” arriving, it will pick up more.

Oh, and did you notice that they’re capitalizing the “M” now? A hint that the show may go for seasons so it can spell “X-MEN”?