Jupiter's Legacy is a superhero drama based on the comic of the same name. It follows the story of one world's superheroes and mainly focuses on how these heroes' children live up to their parents' expectations. Despite having a great plot, the Netflix adaptation of the comic unfortunately has received scathing reviews.
From the ill-timed storyline to messing up the character arcs and even not having enough representation, Jupiter's Legacy really disappointed many fans. Although it had an interesting concept behind its plot, unfortunately, it failed in its execution.
10 Inconsistencies In Maintaining The Timeline
Jupiter's Legacy followed two timelines, one based in the past and one in the present. However, their portrayal of the same was inconsistent. The show kept switching between the past and the present with no fixed pattern. Some episodes took place in the past, some in the present.
This confused the audience. Convoluted storytelling can cut viewers' interest as they are required to pay more attention to time shifts than actually enjoying the plot.
9 The Start Of The Show Wasn't Strong Enough
One of the most important deciding factors of the success of a show is its first episode. It reveals how good the creators are at keeping their audience engaged and anticipating what comes next. Although sometimes shows pick up later on, the opening determines its potential.
Jupiter's Legacy regrettably was unsuccessful in grabbing the audience's attention in its first episode. It spent too much time narrating its plot rather than actually showing it, which took away from important points like introducing the characters and creating curiosity about their futures.
8 They Botched The Character Development
A show is made great not just by the plot but also by how each individual character progresses. Character arcs frame how the show is perceived by its audience. Jupiter's Legacy left little for the audience to interpret and imagine.
The series openly told its characters' thoughts and motives to its viewers rather than letting the actors subtly portray them with their skills. Despite having a talented cast, their skills were left unused. This took away from the mystery and intrigue that could have kept the audience on the edge of their seats.
7 Showing Two Timelines Simultaneously Ruined The Suspense
Jupiter's Legacy could have had an amazing build-up had they divided the past and present into two segments rather than playing them out simultaneously. Knowing the present made seeing the past as the outcome was already known.
The beauty of the show could have laid in seeing how the characters overcame the hurdles presented to them on their journey of becoming superheroes. The suspense of whether they succeeded or not could have made the audience come back for more. Unfortunately, the charm of the past timeline's plot was lost as a result.
6 The Show Was Badly Paced
Timing is crucial in holding an audience's attention. If a show's plot is outstanding but it poorly paced, then the audience will get distracted and lose interest. This is exactly what happened to Jupiter's Legacy.
The show spent time focusing on irrelevant narration instead of quickening the pace and keeping the audience attentive and on their toes. Every plot element was dragged out, making the audience lose interest early on.
5 The Show Had Unfinished Storylines
The show dragged out its plot, but it also couldn't complete the plots that it started. Every episode started a new storyline while leaving the previous one unfinished which confused and disoriented the audience.
Although they showed the characters getting their powers, they didn't fully explore their origins. Sheldon Sampson's position as leader or why the others chose to follow him also went unexplained. These pivotal questions would determine the storyline of the show. Unfortunately, they were left unanswered.
4 The Show Had Outdated Morals
The superheroes in Jupiter's Legacy followed two firm principles: never kill anyone, and never interfere in politics. These remained constant even after decades. Although not killing is a foundational moral belief for most people, in today's world even being apolitical means choosing a side.
This ideal was outdated even in the 1930s and makes even less sense in the 21st century. Times change and it is important to change with them.
3 The Fight Scenes Were Disappointing
Superhero movies and shows need great action sequences. A great superhero fight is a thrill unlike any other. Jupiter's Legacy could have made its mark by incorporating some great fighting scenes that kept the audience engaged.
Despite having the resources to create something truly mesmerizing, their action scenes were merely mediocre. They lacked inspiration and seemed overly familiar. They had the same old moves and predictable outcomes and surprised no one.
2 The Lead Cast Lacked Diversity
Accurate representation is increasingly important in pop culture. The real world does not consist solely of privileged white people but includes many races. Even though this is a fictional world, it has to resemble the real world to some extent and that means including people of every race, as well as including diverse sexual and gender identities.
Jupiter's Legacy failed to have a diverse lead cast and placed people of color in largely negative roles. This not only hurt the show but also represented a backward step for superhero stories as a whole.
1 The Show Had Too Much Drama
Although some drama is needed, a superhero show also needs other aspects. The creators put too much focus on the drama between the characters and neglected the other parts of the plot.
As a result, the viewers who started watching this for the superhero genre lost their interest quickly. The plot should have focused more on their characters and their development rather than the trivial squabbles between them.