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'Legends Of Tomorrow' Is DC's Least-Watched, Worst-Reviewed Show — But Here's Why You Should Give It A Chance

There seems to be a stigma that 'Legends of Tomorrow' is the inferior cousin of 'Supergirl,' 'The Flash' and 'Green Arrow', but I'd argue that it's been the most consistent Arrowverse series this year.

By Alex HodgsonPublished 6 years ago 4 min read
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DC's Legends of Tomorrow' [Credit: The CW] 

For whatever reason, Legends Of Tomorrow seems to be the ugly duckling of The CW's #Arrowverse. It has the lowest viewership and only a 66 percent Rotten Tomatoes score, compared to 94 to 97 percent for #Arrow, #TheFlash and #Supergirl.

Maybe this is because it isn't about one particular hero; the other three shows all focus on one hero's journey, while Legends of Tomorrow is an ensemble show about a group of misfits who are forced to work together. Or maybe it's because Supergirl, the Flash and Green Arrow are household names, whereas casual fans aren't familiar with the Legends.

Whatever it is, there seems to be a stigma that Legends of Tomorrow is the inferior cousin of the other three shows. However, I'd argue that it's been the best (or at least, the most consistent) Arrowverse series this year, so here's why you should give it a chance.

They're An Unorthodox Team Like The Guardians Of The Galaxy

'DC's Legends of Tomorrow' [Credit: The CW]

The unorthodox nature of the team is exactly what makes the show work. We see in the pilot that Rip Hunter carefully chooses heroes (and a couple of villains) whose impact on the timeline is minimal, though they do end up in their fair share of bar fights. His team consists of two scientists, an assassin, an engineer, a barista and two thieves — not your average superhero team-up.

The interaction between the team is always brilliant; Ray Palmer has had a number of bromances, and Mick Rory's dynamic with Vixen is also interesting as he shows the JSA member that sometimes, the thieves' way is the right way. If Star-Lord, Gamora, Drax, Rocket Raccoon and Groot are your favorite Marvel characters, then this is the DC show for you.

The Ideas It Explores Are Super Interesting

Legends of Tomorrow is all about time travel, and even Barry Allen's meddling with the timeline on The Flash (dammit, Barry!) is child's play compared to the aberrations that the Legends come up against. They'll often travel back to significant moments in history that have been altered in some way; this always leads to amusing conversations between the modern-day superheroes and their historical idols.

Quite often, the Legends are terrible time travellers. Sara Lance made the rookie mistake of telling Damien Darhk that he was going to die — which, of course, led to him wanting to rectify this. Along with the Reverse Flash, Eobard Thawne and Malcolm Merlyn, Darhk formed the Legion of Doom in an attempt to alter his fate; the Legion are an excellent foil to the Legends, as they are in essence the mirror image of the team, wreaking havoc on history.

Another interesting concept is introduced in the episode "Land of the Lost" when the team ventures into the subconscious of their leader in an attempt to reverse his brainwashing; Sara and Jax enter Rip's mind and search for his former self, while fighting Rip's own internalized, evil notions of them.

Ideas like this show that Legends of Tomorrow has a unique place within the Arrowverse. Even on The Flash, which has some pretty fantastical scientific ideas, we wouldn't see Barry and Cisco venturing into another hero's mind, but Legends can play with sci-fi concepts in a really fun way.

Mick Rory Is An Amazing Breakout Character

In ensemble shows, there's always a breakout character — and in my opinion, the breakout star of Legends of Tomorrow is Mick Rory. When we're first introduced to him in The Flash, Mick seemed to be the idiot sidekick to Captain Cold, mildly obsessed with fire.

But joining the Legends allowed Mick to grow; the first half of Season 2 featured him grieving for his lost partner in his own way. Mick would often be spotted with a bottle of beer in his hand, drowning his sorrows, but deep inside he just wanted to find his place on the team.

It's Pure Superhero Fun

One of the most endearing aspects of Legends of Tomorrow is just how much fun it is. Unlike the gritty and serious Arrow, each and every one of the Legends is having a blast while saving all of time and space. Nobody is bogged down in relationship trouble or personal drama; they simply travel through time and save the day, often with joy on their faces when they arrive in a new time zone.

Even the villains are having a great time! The revenge-filled Prometheus on Arrow and Savitar's God of Speed on The Flash certainly wouldn't have the banter that the Legion of Doom have with one another.

Plus, how many other shows would have an episode that features George Lucas (yep, THAT one) as a key player?

Legends of Tomorrow is definitely a show worth checking out. Though it might have been a bit of an ugly duckling during Season 1, the changes made in Season 2 have been dramatic improvements — and it's certainly grown into a beautiful swan.

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About the Creator

Alex Hodgson

I'm a massive superhero fan who loves to put my thoughts down in writing. Spider-Man is my favourite, but I'm also a lover of the Arrowverse. Follow me on twitter @AlexJHodgson

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