Set in the fictional Marvel universe, The Gifted is about two ordinary parents who discover their two children possess mutant powers, but instead of disowning them both out of fear, they go on the run, and later join an underground community of mutants who are trying to survive in a world where ordinary humans are fearful of mutants. Matt Nix, the showrunner of the series, and a long-time fan of the X-Men states the series is looking at mutants from a different side. The X-Men dealt with the world generally from their perspective, but this is from a different group’s point of view.
In this TV show that seems to be taking place in an alternate timeline, the X-Men have disappeared, and without them to help protect and look out for other mutants, there isn’t anyone to protect those struggling against the persecution.
Reception in Seasons One and Two
The Pilot received a solid viewership, but unfortunately, Season one of the Gifted did not do very well reception wise, and yet it was renewed. In comparison, the second season of the Gifted is only receiving an average 0.62 rating in the demographics between 18 – 49, with over 2.03 million viewers. However the first season of The Gifted did much better than the second, and the second season was down between 38% and 39%. However, the first season of The Gifted scored a 74% rating on Rotten Tomatoes while the second season garnered an 82% rating. As a result, the series has not yet been renewed for a third season, though there is still time for a third season to be ordered and FOX will begin writing up new scripts for the new season.
Why “The Gifted” Deserves to Get Renewed for a Season 3
The Gifted is not unique in being the only spin-off of the X-Men franchise. There are others, but this series explores old themes such as the persecution of minority groups. Drew Koch of Bustle Magazine noted it explored those themes, also highlighting criticisms of a mutant-hating government, and there is an antagonistic agency known as the Sentinel Services, believing that giving the organisation the “SS” initials was a reference to a well-known paramilitary division of Nazi Germany. But there were other themes involved as well. The X-Men are devoted to trying to form a peace between ordinary humans and mutants, but all the time there is an “underground railroad” for mutants who are trying to survive.
While many people may not like some of those themes for what they represent towards 20th-century history, the ideas are still compelling viewing since it shows a group of people living in the present day who are trying to survive in a world where their greatest protectors are no-where to be found.
That in itself must be compulsive viewing, surely?
A world of mutants in a timeline of the X-Men film universe, on the run from the government who are hunting down mutants out of fear and distrust, forced to trust other mutants while they survive in an underground railroad style setting while they try to establish peaceful co-existence with humanity… why wouldn’t you want to watch something like that? If The Gifted does return for a third season, then the writers will probably try to write it in a creative way. The writers have discovered there is a truly solid fan base for this series, though the problem is for the broadcast networks, it is not large enough. The good news is the series is streamed online, and very well by all accounts, and the hope is that something will work out in that corner.
While The Gifted can be streamed on FOX’s own website, though the content is unavailable in certain locations like the United Kingdom, it is possible to watch the series on Hulu. The writers are aware of how the show mirrors some aspects found in the comic book continuities, but that don’t base all of their writing on anything set in the comics. If season three does come around, they might look into some of the comic book settings and base an episode on something there.
Only time will tell, but the writers are already prepared to write a new set of 22 episodes.
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