After reading some reviews, I agree with most of the details. The show is ok. A CW super hero show with cussing and gore. At least there's no unnecessary nudity. The whole finale with older brother being the mastermind was meh and confusing. Apparently the backstory in the comic wasn't really explained well or thoroughly, but here it was drug out for a season. The whole code they live by is similar to Batman. I get it but not killing supervillains is dumb. Chloe is an annoying character. Hard pass with her. What, do kids get to be heros automatically? Nothing was explained. Star fox and transport wand guy. Where did they go again? Special effects an fighting is weak but the family arc isn't bad. I think the 7/10 is a good rating for the entire show. Some complaints on episode 1 mentioned conservative bashing. Guys I'm as conservative as you get and I had no issues with anything. The things in question could have been digs at the antifa wimps also. Grow up and quit being babies.
7 Reviews
A bad finale for a bad show. Completely butchers and over bloats the 10 issue comic book.
EddyTheMartian00710 May 2021
Warning: Spoilers
I wasn't even going to bother leaving a review for this as I didn't care much for this show, and was mostly bored throughout, but since I noticed nobody reviewed the finale I thought I might as well. As a quick summary, I don't think this show is awful by any means, though I would call it bad, it has some good elements, and some interesting stuff, even some decent episodes, but it's the execution, and sluggish pacing that ruins it.
Before I give my main Issues with the show I do want to say some positives. I liked a lot of the ideas explored, though they aren't that well executed. Most of the acting is pretty good. I think some aren't that good like Brandon's actor, but for the most part they're serviceable. I particularly liked the actors for Utopian, Brainwave, Lady Liberty and Skyfox. They carry both the present and past scenes quite well. The costumes are quite nice. Ironically while comics are able to get away with cooler designs, I think the costumes on the show look even better. I appreciate how they actually tried with the camera work, there's some really nice shots. However, in terms of tone and writing, this felt like one of the CW superhero shows with a bigger budget (but when they got bad, because some of the early seasons were actually really good). There's some good moments of action, but for the most part it feels badly directed, making the action sloppy and even unenjoyable at times.
By far the biggest problem with this show is the over-bloated storyline. The best thing this show did was advertise the original comic book, which I read before watching the last 2 episodes cause I was disappointed. The comic book was quite good and it shocked me to see that this show took 10 issues (plus 12 with the prequel) and turned the first 2-3 issues into 8 episodes. It's absolutely insane they were able to over extend the storyline to this extent. For context the flashback scenes that take like half the show are only about 10 pages in the original comic book. Now I'm not a comic book purist who's going to hate on this just because it's inaccurate, I watched most before I read, but it disappoints me even more how badly they butchered a potentially great mini series. My biggest issue with the comic book would have to be how rushed it feels, and lack of development for certain things so I actually would've liked more things to be better developed, but not to THIS extent.
A lot of the show honestly feels pointless. In the comic Chloe just overdoses, but the show has to have this insanely contrived set up just for this event, which doesn't even lead to much. Skyfox's son has to do this heist for this gangster (I assume?) that goes wrong, then he has to find more people to make it work, so he finally gets the drugs they need, and while returning they hit Chloe, who takes the drugs back home, has a party, leading to her overdose, which is shown twice from 2 different perspectives... This is the plot for an episode, and a half. Extending certain stuff can work, like some extra development given in the flashbacks, which the stock market crash, Walter being neglected, their father's suicide, but at the same time this didn't need to be half of the show. In these 8 episodes they didn't even get to the main event of the third issue. If you want to over extend the show then use the prequel series instead to set up the past of these heroes and explain the whole deal with Skyfox, which I found to be quite compelling.
The pacing isn't the only problem though. I just feel like the writers had no idea what they were really trying to do. The comic shows Utopian clinging to his code that they shouldn't interfere with politics, he's naive and idealistic, desperately trying to believe that the government knows what it's doing, but Walter and other people around him are starting to feel disillusioned. The show changes this to the dilemma of killing criminals, which can work too in some ways, but isn't well developed. So in all of these years NOBODY killed a villain EVER?! In the first episode Utopian literally would rather everyone blows up and dies than kill villain... He says they could've taken him to space but then why didn't he do that before?! There's certain things I like, such as Lady Liberty realizing the flawed of the code and going disagreeing with m her husband, but as a whole nothing that interesting is done here. The finale puts them in an interesting position where the villain is making Utopoian choose to save his son by killing him, or let his son die, but then of course heroes have to come to save the day. This would've been perfect set up for the big event in issue 3 too.
As I look back on the show I honestly don't know what else to mention, there's a lot I could say about it, but the show is simply so boring I cant be bothered to say much more, but I'll try. It doesn't help that a lot of the characters aren't even that likable. Chloe is incredibly insufferable, and it made the episode that focused on her the worst episode by far. It didn't help that it also had the worst section of the flashbacks too, and half the storyline was pointless too, as I explained before. Her comic version is actually far more likable, and she's actually pretty well developed and interesting despite such the short length of the comic book. I actually like certain episodes, 3 and 7 were the best. I liked the therapy session with a last villain in episode 5, but wouldn't that have been way more impactful if it was set up through the flashbacks to the prequel comic instead of using the island flashbacks?
Honestly I feel like the writers must've been rushed and forced to do some of these things. I just can't believe they'd adapt this so badly. It's 10 issues, 22 if you include the prequel. The storyline is so badly structured and convoluted I think they just made up stuff as they went. It's not even just about the story, the dialogue is also pretty bad at times. When I just started this show I was shocked at how laughable some of the dialogue was. There's a lot of stupid moments in this show, but Walter's plan has to be one of the dumbest and most convoluted parts. So this dude cloned a super villain for this fight, where he had a conversation in his head even though you can't fake that for the audience, that conveniently leads to the entire conflict of the show, now he needs to revive the villain, to extract information, he needs his daughter for this, who he kills cause she knows what his hiding (why get her then?), fake this entire fight in their heads to frame Skyfox, somehow almost dies from this forcing Lady Liberty to go in too, and then succeed because this somehow leads to his plan of saving the world by controlling the government. What?! In the comic all he did was talk to people with basic manipulation. This is honestly hilarious.
In conclusion: Read the comic. I'm usually not one to say this but it's literally 10 ISSUES... Now I'm actually sad that we could've gotten a great or even amazing mini series if it adapted the comic book well with a bit more added context so it doesn't feel rushed. Honestly I don't even hate this show, but what I do hate is how pointless and needlessly slow half of the show is. There's really are a lot of interesting ideas here, certain things are actually pretty well executed, some changes to the comics actually work, but the show as a whole just falls apart trying to be longer than it should be, more complex than it is, and simply not that well made in general. This is extremely disappointing with the rise of mature comic book tv shows. Watchmen, Doom Patrol, The Boys, and especially Invincible now, are all genuinely great and worth watching over this in my opinion. Maybe in an alternate world this was well adapted and it would sit comfortably in that list, but we don't live in that world unfortunately.
4/10.
Before I give my main Issues with the show I do want to say some positives. I liked a lot of the ideas explored, though they aren't that well executed. Most of the acting is pretty good. I think some aren't that good like Brandon's actor, but for the most part they're serviceable. I particularly liked the actors for Utopian, Brainwave, Lady Liberty and Skyfox. They carry both the present and past scenes quite well. The costumes are quite nice. Ironically while comics are able to get away with cooler designs, I think the costumes on the show look even better. I appreciate how they actually tried with the camera work, there's some really nice shots. However, in terms of tone and writing, this felt like one of the CW superhero shows with a bigger budget (but when they got bad, because some of the early seasons were actually really good). There's some good moments of action, but for the most part it feels badly directed, making the action sloppy and even unenjoyable at times.
By far the biggest problem with this show is the over-bloated storyline. The best thing this show did was advertise the original comic book, which I read before watching the last 2 episodes cause I was disappointed. The comic book was quite good and it shocked me to see that this show took 10 issues (plus 12 with the prequel) and turned the first 2-3 issues into 8 episodes. It's absolutely insane they were able to over extend the storyline to this extent. For context the flashback scenes that take like half the show are only about 10 pages in the original comic book. Now I'm not a comic book purist who's going to hate on this just because it's inaccurate, I watched most before I read, but it disappoints me even more how badly they butchered a potentially great mini series. My biggest issue with the comic book would have to be how rushed it feels, and lack of development for certain things so I actually would've liked more things to be better developed, but not to THIS extent.
A lot of the show honestly feels pointless. In the comic Chloe just overdoses, but the show has to have this insanely contrived set up just for this event, which doesn't even lead to much. Skyfox's son has to do this heist for this gangster (I assume?) that goes wrong, then he has to find more people to make it work, so he finally gets the drugs they need, and while returning they hit Chloe, who takes the drugs back home, has a party, leading to her overdose, which is shown twice from 2 different perspectives... This is the plot for an episode, and a half. Extending certain stuff can work, like some extra development given in the flashbacks, which the stock market crash, Walter being neglected, their father's suicide, but at the same time this didn't need to be half of the show. In these 8 episodes they didn't even get to the main event of the third issue. If you want to over extend the show then use the prequel series instead to set up the past of these heroes and explain the whole deal with Skyfox, which I found to be quite compelling.
The pacing isn't the only problem though. I just feel like the writers had no idea what they were really trying to do. The comic shows Utopian clinging to his code that they shouldn't interfere with politics, he's naive and idealistic, desperately trying to believe that the government knows what it's doing, but Walter and other people around him are starting to feel disillusioned. The show changes this to the dilemma of killing criminals, which can work too in some ways, but isn't well developed. So in all of these years NOBODY killed a villain EVER?! In the first episode Utopian literally would rather everyone blows up and dies than kill villain... He says they could've taken him to space but then why didn't he do that before?! There's certain things I like, such as Lady Liberty realizing the flawed of the code and going disagreeing with m her husband, but as a whole nothing that interesting is done here. The finale puts them in an interesting position where the villain is making Utopoian choose to save his son by killing him, or let his son die, but then of course heroes have to come to save the day. This would've been perfect set up for the big event in issue 3 too.
As I look back on the show I honestly don't know what else to mention, there's a lot I could say about it, but the show is simply so boring I cant be bothered to say much more, but I'll try. It doesn't help that a lot of the characters aren't even that likable. Chloe is incredibly insufferable, and it made the episode that focused on her the worst episode by far. It didn't help that it also had the worst section of the flashbacks too, and half the storyline was pointless too, as I explained before. Her comic version is actually far more likable, and she's actually pretty well developed and interesting despite such the short length of the comic book. I actually like certain episodes, 3 and 7 were the best. I liked the therapy session with a last villain in episode 5, but wouldn't that have been way more impactful if it was set up through the flashbacks to the prequel comic instead of using the island flashbacks?
Honestly I feel like the writers must've been rushed and forced to do some of these things. I just can't believe they'd adapt this so badly. It's 10 issues, 22 if you include the prequel. The storyline is so badly structured and convoluted I think they just made up stuff as they went. It's not even just about the story, the dialogue is also pretty bad at times. When I just started this show I was shocked at how laughable some of the dialogue was. There's a lot of stupid moments in this show, but Walter's plan has to be one of the dumbest and most convoluted parts. So this dude cloned a super villain for this fight, where he had a conversation in his head even though you can't fake that for the audience, that conveniently leads to the entire conflict of the show, now he needs to revive the villain, to extract information, he needs his daughter for this, who he kills cause she knows what his hiding (why get her then?), fake this entire fight in their heads to frame Skyfox, somehow almost dies from this forcing Lady Liberty to go in too, and then succeed because this somehow leads to his plan of saving the world by controlling the government. What?! In the comic all he did was talk to people with basic manipulation. This is honestly hilarious.
In conclusion: Read the comic. I'm usually not one to say this but it's literally 10 ISSUES... Now I'm actually sad that we could've gotten a great or even amazing mini series if it adapted the comic book well with a bit more added context so it doesn't feel rushed. Honestly I don't even hate this show, but what I do hate is how pointless and needlessly slow half of the show is. There's really are a lot of interesting ideas here, certain things are actually pretty well executed, some changes to the comics actually work, but the show as a whole just falls apart trying to be longer than it should be, more complex than it is, and simply not that well made in general. This is extremely disappointing with the rise of mature comic book tv shows. Watchmen, Doom Patrol, The Boys, and especially Invincible now, are all genuinely great and worth watching over this in my opinion. Maybe in an alternate world this was well adapted and it would sit comfortably in that list, but we don't live in that world unfortunately.
4/10.
Poor end to a series with potential.
johndavidson-15 June 2021
Warning: Spoilers
The 1920s /30s origin was well done... Better than in the comic if I'm honest, but the modern day plot just fell apart in this episode.
The mind reader supporting character spends half the episode roping in his reluctant daughter to assist in the exploration of a dead supervillain clone and then doing the deed (risking his life in the process). Ostensibly to find out who created the clone, and why. Only to reveal that it was said mind reader that did it. Then he has to kill his daughter because she works it out having had to go in to the clones headspace herself to rescue her dad.
Makes no sense, other than as a cheap reveal.
The mind reader supporting character spends half the episode roping in his reluctant daughter to assist in the exploration of a dead supervillain clone and then doing the deed (risking his life in the process). Ostensibly to find out who created the clone, and why. Only to reveal that it was said mind reader that did it. Then he has to kill his daughter because she works it out having had to go in to the clones headspace herself to rescue her dad.
Makes no sense, other than as a cheap reveal.
I liked this show when it started. As it went i realized it's a story with potential and horrible execution.
diehardbroncosfan2 June 2021
For some reason there's about 20 minutes they decided to edit out of this final episode. Fights end just randomly and doesn't give you closure on anything. The story could be great but at some point whoever wrote or directed it murdered this story in editing.
Oh Netflix...
taraangel-4096021 May 2021
Once again I allowed myself to believe that Netflix could actually create a decent series. Once again I was wrong. The entire thing was often boring. The last episode was just garbage. I don't know why they spend the money they make from us on creating more and more forgettable junk. I gave it a 1 for the very few scenes that I did enjoy. I doubt that there will be a second season. They do that a lot, but this show I actually hope that they don't.
Learn How to Write a Series Finale!
Gislef21 August 2021
Warning: Spoilers
As I predicted in my earlier reviews, none of the questions raised got answered. How did anyone other than original six (and maybe Paragon, Hutch, and Raikou) get their powers?
And there are some other questions that I just now thought of? How old is Fitz in the present? He was in his... 20s in 1929. Wouldn't that make him over 100 now? He's very well preserved for a 100-year-old man. Did his aging slow down like it apparently did for the others? What's up with the whole slow-aging thing?
What happen to Blue Bolt? What was the thing with strip clubs? How is more power going to let Hutch find George? If Lady Liberty can tell why people were telling the truth, as was implied last episode by Raikou, why could she never tell that Walt was lying?
And why did Blackstar (unwittingly) go along with Walt's plan to split up Utopian and Paragon? Why was Blackstar willing to put his life on the line to make Utopian kill him? Why did he even care about forcing Utopian to abandon the Code? And... who would know if Utopian did kill him? They were in a locked down prison, for Pete's sake. Yes, word might have leaked out. But it could leak out, true or false.
Speaking of dropped plotlines... what was up with Hutch and Chloe. They both had relatively strong intro episodes, got thrown together out of the blue for some young hot sex (and for Elena Kampuris to provide some semi-nudity: really, Netflix, that was the best you could do? But she does rock a cashmere sweater, all you Ed Wood fans), and to have a fight of sorts at the end.
Which didn't make much sense, naturally. For one thing, how did Chloe track Hutch to China? At least when Sheldon tracked Hutch to Iowa, he heard Hutch say "Iowa". And why did someone have the power core? Didn't Hutch already have it? Who were the guys beating on Hutch, and who did the vault belong to? Don't ask, because the production staff won't answer.
Also, was it just me, or did Walt's clone-brain plan not make a whit of sense. Why could the mental construct of Skyfox almost kill Walt? Walt created it: why would he make something that could not only kill him? "To make it convincing" you might say. Make it convincing for who? According to the dialogue at the end, Raikou was only there because Grace insisted, with Walt presumably didn't expect. And Grace was only in the mindscape because Raikou was around to put Grace there. According to Walt's original plan, he was going to be in the mindscape alone. So why did he need a near-fatal Skyfox in there as well?
Basically, the production staff wrote like they were going to get another season. So the finale seemed more like the end of a chapter. Narrator voice: never write the last episode of season thinking you're going to get another season. Network execs, even on Netflix, are a fickle bunch. Not to mention superstitious and cowardly, to borrow a catchphrase from another hero. :)
So the first and last season of JL ended on a bit of wet squib. Questions raised were never answered. And the big storyline wasn't anywhere near being resolved. We get Raikou's death, but she was introduced in episode 7 of 8, so that was way too late to care about her death.
But that's just my opinion, I could be wrong. What do you think?
And there are some other questions that I just now thought of? How old is Fitz in the present? He was in his... 20s in 1929. Wouldn't that make him over 100 now? He's very well preserved for a 100-year-old man. Did his aging slow down like it apparently did for the others? What's up with the whole slow-aging thing?
What happen to Blue Bolt? What was the thing with strip clubs? How is more power going to let Hutch find George? If Lady Liberty can tell why people were telling the truth, as was implied last episode by Raikou, why could she never tell that Walt was lying?
And why did Blackstar (unwittingly) go along with Walt's plan to split up Utopian and Paragon? Why was Blackstar willing to put his life on the line to make Utopian kill him? Why did he even care about forcing Utopian to abandon the Code? And... who would know if Utopian did kill him? They were in a locked down prison, for Pete's sake. Yes, word might have leaked out. But it could leak out, true or false.
Speaking of dropped plotlines... what was up with Hutch and Chloe. They both had relatively strong intro episodes, got thrown together out of the blue for some young hot sex (and for Elena Kampuris to provide some semi-nudity: really, Netflix, that was the best you could do? But she does rock a cashmere sweater, all you Ed Wood fans), and to have a fight of sorts at the end.
Which didn't make much sense, naturally. For one thing, how did Chloe track Hutch to China? At least when Sheldon tracked Hutch to Iowa, he heard Hutch say "Iowa". And why did someone have the power core? Didn't Hutch already have it? Who were the guys beating on Hutch, and who did the vault belong to? Don't ask, because the production staff won't answer.
Also, was it just me, or did Walt's clone-brain plan not make a whit of sense. Why could the mental construct of Skyfox almost kill Walt? Walt created it: why would he make something that could not only kill him? "To make it convincing" you might say. Make it convincing for who? According to the dialogue at the end, Raikou was only there because Grace insisted, with Walt presumably didn't expect. And Grace was only in the mindscape because Raikou was around to put Grace there. According to Walt's original plan, he was going to be in the mindscape alone. So why did he need a near-fatal Skyfox in there as well?
Basically, the production staff wrote like they were going to get another season. So the finale seemed more like the end of a chapter. Narrator voice: never write the last episode of season thinking you're going to get another season. Network execs, even on Netflix, are a fickle bunch. Not to mention superstitious and cowardly, to borrow a catchphrase from another hero. :)
So the first and last season of JL ended on a bit of wet squib. Questions raised were never answered. And the big storyline wasn't anywhere near being resolved. We get Raikou's death, but she was introduced in episode 7 of 8, so that was way too late to care about her death.
But that's just my opinion, I could be wrong. What do you think?
See also
Awards | FAQ | User Ratings | External Reviews | Metacritic Reviews
