5 Reasons to Watch 'The Gifted' on FOX

Firstly, I'd like to give a brief explanation on what FOX's new show The Gifted is really all about. The series mainly focuses on the Struckers, your average, well-off, generically nuclear family. After certain events unfold within the first episode (I won't spoil anything), the parents discover that their children are mutants. Within this world, much like with any other X-title, mutants are feared and hated, so it's not a big surprise when the authorities begin their pursuit of the children for being "Dangerous Mutants." The parents, Reed (Stephen Moyer) and Kate (Amy Acker) decide that family is the most important thing and decide to flee the authorities to keep their children, Lauren (Natalie Alyn Lind) and Andy (Percy Hynes White), safe. The main antagonists of the series are the agents from "Sentinel Services" (If you think that word sounds familiar, you'd be right, "Sentinels" are those are the giant mechanized monstrosities known for claiming hundreds of mutant lives within the comics, movies, and television adaptations).

The show doesn't only focus on the family, however, lots of screen time is devoted to a renegade group of mutants who call themselves "The Underground." These people rescue other mutants who are being hunted and give them a safe place to rest their heads. They also have notable heroes from the comics within their ranks such as Polaris, Blink, and Thunderbird.

1. Fresh Look at the X-Universe

The many comics and graphic novels of this Marvel property have done an amazing job at crafting the larger universe that these characters reside within, but what makes The Gifted stand out from traditional storylines involving mutants and the X-men is that it tries to convey an entirely different tone. The show strives to focus on the smaller aspects of a much greater world, this way audiences don't feel like they must pick up a comic book before they can start watching, just so they can follow along with the narrative. The Gifted allows audiences to experience what it's like for the proverbial "little guy" within the X-universe, without the glamour of super heroism or the safe spaces provided by older, insanely rich, philanthropic paraplegics.

2. Diversity of the Cast

Now, this reason may not be important to everyone, but I find it to be something incredible because of what the X-men stand for in the eyes of so many different people in the world. The X-franchise is famously known for their publication being an analogy to the plight of minorities within the real world. The X-men have always been something that no matter who you were, you could find at least one character to identify with. Accepting differences has always been one of the most used and reoccurring themes within the franchise, even with all the super villains and giant killer robots, these heroes strive to improve relations with people and create a better world. The reason diversification makes the list is because any show involving mutants and the X-men wouldn't be a proper X-storyline without representing different ideals and individuals.

3. The Xtraordinary Story

The storyline of The Gifted is amazingly engaging just from the first couple of minutes of the show. You're pulled into their world, and you get to see what some mutants have to experience without having much time to try to acclimate yourself. The show keeps a steady tempo, from the dynamic moments of the underground to the more heartwarming interactions of the Strucker family. I’ve found that there isn’t a dull moment in the program. The audience is either learning interesting facts about the various characters, the world at large, or dealing with any number of threats that seem to constantly pop up for the show's protagonists. The Gifted does an astonishing job at delivering a compelling family narrative within an absurdly terrifying world of uncertainty. It engages audiences by fully showcasing the bonds of these individuals and how they view their lives and the world around them.

4. Quality Family Entertainment

The Gifted is something that you can watch with family or friends, it's easily understandable, highly engaging, and just a great show for all ages. The show is entertaining for younger individuals because of the use of super powers, special effects and younger actors while still having a compelling storyline with experienced veterans of the fantasy genre to pull in older audiences who loved actors like Stephen Moyer from True Blood. It's something that you can binge watch without it making you or other viewers feel like they're struggling through slow and uninteresting episodes. It has something for everyone, whether that be action scenes for the Marvel fanboy or heartwarming family moment for those emotional viewers.

5. It's the X-Men

The Gifted is still an apart of some form of the X-universe, and that alone is huge reason to watch the show. The X-men storylines have been some of the most powerfully written and influential within the history of comics, taking even just a bit of what made those stories great is going to be amazing when applied to this show. It retains classic aspects of the comics like discrimination that correlates into the modern world, while showing how these events are perceived through the eyes of a small family which makes for captivating storytelling. At the end of the day, the proof is in the pudding as they say and you have to take the time to watch the show to truly decide for yourself. I would highly recommend to anyone that watching The Gifted is a great decision. It airs Mondays at 8 PM Central on Fox. You should really check it out.