DC'S LEGENDS OF TOMORROW: Treading Water

For my earlier views of DC's Legends Of Tomorrow as well as the other Arrowverse shows, click the link just below:
Arrowverse: The Good, The Bad & Killing The Ugly

If there was a way I can demonstrate a facepalm to you via text, I would. That is exactly how I am feeling right now with DC's Legends Of Tomorrow. A shame really because I was enjoying this series so much for the past two seasons. All of a sudden, it's just become too much for me to handle. I'm find myself hanging on by a finger, with that tiniest bit of hope that the series can return to its best or close to it (maybe episode twelve judging by the promising promo). Season four is just so bad. And when I say bad, I mean BAD! From the narrative to the characters driving it. Everything has taken an absolute nosedive. The best features are at the back while the unoriginal drama and cringy, overwhelming focus on light entertainment cover every bit of my screen. It's a medicine fine in small doses, but problematic when given in immoderation. I'll leave both the greater and finer details to the analysts, but I will happily share a deep enough view of why season four of the legends is downright hard for me to swallow. Do excuse me if I get fairly emotional.

I find there to be two types of viewers when it comes to DC's Legends Of Tomorrow. You have the insouciant, ever-so-positive and easily impressed fans who will take any light-hearted approach to entertainment. On the other side you have critics like me that are in search of a significant narrative and a logical chain of events. In my eyes, this is okay. If you fall in the first category, I'm fine with that despite how much I'd question it. But the important thing to remember is that this show has already set a foundation from the first season. One that signifies secondary characters getting the spotlight, fixing the timeline in their own usual yet crazy fashion. One that sees them use their powers and abilities and taking on different problems every time. All while building a team synergy never seen before on television. It seems with season four, the writers are only looking to break the mould and do so in an unpleasant manner. And everywhere I look, people are starting to catch on. The Legends are losing their touch.

I won't go too deep into the past seasons because I don't exactly have a strong recollection of what has taken place. But what I do know is that the past seasons have their great strengths. Yes, even season one. In spite of my disinterest in the Hawks storyline and how forgettable Vandal Savage (Casper Crump) was, DC's Legends Of Tomorrow then built an admirable base for storytelling. The 'legends' were themselves and clashed together so naturally. It was something that lasted up until now, notwithstanding the many departures including Snart (Wentworth Miller), Rip Hunter (Arthur Darvill), Martin Stein (Victor Garber), Jefferson (Franz Drameh) and Wally West (Keiynan Lonsdale). As the season went on, the stories were more exciting and more intense. The 'Legion of Doom' was the best antagonist (or group of antagonists to be exact). Season three was fairly dark, but it was mixed in with some absurd yet reasonable humour that somehow fitted in. It was the perfect balance. Heck, the show even got me to love Damien Darhk (Neal McDonough) when Arrow couldn't. 

Now having come off the peak of their game, the writing team suddenly came to the conclusion that comedy was the answer to everything. 'Oh look, they loved season three and that crazy finale. They loved how funny it was. Okay, let's crack jokes every ten seconds for the next season. Let's do killer unicorns and evil fairy godmothers. How about some more Gary and another quirky female character to complement him'. This just frustrates me in so many ways. Phil Klemmer and Keto Shimizu are continuing to constantly change the nature of the series so that it isn't the same. They are experimenting with the show in harmful ways, much to the point where the ratings are taking a hit and the target demographic is muddled. Not to forget them disregarding one of the more important fundamentals when it comes to a show such as this one. To not only leave viewers amused, but have them enjoy discussing what happens as well. To please both the heavy-minded and the heavy-hearted. 

I must also add that when it comes to comedy, there is always going to be a more significant divide. Comedy itself is the toughest genre to base material on as you are never going to appease everybody. All of us have a different sense of humour and find different things funny. One may like pranks and stupidity while others stick to such things as The Simpsons and Family Guy. This is why comedy movies don't always get strong reviews or favourable reception from critics (in particular spoof movies, which score extremely low on Rotten Tomatoes). It's because the critics themselves are everyday people just like us with a personal taste and perspective of their own. What one doesn't find humourous, they will often consider as being dry and ill-conceived. Here I demonstrate my point. DC's Legends Of Tomorrow takes a huge risk, especially given that it is somewhat changing the entire course of the show. I applaud the risk-taking, but it isn't leading towards good results.

Honestly, this show compared to the others right now is so weak. The compelling features aren't receiving much attention from the executive producers and the entire story has little to no flow. Some of the episodes are completely nonsensical to the point when they just shouldn't be happening. The logic has regularly been sacrificed for the cheap gag. And whenever the show sets up a number of laws and restrictions in one episode, they tend to break them as soon as the very next week. It's as if the show is written by children now. The quality is bad and there seems to be no care in the effort. All these little subplots are all over the place, and are not connecting as nicely as they should. One episode is dedicated to an entire caravan trip and next follows a Bollywood dance number from nowhere. I mean sure, it's fine to be amusingly unusual and even deliver a little tongue-in-cheek now and then. But when you do this at the expense of the story's flow and not indicate much of the direction the season is going, then some people like myself are going to be left confused. DC's Legends Of Tomorrow is looking like less of a DC Arrowverse show now, and more like a children's morning cartoon.

The characters have so far lost their impact. Not only do they barely suit up anymore, but their chemistry and connections with each other have either been tarnished or discarded. Sara (Caity Lotz) no longer holds the same strength and tenacity to carry the show, and is too weighed down by unnecessary relationship drama with Ava (Jes Macallan). Ray (Brandon Routh) has been completely dumbed down from a billionaire tech-expert to a bumbling and dull-witted device for pop culture references. Mick (Dominic Purcell) despite a gift for story-writing, remains a tad one-dimensional and his purpose is gradually drying up. Constantine (Matt Ryan) was brought into the show, only to end up much of a side character with his powers shelved. Charlie (Maisie Richardson-Sellers) who had some value, is now only hanging around because of the show-runners wanting to keep the actress (not that she's bad or anything). Nate (Nick Zano) is nearly just about useless (though I will be a bit lenient here given he has had family issues off set). And don't get me started on the totally unnecessary significance of both Gary (Adam Tsekhman) and Mona (Ramona Young), two quirky characters that only need to remain on the side. The only character that I am really enjoying right now is Zari (Tala Ashe), and she isn't getting the screen time she truly deserves.

And here is another issue I have to nitpick. What is the whole point of Courtney Ford being a series regular if they are barely even going to use her character? Of the eleven episodes so far, she has only had a proper role in five of them. The writers have something good here in Nora Darhk and are not even bothering with any real focus on her. Sure she doesn't have to appear in every episode. And perhaps they are about to do some things with the character from here onward, but even still she has been far too underutilized to be a series regular on the show. Even Gary is getting more attention, and he isn't a series regular. To me, that is just sad. I'm sorry, it just had to be said. Nora could arguably be my second favourite character in the series, but it's confusing as to why she has been promoted yet isn't getting the right amount of screen time. It kind of makes me think the show-runners are carrying too much right now. Especially with only 16 episodes in the season. Quit dawdling writers and give me more of Nora Darhk!

Overall, I just can't with this show right now. Judging from what I have seen so far, DC's Legends Of Tomorrow has gone from it's best season to it's worst in the space of a year. Nothing is holding the story together for me, and barely anything is leaving me anticipating for the upcoming episodes. It's not completely unwatchable, nor is it anything that leaves you on the verge of quitting like season four of Arrow (luckily I didn't after the back end of season five), but my goodness is it getting close to that. Legends has become a chore for me right now, and at times I just don't feel like I am in any hurry to view it. Of course this is just my opinion. If anybody thinks differently, that's perfectly fine. Just be aware that I do want the show to succeed and I have seen good come from it. But based on what I have seen from season four, I am not pleased at all. And I am beginning to doubt whether I will see improvement, as it feels like the writers are in their comfort zone. Hope they can at least hear those like me out.

Travis "TJ" James