Fall TV First Impression: The Gifted 

The broadcast networks have nearly 20 shows debuting this fall, including ABC’s 

 with Kyra Sedgwick, NBC’s look at 

. To help you prep for it all, TVLine is offering First Impressions of the not-for-review pilots. 

THE SET-UP | When young Andy Strucker and his sister Lauren (played by White and Lind) are outed as mutants, they and their parents must go on the run from Agent Jace Turner (Bell) and his Sentinel Services team. To that end, they must entrust an underground mutant network whose members include Thunderbird, Polaris, Eclipse and Blink.

RELATEDThe Gifted Boss Assures Amy Acker Fans: Mom of Mutants Is a ‘Badass Warrior’

THE FIRST IMPRESSION | The fall’s most-anticipated new drama (per a TVLine poll),

grabs you from go, marrying an instantly engaging premise with some rather slick visual effects. (The “invisible” barriers that Lauren thrusts into people’s paths,

as well as Blink’s handmade teleportation “portals,” are rendered in especially cool ways.) The dynamics and powers within the mutant underground are quickly and clearly established, as are the relationships among the Struckers. Yes, Marvel’s X-Men are referenced… as having gone off the grid, thus leaving these non-marquee mutants to fend for themselves against formidable, perhaps-reprehensible government foes.

plot twists, including one that closes the hour before the screen abruptly (and frustratingly!) cuts to black.

, no easy feat with an ensemble this size and with uniformly telegenic resistance members that could have easily come off as interchangeable, yet emerge as distinct and relatable.

RELATED Fall TV Schedule: What’s on When? And Versus What?

THE TVLINE BOTTOM LINE | It’d be great to see Fox have an unqualified freshman hit here, but those

singers famously suck up a lot of the night’s oxygen. Even so, leading out of an increasingly buzzy

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With Legion our there, there is a high standard for not-Xmen but still mutants shows and I’m so excited to see that it’s so promising. I can’t wait!

Thanks Matt. I hope one of the twists involves Amy Acker.

Well, if it’s better than what FX did with Legion, I’ll be happy. Solid direction, and a clearly defined story will keep me watching.

Lol, in no way shape or form can network TV do something on Legions level of creativity and intelligence. If you expect a Fox show to be better than Legion then you will be very disappointed.

I’m only showing up for my girl Melanie from Bunheads, and my general love of comic-book adaptations, but if it’s as solid as you say, I’ll stick around.

She’s playing one of my favourite mutants ever, I’m so excited.

I’ve been looking forward to see the show since the first trailer came out. I can’t wait to see the show this fall being paired with Lucifer!

I hope The Gifted succeeds because FOX needs a good break out hit again. But knowing FOX and how they treat their shows I am afraid of what will happen if FOX ends up feeling the need to fix it. I think it will be ok against those other shows certainly not any worse than FOX’S other Monday combos

Matt, how would you qualify Amy Acker’s performance in this? Looking forward to watching it mainly for her, she deserves to be part of a hit show

Given their last name, the dad should be a mutant, but I suspect it’s the mom.

GIven the last name shouldn’t they be members of hydra? (Von Strucker) now if they went with Stryker :)

Indeed. Ideally, Andrea, Andreas, and even Werner should show up on the show down the line. It would be a perfect way to crossover with Agents of SHIELD.

Except that will NEVER ever happen – any more than cyclops would show up in a marvel movie.

FOX has royally screwed up the x-men time and again – i have very little hope for this show – i’m guessing the story line taking place in the 80s they can use the 80s storyline where the x-men “died” (they didn’t really, they some how had to sacrafice something with gaea to make it look like they died, they didn’t show up on monitoring or anything, i don’t fully remember the story line)

To me deadpool and logan were flukes where fox stayed out of it because of lack of faith (and low budget) in deadpool and because hell ‘it’s the last wolverine movie’ so let’s go out with a bang…

When discussing Marvel, it is important to keep in mind that there is a difference between Marvel Studios (which makes the movies) and Marvel Television (which makes the live-action and animated television series).

Both The Gifted and Legion are produced in conjunction with Marvel Television (i.e. Jeph Loeb), therefore it is not beyond the realm of possibility for these shows to interact with the others on ABC and Netflix (whether it’s PLAUSIBLE is another thing altogether).

As for the X-Men movies, “royally screwed up” is a matter of subjective opinion. As someone who only ever read the Claremont/Byrne run, I’ve liked the movies.

As for what the possible status quo of the X-Men might be, given that Logan (the man, not the movie) rewrote the timeline at the end of Days of Future Past, it is more than likely that The Gifted is our first glimpse into the present-day world of the X-Men.

Thank goodness 4 hours of reality on Monday is the worst. I for one am not sucking up the Voice and Dancing Stars air. Although I was happy with Gotham in this time slot too.

I’m so glad to be watching Amy Acker again. I’ve followed her from show to show and can’t wait to see The Gifted.

Maybe the only new show I’m really looking forward to this fall.

Tell me, when they give Amy Acker powers and I promise to watch the whole thing.

I’m afraid to watch a show with Amy Acker. What if her character die again? If there is one ability I want her character to have, it’s immortality. The immortal doctor Caitlin who can’t die and will outlive everyone. Somewhat tragic but interesting ability that creates a lot of additional drama for the character. They could use it for the time travel episodes if they’ll planing on making them of course.

Honestly, the show could be complete garbage and I’d still watch it. Polaris is one of my favorite X-Men and I’m SO happy she’s finally showing up on screen.

I will watch it for Amy Acker. I will also watch it and hope it gets better ratings than Kevin Can Wait after the way they treated Erinn Hayes.

Forgive me if this was covered somewhere else and I missed it, but what does “not-for-review pilots” mean? I presume this is not about a review being embargoed before a date certain, because I know TV Line would honor that, and it can’t be about a preview not being available, since obviously they’ve watched the show because how else could they review it, so … color me confused!

Source: “TVLine is offering First Impressions of the not-for-review pilots”

Natalie Alyn Lind?? Daughter of Barbara and sister to the girl that played young Emily in revenge?? that family is talented! I’m excited for this show!

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