The Gifted returns this week with “eMergence,” the premiere episode of season 2. It’s impossible to talk about the first episode of a new season without spoilers, so this is your warning.
1. No sophomore slump here.
If episode one is a reliable indicator of this season, “The Gifted” will remain the best live-action entry in the X-Men Franchise. The script is smart, with believable dialogue and enough plot threads to keep you guessing, but not so many that you check the credits for Chris Claremont’s name. By the 12 minute mark, we’re caught up with where everyone is (with one exception, more on that below,). But at the same time, we’ve still seen plenty of action.
The acting remains a highlight, especially for this season’s villains. The chemistry between Jamie Chung (Blink) and Blair Redford (Thunderbird) is fun to watch. Natalie Lynd has a chance to show us a Lauren Strucker that’s grown up a bit. Skyler Samuels and Grace Byers promise to be an upgrade in the villain department.
The production values remain high, too. The show is filmed with a first-class multi-camera setup, with exciting actions scenes that pop without falling into confusing jump cuts. One highlight is a police raid on an apartment complex is fast and furious with effective use of slow-mo mixed with real-time.
2. The Hellfire Club finally comes to the fore.
With Lorna and Andy defecting to the Hellfire Club at the end of season one, it’s no surprise that we see more of the mysterious mutant group in season two. But this isn’t just a matter of adding a few more mutants and call them “Hellfire,” or miscasting a character named “Shaw” and giving him a helmet and a nuclear sub. We see the betrayal, the scheming, and the seemingly unlimited resources, of the oldest and most powerful secret organization in the X-Men Universe. Finally!
Reeva Payge is the new head of the Inner Circle. She takes the throne the way one takes the throne of the Hellfire Club. While it did seem a little too easy, I appreciate her aggressive attitude and big plans. Reeva wasn’t satisfied with playing both ends from the background and waiting for the right moment to make a move. Reeva wants mutants to have “a place of their own,” and she wants it now.
Early on it looks like Grace Byers is going to be chewing a lot of scenery, but as the show progresses, we see that Reeva is capable of being subtle. She wears the Hellfire Club crown very well.
3. The Stepford Cuckoos are the Frost we needed.
While we’re on the subject of great villains, Skyler Samuels’ performance as Esme, Sophie, and Phoebe, Frost continues to be a highlight of the show. They are delightfully manipulative, even when they decide to convince someone to do what they want, instead of controlling them. Even with a new villain at the head of the Hellfire Club, the Frosts make you wonder who’s in charge. And you know what? I enjoying wondering.
Samuels gets a lot of screen time this episode, often with all three sisters in view at once, and I hope it continues. It’s hard to picture the Cuckoos portrayed by anyone else, but credit also needs to go to Matt Nix. The sisters have several scenes where we see not just how powerful they are, but what they are capable of. They even save the day in the end by showing us the Hellfire’s Club plans. Hint: Reeva’s vision of mutants having “place of their own” is not a reference to Genosha.
4. Sentinel Services are still in the mix, but only in the background.
Sentinel Services raids a mutant enclave early in the show. While the raid is brutal and we see a couple gunned down in their apartment, there are no hounds. We learn that it’s the third raid in a month and that Sentinel Services has the resistance on the run.
But that’s it for mutant police. Even though he is still credited in the series, Coby Bell’s Jace Turner doesn’t make an appearance. It was a wise choice, as the episode already had a great deal going on. To be honest, I didn’t miss him.
Continued below5. Oh yeah, and Lorna has a baby.
The big moment in “eMergence” is Lorna going into labor. There’s a lot of anticipation, including signs that the delivery will be difficult and dangerous for anyone nearby. Reeva arranges for a safe place for her to have the baby that reminiscent of Magneto’s cell in the first two X-Men movies.
Lorna’s pregnancy and the final scene show us what Reeva wants from Lorna: her power. When the delivery starts to become difficult, Reeva is immediately ready to give up on the child. This is an interesting take. We’ve been all but told that Lorna is Magneto’s daughter. We’ve seen that Lorna’s power may be even greater than her father’s. Why wouldn’t the Hellfire Club want that baby, especially when they know the father is a mutant too?
That’s it for “eMergence” and a promising start to a new season of The Gifted. What do you think of the Reeva and the Hellfire Club? What did you think of the show? Let us know in the comments!
